,,expositions ,,of ,,holy ,,scripture   
,,alexander ,,maclaren1 ,d4 ,d41 ,litt4 
,d4   ,,st4 ,,matthew  ,chaps4 ,,ix to  
,,xxviii     ,,expositions ,,of ,,holy  
,,scripture  ,,alexander ,,maclaren1 ,d4
 ,d41 ,litt4 ,d4   ,,st4 ,,matthew      
,chaps4 ,,ix to ,,xvii     ,,contents   
,,christ',s ,,encouragements 7,matt4 ix4
 #b7  ,,soul-,,healing ,,first3         
,,body-,,healing ,,second 7,matt4 ix4   
#f7  ,,the ,,call ,,of ,,matthew 7,matt4
 ix4 #i-ag7  ,,the ,,touch ,,of ,,faith 
,,and ,,the ,,touch ,,of ,,christ       
7,matt4 ix4 #ah-ca7  ,a ,,christlike    
,,judgment ,,of ,,men 7,,matt4 ix4 #cf7 
,,the ,,obscure ,,apostles 7,matt4 x4   
#e7  ,,christ',s ,,charge ,,to ,,his    
,,heralds 7,matt4 x4 #e-af7  ,,the      
,,widened ,,mission1 ,,its ,,perils     
,,and ,,defences 7,matt4 x4 #af-ca7     
,,like ,,teacher1 ,,like ,,scholar      
7,matt x4 #bd1 #be7  ,,the ,,king',s    
,,charge ,,to ,,his ,,ambassadors       
7,matt4 x4 #cb-db7  ,a ,,life ,,lost    
,,and ,,found 7,matt4 x4 #ci7  ,,the    

,,greatest ,,in ,,the ,,kingdom1 ,,and  
,,their ,,reward 7,matt4 x4 #da1 #db7   
,,john',s ,,doubts ,,of ,,jesus1 ,,and  
,,jesus' ,,praise ,,of ,,john  7,matt4  
xi4 #b-ae7  ,,the ,,friend ,,of         
,,publicans ,,and ,,sinners 7,matt4 xi4 
#ai7  ,,sodom1 ,,capernaum1 ,,manchester
 7,matt4 xi4 #bj7  ,,christ',s ,,strange
 ,,thanksgiving 7,matt4 xi4 #be7  ,,the 
,,rest ,,giver 7,matt4 xi4 #bh1 #bi7    
,,the ,,pharisees' ,,sabbath ,,and      
,,christ',s 7,matt4 xii4 #a-ad7  ,,an   
,,attempt ,,to ,,account ,,for ,,jesus  
7,matt4 xii4 #bd7  ',,make ,,the ,,tree 
,,good' 7,matt4 xii4 #cc7  ',a ,,greater
 ,,than ,,jonas' 7,matt4 xii4 #da7  ',a 
,,greater ,,than ,,solomon' 7,matt4 xii4
 #db7  ,,four ,,sowings ,,and ,,one     
,,ripening 7,matt4 xiii4 #a-i7  ,,ears  
,,and ,,no ,,ears 7,matt4 xiii4 #i7     
',,to ,,him ,,that ,,hath ,,shall ,,be  
,,given' 7,matt4 xiii4 #ab7  ,,seeing   
,,and ,,blind 7,matt4 xiii4 #ac7        
,,mingled ,,in ,,growth1 ,,separated    
,,in ,,maturity 7,matt4 xiii4 #bd-cj7   

,,leaven 7,matt4 xiii4 #cc7  ,,treasure 
,,and ,,pearl 7,matt4 xiii4 #dd-df7     
,,the ,,martyrdom ,,of ,,john 7,matt4   
xiv4 #a-ab7  ,,the ,,grave ,,of ,,the   
,,dead ,,john ,,and ,,the ,,grave ,,of  
,,the ,,living ,,jesus 7,matt4 xiv4 #ab2
 xxviii4 #h7  ,,the ,,food ,,of ,,the   
,,world 7,matt4 xiv4 #ai1 #bj7  ,,the   
,,king',s ,,highway 7,matt4 xiv4 #bb-cf7
  ,,peter ,,on ,,the ,,waves 7,matt4    
xiv4 #bh7  ,,thb ,,crumbs ,,and ,,the   
,,bread 7,matt4 xv4 #ba-ca7  ,,the      
,,divine ,,christ ,,confessed1 ,,the    
,,suffering ,,christ ,,denied 7,matt4   
xvi4 #ac-bh7  ,,christ ,,foreseeing     
,,the ,,cross 7,matt4 xvi4 #ba7  ,,the  
,,king ,,in ,,his ,,beauty 7,matt4 xvii1
 #a-ac7  ,,the ,,secret ,,of ,,power4   
7,matt4 xvii4 #ai1 #bj7  ,,the ,,coin   
,,in ,,the ,,fish',s ,,mouth 7,matt4    
xvii4 #be1 #bf7     ,,christ',s         
,,encouragements       ',son1 be of good
 cheer4'--,,matt4 ix4 #b4  ,this word of
 encouragement1 which exhorts to both   
cheerfulness and courage1 is often upon 

,christ's lips4 ,it is only once        
employed in the ,gospels by any other   
than ,he4 ,if we throw together the     
various instances in which ,he thus     
speaks1 we may get a somewhat striking  
view of the hindrances to such a temper 
of bold1 buoyant cheerfulness which the 
world presents1 and of the means for    
securing it which ,christ provides4     
,but before ,i consider these           
individually1 let me point you to this  
thought1 that such a disposition1 facing
 the inevitable sorrows1 evils1 and     
toilsome tasks of life with glad and    
courageous buoyancy1 is a ,christian    
duty1 and is a temper not merely to be  
longed for1 but consciously and         
definitely to be striven after4  ,we    
have a great deal more in our power1 in 
the regulation of moods and tempers and 
dispositions1 than we often are willing 
to acknowledge to ourselves4 ,our 'low' 
times--when we fret and are dull1 and   
all things seem wrapped in gloom1 and we
 are ready to sit down and bewail       

ourselves1 like ,job on his             
dunghill--are often quite as much the   
results of our own imperfect            
,christianity as the response of our    
feelings to external circumstances4 ,it 
is by no means an unnecessary reminder  
for us1 who have heavy tasks set us1    
which often seem too heavy1 and are     
surrounded1 as we all are1 with crowding
 temptations to be bitter and melancholy
 and sad1 that ,christ commands us to   
be1 and therefore we ought to be1 'of   
good cheer4'  ,another observation may  
be made as preliminary1 and that is that
 ,jesus ,christ never tells people to   
cheer up without giving them reason to  
do so4 ,we shall see presently that in  
all cases where the words occur they are
 immediately followed by words or deeds 
of ,his which hold forth something on   
which1 if the hearer's faith lay hold1  
darkness and gloom will fly like morning
 mists before the rising sun4 ,the world
 comes to us and says1 in the midst of  
our sorrows and our difficulties1 ',be  

of good cheer1' and says it in vain1 and
 generally only rubs salt into the sore 
by saying it4 ,jesus ,christ never thus 
vainly preaches the duty of encouraging 
ourselves without giving us ample       
reasons for the cheerfulness which ,he  
enjoins4  ,with these two remarks to    
begin with--that we ought to make it a  
part of our ,christian discipline of    
ourselves to seek to cultivate a        
continuous and equable temperament of   
calm1 courageous good cheer2 and that   
,jesus ,christ never commands such a    
temper without showing cause for our    
obedience--let us turn for a few moments
 to the various instances in which this 
expression falls from ,his lips4  ,i4   
,now the first of them is this of my    
text1 and from it we learn this truth1  
that ,christ's first contribution to our
 temper of equable1 courageous          
cheerfulness is the assurance that all  
our sins are forgiven4  ',son1 be of    
good cheer1' said ,he to that poor      
palsied sufferer lying there upon the   

little light bed in front of ,him4 ,he  
had been brought to ,christ to be cured 
of his palsy4 ,our ,lord seems to offer 
him a very irrelevant blessing when1    
instead of the healing of his limbs1 ,he
 offers him the forgiveness of his sins4
 ,that was possibly not what he wanted  
most1 certainly it was not what the     
friends who had brought him wanted for  
him1 but ,jesus knew better than they   
what the man suffered most from and most
 needed to have cured4 ,they would have 
said ',palsy4' ,he said1 ',yes6 but     
palsy that comes from sin4' ,for1 no    
doubt1 the sick man's disease was 'a sin
 of flesh avenged in kind1' and so      
,christ went to the fountain-head when  
,he said1 ',thy sins be forgiven thee4' 
,he therein implied1 not only that the  
man was longing for something more than 
his four kindly but ignorant bearers    
there knew1 but also that the root of   
his disease was extirpated when his sins
 were forgiven4  ,and so1 in like       
manner1 'thus conscience doth make      

cowards of us all4' ,there is nothing   
that so drapes a soul with darkness as  
either the consciousness of unforgiven  
sin or the want of consciousness of     
forgiven sin4 ,there may be plenty of   
superficial cheerfulness4 ,i know that2 
and ,i know what the bitter wise man    
called it1 'the crackling of thorns     
under the pot1' which1 the more they    
crackle1 the faster they turn into      
powdery ash and lose all their warmth4  
,for stable1 deep1 lifelong1 reliable   
courage and cheerfulness1 there must be 
thorough work made with the black spot  
in the heart1 and the black lines in the
 history4 ,and unless our comforters can
 come to us and say1 ',thy sins be      
forgiven thee1' they are only chattering
 nonsense1 and singing songs to a heavy 
heart which will make an effervescence  
'like vinegar on nitre1' when they say  
to us1 ',be of good cheer4' ,how can ,i 
be glad if there lie coiled in my heart 
that consciousness of alienation and    
disorder in my relations to ,god1 which 

all men carry with them1 though they    
overlay it and try to forget it8 ,there 
is no basis for a peaceful gladness     
worthy of a man except that which digs  
deep down into the very secrets of the  
heart1 and lays the first course of the 
building in the consciousness of        
pardoned sin4 ',son1 be of good cheer6' 
,lift up thy head4 ,face smaller evils  
without discomposure1 and with quietly  
throbbing pulses1 for the fountain of   
possible terrors and calamities is      
stanched and stayed with1 ',thy sins are
 forgiven thee4'  ,side by side with    
this first instance1 illustrating the   
same general thought1 though from a     
somewhat different point of view1 ,i may
 put another of the instances in which  
the same phrase was soothingly on our   
,lord's lips4 ',daughter1' said ,he to  
the poor woman with the issue of blood1 
'be of good cheer4 ,thy faith hath saved
 thee4' ,the consciousness of a living  
union with ,god through ,christ by      
faith1 which results in the present     

possession of a real1 though it may be a
 partial1 salvation1 is indispensable to
 the temper of equable cheerfulness of  
which ,i have been speaking4 ,apart from
 that consciousness1 you may have plenty
 of excitement1 but no lasting calm4    
,the contrast between the drugged and   
effervescent potion which the world     
gives as a cup of gladness1 and the pure
 tonic which ,jesus ,christ administers 
for the same purpose1 is infinite4 ,he  
says to us1 ',i forgive thy sins2 by thy
 faith ,i save thee2 go in peace4' ,then
 the burdened heart is freed from its   
oppression1 and the downcast face is    
lifted up1 and all things around change1
 as when the sunshine comes out on the  
wintry landscape1 and the very snow     
sparkles into diamonds4 ,so much1 then1 
for the first of the instances of the   
use of this phrase4  ,,ii4 ,we now take 
a second4 ,jesus ,christ ministers to us
 cheerful courage because ,he manifests 
,himself to us as a ,companion in the   
storm 7,matt4 xiv4 #bg74  ,the narrative

 is very familiar to us1 so that ,i need
 not enlarge upon it4 ,you remember the 
scene--our ,lord alone on the mountain  
in prayer1 the darkness coming down upon
 the little boat1 the storm rising as   
the darkness fell1 the wind howling down
 the gorges of the mountains round the  
landlocked lake1 the crew 'toiling in   
rowing1 for the wind was contrary4' ,and
 then1 all at once1 out of the          
mysterious obscurity beneath the shadow 
of the hills1 ,something is seen moving1
 and it comes nearer2 and the waves     
become solid beneath that light and     
noiseless foot1 as steadily nearer ,he  
comes4 ,jesus ,christ uses the billows  
as the pavement over which ,he          
approaches ,his servants1 and the storms
 which beat on us are ,his occasion for 
drawing very near4 ,then they think ,him
 a spirit1 and cry out with voices that 
were heard amidst the howling of the    
tempest1 and struck upon the ear of     
whomsoever told the ,evangelist the     
story4 ,they cry out with a shriek of   

terror--because ,jesus ,christ is coming
 to them in so strange a fashion6 ,have 
we never shrieked and groaned1 and      
passionately wept aloud for the same    
reason2 and mistaken the ,lord of love  
and consolation for some grisly spectre8
 ,when ,he comes it is with the old word
 on ,his lips1 ',be of good cheer4'     
',tell us not to be frightened when we  
see something stalking across the waves 
in the darkness6' ',it is ,i'2 surely   
that is enough4 ,the ,companion in the  
storm is the ,calmer of the terror4 ,he 
who recognises ,jesus ,christ as drawing
 near to his heart over wild billows may
 well 'be of good cheer1' since the     
storm but brings his truest treasure to 
him4    ',well roars the storm to those 
who hear    ,a deeper ,voice across the 
storm4'  ,and ,he who1 with unwetted    
foot1 can tread on the wave1 and with   
quiet voice heard above the shriek of   
the blast can say1 ',it is ,i1' has the 
right to say1 ',be of good cheer1' and  
never says it in vain to such as take   

,him into their lives however           
tempest-tossed1 and into their hearts   
however tremulous4  ,,iii4 ,a third     
instance of the occurrence of this word 
of cheer presents ,jesus as ministering 
cheerful courage to us by reason of ,his
 being victor in the strife with the    
world 7,john xvi4 #cc74  ',in the world 
ye shall have tribulation3 but be of    
good cheer2 ,i have overcome the world4'
  ,of course 'the world' which ,he      
overcame is the whole aggregate of      
things and persons considered as        
separated from ,god1 and as being the   
great ,antagonist and counter power to a
 holy life of obedience and filial      
devotion4 ,at that last moment when1    
according to all outward seeming and the
 estimate of things which sense would   
make1 ,he was utterly and hopelessly and
 all but ignominiously beaten1 ,he says1
 ',i have overcome the world4' ,what6   
,thou6 within four-and-twenty hours of  
,thy ,cross8 ,is that victory8 ,yes6    
,for he conquers the world who uses all 

its opposition as well as its real good 
to help him1 absolutely and utterly1 to 
do the will of ,god4 ,and he is         
conquered by the world who lets it1 by  
its glozing sweetnesses and flatteries1 
or by its knitted brows and frowning    
eyes and threatening hand1 hinder him   
from the path of perfect consecration   
and entire conformity to the ,father's  
will4  ,christ has conquered4 ,what does
 that matter to us8 ,why1 it matters    
this1 that we may have the ,spirit of   
,jesus ,christ in our hearts to make us 
also victorious in the same fight4 ,and 
whosoever will lay his weakness on that 
strong arm1 and open his emptiness to   
receive the fulness of that victorious  
,spirit for the very spirit of his life1
 will be 'more than conqueror through   
,him that loved us1' and can front all  
the evils1 dangers1 threatenings1       
temptations of the world1 its heaped    
sweets and its frowning antagonisms1    
with the calm confidence that none of   
them are able to daunt him2 and that the

 ,victor ,lord will cover his head in   
the day of battle and deliver him from  
every evil work4 ',be of good cheer1 for
 ,i have overcome the world1 and play   
your parts like men in the good fight of
 faith2 for ,i am at your back1 and will
 help you with ,mine own strength4'     
,,iv4 ,the last instance that ,i point  
to of the use of this phrase is one in  
which it was spoken by ,christ's voice  
from heaven 7,acts xxiii4 #aa74 ,it was 
the voice which was heard by the        
,apostle ,paul after he had been almost 
torn in pieces by the crowd in the      
,temple1 and had been bestowed for      
security1 by the half-contemptuous      
protection of the ,roman governor1 in   
the castle1 and was looking onward into 
a very doubtful future1 not knowing how 
many hours' purchase his life might be  
worth4 ,that same night the ,lord       
appeared to him and said1 ',be of good  
cheer1 ,paul1 for as thou hast testified
 of ,me in ,jerusalem1 so must thou bear
 witness also at ,rome4' ,that is to    

say1 ',no man can touch you until ,i let
 him1 and nobody shall touch you until  
you have done your work and spoken out  
your testimony4 ,jerusalem is a little  
sphere2 ,rome is a great one4 ,the tools
 to the hand that can use them4 ,the    
reward for work is more work1 and work  
in a larger sphere4 ,so cheer up6 for ,i
 have much for you to do yet4'  ,and the
 spirit of that encouragement may go    
with us all1 breeding in us the quiet   
confidence that no matter who may thwart
 or hinder1 no matter what dangers or   
evils may seem to ring us round1 the    
,master who bids us ',be of good cheer' 
will give us a charmed life1 and nothing
 shall by any means hurt us until ,he   
says to us1 ',be of good courage2 for   
you have done your work2 and now come   
and rest4' ',wait on the ,lord4 ,be of  
good courage1 and ,he shall strengthen  
thine heart2 wait1 ,i say1 on the       
,lord4'     ,,soul-,,healing ,,first3   
,,body-,,healing ,,second       ',that  
ye may know that the ,son of ,man hath  

power on     earth to forgive sins 7then
 saith ,he to the sick of the           
palsy71 ,arise1 take up thy bed1 and go 
unto thine     house4'--,,matt4 ix4 #f4 
,the great example of our ,lord's       
teaching in the ,sermon on the ,mount is
 followed1 in this and the preceding    
chapter1 by a similar collection of ,his
 works of healing4 ,these are divided   
into three groups1 each consisting of   
three members4 ,this miracle is the last
 of the second triad1 of which the other
 two members are the miraculous stilling
 of the tempest and the casting out of  
the demons from the men in the country  
of the ,gergesenes4  ,one may discern a 
certain analogy in these three members  
of this central group4 ,in all of them  
our ,lord appears as the peace-bringer4 
,but the spheres are different4 ,the    
calm which was breathed over the stormy 
lake is peace of a lower kind than that 
which filled the soul of the demoniacs  
when the power that made discord within 
had been cast out4 ,even that peace was 

lower in kind than that which brought   
sweet repose in the assurance of pardon 
to this poor paralytic4 ,forgiveness    
speaks of a loftier blessing than even  
the casting out of demons4 ,the         
manifestation of power and love steadily
 rises to a climax4  ,the most important
 part of this story1 then1 is not the   
mere healing of the disease1 but the    
forgiveness of sins which accompanies   
it4 ,and the large teaching which our   
,lord gives as to the relation between  
,his miracles and ,his standing work1   
,his ordinary work which ,he has been   
doing all through the ages1 which ,he is
 doing to-day1 which ,he is ready to do 
for you and me if we will let ,him1     
towers high above the mere miracle1     
which is honoured by being the signal   
attestation of that work4  ,therefore ,i
 would turn to this story now1 not for  
the sake of dealing with the mere       
miraculous event1 but in order to draw  
the important lessons from it which lie 
upon its very surface4  ,i4 ,the first  

thought that is suggested here is that  
our deepest need is forgiveness4  ,how  
strangely irrelevant and beside the     
mark1 at first sight1 seems the answer  
which ,christ gives to the eager zeal   
and earnestness of the man and his      
bearers4 ,christ's word is ',son1' or as
 the original might more literally and  
even more tenderly be rendered1         
',child--be of good cheer2 thy sins be  
forgiven thee4' ,that seemed far away   
from their want4 ,it was far from their 
wish1 but yet it was the shortest road  
to its accomplishment4 ,christ here goes
 straight to the heart of the necessity1
 when1 passing by the disease for the   
moment1 ,he speaks the great word of    
pardon4 ,the palsy was probably the     
result of the sufferer's vice1 and      
probably1 too1 he felt1 whatever may    
have been his friends' wishes for him1  
that he needed forgiveness most4 ,such a
 conclusion as to his state of mind     
seems a fair inference from our ,lord's 
words to him1 for ,christ would never   

have offered forgiveness to an          
impenitent or indifferent heart4  ,so we
 may learn that our chief and prime need
 is forgiveness4 ,amid all our clamours 
and hungry needs1 that is our deepest4  
,is not a man's chief relation in this  
world his relation to ,god8 ,is not that
 the most important thing about all of  
us8 ,if that be wrong1 will not         
everything be wrong8 ,if that be right1 
will not everything come right8 ,and is 
it not true that for you and me1 and for
 all our fellows1 whatever be the       
surface diversities of character1       
civilisation1 culture1 taste and the    
like1 there is one deep experience      
common to every human spirit1 and that  
is the fact1 and in some sense more or  
less acutely the consciousness of the   
fact1 that 'we have sinned1 and come    
short of the glory of ,god'8  ,there is 
the fontal source of all sorrow1 for    
even to the most superficial observation
 ninety per cent41 at any rate1 of man's
 misery comes either from his own or    

from others' wrongdoing1 and for the    
rest1 it is regarded in the eye of faith
 as being sorrow that is needful because
 of sin1 in order to discipline and to  
purify4 ,but here stands the fact1 that 
king and clown1 philosopher and fool1   
men of culture and men of ignorance1 all
 of us1 through all the ages1 manifest  
the unity of our nature in this--,i was 
going to say most chiefly--that lapses  
from the path of rectitude1 and         
indulgence in habits1 thoughts1         
feelings1 and actions1 which even our   
consciences tell us are wrong1          
characterise us all4  ,hence the        
profound wisdom of ,christ and of ,his  
,gospel in that1 when it begins the task
 of healing1 it does not peddle and     
potter on the surface1 but goes straight
 to the heart1 with true instinct flies 
at the head1 like a wise physician pays 
little heed to secondary and unimportant
 symptoms1 but grapples with the        
disease1 makes the tree good1 and leaves
 the good tree to make1 as it will1 the 

fruit good4  ,the first thing to do to  
heal men's misery1 is to make them pure2
 and the first step in the great method 
by which a man can be made pure1 is to  
assure him of a divine forgiveness for  
the past4 ,so the sneers that we often  
hear about ,christian 'philanthropists  
taking tracts to people when they want  
soup1' and the like1 are excessively    
shallow sneers1 and indicate nothing    
more than this1 that the critic has     
superficially diagnosed the disease1 and
 is wofully wrong about the remedy4 ,god
 forbid that ,i should say one word that
 would seem to depreciate the value of  
other forms of beneficence1 or to cast  
doubt upon the purity of motives1 or    
even to be lacking in admiration for the
 enthusiasm that fills and guides many  
an earnest man and woman1 working       
amongst the squalid vice of our great   
cities and of our complex and barbarous 
civilisation to-day4 ,i would recognise 
all their work as good and blessed2 but1
 oh6 dear brethren1 it deals with the   

surface1 and you will have to go a great
 deal deeper down than sthetic1 or      
intellectual1 or economical1 or         
political reformation and changes reach1
 before you touch the real reason why   
men and women are miserable in this     
world4 ,and you will only effectually   
cure the misery1 but you certainly then 
will do it1 when you begin where the    
misery begins1 and deal first with sin4 
,the true 'saviour of society' is the   
man that can go to his brother1 and as a
 minister declaratory of the divine     
heart can say--',brother1 be of good    
cheer2 thy sins be forgiven thee4' ,and 
then1 after that1 the palsy will go out 
of his limbs1 and a new nervous energy  
will come into them1 and he will rise1  
take up his bed1 and walk4  ,,ii4 ,now1 
in the next place1 notice1 as coming out
 of this incident before us1 the thought
 that forgiveness is an exclusively     
divine act4  ,there was1 sitting by1    
with their jealous and therefore blind  
eyes1 a whole crowd of wise men and     

religious formalists of the first water1
 collected together as a kind of        
ecclesiastical inquisition and board of 
triers1 as one of the other evangelists 
tells us1 out of every corner of the    
land4 ,they had no care for the dewy    
pity that was in ,christ's looks1 or for
 the nascent hope that began to swim up 
into the poor1 dim eye of the paralytic4
 ,but they had keen scent for heresy1   
and so they fastened with true feline   
instinct upon the one thing1 ',this man 
speaketh blasphemies4 ,who can forgive  
sins but ,god alone8'  ,ah6 if you want 
to get people blind as bats to the      
radiant beauty of some lofty character1 
and insensible as rocks to the wants of 
a sad humanity1 commend me to your      
religious formalists1 whose religion is 
mainly a bundle of red tape tied round  
men's limbs to keep them from getting at
 things that they would like4 ,these are
 the people who will be as hard as the  
nether millstones1 and utterly blind to 
all enthusiasm and to all goodness4     

,but yet these ,pharisees are right2    
perfectly right4 ,forgiveness is an     
exclusively divine act4 ,of course4 ,for
 sin has to do with ,god only2 vice has 
to do with the laws of morality2 crime  
has to do with the laws of the land4    
,the same act may be vice1 crime1 and   
sin4 ,in the one aspect it has to do    
with myself1 in the other with my       
fellows1 in the last with ,god4 ,and so 
evil considered as sin comes under      
,god's control only1 and only ,he       
against whom it has been committed can  
forgive4  ,what is forgiveness8 ,the    
sweeping aside of penalties8 the        
shutting up of some more or less        
material hell8 ,by no means3 penalties  
are often left2 when sins are crimes    
they are generally left2 when sins are  
vices they are always left1 thank ,god6 
,but in so far as sin is sin1 considered
 as being the perversion and setting    
wrong of my relation to ,him1 its       
consequences1 which are its penalties1  
are swept away by forgiveness2 for      

forgiveness1 in its essence and deepest 
meaning1 is neither more nor less than  
that the love of the person against whom
 the wrong has been done shall flow out1
 notwithstanding the wrong4 ,pardon is  
love rising above the ice-dam which we  
have piled in its course1 and pouring   
into our hearts4  ,when you fathers and 
mothers forgive your children1 what does
 it mean8 ,does it not mean that your   
love is neither deflected nor embittered
 any more1 by reason of their           
wrongdoing1 but pours upon them as of   
old8 ,so ,god's forgiveness is at       
bottom--',child6 there is nothing in my 
heart to thee1 but pure and perfect     
love4' ,we fill the sky with mists1     
through which the sun itself has to look
 like a red ball of lurid fire4 ,but it 
shines on the upper side of the mists   
all the same1 and all the time1 and     
thins them away and scatters them       
utterly1 and shines forth in its own    
brightness on the rejoicing heart4      
,pardon is ,god's love1 unchecked and   

unembittered1 granted to the wrongdoer4 
,and that is a divine act1 and a divine 
act alone4 ,pharisees and ,scribes were 
perfectly right4 ,no man can forgive    
sins but ,god only4  ,and ,i might add1 
though it is somewhat aside from my     
direct purpose1 ,god can forgive sin2   
which some people nowadays say is       
impossible4 ,the apparent impossibility 
arises only from shallow and erroneous  
notions of what forgiveness is4 ,god    
does not--it might be too bold to say   
,god cannot1 if we believe in           
miracles--but as a matter of fact1 ,god 
does not1 usually interfere to hinder   
men from reaping1 as regards this life1 
what they have sown4 ,but as ,i say1    
that is not forgiveness2 and is there   
any reason conceivable why it should be 
impossible for the divine love to pour  
down upon a sinful man who has forsaken 
his sin1 and is trusting in ,god's mercy
 in ,christ1 just as if his sin was     
non-existent1 in so far as it could     
condition or interfere with the flow of 

the divine mercy8  ,and ,i may say1     
further1 we need a definite divine      
assurance of pardon4 ,ah6 if you have   
ever been down into the cellars of your 
own hearts1 and seen the ugly things    
that coil there1 you will know that a   
vague trust in a vague ,god and a vague 
mercy is not enough to still the        
conscience that has once been stung into
 action4 ,my brothers1 you want neither 
priests nor ceremonies on the one hand1 
nor a mere peradventure of ',oh6 ,god is
 merciful6' on the other1 in order to   
deal with that deepest need of your     
heart4 ,nothing but the ,king's own     
sign-manual on the pardon makes it      
valid2 and unless you and ,i can1       
somehow or other1 come to close grips   
with ,god1 and get into actual contact  
with ,him1 and hear1 somehow1 with      
infallible certitude1 as from ,his own  
lips1 the assurance of forgiveness1     
there is not enough for our needs4      
,,iii4 ,so ,i come to say1 in the next  
place1 that the incident before us      

teaches us that ,jesus ,christ claims   
and exercises this divine prerogative of
 forgiveness4  ,mark ,his answer to     
these cavillers4 ,he admits their       
promises absolutely4 ,they said1 ',no   
man can forgive sins but ,god only4' ,if
 ,christ was only a man1 like us1       
standing in the same relation to the    
divine pardon that other teachers1      
saints1 and prophets have stood1 and had
 nothing more to do with it than simply1
 as ,i might do1 to say to a troubled   
heart1 ',my brother1 be quite sure that 
,god has forgiven you'2 if ,christ's    
relation to the divine forgiveness was  
nothing more than ministerial and       
declaratory1 why1 in the name1 not of   
common sense only1 but of veracity1 did 
,he not turn round to these men and say 
so8 ,he was bound1 by all the           
obligations of a religious teacher1 to  
disclaim1 as you or ,i would have done  
under similar circumstances1 the        
misapprehension of ,his words3 ',i use  
blasphemies8 ,no6 ,i am not speaking    

blasphemies4 ,i know that ,god only can 
forgive sins1 and ,i am doing no more   
than telling my poor brother here that  
his sins are forgiven by ,god4' ,but    
that is not ,his answer at all4 ,what   
,he says in effect is--',yes2 you are   
quite right4 ,no man can forgive sins1  
but ,god only4 ,i forgive sins4 ,whom   
think ye1 then1 that ,i1 the ,son of    
,man am8 ,it is easy to say ,thy sins be
 forgiven thee--far easier to say that  
than to say ,take up thy bed and walk1  
because one can verify and check the    
accomplishment of the saying in the one 
case1 and one cannot in the other4 ,the 
sentences are equally easy to pronounce1
 the things are equally difficult for a 
man to do1 but the difference is that   
one of them can be verified and the     
other of them cannot4 ,i will do the    
visible impossibility1 and then ,i leave
 you to judge whether ,i can do the     
invisible one or not4'  ,now1 dear      
brethren1 ,i have only one word to say  
about that1 and it is this4 ,we are here

 brought sharp up to a fork in the road4
 ,i know that it is not always a        
satisfactory way of arguing to compel a 
man to take one horn or other of an     
alternative1 but it is quite fair to do 
go in the present case2 and ,i would    
press it upon some of you who1 ,i think1
 urgently need to consider the dilemma4 
,either the ,pharisees were quite right1
 and ,jesus ,christ1 the meek1 the      
humble1 the ,pattern of all lowly       
gentleness1 the ,teacher whom nineteen  
centuries confess that they have not    
exhausted1 was an audacious blasphemer1 
or ,he was ,god manifest in the flesh4  
,the whole context forbids us to take   
these words1 ',thy sins be forgiven     
thee1' as anything less than the voice  
of divine love wiping out the man's     
transgressions2 and if ,jesus ,christ   
pretended or presumed to do that1 there 
is no hypothesis that ,i know of which  
can save ,his character for the         
reverence of man1 but that which sees in
 ,him ,god revealed in manhood2 the     

world's ,judge1 from whom the world may 
receive divine forgiveness4  ,,iv4      
,jesus ,christ here brings visible facts
 into the witness-box as the attesters  
of ,his invisible powers4  ,of course   
the miracle was such a witness in a     
special way1 inasmuch as it and         
forgiveness were equally divine         
prerogatives and acts4 ,i need not dwell
 now upon what ,i have already observed 
in my introductory remarks1 that our    
,lord here teaches us the relative      
importance of the attesting miracle and 
the thing attested1 and regards the     
miracle as subordinate to the higher and
 spiritual work of bringing pardon4     
,but we may widen out this into the     
thought that the subsidiary effects of  
,christian faith in individuals1 and of 
the less complete ,christian faith which
 is diffused over society1 do stand as  
very strong evidences of the reality of 
,christ's professions and claims to     
exercise this invisible power of pardon4
 ,or1 to put it into a concrete form1   

and to take an illustration which may   
need large deductions4--,go into a      
,salvation ,army meeting4 ,admit the    
extravagance1 the coarseness1 and all   
the rest which we educated and superfine
 ,christians cannot stand4 ,but when you
 have blown away the froth1 is there not
 something left in the cup which looks  
uncommonly like the wine of the         
,kingdom8 ,are there not visible results
 of that1 as of every earnest effort to 
carry the message of forgiveness to men1
 which create an immense presumption in 
favour of its reality and divine origin8
 ,men reclaimed1 passions tamed1 homes  
that were pandemoniums made ,bethels1   
houses of ,god4 ,wherever ,christ's     
forgiving power really comes into a     
heart1 life is beautified1 is purified1 
is ennobled2 and secondary and material 
benefits follow in the train4  ,i claim 
all the difference between ,christendom 
and ,heathendom as attestation of the   
reality of ,christ's divine and atoning 
work4 ,i say1 and ,i believe it to be a 

valid and a good argument as against    
much of the doubt of this day1 ',if you 
seek ,his monument1 look around4' ,his  
own answer to the question1 ',art thou  
,he that should come8' is valid still3  
',go and tell ,john the things that ye  
see and hear'2 the dead are raised1 the 
deaf ears are opened2 faculties that lie
 dormant are quickened1 and in a        
thousand ways the swift spirit of life  
flows from ,him and vitalises the dead  
masses of humanity4  ,let any system of 
belief or of no belief do the like if it
 can4 ,this rod has budded at any rate1 
let the magicians do the same with their
 enchantments4  ,now1 ,christian men and
 women1 'ye are ,my witnesses1' saith   
the ,lord4 ,the world takes its notions 
of ,christianity1 and its belief in the 
power of ,christianity1 a great deal    
more from you than it does from         
preachers and apologists4 ,you are the  
,bibles that most men read4 ,see to it  
that your lives represent worthily the  
redeeming and the ennobling power of    

your ,master4  ,and as for the rest of  
you1 do not waste your time trying to   
purify the stream twenty miles down from
 the fountainhead1 but go to the source4
 ,do not believe1 brother1 that your    
palsy1 or your fever1 your paralysis of 
will towards good1 or the unwholesome   
ardour with which you are impelled to   
wrong1 and the consequent misery and    
restlessness1 can ever be healed until  
you go to ,christ--the forgiving        
,christ--and let ,him lay ,his hand upon
 you2 and from ,his own sweet and       
infallible lips hear the word that shall
 come as a charm through all your       
nature3 ',son1 thy sins be forgiven     
thee4' ',then shall the eyes of the     
blind be opened2 then shall the lame man
 leap as an hart'2--then limitations1   
sorrows1 miseries1 will pass away1 and  
forgiveness will bear fruit in joy and  
power1 in holiness1 health and peace4   
,,the ,,call ,,of ,,matthew       ',and 
as ,jesus passed forth from thence1 ,he 
saw a man1     named ,matthew1 sitting  

at the receipt of custom3 and     ,he   
saith unto him1 ,follow ,me4 ,and he    
arose1 and     followed ,him4 #aj4 ,and 
it came to pass1 as ,jesus sat at       
meat in the house1 behold1 many         
publicans and sinners     came and sat  
down with ,him and ,his disciples4 #aa4 
,and     when the ,pharisees saw it1    
they said unto ,his disciples1     ,why 
eateth your ,master with publicans and  
sinners8     #ab4 ,but when ,jesus heard
 that1 ,he said unto them1 ,they        
that be whole need not a physician1 but 
they that are     sick4 #ac4 ,but go ye 
and learn what that meaneth1 ,i will    
have mercy1 and not sacrifice3 for ,i am
 not come to     call the righteous1 but
 sinners to repentance4 #ad4 ,then      
came to ,him the disciples of ,john1    
saying1 ,why do we     and the          
,pharisees fast oft1 but ,thy disciples 
fast not8     #ae4 ,and ,jesus said unto
 them1 ,can the children of the         
bridechamber mourn1 as long as the      
bridegroom is with     them8 but the    

days will come1 when the bridegroom     
shall     be taken from them1 and then  
shall they fast4 #af4 ,no     man       
putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old
 garment1     for that which is put in  
to fill it up taketh from the           
garment1 and the rent is made worse4    
#ag4 ,neither do men     put new wine   
into old bottles3 else the bottles      
break1     and the wine runneth out1 and
 the bottles perish3 but     they put   
new wine into new bottles1 and both are 
preserved4'--,,matt4 ix4 #i-ag4  ,all   
three evangelists connect the call of   
,matthew immediately with the cure of   
the paralytic1 and follow it with an    
account of ,christ's answers to sundry  
cavils from ,pharisees and ,john's      
disciples4 ,no doubt1 the spectacle of  
this new ,teacher taking a publican into
 ,his circle of disciples1 and1 not     
content with such an outrage on all     
proper patriotic feeling1 following it  
up with scandalous companionship with   
the sort of people that a publican could

 get to accept his hospitality1         
sharpened hatred and made suspicion     
prick its ears4 ,mark and ,luke call the
 publican ,levi1 he calls himself       
,matthew1 the former being probably his 
name before his discipleship1 the       
latter1 that by which he was known      
thereafter4 ,possibly ,jesus gave it    
him1 as in the cases of ,simon1 and     
perhaps ,bartholomew4 ,but1 however     
acquired1 it superseded the old one1 as 
the fact that it appears in the lists of
 the apostles in both the other         
evangelists and in ,acts1 shows4 ,its   
use here may be a trace of a touching   
desire to make sure that readers1 who   
only knew him as ,matthew1 should       
understand who this publican was4 ,it is
 like the little likenesses of          
themselves1 in some corner of a         
background1 that early painters used to 
slip into a picture of ,madonna and     
angels4 ,there was no vanity in the     
wish1 for he says nothing about his     
sacrifices1 leaving it to ,luke to tell 

that 'he left all1' but he does crave   
that his brethren1 who read1 should know
 that it was he whom ,jesus honoured by 
,his call4  ,the condensed narrative    
emphasises three things1 7#a7 his       
occupation with his ordinary business   
when that wonderful summons thrilled his
 soul2 7#b7 the curt authoritative      
command1 and 7#c7 the swift obedience4  
,as to the first1 ,capernaum was on a   
great trade route1 and the custom-house 
officers there would have their hands   
full4 ,this one was busy at his work1   
hateful and shameful as it was in       
,jewish eyes1 and into that sordid      
atmosphere1 like a flash of light into a
 mephitic cavern full of unclean        
creatures1 came the transcendent mercy  
of ,jesus' summons4 ,there is no region 
of life so foul1 so mean1 so despicable 
in men's eyes1 but that the quickening  
,voice will enter there4 ,we do not need
 to be in temples or about sacred tasks 
in order to hear it4 ,it summons us in1 
and sometimes from1 our daily work4     

,well for those who know whose ,voice it
 is1 and do not mistake it for some     
,eli's6  ,no doubt this was not the     
first of ,matthew's knowledge of ,jesus4
 ,living in ,capernaum1 he would have   
had many opportunities of hearing ,him  
or of ,him1 and his heart and conscience
 may have been stirred4 ,as he sat in   
his 'tolbooth1' feeling contempt and    
hatred poured on him1 he1 no doubt1 had 
had longings to get nearer to the ,one  
whose voice was gentle1 and ,his looks1 
love4 ,so the call would come to him as 
the fulfilment of a dim hope1 and it    
would be a joyful surprise to know that 
,jesus wished to have him for a disciple
 as much as he wished to have ,jesus for
 a ,teacher4 ,the ring of fire and hate 
within which he had been imprisoned was 
broken1 and there was ,one who cared to 
have him1 and who would not shrink from 
his touch4 ,in the light of that        
assurance1 the call became1 not a       
summons to give anything up1 but an     
invitation to receive a better          

possession than all with which he was   
called to part4 ,and if we saw things as
 they are1 would it not always be so to 
us8 ',follow ,me' does mean1 ,forsake   
earth and self1 but it means still more3
 ,take what is more than all4 ,it parts 
from these because it unites to ,jesus4 
,therefore it means gain1 not           
deprivation4 ,and it condenses all rules
 for life into one1 for to follow ,him  
is the sum of all duty1 and yields the  
perfect pattern of conduct and          
character1 while it is also the secret  
of all blessedness1 and the talisman    
that assures a man of continual         
progress4 ,they who follow are near1 and
 will reach1 ,him4 ,of course1 if ,his  
servants follow ,him1 it stands to      
reason that one day1 'where ,i am there 
shall also ,my servants be4' ,so in that
 command lie a sufficient guide for     
earth1 and a sure guarantee for heaven4 
',and he arose and followed ,him4' ,that
 is the only thing that we are told of  
,matthew4 ,we hear no more of him1      

except that he made a feast in his house
 on the occasion4 ,no doubt he did his  
work as an apostle1 but oblivion has    
swallowed up all that4 ,a happy fate to 
be known to all the world for all time1 
only by this one thing1 that he         
unconditionally1 immediately and        
joyfully obeyed ,christ's call6 ,he     
might have said3 ',how can ,i leave my  
work8 ,i must make up my accounts1 hand 
over my papers1 do a hundred things in  
order to wind up matters1 and ,i must   
postpone following till then4' ,but he  
sprang up at once4 ,he would have       
abundant opportunities to settle all    
details afterwards1 but if he let this  
opportunity of taking his place as a    
disciple pass1 he might never have      
another4 ,there are some things that are
 best done gradually and slowly1 but    
obedience to ,christ's call is not one  
of them4 ,prompt obedience is the only  
safety4 ,the psalmist knew the danger of
 delay when he said3 ',i made haste and 
delayed not1 but made haste to keep ,thy

 commandments4'  ,matthew does not tell 
us that he made the feast1 but ,luke    
does4 ,it was the natural expression of 
his thankfulness and joy for the new    
bond4 ,his knowledge was small1 but his 
love was great4 ,how could he honour    
,jesus enough8 ,but he was a pariah in  
,capernaum1 and the only guests he could
 assemble were1 like himself1 outcasts  
from 'respectable society4' ,in popular 
estimation all publicans were regarded  
without any more ado as 'sinners1' but  
probably that designation is here       
applied to disreputable folks of various
 kinds and degrees of shadiness1 who    
gravitated to ,matthew and his class1   
because1 like him1 they were repulsed by
 every one else4 ,even outcasts hunger  
for society1 and manage to get a        
community of their own1 in which they   
find some glow of comradeship1 and some 
defence from hatred and contempt4 ,even 
lepers herd together and have their own 
rules of intercourse4  ,but what a      
scandal in the eyes not only of         

,pharisees1 but of all the proper people
 in ,capernaum1 ,jesus' going to such a 
gathering of disreputables would be1 we 
may estimate if we remember that they   
did not know ,his reason1 but thought   
that ,he went because ,he liked the     
atmosphere and the company4 ',like draws
 to like' was the conclusion suggested1 
in the absence of ,his own explanation4 
,the ,pharisee conceived that his duty  
in regard to publicans and sinners was  
to keep as far from them as he could1   
and his strait-laced self-righteousness 
had never dreamed of going to them with 
an open heart1 and trying to win them to
 a better life4 ,many so-called         
followers of ,jesus still take that     
attitude4 ,they gather up their skirts  
round them daintily1 and never think    
that it would be liker their ,lord to   
sweep away the mud than to pick their   
steps through it1 caring mainly to keep 
their own shoes clean4  ,the feast was  
probably spread in some courtyard or    
open space1 to which1 as is the ,eastern

 custom1 uninvited spectators could have
 access4 ,it is quite in accordance with
 the usage of the times and land that   
the ,pharisees should have been         
onlookers1 and should have been able to 
talk to the disciples4 ,no doubt their  
colloquy became animated1 and perhaps   
loud1 so that it could easily attract   
,christ's attention4 ,he answered for   
,himself1 and the tone of ,his reply is 
friendly and explanatory1 as if ,he     
recognised that the questioners         
genuinely wished to know 'why' ,he was  
sitting in such company4  ,it discloses 
,his motive1 and thereby sweeps away all
 insinuations that ,he consorted with   
sinners because their company was       
congenial4 ,it was precisely for the    
opposite reason1 because ,he was so     
unlike them4 ,he came among these       
sinners as a physician2 and who wonders 
at his being beside the sick8 ,he does  
not spend his days by their bedsides    
because he likes the atmosphere1 but    
because it is his business to make them 

well4 ,now1 in that comparison1 ,jesus  
pronounces no opinion on the correctness
 of the ,pharisees' estimate of         
themselves as 'righteous1' or of        
publicans as sinners1 but simply takes  
them on their own ground4 ,but ,he does 
make a great claim for ,himself1 and    
speaks out of ,his consciousness of     
power to heal men's worst disease1 sin4 
,it is a tremendous assertion to make of
 oneself1 and its greatness is enhanced 
by the quiet way in which it is stated  
as a thought familiar to ,himself4 ,what
 right had ,he to pose as the physician 
for humanity1 and how can such a claim  
be reconciled with ,his being 'meek and 
lowly in heart'8 ,if ,he ,himself was   
one of the sick and needed healing1 how 
can ,he be the healer of the rest8 ,if  
being a sinful man1 as we all are1 ,he  
made such a claim1 what becomes of the  
reverence which is paid to ,him as a    
great religious ,teacher1 and where has 
,his 'sweet reasonableness' vanished8   
,jesus passes from explanation of ,his  

personal relation to the publicans to   
adduce the broad principle which should 
shape the ,pharisees' relation to them1 
as it had shaped ,his4 ,hosea had said  
long ago that ,god delighted more in    
'mercy' than in 'sacrifice4' ,kindly    
helpfulness to men is better worship    
than exact performance of any ritual4   
,sacrifice propitiates ,god1 but mercy  
imitates ,him1 and imitation is the     
perfection of divine service4 ,jesus    
here speaks as all the prophets had     
spoken1 and smites with a deadly stroke 
the mechanical formalism which in every 
age stiffens religion into ceremonies   
and neglects love towards ,god1         
expressed in mercy to men4 ,he lays bare
 the secret of ,his own life1 and ,he   
thereby lays on ,his followers the      
obligation of making it the moving      
impulse of theirs4  ,the great general  
truth is followed1 as it has been       
preceded1 by a plain statement of       
,jesus' own conception of ,his mission  
in the world4 ',i came1' says ,he1      

hinting at the fact that ,he was before 
,he was born1 and that ,his ,incarnation
 was ,his voluntary act4 ,true1 ,he was 
sent1 and we speak of ,his mission1 but 
also ,he 'came1' and we speak of ,his   
advent4 ',to repentance' is omitted by  
the best editors as being brought over  
from ,luke1 where it is genuine4 ,but it
 is a correct gloss on the simple word  
'call1' though 'repentance' is but a    
small part of that to which ,he summons4
 ,he calls us to repent2 ,he calls us to
 ,himself2 ,he calls us to              
self-surrender2 ,he calls us to ,eternal
 ,life2 ,he calls us to a better feast  
than ,matthew had spread4 ,but we must  
recognise that we are sinners1 or we    
shall never realise that ,his invitation
 is for us1 nor ever feel that we need a
 physician1 and have in ,him1 and in    
,him alone1 the ,physician whom we need4
  ,the ,pharisees objected to ,jesus'   
feasting1 and could scarcely in the same
 breath find fault with ,him for not    
fasting1 but they put forward some of   

,john's disciples to bring that fresh   
objection4 ,common hatred is a strong   
cement1 and often holds opposites       
together for a while4 ,it was bad for   
,john's followers that they should be   
willing to say1 ',we and the            
,pharisees4' ,they had travelled far    
from the days when their master had     
called the same class a 'generation of  
vipers'6 ,their keen desire to uphold   
the honour of their teacher1 whose light
 they saw paling before the younger     
,jesus1 made them hostile to ,him1 and1 
as is usually the case1 the followers   
were more partisan than the leader4     
,religious antagonism sometimes stoops  
to very strange alliances4 ,the two     
questions brought together in this      
context are noticeably alike1 and       
noticeably different4 ,both ask for the 
reason of conduct which they do not go  
the length of impugning4 ,they seem to  
be desirous of enlightenment1 they are  
really eager to condemn4 ,both avoid    
seeming to call in question the acts of 

the persons addressed1 for the          
,pharisees interrogate the disciples as 
to the reason for ,jesus' conduct1 while
 ,john's disciples ask from ,jesus the  
reason of ,his disciples' conduct4 ,in  
both1 mock respectfulness covers lively 
hatred4  ,our ,lord's first answer is as
 profound as it is beautiful1 and veils1
 while it reveals1 a lofty claim for    
,himself and a solemn foresight of ,his 
death1 and lays down a great and        
fruitful principle as to the relations  
between spiritual moods and outward acts
 of religion4 ,his speaking of ,himself 
as 'the ,bridegroom' would recall to    
some of ,his questioners1 and that with 
a touch of shame1 ,john's nobly humble  
acceptance of the subordinate place of  
the bridegroom's friend and elevation of
 ,jesus to that of the bridegroom4 ,but 
it was not merely a rebuking quotation  
from ,john's witness1 but the expression
 of ,his own unclouded and continual    
consciousness of what ,he was to        
humanity1 and of what humanity could    

find in ,him1 as well as a sovereign    
appropriating to ,himself of many       
prophetic strains4 ,what depth of love1 
what mysterious blending of spirit1 what
 adoring1 lowly obedience1 what         
perfection of protecting care1 what     
rapture of possession1 what rest of     
heart in trust1 what dower of riches are
 dimly shadowed in that wonderful       
emblem1 will never be known till the    
hour of the marriage-supper of the      
,lamb1 when ',his bride hath made       
herself ready4' ,but across the light   
there flits a shadow4 ,it is but for a  
moment1 and it meant little to the      
hearers1 but it meant much to ,him4 ,for
 ,he could not look forward to winning  
,his bride without seeing the grim      
,cross1 and even athwart the brightness 
of the days of companionship with ,his  
humble friends1 came the darkness on    
,his soul1 though not on theirs1 of the 
violent end when ,he 'shall be taken    
from them4' ,the hint fell apparently on
 deaf ears1 but it witnesses to the     

continual presence in the mind of ,jesus
 of ,his sufferings and death4 ,the     
certainty that ,he must die was not     
forced on ,him by the failure of ,his   
efforts as ,his career unfolded itself4 
,it was no disappointment of bright     
earlier hopes1 as is the case with many 
a disillusionised reformer1 who thought 
at the outset that he had only to speak 
and all men would listen4 ,it was the   
clearly discerned goal from the first4  
',the ,son of ,man came 444 to give ,his
 life a ransom4'  ,but our ,lord here   
lays down a broad principle1 which1 if  
applied as it was meant to be1 would    
lift a heavy burden of outward          
observance off the ,christian           
consciousness4 ,fast when you are sad2  
feast when you are glad4 ,let the       
disposition1 the mood1 the moment's     
circumstance1 mould your action4 ,there 
is no virtue or sanctity in observances 
which do not correspond to the inner    
self4 ,what a charter of liberty is     
proclaimed in these quiet words6 ,what  

mountains of ceremonial unreality1      
oppressive to the spirit1 are cast into 
the sea by them6 ,how different         
,christendom would have been and would  
be to-day1 if ,christians had learned   
the lesson of these words6  ,the two    
condensed parables or extended          
metaphors1 which follow the vindication 
of the disciples1 carry the matter      
further1 and lay down a principle which 
is intended to cover not only the       
question in hand1 their non-observance  
of ,jewish regulations as to fasting1   
but the whole subject of the relations  
of the new word1 which ,jesus felt that 
,he brought1 to the old system4 ,the    
same consciousness of ,his unique       
mission which prompted ,his use of the  
term 'bridegroom1' shines through the   
two metaphors of the new cloth and the  
new wine4 ,he knows that ,he is about to
 bring a new garb to men1 and to give   
them new wine to drink1 and ,he knows   
that what ,he brings is no mere patch on
 a worn-out system1 but a new fermenting

 force1 which demands fresh vehicles and
 modes of expression4 ,the two metaphors
 take up different aspects of one       
thought4 ,to try to mend an old coat    
with a bit of unshrunk cloth would only 
make a worse dissolution of continuity1 
for as soon as a shower fell on it the  
patch would shrink1 and1 in shrinking1  
pull the thin pieces of the old garment 
adjoining it to itself4 ,judaism was    
already 'rent' and worn too thin to be  
capable of repair4 ,the only thing to be
 done was 'as a vesture' to 'fold it up'
 and shape a new garment out of new     
cloth4 ,what was true as to the         
supremely new thing which ,he brought   
into the world remains true1 in less    
eminent degree1 of the less acute       
differences between the ,old and the    
,new1 within ,christianity itself4      
,there do come times when its externals 
become antiquated1 worn thin and torn1  
and when patching is useless4 ,christian
 men1 like others1 constitutionally     
incline to conservatism or to progress1 

and the one temperament needs to be     
warned against obstinately preserving   
old clothes1 and the other against      
eagerly insisting that they are past    
mending4  ,but a patch and a worn       
garment do not wholly describe the      
relations of the old and the new4       
,freshly made wine1 still fermenting1   
and old1 stiff wine-skins which have    
lost their elasticity suggest further   
thoughts4 ,now we have to do with       
containing vessel versus contents1 with 
a fermenting force versus stiffened     
forms4 ,to put that into these will     
destroy both4 ,for example1 if the      
struggle of the ,judaisers in the early 
,church had succeeded1 and ,christianity
 had become a ,jewish sect1 it would    
have dwindled to nothing1 as the        
,jewish-minded ,christians did4 ,the    
wine must have bottles4 ,every great    
spiritual renovating force must embody  
itself in institutions4 ,spiritual      
emotions must express themselves in acts
 of worship1 spiritual convictions must 

speak in a creed4 ,but the containing   
vessel must be congruous with1 and still
 more1 it must be created by1 the       
contained force1 as there are creatures 
who frame their shells to fit the       
convolutions of their bodies1 and build 
them up from their own substance4 ,forms
 are good1 as long as they can stretch  
if need be2 when they are too stiff to  
expand1 they restrict rather than       
contain the wine1 and if short-sighted  
obstinacy insists on keeping it in them1
 there will be a great spill and loss of
 much that is precious4     ,,the       
,,touch ,,of ,,faith ,,and ,,the ,,touch
 ,,of ,,christ       ',while ,he spake  
these things unto them1 behold1 there   
came a certain ruler1 and worshipped    
,him1 saying1 ,my     daughter is even  
now dead3 but come and lay ,thy hand    
upon her1 and she shall live4 #ai4 ,and 
,jesus arose1     and followed him1 and 
so did ,his disciples4 #bj4 ,and1       
behold1 a woman1 which was diseased with
 an issue of     blood twelve years1    

came behind ,him1 and touched the       
hem of ,his garment3 #ba4 ,for she said 
within herself1     ,if ,i may but touch
 ,his garment1 ,i shall be whole4       
#bb4 ,but ,jesus turned ,him about1 and 
when ,he saw her1     ,he said1         
,daughter1 be of good comfort2 thy faith
 hath     made thee whole4 ,and the     
woman was made whole from     that hour4
 #bc4 ,and when ,jesus came into the    
ruler's     house1 and saw the minstrels
 and the people making a     noise4 #bd4
 ,he said unto them1 ,give place3 for   
the maid     is not dead1 but sleepeth4 
,and they laughed ,him to     scorn4    
#be4 ,but when the people were put      
forth1 ,he went     in1 and took her by 
the hand1 and the maid arose4     #bf4  
,and the fame hereof went abroad into   
all that land4     #bg4 ,and when ,jesus
 departed thence1 two blind men         
followed ,him1 crying1 and saying1 ,thou
 ,son of ,david1     have mercy on us4  
#bh4 ,and when ,he was come into the    
house1 the blind men came to ,him3 and  

,jesus saith unto     them1 ,believe ye 
that ,i am able to do this8 ,they said  
unto ,him1 ,yea1 ,lord4 #bi4 ,then      
touched ,he their eyes1     saying1     
,according to your faith be it unto you4
 #cj4 ,and     their eyes were opened2  
and ,jesus straitly charged them1       
saying1 ,see that no man know it4 #ca4  
,but they1 when they     were departed1 
spread abroad ,his fame in all that     
country4'--,,matt4 ix4 #ah-ca4  ,the    
three miracles included in the present  
section belong to the last group of this
 series4 ,those of the second group were
 all effected by ,christ's word4 ,those 
now to be considered are all effected by
 touch4 ,the first two are intertwined4 
,the narrative of the healing of the    
woman is embedded in the account of the 
raising of ,jairus's daughter4  ,mark   
the impression of calm consciousness of 
power and leisurely dignity produced by 
,christ's having time to pause1 even on 
such an errand1 in order to heal1 by the
 way1 the other sufferer4 ,the father   

and the disciples would wonder at ,him  
as ,he stayed ,his steps1 and be apt to 
feel that priceless moments were being  
lost2 but ,he knows ,his own resources1 
and can afford to let the child die     
while ,he heals the woman4 ,the one     
shall receive no harm by the delay1 and 
the other will be blessed4 ,our ,lord is
 sitting at the feast which ,matthew    
gave on the occasion of his call1       
engaged in vindicating ,his sharing in  
innocent festivity against the cavils of
 the ,pharisees1 when the summons to the
 death-bed comes to ,him from the lips  
of the father1 who breaks in on the     
banquet with his imploring cry4 ,matthew
 gives the story much more summarily    
than the other evangelists1 and does not
 distinguish1 as they do1 between       
,jairus's first words1 'at the point of 
death1 and the message of her actual    
decease1 which met them on the way4 ,the
 call of sorrow always reaches ,christ's
 ear1 and the cry for help is never     
deemed by ,him an interruption4 ,so this

 'man1 gluttonous and a wine-bibber1' as
 these ,pharisees thought ,him1         
willingly and at once leaves the house  
of feasting for that of mourning4 ,how  
near together1 in this awful life of    
ours1 the two lie1 and how thin the     
partition walls6 ,well for those whose  
feasts do not bar them out from hearing 
the weeping next door4  ,as the crowd   
accompanies ,jesus1 ,his hasting love   
is1 for a moment1 diverted by another   
sufferer4 ,we never go on an errand of  
mercy but we pass a hundred other       
sorrowing hearts1 so close packed lie   
the griefs of men4 ,this woman is a poor
 shrinking creature1 broken down by long
 illness 7which had lasted for the same 
length of time as the joyous life of    
,jairus's child71 made more timid by    
disappointed hopes of cure1 and         
depressed by poverty to which her many  
doctors had brought her4 ,she does not  
venture to stop this new                
,rabbi-physician1 as ,he goes with the  
church dignitary of the town to heal his

 daughter1 but lets ,him pass before she
 can make up her mind to go near ,him2  
and then she comes creeping up behind   
the crowd1 puts out her wasted1         
trembling hand to the hem of ,his       
garment1--and she is whole4  ,the other 
evangelists give us a more extended     
account1 but ,matthew throws into       
prominence1 in his condensed narrative1 
the essential points4  ,notice her real 
but imperfect faith4 ,there was         
unquestionable confidence in ,christ's  
power1 and very genuine desire for      
healing4 ,but it was a very ignorant    
faith4 ,she believes that her touch of  
the garment will heal without ,christ's 
will or knowledge1 much more ,his       
pitying love1 having any part in it4    
,she thinks that she may win her desire 
furtively1 and may carry it away1 and   
,he be none the wiser nor the poorer for
 the stolen blessing4 ,what utter1 blank
 ignorance of ,his character and way of 
working6 ,what gross superstition6 ,yes1
 and withal what a hunger of desire1    

what absolute assurance of confidence   
that one finger-tip on ,his robe was    
enough6 ,therefore she had her desire1  
and her ,healer recognised her faith as 
true1 though blended with much ignorance
 of ,him4 ,her error was very like that 
which many ,christians entertain with   
less excuse4 ,to attach importance to   
external means of grace1 rites1         
ordinances1 sacraments1 outward         
connection with ,christian              
organisations1 is the very same         
misconception in a slightly different   
form4 ,such error is always near us2 it 
is especially rife in countries where   
there has long been a visible ,church4  
,it has received strange new vigour     
to-day1 partly by reaction from extreme 
rationalism1 partly by the growing      
cultivation of the aesthetic faculties4 
,it is threatening to corrupt the       
simplicity and spirituality of          
,christian worship1 and needs to be     
strenuously resisted4 ,but the more we  
have to fight against it1 the more do we

 need to remember that1 along with this 
clinging to the hem of the garment      
instead of to the heart of its ,wearer1 
there may be a very real trust1 which   
might shame some of those who profess to
 hold a less sensuous form of faith4    
,many a poor soul clasping a crucifix   
clings to the ,cross4 ,many a devout    
heart kneeling at mass sees through the 
incense-smoke the face of ,christ4      
,this woman's faith was selfish4 ,she   
wanted health2 she did not care much    
about the ,healer4 ,she would have been 
quite contented to have had no more to  
do with ,him1 if she could only have    
stolen out of the crowd cured4 ,she     
would have had little gratitude to the  
unconscious ,giver of a stolen good4    
,so1 many a ,christian life in its      
earlier stages is more absorbed with its
 own deep misery and its desire for     
deliverance1 than with ,him4 ,love comes
 after1 born of the experience of ,his  
love4 ,but faith precedes love1 and the 
predominant motive impelling to faith at

 first is distinctly self-regard4 ,that 
is all as it should be4 ,the most purely
 self-absorbed wish to escape from the  
most rudely pictured hell is often the  
beginning of a true trust in ,christ1   
which1 in due time1 will be elevated    
into perfect consecration4 ,some of our 
modern teachers1 who are shocked at     
,christianity because it lays the       
foundation of the most self-denying     
morality in such 'selfishness1' would be
 none the worse for going to school to  
this story1 and learning from it how a  
desire for nothing more than to get rid 
of a painful disease1 started a process 
which turned a life into a peaceful1    
thankful surrender of the cured self to 
the love and service of the mighty      
,healer4  ,observe1 next1 how ,christ   
answers the imperfect faith1 and1 by    
answering1 corrects and confirms it4    
,matthew omits ,christ's question as to 
who touched ,him1 the disciples' reply1 
and ,his renewed asseveration that ,he  
was conscious of power having gone forth

 from ,him4 ,all these belong to the    
loving method by which our ,lord sought 
to draw forth an open acknowledgment4   
,womanly diffidence1 enfeebled health1  
her special disease1 all made the woman 
wish to hide herself4 ,she wanted to    
steal away unnoticed1 as she hoped that 
she had come4 ,but ,christ forces her to
 stand out before all the crowd1 and    
there1 with all eyes upon her1--cold1   
cruel eyes1 some of them--to conquer her
 shame1 and tell all the truth4 ,strange
 kindness that2 strangely contrasted    
with ,his ordinary desire to avoid      
notoriety1 and with ,his ordinary tender
 consideration for shrinking weakness6  
,he did it for her sake1 not for ,his   
own4 ,she is changed from timidity to   
courage4 ,at one moment she stretches   
out her wasted finger1 a tremulous      
invalid2 at the next1 she flings herself
 at ,his feet1 a confessor4 ,he would   
have us testify for ,him1 because faith 
unavowed1 like a plant in the dark1 is  
apt to become pale and sickly2 but ere  

,he bids us own ,his name1 ,he pours    
into our hearts1 in answer to our secret
 appeal1 the health of ,his own life1   
and the blissful consciousness of that  
great gift which makes the tongue of the
 dumb sing4  ,his words to her are full 
of tenderness4 ,she receives the name of
 'daughter4' ,gently ,he encourages her 
timidity by that ',be of good cheer1'   
and then ,he sets right her error3 ',thy
 faith'--not thy finger--'hath made thee
 whole4' ,there was no real connection  
between the touch of the robe and       
healing2 but the woman thought that     
there was1 and so ,christ stooped to her
 childish thought1 and allowed her to   
prescribe the road which ,his mercy     
should take4 ,but ,he would not leave   
her with her error4 ,the true means of  
contact between us and ,him is not our  
outward contact with external means of  
grace1 but the touch of our spirits by  
faith4 ,faith is nothing in itself1 and 
heals only because it brings us into    
union with ,his power1 which is the sole

 cause of our healing4 ,faith is the    
hand which receives the blessing4 ,it   
may be a wasted and tremulous hand1 like
 that which this woman laid lightly on  
,his robe4 ,but ,he feels its touch1    
though a universe presses on ,him1 and  
,he answers4 ,not the garment's hem1 but
 ,christ's love1 is the cause of our    
salvation4 ,not an outward contact with 
it or with ,him1 but faith1 is the      
condition on which ,his life1 which     
knows no disease1 pours into our souls4 
,the hand of my faith lifted to ,him    
will receive into its empty palm and    
clasping fingers the special blessing   
for my special wants4  ,the other       
evangelists tell us that1 at the moment 
of ,his words to the woman1 the         
messengers came bearing tidings of the  
child's death4 ,how ,jairus must have   
grudged the pause6 ,a word from ,christ1
 like the pressure of ,his hand1        
heartened him4 ,like a river turned from
 its course for a space1 to fill some   
empty reservoir1 ,his love comes back to

 its original direction4 ,how abundant  
the power and mercy1 to which such a    
work as that just done was but a        
parenthesis6 ,the doleful music and the 
shrill shrieks of ,eastern mourning1    
which met them as they entered ,jairus's
 house1 disturbed the sanctity of the   
hour1 and were in strong contrast with  
the majestic calmness of ,jesus4 ,not   
amid venal lamentations and excited     
cries will ,he do ,his work4 ,he bids   
the noisy crowd forth with curt1 almost 
stern1 command1 and therein rebukes all 
such hollow and tumultuous scenes1 in   
the presence of the stillness of death1 
still more where faith in ,him has      
robbed it of its terror1 in robbing it  
of its perpetuity4 ,it is strange that  
believing readers should have thought   
that our ,lord meant to say that the    
little girl was not really dead1 but    
only in a swoon4 ,the scornful laughter 
of the flute-players and hired mourners 
understood ,him better4 ,they knew that 
it was real death1 as men count death1  

and1 as has often been the case1 the    
laughter of ,his foes has served to     
establish the truth4 ,that was not      
worthy to be called death from which the
 child was so soon and easily to be     
awaked4 ,but1 besides this special      
application to the case in hand1 that   
great saying of our ,lord's carries the 
blessed truth that1 since ,he has come1 
death is softened into sleep for all who
 love ,him4 ,the euphemism is not       
peculiar to ,christianity1 but has a    
deeper meaning on ,christian lips than  
when ,greeks or ,romans spoke of the    
eternal sleep4 ,others speak of death by
 any name rather than its own1 because  
they fear it so much4 ,the ,christian   
does so1 because he fears it so         
little1--and1 as a matter of fact1 the  
use of the word death as meaning merely 
the separation of soul and body by the  
physical act is exceptional in the ,new 
,testament4 ,this name of sleep1        
sanctioned thus by ,christ1 is the      
sweetest of all4 ,it speaks of the      

cessation of connection with the world  
of sense1 and 'long disquiet merged in  
rest4' ,it does not imply               
unconsciousness1 for we are not         
unconscious when we sleep1 but only     
unaware of externals4 ,it holds the     
promise of waking when the sun comes4   
,so it has driven out the ugly old name4
 ,our tears flow less bitterly when we  
think of our dear ones as 'sleeping in  
,jesus4' ,their bodies1 like this little
 child's1 are dead1 but they are not4   
,they rest1 conscious of their own      
blessedness and of ,him 'in whom they   
live1 and have their being1' whether    
they 'move' or no4  ,then comes the     
great deed4 ,the crowd is shut out4 ,for
 such a work silence is befitting4 ,the 
father and mother1 with ,his foremost   
three disciples1 go with ,him into the  
chamber4 ,there is no effort1 repeated  
and gradually successful1 as when       
,elisha raised the dead boy2 no praying1
 as when ,peter raised ,dorcas2 only the
 touch of the hand in which life        

throbbed in fulness1 and1 as the other  
narratives record1 two words1 spoken    
strangely to1 and yet more strangely    
heard by1 the dull1 cold ear of death4  
,their echo lingered long with ,peter1  
and ,mark gives us them in the original 
,aramaic4 ,but ,matthew passes them by1 
as he seems here to have desired to     
emphasise the power of ,christ's touch4 
,but touch or word1 the real cause of   
the miracle was simply ,his will2 and   
whether ,he used media to help men's    
faith1 or said only ',i will1' mattered 
little4 ,he varied ,his methods as the  
circumstances of the recipients         
required1 and in order that they and we 
might learn that ,he was tied to none4  
,these miracles of raising the dead are 
three in number4 ,jairus's daughter is  
raised from her bed1 just having passed 
away2 the widow's son at ,nain from his 
bier1 having been for a little longer   
separated from his body2 ,lazarus from  
the grave1 having been dead four days4  
,a few minutes1 or days1 or four        

thousand years1 are one to ,his power4  
,these three are in some sense the      
first-fruits of the great harvest2 the  
stars that shone out singly before all  
the heaven is in a blaze4 ,for1 though  
they died again1 and so left to ,him the
 precedence in resurrection1 as in all  
besides1 they are still prophetic of    
,his power in the hour when they 'that  
sleep in the dust' shall awake at ,his  
voice4 ,blessed they who1 like this     
little maiden1 are awakened1 not only by
 ,his voice1 but by ,his touch1 and to  
find1 as she did1 their hand in ,his6   
,the third of these miracles1 which     
,matthew seems to reckon as the second  
in the group1 because he treats the two 
former as so closely connected as to be 
but one in numeration1 need not detain  
us long4 ,it is found only in this      
,gospel4 ,the first point to be observed
 in it is the cry of these two blind    
men4 ,there is something pathetic and   
exquisitely natural in the two being    
together1 as is also the case in the    

similar miracle1 at a later period1 on  
the outskirts of ,jericho4 ,equal       
sorrows drive men together for such poor
 help and solace as they can give each  
other4 ,they have common experiences    
which isolate them from others1 and they
 creep close for warmth and             
companionship4 ,all the blind men in the
 ,gospels have certain resemblances4    
,one is that they are all sturdily      
persevering1 as perhaps was easier for  
them because they could not see the     
impatience of the listeners1 and        
possibly because1 in most cases1        
persistent begging was their trade1 and 
they were used to refusals4 ,but a more 
important trait is their recognition of 
,jesus as ',son of ,david4' ,blind as   
they are1 they see more than do the     
seeing4 ,thrown in upon themselves1 they
 may have been led to ponder the old    
words1 and by their affliction been made
 more ready to welcome ,one who1 if ,he 
were ,messiah1 was coming with a special
 blessing for them--'to open the blind  

eyes4' ,men who deeply desire a good are
 quick to listen to the promise of its  
accomplishment4 ,so these two followed  
,him along the road1 loudly and         
perseveringly calling out their         
profession of faith1 and their entreaty 
for sight4  ,the next point is our      
,lord's treatment4 ,he let them cry on1 
apparently  unheeding4 ,had1 then1 the  
two miracles just done exhausted ,his   
stock of power or of pity8 ,certainly   
,his reason was1 as it always was1 their
 good4 ,we do not know why it was better
 for them to have to wait1 and continue 
their entreaty2 but we may be quite sure
 that the reason for all ,his delays is 
the same1--the larger blessing which    
comes with the answer when it comes1 and
 the large blessings which may be       
gathered while we wait its coming4      
,christ's question to them1 when at last
 they have found their way even indoors1
 holds out more hope than they had yet  
received4 ,by it1 ,christ established a 
close relation with them1 and implied to

 them that ,he was willing to answer    
their cry4 ,one can fancy how the poor  
blind faces would light up with a flush 
of eager expectation1 and how swift     
would be the answer4 ,the question is   
not cold or inquisitorial4 ,it is more  
than half a promise1 and a powerful aid 
to the faith which it requires4  ,there 
is something very beautiful and pathetic
 in the simple brevity of the           
unhesitating answer1 ',yea1 ,lord4'     
,sincerity needs few words4 ,faith can  
put an infinite deal of meaning into a  
monosyllable4 ,their eagerness to reach 
the goal made their answer brief4 ,but  
it was enough4 ,again the hand which had
 clasped the maiden's palm is put out   
and laid gently on the useless eyes1 and
 the great word spoken1 ',according to  
your faith be it unto you4' ,their      
blindness made the touch peculiarly     
fitting in their case1 as bringing      
evidence of sense to those who could not
 see the gracious pity of ,his looks4   
,the word spoken was1 like that to the  

centurion1 a declaration of the power of
 faith1 which determines the measure1   
and often the manner1 of ,his gifts to  
us4 ,the containing vessel not only     
settles the quantity of1 but the shape  
assumed by1 the water which is taken up 
in it from the sea4 ,faith1 which keeps 
inside of ,christ's promises 7and what  
goes outside of them is not faith71     
decides how much of ,christ we shall    
have for our very own4 ,he condescends  
to run the molten gold of ,his mercies  
into the moulds which our faith         
prepares4  ,these two men1 who had used 
their tongues so well in their          
persistent cry for healing1 went away to
 make a worse use of them in telling    
everywhere of their cure4 ,jesus desired
 silence4 ,possibly ,he did not wish    
,his reputation as a mere worker of     
miracles to be spread abroad4 ,in all   
,his earlier ministry ,he avoided       
publicity1 singularly contrasting       
therein with the evident desire to make 
,himself the centre of observation which

 marks its close4 ,he dreaded the smoky 
flame of popular excitement4 ,his       
message was to individuals1 not to      
crowds4 ,it was a natural impulse to    
tell the benefits these two had         
received2 but truer gratitude and deeper
 faith would have made them obey ,his   
lightest word1 and have shut their      
mouths4 ,we honour ,christ most1 not by 
taking our way of honouring ,him1 but by
 absolute obedience4  ,the final miracle
 of the nine 7or ten7 marshalled in long
 procession in chapters viii4 and ix4 is
 told with singular brevity4 ,there is  
nothing individual in our ,lord's       
treatment of the sufferer1 as there was 
in the previous healing of the two blind
 men1 and no details are given of either
 the appeal to ,his pity or the method  
of ,his cure4 ,the dumb demoniac could  
lift no cry1 nor exercise any faith1 and
 all the petitions and hopes of his     
bearers were expressed in the act of    
bringing the sufferer thither1 and      
silently setting him there before these 

eyes of universal pity4 ,it was enough4 
,with ,jesus1 to see was to             
compassionate1 and to compassionate was 
to help4 ,in the other instances of     
casting out demons1 the method is an    
authoritative command1 addressed not to 
the possessed1 but to the alien         
personality that has seized on him1 and 
we conclude that such was the method    
here4 ,jesus undoubtedly believed in    
demoniacal possession1 if we can at all 
rely on the ,gospel narratives2 and it  
may be humbly suggested that there are  
dark depths in humanity1 which had need 
to be fathomed more completely1 before  
any one is warranted in dogmatically    
pronouncing that ,he was wrong in ,his  
diagnosis4 ,there are ugly facts which  
should give pause to those who are      
inclined to say--',there are no demons1 
and if there were1 they could not       
dominate a human consciousness4'  ,but  
the effects of the miracle are          
emphasised more than itself4 ,they are  
two1 neither of them what might or      

should have been4 ,the dumb man is not  
said to have used his recovered speech  
to thank his deliverer1 nor is there any
 sign that he clung to ,him1 either for 
fear of being captured again or in      
passionate gratitude4 ,it looks as if he
 selfishly bore away his blessing and   
cared nothing for its giver4 ,that is   
very human1 and we all are too often    
guilty of the same sin4 ,nor was the    
effect on the multitudes much better1   
for they were only struck with vulgar   
wonder1 which had no moral quality in it
 and led to nothing4 ,they saw 'the     
miracle1' that is1 the wonderfulness of 
the act made some dint even on their    
minds1 but these were either too fluid  
to retain the impression1 or too hard to
 let it be deep1 and so it soon filled  
up again4 ,we have to think of ,christ's
 deeds as 'signs1' not only as          
'wonders1' or they will do little to    
draw us to ,him4 ,wonder is a           
necessarily evanescent emotion1 which   
may indeed set something better stirring

 in us1 but is quite as likely to die   
barren4  ,the ,pharisees did not wonder1
 and did look into the phenomenon with  
sharp eyes2 and in so far1 they were in 
advance of the gaping multitudes4 ,they 
were much too superior persons to be    
astonished at anything1 and they had    
already settled on a formula which was  
delightfully easy of application1 and   
had the further advantage of turning the
 miracles into evidences that the doer  
of them was a child of the ,devil4 ,it  
appears to have been a well-worked      
formula too1 for it is found again in   
chap4 xii4 #bd1 and in ,luke xi4 #ae1 in
 the account of another cure of a dumb  
demoniac4 ,it is possible that the      
incident now before us may be the same  
as this1 but there is nothing improbable
 in the occurrence of such a case twice1
 nor in the repetition of what had      
become the commonplace of the ,pharisaic
 polemic4 ,but what a piercing example  
that explanation is of the blinding     
power of prejudice1 determined to hold  

on to a foregone conclusion1 and not to 
see the sun at noon6 ,jesus in league   
with 'the prince of the devils'6 ,and   
that was gravely said by religious      
authorities6 ,they saw the loveliness of
 ,his perfect life1 ,his gentle         
goodness1 ,his self-forgetting love1    
,his swift-springing pity1 and they set 
it all down to ,his commerce with the   
,evil ,one4 ,he was so good that ,he    
must be more than humanly bad4     ,a   
,,christlike ,,judgment ,,of ,,men      
',but when ,he saw the multitudes1 ,he  
was moved with     compassion on them1  
because they fainted1 and were          
scattered abroad1 as sheep having no    
shepherd4'     --,,matt4 ix4 #cf4  ,in  
the course of our ,lord's wandering life
 of teaching and healing1 there had     
naturally gathered around ,him a large  
number of persons who followed ,him from
 place to place1 and we have here cast  
into a symbol the impression produced   
upon ,him by their outward condition4   
,that is to say1 ,he sees them lying    

there weary1 and footsore1 and          
travel-stained4 ,they have flung        
themselves down by the wayside4 ,there  
is no leader or guide1 no ,joshua or    
director to order their march2 they are 
a worn-out1 tired1 unregulated mob1 and 
the sight smites upon ,his eye1 and it  
smites upon ,his heart4 ,he says to     
,himself1 if ,i may venture to put words
 into ,his lips1 ',there are a worse    
weariness1 and a worse wandering1 and a 
worse anarchy1 and a worse disorder     
afflicting men than that poor mob of    
tired pedestrians shows4' ,matthew1 who 
was always fond of showing the links and
 connections between the ,old ,testament
 and the ,new1 casts our ,lord's        
impression of what ,he then saw into    
language borrowed from the prophecy of  
,ezekiel 7ch4 xxxiv471 which tells of a 
flock that is scattered in a dark and   
cloudy day1 that is broken1 and torn1   
and driven away4 ,i venture to see in   
the text three points3 7#a7 ,christ     
teaching us how to look at men2 7#b7    

,christ teaching us how to feel at such 
a sight2 and 7#c7 ,christ teaching us   
what to do with the feeling4 ',when ,he 
saw the multitude1 ,he was moved with   
compassion1 because they fainted and    
were scattered abroad4' ',then ,he said 
unto ,his disciples1 the harvest is     
plenteous1 the labourers are few1 pray  
ye the ,lord of the harvest to send     
forth labourers unto the harvest4' ,and 
then there follows1 ',and when ,he had  
called unto ,him ,his twelve disciples1 
,he gave them power against unclean     
spirits to cast them out4' ,there are1  
then1 these three points2--just a word  
or two about each of them4  ,i4 ,here we
 have our ,lord teaching us how to look 
at men4  ,the picture of my text is1 of 
course1 in its broad outlines1 very     
clear and intelligible1 but there may be
 a little difficulty as to the precise  
force of the language4 ,the obscurity of
 it is in some degree reflected in the  
margin of our ,bibles2 so1 perhaps1 you 
will permit one word of an expository   

nature4 ,the description of the flock1  
',because they fainted and were         
scattered abroad1' is couched in the    
original in a couple of words1 one of   
which means properly 'torn' or          
'fainting1' according as one or other of
 two readings of the text is adopted1   
and the other means 'lying down4' ,now1 
the former of these gives a very        
pathetic picture if we apply it to the  
individuals that made up the flock4 ,we 
have then the image of the poor sheep   
that has lost its way1 struggling       
through briars and thorns1 getting out  
of them with its fleece all torn and    
hanging in strips dangling at its heels1
 or of it as lacerated by the beasts of 
the field to whom it is a prey4 ,if we  
take the metaphor1 as seems more        
probably to be intended1 as applying not
 so much to the individuals as to the   
flock1 then it comes to mean 'torn      
asunder1' 'thrown apart1' and gives us  
the notion of anarchic confusion into   
which the flock comes if there be no    

shepherd to lead it4 ,then the other    
word1 which our ,bible translates 'were 
scattered abroad1' seems to mean more   
properly 'lying down1' and it gives the 
idea of the poor1 wearied creature1     
after all its struggles and wanderings1 
utterly beaten and dejected1 having lost
 its way1 at its wits' end and          
resourceless1 flinging itself down there
 in despair1 and panting its timid life 
out anywhere where it finds itself4 ,so 
it comes to be a picture of the utter   
weariness and hopelessness of all men's 
efforts apart from that ,guide and      
,shepherd1 who alone can lead them in   
the way4 ,and then both of these        
miserable states1 the laceration if you 
take the one explanation1 the           
disintegration and casting apart if you 
take the other1 the weariness and       
exhaustion1 are traced to their source1 
they are 'as sheep having no shepherd4' 
,he has gone1 and so all this comes4    
,with this explanation we may take the  
points of view that are thus suggested  

simply as they lie before us4  ,first of
 all1 notice how here1 as always to     
,jesus ,christ1 the outward was nothing1
 except as a symbol and manifestation of
 the inward2 how the thing that ,he saw 
in a man was not the external accidents 
of circumstance or position1 for ,his   
true1 clear gaze and ,his loving1 wise  
heart went straight to the essence of   
the matter1 and dealt with the man not  
according to what he might happen to be 
in the categories of earth1 but to what 
he was in the categories of heaven4 ,all
 the same to ,him whether it was some   
poor harlot1 or a rabbi2 all the same to
 ,him whether it was ,pilate on the     
judgment-seat1 or the penitent thief    
hanging at ,his side4 ,these gauds and  
shows were nothing2 sheer away ,he cut  
them all1 and went down to the hidden   
heart of the man1 and ,he allocated and 
ranged them according to that4          
,christian men and women1 do you try to 
do the same thing1 and to get rid of all
 these superficial veils and curtains   

with which we drape ourselves and       
attitudinise in the world1 and to see   
men as ,christ saw them1 both in regard 
to your judgment of them1 and in regard 
to your judgment of yourselves8 ',i am a
 scholar and a wise man2 a great        
thinker2 a rich merchant2 a man of      
rising importance and influence4' ,very 
well2 what does that matter8 ',i am     
ignorant or a pauper'2 be it so4 ,let us
 get below all that4 ,the one question  
worth asking and worth answering is1    
',how am ,i affected towards ,him8'     
,there are many temporary and local     
principles of arrangement and order     
among men2 but they will all vanish some
 day1 and there will be one regulating  
and arranging principle1 and it is this3
 ',do ,i love ,god in ,jesus ,christ1 or
 do ,i not8' ,oh6 for myself1 for       
yourself1 and for all our outlook       
towards others1 let us not forget that  
the inmost1 deepest1 hidden man of the  
heart is the man1 and that all else is  
naught1 and that its whole character is 

absolutely determined by its relation to
 ,jesus ,christ4  ,but this is somewhat 
aside from my main purpose1 which is    
rather briefly to expand the various    
phases which1 as ,i have already        
suggested1 are included in such an      
emblem4 ,the first of them is this3 ,try
 to think for yourselves of the         
condition of humanity as apart from     
,christ--shepherdless4 ,that old        
metaphor of a shepherd which comes out  
of the ,old ,testament is there         
sometimes used to indicate a prophet1   
and sometimes to indicate a king4 ,i    
suppose we may put both of these uses   
together1 as far as our present purposes
 are concerned2 and this is what ,i want
 to insist upon4 ,i dare say some people
 here will think it is very             
old-fashioned1 very narrow in these     
broad and liberal days2 but what ,i     
would say is this1 that unless ,jesus   
,christ is both ,guide and ,teacher1 we 
have neither guide nor teacher but are  
shepherdless without ,him4 ,there are   

plenty of rulers4 ,there was no lack of 
other authority in the days of ,his     
flesh4 ,there were crowds of rabbis1    
guides1 and directors4 ,the life of the 
nation was throttled by the authorities 
that had planted themselves upon its    
back1 and yet ,christ saw that there    
were none of those who were fit for the 
work1 or afforded the adequate guidance4
 ,and so it is1 now and always4 ,there  
have been hosts of men who have sought  
to impose their authority upon an era4  
,where is there one that has swayed     
passion1 that has ruled hearts1 that has
 impressed his own image on the will1   
that has made obedience an honour1 and  
absolute1 abject devotion to his command
 a very patent of nobility8 ,here1 and  
nowhere beside4 ,besides that ,christ   
there is no ruler amongst men who can   
come to them and say to his servant1    
',go1' and he goeth1 and to this man1   
',do this1' and he doeth it4 ,obedience 
to any besides is treason against the   
dignity of our own nature2 disobedience 

to ,him is both treason against our     
nature and blasphemy against ,god4      
',thou art the ,king of ,glory1 ,o      
,christ1 ,thou art the everlasting ,son 
of the ,father4' ,there is the deepest  
reason for ,his rule4  ,and as for      
'teacher1' whom are we to put up beside 
,him8 ,is it to be these dim figures of 
religious reformers that are gliding1   
ghostlike1 to their doom1 being wrapped 
round and round about by ever thicker   
and thicker folds of the inevitable     
oblivion that swallows all that is      
human8 ,brethren1 by common consent it  
is ,christ or nobody4 ,aaron dies upon  
,hor2 ,moses dies upon ,pisgah2 the     
teachers1 the leaders1 the guides1 the  
under-shepherds1 pass away one by one2  
and if this ,christ be but a ,man and a 
,teacher1 ,he too will pass away4 ,shall
 ,i be thought very blind to the signs  
of the times if ,i say that ,i see no   
sign of ,his dominion being exhausted1  
of ,his influence being diminished1 of  
,his guidance being capable of being    

dispensed with8 ,you may say1 ',oh1 we  
do not want any teacher or guide2 we do 
not want a shepherd4' ,i am not going to
 enter upon that question now at all1   
except just to say this1 that the       
instincts of humanity rise up in        
contradiction1 as it seems to me1 of    
that cold and cheerless creed1 and that 
we have this fact staring us in the     
face1 that men are made capable of a    
devotion and submission the most        
passionate1 the most absolute1 the most 
mighty force in their lives1 to human   
guides and ensamples1 and that it is all
 wasted unless there be somewhere a     
,man1 our ,brother1 who shall come to us
 and say1 ',all that ever went before   
,me are thieves and robbers2 ,i am the  
,good ,shepherd2 follow ,me1 and ye     
shall not walk in darkness1' ',he saw   
the multitudes as sheep having no       
shepherd4'  ,still further1 take that   
other phase of the metaphor which1 as ,i
 suggested1 the text includes1 namely1  
the idea of disintegration1 the rending 

apart of social ties and union1 unless  
there be the centre of unity in the     
shepherd of the flock4 ',i will smite   
the shepherd1 and the sheep shall be    
scattered1' says the old prophecy4 ,of  
course1 for what is there to hold them  
together unless it be their guide and   
their director8 ,so we are brought face 
to face with this plain prosaic         
rendering of the metaphor--that but for 
the centre of unity provided for mankind
 in the person and work of ,jesus       
,christ1 there is no satisfaction of the
 deep hunger for unity and society with 
which in that case ,god would have      
cursed mankind4 ,for whilst there are   
many other bonds most true1 most        
blessed1 ,god-given1 and mighty1 such as
 that of the sacred unity of the family1
 and that of the nation and many others 
of which we need not speak1 yet all     
these are constantly being disintegrated
 by the unresting waves of that gnawing 
sea of selfishness1 if ,i may so say1   
which1 like the waters upon our eastern 

coasts1 eats and eats for ever at the   
base of the cliffs1 so that society in  
all its forms1 whether it be built upon 
identity of opinion1 which is perhaps   
the shabbiest bond of all1 or whether it
 be built upon purposes of mutual       
action1 which is a great deal better1 or
 whether it be built upon hatred of     
other people1 which is the modern form  
of patriotism1 or whether it be built   
upon the domestic affections1 which are 
the purest and highest of all--all the  
other bonds of society1 such as creeds1 
schools1 nations1 associations1 leagues1
 families1 denominations1 all go sooner 
or later4 ,the base is eaten out of     
them1 because every man that belongs to 
them has in him that tyrannous1 dominant
 self1 which is ever seeking to assert  
its own supremacy4 ,here is ,babel1 with
 its half-finished tower1 built on      
slime2 and there is ,pentecost1 with its
 great ,spirit2 here is the confusion1  
there is the unifying2 here the         
disintegration1 there the power that    

draws them all together4 ',they were    
scattered abroad as sheep having no     
shepherd1' and one looks out over the   
world and sees great tracts of country  
and long dismal generations of time1 in 
which the very thought of unity and     
charity and human bonds knitting men    
together has faded from the             
consciousness of the race1 and then one 
turns to blessed1 sweet1 simple words   
that say1 'there shall be one flock and 
one shepherd1' and ',i1 if ,i be lifted 
up from the earth1 will draw all men    
unto ,me4' ,drawing thus1 ,he will draw 
them into the eternal1 mighty bond of   
union that shall never be broken1 and is
 all the more precious and all the more 
true because it is not a unity like the 
vulgar unities that express themselves  
in external associations4 ,you know1 of 
course or if you do not know it will be 
a good thing that you should know1 that 
that verse in ,john's ,gospel which ,i  
have quoted has been terribly mangled by
 a little slip of our translators4      

,christ said1 ',other sheep ,i must     
bring which are not of this fold1' the  
fold being the external unity of the    
,jewish church--an enclosure made of    
hurdles that you can stick in the       
ground4 ',i shall bring them1' says ,he1
 'and there shall be one'--7not1 as our 
,bible says1 'fold1'--but something far 
better7--'there shall be one flock'2    
which becomes a unity not by wattling   
round about it on the outside1 but by a 
shepherd standing in the middle4 ',there
 shall be one flock and one shepherd'--a
 unity which is neither the destruction 
of the variety of the churches1 nor the 
crushing of men1 nationalities1 and     
types of character all down into one    
dead level beneath the heel of a        
conqueror1 but the unity which subsists 
in the many operations of the one       
,spirit1 and is expressed by all the    
forms of the one inspired grace4  ,then 
passing by altogether the other idea    
which ,i said was only doubtfully       
suggested by the words--namely1 that of 

laceration and wounding--let me say a   
word about the last of the aspects of   
humanity when ,christless1 which is set 
forth in this text1 and that is1 the    
dejected weariness arising from the     
fruitless wanderings wherewith men are  
cursed4 ,as a verse in the ,book of     
,proverbs puts it1 ',the labour of the  
foolish wearieth every one of them1     
because they know not how to go to the  
city4' ,putting aside the metaphor1 the 
plain truth which it embodies is just   
this1 that there is in all men's souls a
 deep longing after peace and rest1     
after goodness and beauty and truth1 and
 that all the strenuous efforts to      
satisfy these longings1 either by social
 reforms or by individual culture and   
discipline1 are pathetically vain and   
profitless1 because there is none to    
guide them4 ,the sheep go wandering in  
any direction1 and with no goal2 and    
wherever one has jumped1 a dozen others 
will go after him1 and so they are      
wearied out long before the day's       

journey is ended1 and they never reach  
the goal4 ,put that into less vivid1    
and1 therefore1 as people generally     
suppose1 more accurate1 language1 and it
 is a statement of the universal law of 
human history that1 after any epoch of  
great aspirations and strong excitement 
of the noblest parts of human nature1   
there has always come a reaction of     
corruption and a collapse from          
weariness4 ,what did ',liberty1         
,equality1 ,fraternity' end in8 ,a      
guillotine4 ,what do all similar epochs 
end in1 when they do not take the       
,christ to march ahead of them8 ,an     
utter disgust and disillusion1 and a    
despair of all progress4 ,that is why   
wild revolutionists in their youth are  
always obstinate ,conservatives in their
 old age4 ,the wandering sheep are      
footsore1 and they fling themselves down
 by the wayside4 ,that is why heathenism
 presents to us the aspect that it does4
 ,there is nothing about it that seems  
to me more tragical than the weary      

languor that besets it4 ,do you ever    
think of the depth of pathetic1 tragic  
meaning that there is in that verse in  
one of the ,psalms1 ',such as sit in    
darkness and in the shadow of death'8   
,there they sit1 because there is no    
hope in rising and moving4 ,they would  
have to grope if they arose1 and so with
 folded hands they sit like the ,buddha1
 which one great section of heathenism  
has taken as being the true emblem and  
ideal of the noblest life4 ,absolute    
passivity lays hold upon them           
all--torpor1 stagnation1 no dream of    
advance or progress4 ,the sheep are     
dejected1 despairing1 anarchic1         
disintegrated1 lacerated1 guideless1 and
 shepherdless--away from ,christ4 ,so   
,he thought them4 ,god give you and me  
grace1 dear brethren1 to see1 as ,christ
 saw1 the condition of humanity and our 
own apart from ,him4  ,,ii4 ,and now let
 me say a word in the next place as to  
the second movement of ,his mind and    
heart here4 ,he teaches us not only how 

to think of men1 but how that sight     
should touch us4  ',he was moved with   
compassion on them when ,he saw the     
multitude'--with the eye of a god1 ,i   
was going to say1 and the heart of a    
man4 ,pity belongs to the idea of       
divinity2 compassion belongs to the idea
 of divinity incarnate2 and the motion  
that passed across ,his heart is the    
motion that ,i would seek may pass1 with
 its sweet and healing breath1 across   
yours and mine4 ,the right emotion for a
 ,christian looking on the ,christless  
crowds is pity1 not aversion2 pity1 not 
anger2 pity1 not curiosity2 pity1 not   
indifference4 ,how many of us walk the  
streets of the towns in which our lot is
 cast1 and never know one touch of that 
emotion1 when we look at these people   
here in ,england torn1 and anarchic1 and
 wearied1 and shepherdless1 within sound
 of our psalm-singing in our chapels8   
,why1 on any ,sunday there are thousands
 of men and women standing about the    
streets who1 we may be sure1 have not   

seen the inside of a church or a chapel 
since they were married1 and that not   
one in five hundred of all the good     
people that are going with their        
prayer-books and hymn-books to church   
and chapel ever think anything about    
them as they pass them by2 and some of  
them1 perhaps1 if they come to any      
especially disreputable one1 will gather
 up their skirts and keep on the safe   
side of the pavement1 and there an end  
of it4 ,but ,jesus ,christ had no       
aversions4 ,his white purity was a great
 deal nearer to the blackness of the    
woman that was a sinner1 than was the   
leprous whiteness of the whited         
sepulchre of the self-righteous         
,pharisee4 ,he had neither aversion1 nor
 anger1 nor indifference4  ,and1 if ,i  
might venture to touch upon another     
matter1 compassion and not curiosity is 
an especial lesson for the day to the   
more thoughtful and cultivated amongst  
our congregations4 ,i have just said    
that the appropriate ,christian feeling 

in contemplating the state of the sheep 
without the ,shepherd is compassion1 not
 curiosity4 ,that reminder is           
particularly needful in view of the     
prominence to-day of investigations into
 the new science of ,comparative        
,religion4 ,i speak with most unfeigned 
respect of it and of its teachers1 and  
gratefully hail the wonderful light that
 it is casting upon ideas underlying the
 strange and often savage and obscene   
rites of heathenism2 but it has a side  
of danger in it against which ,i would  
warn you all1 especially young1 reading 
men and women4 ,the time has not yet    
come when we can afford to let such     
investigations be our principal         
occupation in the face of heathenism4   
,if idolatry was dead we could afford to
 do that1 but it is alive--the more's   
the pity2 and it is not only a curious  
instance of the workings of man's       
intelligence1 and a great apocalypse of 
earlier stages of society1 but1 besides 
that1 it is a lie that is deceiving and 

damning our brethren1 and we have got to
 kill it first and dissect it           
afterwards4 ,so ,i say1 do not only     
think of heathenism in its various forms
 as a subject for speculation and       
analysis2 as much as you like of that1  
only do not let it drive out the other  
thing1 and after you have tried to      
understand it1 then come back to my     
text1 ',he was moved with compassion4'  
,and so pity1 and neither anger1 nor    
aversion1 nor curiosity1 nor            
indifference is what ,i urge as the     
,christian emotion4  ,,iii4 ,let us take
 this text as teaching us how ,christ   
would have us act1 after such emotion   
built and based upon such a look4  ,it  
is perfectly legitimate1 although it is 
by no means the highest motive1 to      
appeal to feeling as a stimulus to      
action4 ,we have a right to base our    
urging of ,christian men and women to   
missionary work either at home or       
abroad1 upon the ground of the condition
 of the men to whom the ,gospel has to  

be carried4 ,i know that if taken alone 
it is a very inadequate motive4 ,i      
believe that any failure that may be    
manifest in the interest of ,christian  
people in missionary work is largely    
traceable to the blunder we have made in
 dwelling on superficial motives more   
than we ought to have done1 in          
proportion to the degree in which we    
have dwelt on the deepest4 ,we have been
 gathering the surface-water instead of 
going right down to the green sand1 to  
which the artesian well must be sunk if 
the stream is to come up without pumping
 or wasting4 ,so ,i say that a deeper   
reason than the sorrow and darkness of  
the heathen is--'the love of ,christ    
constraineth me'2 but yet the first is a
 legitimate one4 ,only remember this1   
that ,bishop ,butler taught us long ago1
 that if you excite emotions which are  
intended to lead to action1 and the     
action does not follow1 the excitation  
of the emotion without its appropriate  
action makes the heart a great deal     

harder than it was before4 ,that is why 
it is playing with edged tools to speak 
so much to our ,christian audiences1 as 
we sometimes hear done1 about the       
condition of the heathen as a stimulus  
to missionary work4 ,if a man does not  
respond and do something1 some crust of 
callousness and coldness comes over his 
own heart4 ,you cannot indulge in the   
luxury of emotion which you do not use  
to drive your spindles1 without doing   
yourselves harm4 ,it is never intended  
to be blown off as waste steam and      
allowed to vanish into the air4 ,it is  
meant to be conserved and guided1 and to
 have something done with it4 ,therefore
 beware of sentimental contemplation of 
the sad condition of the shepherdless   
sheep which does not move you to do     
anything to help them4  ,one word more4 
,take my text as a guide to the form of 
action into which we are to cast the    
emotions that should spring from this   
gaze upon the world4 ,i will only name  
three points4 ,christ opened ,his mouth 

and spake to them1 and taught them many 
things2 ,christ said to ,his disciples1 
',pray ye the ,lord of the harvest'2 and
 ,christ sent out ,his apostles to      
preach the ,kingdom4 ,these three things
 in their bearing upon us are--personal 
work1 prayer1 help to send forth        
,christ's messengers4 ,there is nothing 
like personal work for making a man     
understand and feel the miseries of his 
fellows4 ,christian men and women1 it is
 your first business everywhere to      
proclaim the name of ,jesus ,christ1 and
 no prayers and no subscriptions absolve
 you from that4 ,in this army a man     
cannot buy himself off and send in a    
substitute at the cost of an annual     
guinea4 ,if ,christ sent the apostles1  
do you hold up the hands of the         
apostles' successors1 and so by ,god's  
grace you and ,i may help on the coming 
of that blessed day when there shall be 
one flock and one ,shepherd1 and when   
'the ,lamb that is in the midst of the  
throne'--for the ,shepherd is ,himself a

 lamb--'shall feed them and lead them1  
and ,god shall wipe away all tears from 
their eyes4'     ,,the ,,obscure        
,,apostles       ',these twelve ,jesus  
sent forth4'--,,matt4 x4 #e4  ,and half 
of 'these twelve' are never heard of as 
doing any work for ,christ4 ,peter and  
,james and ,john we know2 the other     
,james and ,judas have possibly left us 
short letters2 ,matthew gives us a      
,gospel2 and of all the rest no trace is
 left4 ,some of them are never so much  
as named again1 except in the list at   
the beginning of the ,acts of the       
,apostles2 and none of them except the  
three who 'seemed to be pillars' appear 
to have been of much importance in the  
early diffusion of the ,gospel4  ,there 
are many instructive and interesting    
points in reference to the ,apostolate4 
,the number of twelve1 in obvious       
allusion to the tribes of ,israel1      
proclaims the eternal certainty of the  
divine promises to ,his people1 and the 
dignity of the ,new ,testament ,church  

as their true heir4 ,the ties of        
relationship which knit so many of the  
apostles together1 the order of the     
names varying1 but within certain       
limits1 in the different catalogues1 the
 uncultivated provincial rudeness of    
most of them1 would all afford material 
for important reflections4 ,but1        
perhaps1 not the least important fact   
about the ,apostolate is that one to    
which we have referred1 which like the  
names of countries on the map1 escapes  
notice because it is 'writ' so          
'large'--namely1 the small place which  
the apostles as a body fill in the      
subsequent narrative1 and the entire    
oblivion into which so many of them pass
 from the moment of their appointment4  
,it is to that fact that we wish to turn
 attention now4 ,it may suggest some    
considerations worth pondering1 and     
among other things1 may help to show the
 exaggeration of the functions of the   
office by the opposite extremes of      
priests and rationalists4 ,the one      

school makes it the depository of       
exclusive supernatural powers2 the other
 regards it as a master-stroke of       
organisation1 to which the early rapid  
growth of ,christianity was largely due4
 ,the facts seem to show that it was    
neither4  ,i4 ,the first thought which  
this peculiar and unexpected silence    
suggests is of the ,true ,worker in the 
,church's progress4  ,the way in which  
the ,new ,testament drops these apostles
 is of a piece with the whole tone of   
the ,bible4 ,throughout1 men are        
introduced into its narratives and      
allowed to slip out with well-marked    
indifference4 ,nowhere do we get more   
vivid1 penetrating portraiture1 but     
nowhere do we see such carelessness     
about following the fortunes or         
completing the biographies even of those
 who have filled the largest space in   
its pages4  ,recall1 for example1 the   
way in which the ,new ,testament deals  
with 'the very chiefest' apostles1 the  
illustrious triad of ,peter1 ,james1 and

 ,john4 ,the first escapes from prison2 
we see him hammering at ,mary's door in 
the grey of the morning1 and after      
brief1 eager talk with his friends he   
vanishes to hide in 'another place1' and
 is no more heard of1 except for a      
moment in the great council1 held in    
,jerusalem1 about the admission of      
,gentiles to the ,church4 ,the second of
 the three is killed off in a           
parenthesis4 ,the third is only seen    
twice in the ,book of the ,acts1 as a   
silent companion of ,peter at a miracle 
and before the ,sanhedrim4 ,remember how
 ,paul is left in his own hired house1  
within sight of trial and sentence1 and 
neither the original writer of the book 
nor any later hand thought it worth     
while to add three lines to tell the    
world what became of him4 ,a strange way
 to write history1 and a most imperfect 
narrative1 surely6 ,yes1 unless there be
 some peculiarity in the purpose of the 
book1 which explains this cold-blooded1 
inartistic1 and tantalising habit of    

letting men leap upon the stage as if   
they had dropped from the clouds1 and   
vanish from it as abruptly as if they   
had fallen through a trap-door4  ,such a
 peculiarity there is4 ,one of the three
 to whom we have referred has explained 
it in the words with which he closes his
 gospel1 words which might stand for the
 motto of the whole book1 ',these are   
written that ye might believe that      
,jesus is the ,son of ,god4' ,the true  
purpose is not to speak of men except in
 so far as they 'bore witness to that   
light' and were illuminated for a moment
 by contact with ,him4 ,from the        
beginning the true ',hero' of the ,bible
 is ,god2 its theme is ,his             
self-revelation culminating for evermore
 in the ,man ,jesus4 ,all other men     
interest the writers only as they are   
subsidiary or antagonistic to that      
revelation4 ,as long as that breath     
blows through them they are music2 else 
they are but common reeds4 ,men are     
nothing except as instruments and organs

 of ,god4 ,he is all1 and ,his whole    
fulness is in ,jesus ,christ4 ,christ is
 the sole worker in the progress of ,his
 ,church4 ,that is the teaching of all  
the ,new ,testament4 ,the thought is    
expressed in the deepest1 simplest form 
in ,his own unapproachable words1       
unfathomable as they are in their depth 
of meaning1 and inexhaustible in their  
power to strengthen and to cheer3 ',i am
 the vine1 ye are the branches1 without 
,me ye can do nothing4' ,it shapes the  
whole treatment of the history of the   
so-called ',acts of the ,apostles1'     
which by its very first sentence        
proclaims itself to be the ,acts of the 
ascended ,jesus1 'the former treatise'  
being declared to have had for its      
subject 'all that ,jesus began to do and
 teach while on earth1 and this treatise
 being manifestly the continuance of the
 same theme1 and the record of the      
heavenly activity of the ,lord4 ,so the 
thought runs through all the book3 ',the
 help that is done on earth1 ,he does it

 all ,himself4'  ,so let us think of    
,him and of ,his relation to us as well 
as to that early ,church4 ,his          
continuous energy is pouring down on us 
if we will accept it4 ,in us1 for us1 by
 us ,he works4 ',my ,father worketh     
hitherto1 said ,he when here1 'and ,i   
work'2 and now1 exalted on high1 ,he has
 passed into that divine repose1 which  
is at the same time the most energetic  
divine activity4 ,he is all in all to   
,his people4 ,he is all their strength1 
wisdom1 and righteousness4 ,they are but
 the clouds irradiated by the sun and   
bathed in its brightness2 ,he is the    
light which flames in their grey mist   
and turns it to a glory4 ,they are but  
the belts and cranks and wheels2 ,he is 
the power4 ,they are but the channel1   
muddy and dry2 ,he is the flashing life 
that fills it and makes it a joy4 ,they 
are the body2 ,he is the soul dwelling  
in every part to save it from corruption
 and give movement and warmth4    ',thou
 art the organ1 whose full breath is    

thunder2    ,i am the keys1 beneath thy 
fingers pressed4'  ,if this be true1 how
 it should deliver us from all          
overestimate of men1 to which our human 
affections and our feeble faith tempt us
 so sorely6 ,there is ,one man1 and ,one
 man only1 whose biography is a         
',gospel1 who owes nothing to           
circumstances1 and who originates the   
power which ,he wields2 ,one who is a   
new beginning1 and has changed the whole
 current of human history1 ,one to whom 
we are right to bring offerings of the  
gold1 and incense1 and myrrh of our     
hearts1 and wills1 and minds1 which it  
is blasphemy and degradation to lay at  
the feet of any others4 ,we may utterly 
love1 trust1 and obey ,jesus ,christ4   
,we dare not do so to any other4 ,the   
inscription written over the whole book1
 that it may be transcribed on our whole
 nature1 is1 ',no man any more save     
,jesus only4'  ,if this thought be true1
 what confidence it ought to give us as 
we think of the tasks and fortunes of   

the ,church6 ,if we think only of the   
difficulties and of the enormous work   
before us1 so disproportioned to our    
weak powers1 we shall be disposed to    
agree with our enemies1 who talk as if  
,christianity was on the point of       
perishing1 as they have been doing ever 
since it began4 ,but the outlook is     
wonderfully different when we take      
,christ into the account4 ,we are very  
apt to leave ,him out of the reckoning4 
,but one man with ,christ to back him is
 always in the majority4 ,he flings his 
sword clashing into one scale1 and it   
weighs down all that is in the other4   
,the walls are very lofty and strong1   
and the besiegers few and weak1 badly   
armed1 and quite unfit for the assault2 
but if we lift our eyes high enough1 we1
 too1 shall see a man with a drawn sword
 over against us1 and our hearts may    
leap up in assured confidence of victory
 as we recognise in ,him the ,captain of
 the ,lord's ,host1 who has already     
overcome1 and will make us valiant in   

fight and more than conquerors4  ,when  
conscious of our own weakness1 and      
tempted to think of our task as heavy1  
or when complacent in our own power1 and
 tempted to regard our task as easy1 let
 us think of ,his ever-present work in  
and for ,his people1 till it braces us  
for all duty1 and rebukes our easy-going
 idleness4 ,surely from that thought of 
the active1 ascended ,christ may come to
 many of ,his slothful followers the    
pleading question1 as from ,his own     
lips1 ',dost thou not care that thou    
hast left me to serve alone8' ,surely to
 us all it should bring inspiration and 
strength1 courage and confidence1       
deliverance from man1 and elevation     
above the reverence of blind impersonal 
forces4 ,surely we may all lay to heart 
the grand lesson that union with ,him is
 our only strength1 and oblivion of     
ourselves our highest wisdom4 ,surely he
 has best learned his true place and the
 worth of ,jesus ,christ1 who abides    
with unmoved humility at ,his feet1 and1

 like the lonely1 lowly forerunner1 puts
 away all temptations to self-assertion 
while joyfully accepting it as the law  
of his life to    ',fade in the light of
 the planet he loves1    ,to fade in his
 light and to die4'  ,blessed is he who 
is glad to say1' ,he must increase1 ,i  
must decrease6'  ,,ii4 ,this same       
silence of ,scripture as to so many of  
the apostles may be taken as suggesting 
what the real work of these delegated   
workers was4  ,it certainly seems very  
strange that1 if they were the          
possessors of such extraordinary powers 
as the theory of ,apostolic ,succession 
implies1 we should hear so little of    
these in the narratives4 ,the silence of
 ,scripture about them goes a long way  
to discredit such ideas1 while it is    
entirely accordant with a more modest   
view of the apostolic office4  ,what was
 an apostle's function during the life  
of ,christ8 ,one of the evangelists     
divides it into three portions3 to be   
with ,jesus2 to preach the kingdom2 to  

cast out devils and to heal4 ,there is  
nothing in these offices peculiar to    
them4 ,the seventy had miraculous powers
 too1 and some at least were our ,lord's
 companions and preachers of ,his       
kingdom who were simple disciples4 ,what
 was an apostle's function after the    
resurrection8 ,peter's words1 on        
proposing the election of a new apostle1
 lay down the duty as simply 'to bear   
witness' of that resurrection4 ,they    
were not supernatural channels of       
mysterious grace1 not lords over ,god's 
heritage1 not even leaders of the       
,church1 but bearers of a testimony to  
the great historical fact1 on the       
acceptance of which all belief in an    
historical ,christ depended then and    
depends now4 ,each of the greater of the
 apostles is penetrated with the same   
thought4 ,paul disclaims anything beside
 in his ',not ,i1 but the grace of ,god 
in me4' ,peter thrusts the question at  
the staring crowd1 ',why look ye on us  
as though by our power or holiness we   

had made this man to walk8' ,john1 in   
his calm way1 tells his children at     
,ephesus1 ',ye need not that any man    
teach you4'  ,such an idea of the       
apostolic office is far more reasonable 
and accordant with ,scripture than a    
figment about unexampled powers and     
authority in the ,church4 ,it accounts  
for the qualifications as stated in the 
same address of ,peter's1 which merely  
secure the validity of their testimony4 
,the one thing that must be found in an 
apostle was that he should have been in 
familiar intercourse with ,christ during
 his earthly life1 both before and after
 ,his resurrection1 in order that he    
might be able to say1 ',i knew ,him     
well2 ,i know that ,he died2 ,i know    
that ,he rose again2 ,i saw ,him go up  
to heaven4' ,for such a work there was  
no need for men of commanding power4    
,plain1 simple1 honest men who had the  
requisite eye-witness were sufficient4  
,the guidance and the missionary work of
 the ,church need not necessarily be in 

their hands1 and1 in fact1 does not seem
 to have been4 ,in harmony with this    
view of the office and its requisites1  
we find that ,paul rests the validity of
 his apostolate on the fact that ',he   
was seen of me also1' and regards that  
vision as his true appointment which    
left him not 'one whit behind the very  
chiefest apostles4' ,miraculous gifts   
indeed they had1 and miraculous gifts   
they imparted2 but in both instances    
others shared these powers with them4   
,it was no apostle who laid his hands on
 the blinded ,saul in that house in     
,damascus and said1 ',receive the ,holy 
,ghost4' ,an apostle stood by passive   
and wondering when the ,holy ,ghost fell
 on ,cornelius and his comrades4 ,in    
reality apostolic succession is absurd1 
because there is nothing to succeed to1 
except what cannot be transmitted1      
personal knowledge of the reality of the
 resurrection of ,jesus ,christ4 ,to    
establish that fact as indubitable      
history is to lay the foundation of the 

,christian ,church1 and the eleven plain
 men1 who did that1 need no             
superstitious mist around them to       
magnify their greatness4  ,in so far as 
any succession to them or any devolution
 of their office is possible1 all       
,christian men inherit it1 for to bear  
witness of the living power of the risen
 ,lord is still the office and honour of
 every believing soul4 ,it is still true
 that the sharpest weapon which any man 
can wield for ,christ is the simple     
adducing of his own personal experience4
 ',that which we have seen and handled  
we declare' is still the best form into 
which our preaching can be cast4 ,and   
such a voice every man and woman who has
 found the sweetness and the power of   
,christ filling their own souls1 is     
bound--rather let us say1 is            
privileged--to lift up4 ',this honour   
have all the saints4' ,christ is the    
true worker1 and all our work is but to 
proclaim ,him1 and what ,he has done and
 is doing for ourselves and for all men4

  ,,iii4 ,we may gather1 too1 the lesson
 of how often faithful work is          
unrecorded and forgotten4  ,no doubt    
those apostles who have no place in the 
history toiled honestly and did their   
,lord's commands1 and oblivion has      
swallowed it all4 ,bartholomew and      
',lebbaeus1 whose surname was           
,thaddaeus1' and the rest of them1 have 
no place in the record1 and their       
obscure work is faded1 faithful and good
 as certainly it was4  ,so it will be   
sooner or later with us all4 ,for most  
of us1 our service has to be unnoticed  
and unknown1 and the memory of our poor 
work will live perhaps for a year or two
 in the hearts of some few who loved us1
 but will fade wholly when they follow  
us into the silent land4 ,well1 be it   
so2 we shall sleep none the less        
sweetly1 though none be talking about us
 over our heads4 ,the world has a short 
memory1 and1 as the years go on1 the    
list that it has to remember grows so   
crowded that it is harder and harder to 

find room to write a new name on it1 or 
to read the old4 ,the letters on the    
tombstones are soon erased by the feet  
that tramp across the churchyard4 ,all  
that matters very little4 ,the notoriety
 of our work is of no consequence4 ,the 
earnestness and accuracy with which we  
strike our blow is all-important2 but it
 matters nothing how far it echoes4 ,it 
is not the heaven of heavens to be      
talked about1 nor does a man's life     
consist in the abundance of newspaper or
 other paragraphs about him4 ',the love 
of fame' is1 no doubt1 sometimes found  
in 'minds' otherwise 'noble1' but in    
itself is very much the reverse of      
noble4 ,we shall do our work best1 and  
be saved from much festering anxiety    
which corrupts our purest service and   
fevers our serenest thoughts1 if we once
 fairly make up our minds to working    
unnoticed and unknown1 and determine    
that1 whether our post be a conspicuous 
or an obscure one1 we shall fill it to  
the utmost of our power--careless of    

praise or censure1 because our judgment 
is with our ,god2 careless whether we   
are unknown or well known1 because we   
are known altogether to ,him4  ,the     
magnitude of our work in men's eyes is  
as little important as the noise of it4 
,christ gave all the apostles their     
tasks--to some of them to found the     
,gentile churches1 to some of them to   
leave to all generations precious       
teaching1 to some of them none of these 
things4 ,what then8 ,were the ,peters   
and the ,johns more highly favoured than
 the others8 ,was their work greater in 
,his sight8 ,not so4 ,to ,him all       
service done from the same motive is the
 same1 and ,his measure of excellence is
 the quantity of love and spiritual     
force in our deeds1 not the width of the
 area over which they spread4 ,an       
estuary that goes wandering over miles  
of shallows may have less water in it1  
and may creep more languidly1 than the  
torrent that thunders through some      
narrow gorge4 ,the deeds that stand     

highest on the records in heaven are not
 those which we vulgarly call great4    
,many 'a cup of cold water only' will be
 found to have been rated higher there  
than jewelled golden chalices brimming  
with rare wines4 ,god's treasures1 where
 ,he keeps ,his children's gifts1 will  
be like many a mother's secret store of 
relics of her children1 full of things  
of no value1 what the world calls       
'trash1' but precious in ,his eyes for  
the love's sake that was in them4  ,all 
service which is done from the same     
motive and with the same spirit is of   
the same worth in ,his eyes4 ,it does   
not matter whether you have the gospel  
in a penny ,testament printed on thin   
paper with black ink and done up in     
cloth1 or in an illuminated missal      
glowing in gold and colour1 painted with
 loving care on fair parchment1 and     
bound in jewelled ivory4 ,and so it     
matters little about the material or the
 scale on which we express our devotion 
and our aspirations2 all depends on what

 we copy1 not on the size of the canvas 
on which1 or on the material in which1  
we copy it4 ',small service is true     
service while it lasts1' and the        
unnoticed insignificant servants may do 
work every whit as good and noble as the
 most widely known1 to whom have been   
intrusted by ,christ tasks that mould   
the ages4  ,,iv4 ,finally1 we may add   
that forgotten work is remembered1 and  
unrecorded names are recorded above4    
,the names of these almost anonymous    
apostles have no place in the records of
 the advancement of the ,church or of   
the development of ,christian doctrine4 
,they drop out of the narrative after   
the list in the first chapter of the    
,acts4 ,but we do hear of them once     
more4 ,in that last vision of the great 
city which the seer beheld descending   
from ,god1 we read that in its          
'foundations were the names of the      
twelve apostles of the ,lamb4' ,all were
 graven there--the inconspicuous names  
carved on no record of earth1 as well as

 the familiar ones cut deep in the rock 
to be seen of all men for ever4 ,at the 
least that grand image may tell us that 
when the perfect state of the ,church is
 realised1 the work which these men did 
when their testimony laid its           
foundation1 will be for ever associated 
with their names4 ,unrecorded on earth1 
they are written in heaven4  ,the       
forgotten work and its workers are      
remembered by ,christ4 ,his faithful    
heart and all-seeing eye keep them ever 
in view4 ,the world1 and the ,church    
whom these humble men helped1 may       
forget1 yet ,he will not forget4 ,from  
whatever muster-roll of benefactors and 
helpers their names may be absent1 they 
will be in ,his list4 ,the ,apostle     
,paul1 in his ,epistle to the           
,philippians1 has a saying in which his 
delicate courtesy is beautifully        
conspicuous1 where he half apologises   
for not sending his greetings 'to others
 my fellow-workers' by name1 and reminds
 them that1 however their names may be  

unwritten in his letter1 they have been 
inscribed by a mightier hand on a better
 page1 and 'are in the ,lamb's book of  
life4' ,it matters very little from what
 record ours may be absent so long as   
they are found there4 ,let us rejoice   
that1 though we may live obscure and die
 forgotten1 we may have our names       
written on the breastplate of our ,high 
,priest as ,he stands in the ,holy      
,place1 the breastplate which lies close
 to ,his heart of love1 and is girded to
 ,his arm of power4  ,the forgotten and 
unrecorded work lives1 too1 in the great
 whole4 ,the fruit of our labour may    
perhaps not be separable from that of   
others1 any more than the sowers can go 
into the reaped harvest-field and       
identify the gathered ears which have   
sprung from the seed that they sowed1   
but it is there all the same2 and       
whosoever may be unable to pick out each
 man's share in the blessed total       
outcome1 the ,lord of the harvest knows1
 and ,his accurate proportionment of    

individual reward to individual service 
will not mar the companionship in the   
general gladness1 when 'he that soweth  
and he that reapeth shall rejoice       
together4'  ,the forgotten work will    
live1 too1 in blessed results to the    
doers4 ,whatever of recognition and     
honour we may miss here1 we cannot be   
robbed of the blessing to ourselves1 in 
the perpetual influence on our own      
character1 of every piece of faithful   
even if imperfect service4 ,habits are  
formed1 emotions deepened1 principles   
confirmed1 capacities enlarged by every 
deed done for ,christ1 and these make an
 over-measure of reward here1 and in    
their perfect form hereafter are heaven4
 ,nothing done for ,him is ever wasted4 
',thou shalt find it after many days4'  
,we are all writing our lives' histories
 here1 as if with one of these 'manifold
 writers'--a black blank page beneath   
the flimsy sheet on which we write1 but 
presently the black page will be taken  
away1 and the writing will stand out    

plain on the page behind that we did not
 see4 ,life is the filmy1 unsubstantial 
page on which our pen rests2 the black  
page is death2 and the page beneath is  
that indelible transcript of our earthly
 actions1 which we shall find waiting   
for us to read1 with shame and confusion
 of face1 or with humble joy1 in another
 world4  ,then let us do our work for   
,christ1 not much careful whether it be 
greater or smaller1 obscure or          
conspicuous2 assured that whoever       
forgets us and it1 ,he will remember1   
and however our names may be unrecorded 
on earth1 they will be written in       
heaven1 and confessed by ,him before    
,his ,father and the holy angels4       
,,christ',s ,,charge ,,to ,,his         
,,heralds       ',these twelve ,jesus   
sent forth1 and commanded them1         
saying1 do not into the way of the      
,gentiles1 and into     any city of the 
,samaritans enter ye not3 #f4 ,but go   
rather to the lost sheep of the house of
 ,israel4 #g4 ,and     as ye go1 preach1

 saying1 ,the kingdom of heaven is at   
hand4 #h4 ,heal the sick1 cleanse the   
lepers1 raise the     dead1 cast out    
devils3 freely ye have received1 freely 
give4 #i4 ,provide neither gold1 nor    
silver1 nor brass in     your purses1   
#aj4 ,nor scrip for your journey1       
neither     two coats1 neither shoes1   
nor yet staves3 for the     workman is  
worthy of his meat4 #aa4 ,and into      
whatsoever     city or town ye shall    
enter1 enquire who in it is     worthy3 
and there abide till ye go thence4 #ab4 
,and when     ye come into an house1    
salute it4 #ac4 ,and if the house     be
 worthy1 let your peace come upon it3   
but if it be     not worthy1 let your   
peace return to you4 #ad4 ,and          
whosoever shall not receive you1 nor    
hear your words1     when ye depart out 
of that house or city1 shake off the    
dust of your feet4 #ae4 ,verily ,i say  
unto you1 ,it shall     be more         
tolerable for the land of ,sodom and    
,gomorrha in     the day of judgment1   

than for that city4 #af4 ,behold1 ,i    
send you forth as sheep in the midst of 
wolves3 be ye     therefore wise as     
serpents1 and harmless as doves4'       
--,matt4 x4 #e-af4  ,the letter of these
 instructions to the apostles has been  
abrogated by ,christ1 both in reference 
to the scope of1 and the equipment for1 
their mission 7,matt4 xxviii4 #ai2 ,luke
 xxii4 #cf74 ,the spirit of them remains
 as the perpetual obligation of all     
,christian workers1 and every ,christian
 should belong to that class4 ,some     
direct evangelistic work ought to be    
done by every believer1 and in doing it 
he will find no better directory than   
this charge to the apostles4  ,i4 ,we   
have1 first1 the apostles' mission in   
its sphere and manner 7vs4 #e-h74 ,they 
are told where to go and what to do     
there4 ,mark that the negative          
prohibition precedes the positive       
injunction1 as if the apostles were     
already so imbued with the spirit of    
universalism that they would probably   

have overpassed the bounds which for the
 present were needful4 ,the restriction 
was transient4 ,it continued in the line
 of divine limitation of the sphere of  
,revelation which confined itself to the
 ,jew1 in order that through him it     
might reach the world4 ,that method     
could not be abandoned till the ,jew    
himself had destroyed it by rejecting   
,christ4 ,jesus still clung to it4 ,even
 when the commission was widened to 'all
 the world1' ,paul went 'to the ,jew    
first1' till he too was taught by       
uniform failure that ,israel was fixed  
in unbelief4  ,how tenderly our ,lord   
designates the nation as 'the lost sheep
 of the house of ,israel'6 ,he is still 
influenced by that compassion which the 
sight of the multitudes had moved in    
,him 7chap4 ix4 #cf74 ,lost indeed1     
wandering with torn fleece1 and lying   
panting1 in ignorance of their pasture  
and their ,shepherd1 they are yet       
'sheep1' and they belong to that chosen 
seed1 sprung from so venerable          

ancestors1 and heirs of so glorious     
promises4 ,clear sight of1 and infinite 
pity for1 men's miseries1 must underlie 
all apostolic effort4  ,the work to be  
done is twofold--a glad truth is to be  
proclaimed1 gracious deeds of power are 
to be done4 ,how blessed must be the    
kingdom1 the forerunners of which are   
miracles of healing and life-giving6 ,if
 the heralds can do these1 what will not
 the ,king be able to do8 ,if such hues 
attend the dawn1 how radiant will be the
 noontide6 ,note 'as ye go1' indicating 
that they were travelling evangelists1  
and were to speak as they went1 and go  
when they had spoken4 ,the road was to  
be their pulpit1 and each man they met  
their audience4 ,what a different world 
it would be if ,christians carried their
 message with them so6  ',freely ye have
 received'2 namely1 in the first        
application of the words1 the message of
 the coming kingdom and the power to    
work miracles4 ,but the force of the    
injunction1 as applied to us1 is even   

more soul-subduing1 as our gift is      
greater1 and the freedom of its bestowal
 should evoke deeper gratitude4 ,the    
deepest springs of the heart's love are 
set flowing by the undeserved1          
unpurchased gift of ,god1 which contains
 in itself both the most tender and     
mighty motive for self-forgetting       
labour1 and the pattern for ,christian  
service4 ,how can one who has received  
that gift keep it to himself8 ,how can  
he sell what he got for nothing8        
',freely give'--the precept forbids the 
seeking of personal profit or advantage 
from preaching the gospel1 and so makes 
a sharp test of our motives2 and it also
 forbids clogging the gift with         
non-essential conditions1 and so makes a
 sharp test of our methods4  ,,ii4 ,the 
prohibition to make gain out of the     
message1 serves as a transition to the  
directions as to equipment4 ,the        
apostles were to go as they stood2 for  
the command is1 ',get you no gold1' etc4
 ,it has been already noted that these  

prohibitions were abrogated by ,jesus in
 view of ,his departure1 and the        
world-wide mission of the ,church4 ,but 
the spirit of them is not abrogated4    
,note that the descending value of the  
metals named makes an ascending         
stringency in the prohibition4 ,not even
 copper money is to be taken4 ,the      
'wallet' was a leather satchel or bag1  
used by shepherds and others to carry a 
little food2 sustenance1 then1 was also 
to be left uncared for4 ,dress1 too1 was
 to be limited to that in wear2 no      
change of inner robe nor a spare pair of
 shoes was to encumber them1 nor even a 
spare staff4 ,if any of them had one in 
his hand1 he was to take it 7,mark vi4  
#h74 ,the command was meant to lift the 
apostles above suspicion1 to make them  
manifestly disinterested1 to free them  
from anxiety about earthly things1 that 
their message might absorb their        
thoughts and efforts1 and to give room  
for the display of ,christ's power to   
provide4 ,it had a promise wrapped in   

it4 ,he who forbade them to provide for 
themselves thereby pledged ,himself to  
take care of them4 ',the labourer is    
worthy of his food4' ,they may be sure  
of subsistence1 and are not to wish for 
more4  ,all this has a distinct bearing 
on modern church arrangements4 ,on the  
one hand1 it vindicates the right of    
those who preach the gospel to live of  
the gospel1 and sets any payments to    
them on the right footing1 as not being 
charity or generosity1 but the discharge
 of a debt4 ,on the other hand1 it      
enjoins on preachers and others who are 
paid for service not to serve for pay1  
not to be covetous of large             
remuneration1 and to take care that no  
taint of greed for money shall mar their
 work1 but that their conduct may       
confirm their words when they say with  
,paul1 ',we seek not yours1 but you4'   
,,iii4 ,the conduct required from1 and  
the reception met with by1 the          
messengers come next4 ,christ first     
enjoins discretion and discrimination of

 character1 so far as possible4 ,the    
messenger of the kingdom is not to be   
mixed up with disreputable people1 lest 
the message should suffer4 ,the         
principle of his choice of a home is to 
be1 not position1 comfort1 or the like1 
but 'worthiness'2 that is1              
predisposition to receive the message4  
,however poor the chamber in the house  
of such1 there is the apostle to settle 
himself4 ',if ye have judged me to be   
faithful1 come into my house1' said     
,lydia4 ,the less ,christ's messengers  
are at home with ,christ's neglecters1  
the calmer their own hearts1 and the    
more potent their message4 ,they give   
the lie to it1 if they voluntarily      
choose as their associates those to whom
 their dearest convictions are idle4    
,christian charity does not blind to    
distinctions of character4 ,a little    
common sense in reading these will save 
many a scandal1 and much weakening of   
influence4  ,christian earnestness does 
not abolish courtesy4 ,the message is   

not to be blurted out in defiance of    
even conventional forms4 ,zeal for the  
,lord is no excuse for rude abruptness4 
,but the salutation of the true apostle 
will deepen the meaning of such forms1  
and make the conventional the real      
expression of real goodwill4 ,no man    
should say ',peace be unto you' so      
heartily as ,christ's servant4 ,the     
servant's benediction will bring the    
,master's ratification2 for ,jesus says1
 ',let your peace come upon it1' as if  
commanding the good which we can only   
wish4 ,that will be so1 if the requisite
 condition is fulfilled4 ,there must be 
soil for the seed to root in4  ,but no  
true wish for others' good--still more1 
no effort for it--is ever void of       
blessed issue4 ,if the peace does not   
rest on a house into which jarring and  
sin forbid its entrance1 it will not be 
homeless1 but come back1 like the dove  
to the ark1 and fold its wings in the   
heart of the sender4 ,the reflex        
influence of ,christian effort is       

precious1 whatever its direct results   
are4 ,how the ,church has been benefited
 by its missionary enterprises6  ,jesus 
encouraged no illusions in ,his servants
 as to their success4 ,from the         
beginning they were led to expect that  
some would receive and some would reject
 their words4 ,in this rapid preparatory
 mission1 there was no time for long    
delay anywhere2 but for us1 it is not   
wise to conclude that patient effort    
will fail because first appeals have not
 succeeded4 ,much close communion with  
,jesus1 not a little self-suppression1  
and abundant practical wisdom1 are      
needed to determine the point at which  
further efforts are vain4 ,no doubt1    
there is often great waste of strength  
in trying to impress unimpressible      
people1 or to revive some moribund      
enterprise2 but it is a pardonable      
weakness to be reluctant to abandon a   
field4 ,still it is a weakness1 and     
there come times when the only right    
thing to do is to 'shake off the dust'  

of the messenger's feet in token that   
all connection is ended1 and that he is 
clear from the blood of the rejecters4  
,the awful doom of such is solemnly     
introduced by ',verily1 ,i say unto     
you4' ,it rests on the plain principle  
that the measure of light is the measure
 of criminality1 and hence the measure  
of punishment4 ,the rejecters of ,christ
 among us are as much more guilty than  
'that city' as its inhabitants were than
 the men of ,sodom4  ,the first section 
of this charge properly ends with verse 
#ae1 the following verse being a        
transition to the second part4 ,the     
,greek puts strong emphasis on ',i4' ,it
 is ,he who sends among wolves1         
therefore ,he will protect4 ,a strange  
thing for a shepherd to do6 ,a strange  
encouragement for the apostles on the   
threshold of their work6 ,but the words 
would often come back to them when beset
 by the pack with their white teeth     
gleaming1 and their howls filling the   
night4 ,they are not promised that they 

will not be torn1 but they are assured  
that1 even if they are1 the ,shepherd   
wills it1 and will not lose one of ,his 
flock4  ,what is the ,christian defence8
 ,prudence like the serpent's1 but not  
the serpent's craft or malice2          
harmlessness like the dove's1 but not   
without the other safeguard of 'wisdom4'
 ,the combination is a rare one1 and the
 surest way to possess it is to live so 
close to ,jesus that we shall be        
progressively changed into ,his         
likeness4 ,then our prudence will never 
degenerate into cunning1 nor our        
simplicity become blindness to dangers4 
,the ,christian armour and arms are     
meek1 unconquerable patience1 and       
,christ-likeness1 ,to resist is to be   
beaten2 to endure unretaliating is to be
 victorious4 ',be not overcome of evil1 
but overcome evil with good4'     ,,the 
,,widened ,,mission1 ,,its ,,perils     
,,and ,,defences       ',behold1 ,i send
 you forth as sheep in the midst of     
wolves2 be ye therefore wise as         

serpents1 and harmless     as doves4    
#ag4 ,but beware of men3 for they will  
deliver     you up to the councils1 and 
they will scourge you in     their      
synagogues2 #ah4 ,and ye shall be       
brought before     governors and kings  
for ,my sake1 for a testimony           
against them and the ,gentiles4 #ai4    
,but when they     deliver you up1 take 
no thought how or what ye shall         
speak3 for it shall be given you in that
 same hour what     ye shall speak4 #bj4
 ,for it is not ye that speak1 but      
the ,spirit of your ,father which       
speaketh in you4     #ba4 ,and the      
brother shall deliver up the brother to 
death1 and the father the child3 and the
 children shall     rise up against     
their parents1 and cause them to be put 
to death4 #bb4 ,and ye shall be hated of
 all men for ,my     name's sake3 but he
 that endureth to the end shall be      
saved4 #bc4 ,but when they persecute you
 in this city1     flee ye into another3
 for verily ,i say unto you1 ,ye        

shall not have gone over the cities of  
,israel1 till the     ,son of ,man be   
come4 #bd4 ,the disciple is not above   
his     master1 nor the servant above   
his lord4 #be4 ,it is     enough for the
 disciple that he be as his master1 and 
the servant as his lord4 ,if they have  
called the master     of the house      
,beelzebub1 how much more shall they    
call     them of his household8 #bf4    
,fear them not therefore3 for     there 
is nothing covered1 that shall not be   
revealed2     and hid1 that shall not be
 known4 #bg4 ,what ,i tell you     in   
darkness1 that speak ye in light3 and   
what ye hear     in the ear1 that preach
 ye upon the housetops4 #bh4 ,and       
fear not them which kill the body1 but  
are not able to     kill the soul3 but  
rather fear ,him which is able to       
destroy both soul and body in hell4 #bi4
 ,are not two     sparrows sold for a   
farthing8 and one of them shall not     
fall on the ground without your ,father4
 #cj4 ,but the     very hairs of your   

head are all numbered4 #ca4 ,fear ye    
not therefore1 ye are of more value than
 many sparrows4'     --,,matt4 x4       
#af-ca4  ,we have already had two       
instances of ,matthew's way of bringing 
together sayings and incidents of a like
 kind without regard to their original  
connection4 ,the ,sermon on the ,mount  
and the series of miracles in chapters  
viii4 and ix4 are groups1 the elements  
of which are for the most part found    
disconnected in ,mark and ,luke4 ,this  
charge to the twelve in chapter x4 seems
 to present a third instance1 and to    
pass over in verse #af to a wider       
mission than that of the twelve during  
our ,lord's lifetime1 for it forebodes  
persecution1 whereas the preceding      
verses opened no darker prospect than   
that of indifference or non-reception4  
,the 'city' which1 in that stage of the 
gospel message1 simply would 'not       
receive you nor hear your words1' in    
this stage has worsened into one where  
'they persecute you1' and the           

persecutors are now 'kings' and         
',gentiles1' as well as ,jewish councils
 and synagogue-frequenters4 ,the period 
covered in these verses1 too1 reaches to
 the 'end1' the final revelation of all 
hidden things4  ,obviously1 then1 our   
,lord is looking down a far future1 and 
giving a charge to the dim crowd of ,his
 later disciples1 whom ,his prescient   
eye saw pressing behind the twelve in   
days to come4 ,he had no dreams of swift
 success1 but realised the long1 hard   
fight to which ,he was summoning ,his   
disciples4 ,and ,his frankness in       
telling them the worst that they had to 
expect was as suggestive as was ,his    
freedom from the rosy1 groundless       
visions of at once capturing a world    
which enthusiasts are apt to cherish1   
till hard experience shatters the       
illusions4 ,he knew the future in store 
for ,himself1 for ,his ,gospel1 for ,his
 disciples4 ,and ,he knew that dangers  
and death itself will not appal a soul  
that is touched into heroic             

self-forgetfulness by ,his love4 ',set  
down my name1' says the man in          
,pilgrim's ,progress1 though he         
knew--may we not say1 because he        
knew8--that the enemies were outside    
waiting to fall on him4  ,a further     
difference between this and the         
preceding section is1 that there the    
stress was laid on the contents of the  
disciples' message1 but that here it is 
laid on their sufferings4 ,not so much  
by what they say1 as by how they endure1
 are they to testify4 ',the noble army  
of martyrs praise ,thee1' and the       
primitive ,church preached ,jesus most  
effectually by dying for ,him4  ,the    
keynote is struck in verse #af1 in which
 are to be noted the ',behold1' which   
introduces something important and      
strange1 and calls for close attention2 
the majestic ',i send you1' which moves 
to obedience whatever the issues1 and   
pledges ,him to defend the poor men who 
are going on ,his errands and the       
pathetic picture of the little flock    

huddled together1 while the gleaming    
teeth of the wolves gnash all round     
them4 ,a strange theme to drape in a    
metaphor6 but does not the very metaphor
 help to lighten the darkness of the    
picture1 as well as speak of ,his       
calmness1 while ,he contemplates it8 ,if
 the ,shepherd sends ,his sheep into the
 midst of wolves1 surely ,he will come  
to their help1 and surely any peril is  
more courageously faced when they can   
say to themselves1 ',he put us here4'   
,the sheep has no claws to wound with   
nor teeth to tear with1 but the         
defenceless ,christian has a defence1   
and in his very weaponlessness wields   
the sharpest two-edged sword4 ',force   
from force must ever flow4' ,resistance 
is a mistake4 ,the victorious antagonist
 of savage enmity is patient meekness4  
',sufferance is the badge of all' true  
servants of ,jesus4 ,wherever they have 
been misguided enough to depart from    
,christ's law of endurance and to give  
blow for blow1 they have lost their     

cause in the long run1 and have hurt    
their own ,christian life more than     
their enemies' bodies4 ,guilelessness   
and harmlessness are their weapons4 ,but
 'be ye wise as serpents' is equally    
imperative with 'guileless as doves4'   
,mark the fine sanity of that           
injunction1 which not only permits but  
enjoins prudent self-preservation1 so   
long as it does not stoop to crooked    
policy1 and is saved from that by       
dove-like guilelessness4 ,a difficult   
combination1 but a possible one1 and    
when realised1 a beautiful one6  ,the   
following verses 7#ag-bb7 expand the    
preceding1 and mingle in a very         
remarkable way plain predictions of     
persecution to the death and            
encouragements to front the worst4      
,jewish councils and synagogues1        
,gentile governors and kings1 will unite
 for once in common hatred1 than which  
there is no stronger bond4 ,that is a   
grim prospect to set before a handful of
 ,galilean peasants1 but two little     

words turn its terror into joy2 it is   
'for ,my sake1' and that is enough4     
,jesus trusted ,his humble friends1 as  
,he trusts all such always1 and believed
 that 'for ,my sake' was a talisman     
which would sweeten the bitterest cup   
and would make cowards into heroes1 and 
send men and women to their deaths      
triumphant4 ,and history has proved that
 ,he did not trust them too much4 ',for 
,his sake'--is that a charm for us1     
which makes the crooked straight and the
 rough places plain1 which nerves for   
suffering and impels to noble acts1     
which moulds life and takes the sting   
and the terror out of death8 ,nor is    
that the only encouragement given to the
 twelve1 who might well be appalled at  
the prospect of standing before ,gentile
 kings4 ,jesus seems to discern how they
 shrank as they listened1 at the thought
 of having to bear 'testimony' before   
exalted personages1 and1 with beautiful 
adaptation to their weakness1 ,he       
interjects a great promise1 which1 for  

the first time1 presents the divine     
,spirit as dwelling in the disciples'   
spirits4 ,the occasion of the dawning of
 that great ,christian thought is very  
noteworthy1 and not less so is the      
designation of the ,spirit as 'of your  
,father1' with all the implications of  
paternal care and love which that name  
carries4 ,special crises bring special  
helps1 and the martyrologies of all ages
 and lands1 from ,stephen outside the   
city wall to the last ,chinese woman1   
have attested the faithfulness of the   
,promiser4 ,how often have some calm1   
simple words from some slave girl in    
,roman cities1 or some ignorant         
confessor before ,inquisitors1 been     
manifestly touched with heavenly light  
and power1 and silenced sophistries and 
threats6  ,the solemn foretelling of    
persecution1 broken for a moment1 goes  
on and becomes even more foreboding1 for
 it speaks of dearest ones turned to    
foes1 and the sweet sanctities of family
 ties dissolved by the solvent of the   

new ,faith4 ,there is no enemy like a   
brother estranged1 and it is tragically 
significant that it is in connection    
with the rupture of family bonds that   
death is first mentioned as the price   
that ,christ's messengers would have to 
pay for faithfulness to their message4  
,but the prediction springs at a bound1 
as it were1 from the narrow circle of   
home to the widest range1 and does not  
fear to spread before the eyes of the   
twelve that they will become the objects
 of hatred to the whole human race if   
they are true to ,christ's charge4 ,the 
picture is dark enough1 and it has      
turned out to be a true forecast of     
facts4 ,it suggests two questions4 ,what
 right had ,jesus to send men out on    
such an errand1 and to bid them gladly  
die for ,him8 ,and what made these men  
gladly take up the burden which ,he laid
 on them8 ,he has the right to dispose  
of us1 because ,he is the ,son of ,god  
who has died for us4 ,otherwise ,he is  
not entitled to say to us1 ,do my       

bidding1 even if it leads you to death4 
,his servants find their inspiration to 
absolute1 unconditional self-surrender  
in the ,love that has died for them4    
,that which gives ,him ,his right to    
dispose of us in life and death gives us
 the disposition to yield ourselves     
wholly to ,him1 to be ,his apostles     
according to our opportunities1 and to  
say1 ',whether ,i live or die1 ,i am the
 ,lord's4'  ,that thought of world-wide 
hatred is soothed by the recurrence of  
the talisman1 ',for ,my name's sake1'   
and by a moment's showing of a fair     
prospect behind the gloom streaked with 
lightning in the foreground4 ',he that  
endureth to the end shall be saved4'    
,the same saying occurs in chapter xxiv4
 #ac1 in connection with the prediction 
of the fall of ,jerusalem1 and in the   
same connection in ,mark xiii4 #ac1 in  
both of which places several other      
sayings which appear in this charge to  
the apostles are found4 ,it is          
impossible to settle which is the       

original place for these1 or whether    
they were twice spoken4 ,the latter     
supposition is very unfashionable at    
present1 but has perhaps more to say for
 itself than modern critics are willing 
to allow4 ,but ,luke 7xxi4 #ai7 has a   
remarkable variation of the saying1 for 
his version of it is1 ',in your         
patience1 ye shall win your souls4' ,his
 word 'patience' is a noun cognate with 
the verb rendered in ,matthew and ,mark 
'endureth1' and to 'win one's soul' is  
obviously synonymous with being 'saved4'
 ,the saying cannot be limited1 in any  
of its forms1 to a mere securing of     
earthly life1 for in this context it    
plainly includes those who have been    
delivered to death by parents and       
brethren1 but who by death have won     
their lives1 and have been1 as ,paul    
expected to be1 thereby 'saved into ,his
 heavenly kingdom4' ,to the ,christian1 
death is the usher who introduces him   
into the presence-chamber of the ,king1 
and he that loseth his life 'for ,my    

name's sake1' finds it glorified in1 and
 into1 life eternal4  ,but willingness  
to endure the utmost is to be           
accompanied with willingness to take all
 worthy means to escape it4 ,there has  
been a certain unwholesome craving for  
martyrdom generated in times of         
persecution1 which may appear noble but 
is very wasteful4 ,the worst use that   
you can put a man to is to burn him1 and
 a living witness may do more for       
,christ than a dead martyr4 ,christian  
heroism may be shown in not being afraid
 to flee quite as much as in courting1  
or passively awaiting1 danger4 ,and     
,christ's ,name will be spread when ,his
 lovers are hounded from one city to    
another1 just as it was when 'they that 
were scattered abroad1 went everywhere1 
preaching the word4' ,when the brands   
are kicked apart by the heel of         
violence1 they kindle flames where they 
fall4  ,but the reason for this command 
to flee is perplexing4 ',ye shall not   
have gone over the cities of ,israel    

till the ,son of ,man be come4' ,is     
,jesus here reverting to the narrower   
immediate mission of the apostles8 ,what
 'coming' is referred to8 ,we have seen 
that the first mission of the twelve was
 the theme of verses #e-ae1 and was     
there pursued to its ultimate           
consequences of final judgment on       
rejecters1 whilst the wider horizon of a
 future mission opens out from verse #af
 onwards4 ,a renewed contraction of the 
horizon is extremely unlikely4 ,it would
 be as if 'a flower should shut and be a
 bud again4' ,the recurrence in verse   
#bc of ',verily ,i say unto you1' which 
has already occurred in verse #ae1      
closing the first section of the charge1
 makes it probable that here too a      
section is completed1 and that          
probability is strengthened if it is    
observed that the same phrase occurs1   
for a third time1 in the last verse of  
the chapter1 where again the discourse  
soars to the height of contemplating the
 final reward4 ,the fact that the       

apostles met with no persecution on     
their first mission1 puts out of court  
the explanation of the words that refers
 them to that mission1 and takes the    
'coming' to be ,jesus' own appearances  
in the places they had preceded ,him as 
,his heralds4 ,the difficult question as
 to what is the terminus ad quem pointed
 to here seems best solved by taking the
 'coming of the ,son of ,man' to be ,his
 judicial manifestation in the          
destruction of ,jerusalem and the       
consequent desolation of many of 'the   
cities of ,israel1' whilst at the same  
time1 the nearer and smaller catastrophe
 is a prophecy and symbol of the remoter
 and greater 'day of the ,son of ,man'  
at the end of the days4 ,the recognition
 of that aspect of the fall of          
,jerusalem is forced on us by the       
eschatological parts of the ,gospels1   
which are a bewildering whirl without   
it4 ,here1 however1 it is the crash of  
the fall itself which is in view1 and   
the thought conveyed is that there would

 be cities enough to serve for refuges1 
and scope enough for evangelistic work1 
till the end of the ,jewish possession  
of the land4  ,in verses #bf-ca1 'fear  
not' is thrice spoken1 and at each      
occurrence is enforced by a reason4 ,the
 first of these encouragements is the   
assurance of the certain ultimate       
world-wide manifestation of hidden      
things4 ,that same dictum occurs in     
other connections1 and with other       
applications1 but in the present context
 can only be taken as an assurance that 
the ,gospel message1 little known as it 
thus far was1 was destined to fill all  
ears4 ,therefore the disciples were to  
be fearless in doing their part in      
making it known1 and so working in      
alliance with the divine purpose4 ,it is
 the same thing that is meant by the    
'covered' that 'shall be revealed1' the 
'hidden' that 'shall be known1' 'that   
which is spoken in darkness1' and 'that 
which is whispered in the ear'2 and all 
four designations refer to the word     

which every ,christian has it in charge 
to sound out4 ,we note that ,jesus      
foresees a far wider range of publicity 
for ,his servants' ministry than for    
,his own1 just as ,he afterwards        
declared that they would do 'greater    
works' than ,his4 ,he spoke to a handful
 of men in an obscure corner of the     
world4 ,his teaching was necessarily    
largely confidential communication to   
the fit few4 ,but the spark is going to 
be a blaze1 and the whisper to become a 
shout that fills the world4 ,surely1    
then1 we who are working in the line of 
direction of ,god's working should let  
no fear make us dumb1 but should ever   
hear and obey the command3 ',lift up thy
 voice with strength1 lift it up1 be not
 afraid4'  ,a second reason for         
fearlessness is the limitation of the   
enemy's power to hurt1 reinforced by the
 thought that1 while the penalties that 
man can inflict for faithfulness are    
only corporeal1 transitory1 and         
incapable of harming the true self1 the 

consequences of unfaithfulness fling the
 whole man1 body and soul1 down to utter
 ruin4 ,there is a fear that makes      
cowards and apostates2 there is a fear  
which makes heroes and apostles4 ,he who
 fears ,god1 with the awe that has no   
torment and is own sister to love1 is   
afraid of nothing and of no man4 ,that  
holy and blessed fear drives out all    
other1 as fire draws the heat out of a  
burn4 ,he that serves ,christ is lord of
 the world2 he that fears ,god fronts   
the world1 and is not afraid4  ,the last
 reason for fearlessness touches a      
tender chord1 and discloses a gracious  
thought of ,god as ,father1 which       
softens the tremendous preceding word3  
',who is able to destroy both soul and  
body in hell4' ,take both designations  
together1 and let them work together in 
producing the awe which makes us brave1 
and the filial trust which makes us     
braver4 ,a bird does not 'fall to the   
ground' unless wounded1 and if it falls 
it dies4 ,jesus had looked pityingly on 

the great mystery1 the woes of the      
creatures1 and had stayed ,himself on   
the thought of the all-embracing working
 of ,god4 ,the very dying sparrow1 with 
broken wing1 had its place in that      
universal care4 ,god is 'immanent' in   
nature4 ,the antithesis often drawn     
between ,his universal care and ,his    
'special providence' is misleading4     
,providence is special because it is    
universal4 ,that which embraces         
everything must embrace each thing4 ,but
 the immanent ,god is 'your ,father1'   
and because of that sonship1 'ye are of 
more value than many sparrows4' ,there  
is an ascending order1 and an increasing
 closeness and tenderness of relation4  
',a man is better than a sheep1' and    
,christians1 being ,god's children1 may 
count on getting closer into the        
,father's heart than the poor crippled  
bird can1 or than the godless man can4  
',your ,father1' on the one hand1 can   
destroy soul and body1 therefore fear   
,him2 but1 on the other1 ,he determines 

whether you shall 'fall to the ground'  
or soar above dangers1 therefore fear   
none but ,him4     ,,like ,,teacher1    
,,like ,,scholar       ',the disciple is
 not above his master1 nor the servant  
above his lord4 #bf4 ,it is enough for  
the disciple that     he be as his      
master1 and the servant as his lord4'   
--,,matt4 x4 #bd1 #be4  ,these words    
were often on ,christ's lips4 ,like     
other teachers1 ,he too had ,his        
favourite sayings1 the light of which   
,he was wont to flash into many dark    
places4 ,such a saying1 for instance1   
was1 ',to him that hath shall be given4'
 ,such a saying is this of my text2 and 
probably several other of our ,lord's   
utterances1 which are repeated more than
 once in different ,gospels1 and have   
too hastily been sometimes assumed to   
have been introduced erroneously by the 
evangelists1 in varying connections4    
,this half-proverb occurs four times in 
the ,gospels1 and in three very         
different connections1 pointing to three

 different subjects4 ,here1 and once in 
,john's ,gospel1 in the fifteenth       
chapter1 it is employed to enforce the  
lesson of the oneness of ,christ and    
,his disciples in their relation to the 
world2 and that ,his servants cannot    
expect to be better off than the ,master
 was4 ',if they have called ,me         
,beelzebub they will not call you       
anything else4'  ,then in ,luke's       
,gospel 7vi4 #dj7 it is employed to     
illustrate the principle that the       
scholar cannot expect to be wiser than  
his master2 that a blind teacher will   
have blind pupils1 and that they will   
both fall into the ditch4 ,of course1   
the scholar may get beyond his master1  
but then he will get up and go away from
 the school1 and will not be his scholar
 any longer4 ,as long as he is a        
scholar1 the best that can happen to    
him1 and that will not often happen1 is 
to be on the level of his teacher4      
,then in another place in ,john's       
,gospel 7xiii4 #af7 the saying is       

employed in reference to a different    
subject1 viz4 to teach the meaning of   
the pathetic1 symbolical foot-washing1  
and to enforce the exhortation to       
imitate ,jesus ,christ1 as generally in 
conduct1 so specially in ,his wondrous  
humility4 ',the servant is not greater  
than his lord4' ',i have left you an    
example that ye should do as ,i have    
done to you4'  ,so if we put these three
 instances together we get a threefold  
illustration of the relation between the
 disciple and the teacher1 in respect to
 wisdom1 conduct1 and reception by the  
world4 ,and these three1 with their     
bearing on the relation between         
,christians and ,jesus ,christ1 open out
 large fields of duty and of privilege4 
,the very centre of ,christianity is    
discipleship1 and the very highest hope1
 as well as the most imperative command 
which the ,gospel brings to men is1 ',be
 like ,him whom you profess to have     
taken as your ,master4 ,be like ,him    
here1 and you shall be like ,him        

hereafter4'  ,i4 ,likeness to the       
teacher in wisdom is the disciple's     
perfection4  ',if the blind lead the    
blind both shall fall into the ditch4'  
',the disciple is not greater than his  
master4' ',it is enough for the disciple
 that he be as his master4' ,if that be 
a true principle1 that the best that can
 happen to the scholar is to tread in   
his teacher's footsteps1 to see with his
 eyes1 to absorb his wisdom1 to learn   
his truth1 we may apply it in two       
opposite directions4 ,first1 it teaches 
us the limitations1 and the misery1 and 
the folly of taking men for our masters2
 and then1 on the other hand1 it teaches
 us the large hope1 the blessing1       
freedom1 and joy of having ,christ for  
our ,master4  ,now1 first1 look at the  
principle as bearing upon the relation  
of disciple and human teacher4 ,all such
 teachers have their limitations4 ,each 
man has his little circle of favourite  
ideas that he is perpetually            
reiterating4 ,in fact1 it seems as if   

one truth was about as much as one      
teacher could manage1 and as if1        
whensoever ,god had any great truth to  
give to the world1 ,he had to take one  
man and make him its sole apostle4 ,so  
that teachers become mere fragments1 and
 to listen to them is to dwarf and      
narrow oneself4  ,the chances are that  
no scholar shall be on his master's     
level4 ,the eyes that see truth directly
 and for themselves in this world are   
very few4 ,most men have to take truth  
at second-hand1 and few indeed are they 
who1 like a perfect medium1 receive even
 the fragmentary truth that human lips  
can impart to them1 and transmit it as  
pure as they receive it4 ,disciples     
present exaggerations1 caricatures1     
misconceptions1 the limitations of the  
master becoming even more rigid in the  
pupil4 ,schools spring up which push the
 founder's teaching to extremes1 and    
draw conclusions from it which he never 
dreamed of4 ,instead of a fresh voice1  
we have echoes1 which1 like all echoes1 

give only a syllable or two out of a    
sentence4 ,teachers can tell what they  
see1 but they cannot give their         
followers eyes1 and so the followers can
 do little more than repeat what their  
leader said he saw4 ,they are like the  
little suckers that spring up from the  
'stool' of a cut-down tree1 or like the 
kinglets among whose feebler hands the  
great empire of an ,alexander was       
divided at his death4  ,it is a dwarfing
 thing to call any man master upon      
earth4 ,and yet men will give to a man  
the credence which they refuse to       
,christ4 ,the followers of some of the  
fashionable teachers of to-day--,comte1 
,spencer1 or others--protest1 in the    
name of mental independence1 against    
accepting ,christ as the absolute       
teacher of morals and religion1 and then
 go away and put a man in the very place
 which they have denied to ,him1 and    
swallow down his dicta whole4  ,such    
facts show how heart and mind crave a   
teacher2 how discipleship is ingrained  

in our nature2 how we all long for some 
one who shall come to us authoritatively
 and say1 ',here is truth--believe it   
and live on it4' ,and yet it is fatal to
 pin one's faith on any1 and it is      
miserable to have to change guides      
perpetually and to feel that we have    
outgrown those whom we reverence1 and   
that we can look down on the height     
which once seemed to touch the          
stars--and1 if we cut ourselves loose   
from all men's teaching1 the isolation  
is dreary1 and few of us are strong     
enough of arm1 or clear enough of eye1  
to force or find the path through the   
tangled jungles of error4  ,so take this
 thought1 that the highest hope of a    
disciple is to be like the master in    
wisdom1 in its bearing on the relation  
between us and ,christ1 and look how it 
then flashes up into blessedness and    
beauty4  ,such a teacher as we have in  
,him has no limitations1 and it is safe 
to follow ,him absolutely and ,him      
alone4 ,all others have plainly borne   

the impress of their age1 or their      
nation1 or their idiosyncrasy1 in some  
way or another2 ,christ ,jesus is the   
only teacher that the world has ever    
heard of1 in whose teaching there is no 
mark of the age or generation or set of 
circumstances in which it originated4   
,this water does not taste of any soil  
through which it has passed1 it has come
 straight down from ,heaven1 and is pure
 and uncontaminated as the ,heaven from 
which it has come4 ,this teacher is safe
 to listen to absolutely3 there are no  
limitations there2 you never hear ,him  
arguing2 there is no sign about ,his    
words as if ,he had ever dug out for    
,himself the wisdom that ,he is         
proclaiming1 or had ever seen it less   
distinctly than ,he sees it at the      
moment4 ,the great peculiarity of ,his  
teaching is that ,he does not reason1   
but declares that ,his ',verily6        
,verily6' is the confirmation of all    
,his message4 ,his teaching is ,himself2
 other men bring lessons about truth2   

,he says1 ',i am the ,truth4' ,other    
teachers keep their personality in the  
background2 ,he clashes ,his down in the
 foreground4 ,other men say1 ',listen to
 what ,i tell you1 never mind about me4'
 ,he says1 ',this is life eternal1 that 
ye should believe on ,me4' ,this        
,teacher has ,his message level to all  
minds1 high and low1 wise and foolish1  
cultivated and rude4 ,this ,teacher does
 not only impart wisdom by words as from
 without1 though ,he does that too1 but 
,he comes into men's spirits1 and       
communicates ,himself1 and so makes them
 wise4 ,other teachers fumble at the    
outside1 but 'in the hidden parts ,he   
makes me to know wisdom4' ,so it is safe
 to take this ,teacher absolutely1 and  
to say1 ',thou art my ,master1 ,thy word
 is truth1 and the opening of ,thy lips 
to me is wisdom4'  ,in following ,christ
 as our absolute ,teacher1 there is no  
sacrifice of independence or freedom of 
mind1 but listening to ,him is the way  
to secure these in their highest degree4

 ,we are set free from men1 we are      
growingly delivered from errors and     
misconceptions1 in the measure in which 
we keep close to ,christ as our ,master4
 ,the ,lord is that ,teacher1 and where 
the ,spirit of the ,lord is1 there1 and 
there only1 is liberty2 freedom from    
self1 from the dominion of popular      
opinion1 from the coterie-speech of     
schools1 from the imposing authority of 
individuals1 and from all that makes    
cowardly men say as other people say1   
and fall in with the majority2 and      
freedom from our own prejudices and our 
own errors1 which are cleared away when 
we take ,christ for our ,master and     
cleave to ,him4  ,his teaching can never
 cease until it has accomplished its    
purpose1 and not until we have gathered 
into our consciousness all the truth    
that ,he has to give1 and have received 
all the wisdom that ,he can impart unto 
us as to ,god and ,himself1 does ,his   
teaching cease4 ,here we may grow       
indefinitely in the knowledge of        

,christ1 and in the future we shall know
 even as we are known4 ,his merciful    
teaching will not come to a close till  
we have drunk in all ,his wisdom1 and   
till ,he has declared to us all which   
,he has heard of the ,father4 ,he will  
pass us from one form to another of ,his
 school1 but in ,heaven we shall still  
be ,his scholars2 ',every one shall sit 
at ,thy feet1 every one shall receive of
 ,thy words4'  ,so1 then1 let us turn   
away from men1 from rabbis and          
,sanhedrins1 from authorities and       
schools1 from doctors and churches4 ,why
 resort to cisterns when we may draw    
from the spring8 ,why listen to men when
 we may hear ,christ8 ,he is1 as ,dante 
called the great ,greek thinker1 'the   
,master of those who know4' ,why should 
we look to the planets when we can see  
the sun8 ',call no man master upon      
earth1 for ,one is your ,master1 and all
 ye are brethren4' ,and ,his merciful   
teaching will never cease until         
'everyone that is perfected shall be as 

his ,master4'  ,,ii4 ,now1 turn to the  
second application of this principle4   
,likeness to the ,master in life is the 
law of a disciple's conduct4  ,that     
pathetic and wonderful story about the  
foot-washing in ,john's ,gospel is meant
 for a symbol4 ,it is the presenting1 in
 a picturesque form1 of the very heart  
and essence of ,christ's ,incarnation in
 its motive and purpose4 ,the solemn    
prelude with which the evangelist       
introduces it lays bare our ,lord's     
heart and ,his reason for ,his action4  
',having loved ,his own1 which were in  
the world1 ,he loved them to the end4'  
,his motive1 then1 was love4 ,again1 the
 exalted consciousness which accompanied
 ,his self-abasement is made prominent  
in the words1 ',knowing that the ,father
 had given all things into ,his hand1   
and that ,he was come from ,god and went
 to ,god4' ,and the majestic            
deliberation and patient continuance in 
resolved humility with which ,he goes   
down the successive steps of the        

descent1 are wonderfully given in the   
evangelist's record of how ,he 'riseth  
from supper1 and laid aside ,his        
garments and girded ,himself1 and poured
 water into the basin4' ,it is a        
parable4 ,thus1 in the consciousness of 
,his divine authority and dignity1 and  
moved by ,his love to the whole world1  
,he laid aside the garments of ,his     
glory1 and vested ,himself with the     
towel of ,his humanity1 the servant's   
garb1 and took the water of ,his        
cleansing power1 and came to wash the   
feet of all who will let ,him cleanse   
them from their soil4 ,and then1 having 
reassumed ,his garments1 ,he speaks from
 ,his throne to those who have been     
cleansed by ,his humiliation and ,his   
sacrifice1 ',know ye what ,i have done  
to you8 ,the servant is not greater than
 his lord4'  ,that is to say1 dear      
brethren1 in this one incident1 which is
 the condensation1 so to speak1 of the  
whole spirit of ,his life1 is the law   
for our lives as well4 ,we1 too1 are    

bound to that same love as the main     
motive of all our actions2 we1 too1 are 
bound to that same stripping off of     
dignity and lowly equalising of         
ourselves with those below us whom we   
would help1 and we1 too1 are bound to   
make it our main object1 in our         
intercourse with men1 not merely that we
 should please nor enlighten them1 nor  
succour their lower temporal needs1 but 
that we should cleanse them and make    
them pure with the purity that ,christ  
gives4  ,a ,christian life all moved and
 animated by self-denuding love1 and    
which came amongst men to make them     
better and purer1 and all the influence 
of which tended in the direction of     
helping poor foul hearts to get rid of  
their filth1 how different it would be  
from our lives6 ,what a grim contrast   
much of our lives is to the ,master's   
example and command6 ,did you ever strip
 yourself of anything1 my brother1 in   
order to make some poor1 wretched       
creature a little purer and liker the   

,saviour8 ,did you ever drop your       
dignity and go down to the low levels in
 order to lift up the people that were  
there8 ,do men see anything of that     
example1 as reproduced in your lives1 of
 the ,master that lays aside the        
garments of ,heaven for the vesture of  
earth1 and dies upon the ,cross in order
 that ,he might make our poor hearts    
purer and liker ,his own8  ,but1 hard as
 such imitation is1 it is only one case 
of a general principle4 ,discipleship is
 likeness to ,jesus ,christ in conduct4 
,there is no discipleship worth naming  
which does not1 at least1 attempt that  
likeness4 ,what is the use of a man     
saying that he is the disciple of       
,incarnate ,love if his whole life is   
incarnate selfishness8 ,what is the use 
of your calling yourselves ,christians1 
and saying that you are followers of    
,jesus ,christ1 when ,he came to do     
,god's will and delighted in it1 and you
 come to do your own1 and never do      
,god's will at all1 or scarcely at all1 

and then reluctantly and with many a    
murmur8 ,what kind of a disciple is he1 
the habitual tenor of whose life        
contradicts the life of his ,master and 
disobeys ,his commandments8 ,and ,i am  
bound to say that that is the life of an
 enormously large proportion of the     
professing disciples in this age of     
conventional ,christianity4  ',the      
disciple shall be as his master4' ,do   
you make it your effort to be like ,him8
 ,if so1 then the saying is not only a  
law1 but a promise1 for it assures us   
that our effort shall not fail but      
progressively succeed1 and lead on at   
last to our becoming what we behold1 and
 being conformed to ,him whom we love1  
and like the ,master to whose wisdom we 
profess to listen4 ,they whose earthly  
life is a following of ,christ1 with    
faltering steps and afar off1 shall have
 for their heavenly blessedness1 that   
they shall 'follow the ,lamb            
whithersoever ,he goeth4'  ,,iii4 ,and  
now1 lastly1 likeness to the ,master in 

relation to the world is the fate that  
the disciple must put up with4  ',if    
they have called the master of the house
 ,beelzebub1 how much more shall they   
call them of his household8' ',the      
disciple is not above his master1 nor   
the servant above his lord4' ,our ,lord 
reiterated the statement in another     
place in ,john's ,gospel1 reminding them
 that ,he had said it before4  ,if we   
are like ,jesus ,christ in conduct1 and 
if we have received ,his ,word as the   
truth upon which we repose1 depend upon 
it1 in our measure and in varying       
fashions1 we shall have to bear the same
 kind of treatment that ,he received    
from the world4 ,the days of so-called  
persecution are over in so-called       
,christian countries1 but if you are a  
disciple in the sense of believing all  
that ,jesus ,christ says1 and taking    
,him for your ,teacher1 the public      
opinion of this day will have a great   
many things to say about you that will  
not be very pleasant4 ,you will be      

considered to be 'old-fashioned1'       
'narrow1' 'behind the times1' etc4 etc4 
etc4 ,look at the bitter spirit of      
antagonism to an earnest and simple     
,christianity and adoption of ,christ as
 our authoritative ,teacher which goes  
through much of our high-class          
literature to-day4 ,it is a very small  
matter as measured with what ,christian 
men used to have to bear2 but it        
indicates the set of things4 ,we may    
make up our minds that if we are not    
contented with the pared-down           
,christianity which the world allows to 
pass at present1 but insist upon coming 
to the ,new ,testament for our beliefs  
and practices1 and avow--',i believe all
 that ,jesus ,christ says1 and ,i       
believe it because ,he says it1 and ,i  
take ,him as my model'2 we shall find   
out that the disciple has to be 'as his 
,master1' and that the ,pharisees and   
the ,scribes of to-day stand in the same
 relation to the followers as their     
predecessors did to the ,leader4 ,if you

 are like your ,master in conduct1 you  
will be no more popular with the world  
than ,he was4 ,as long as ,christianity 
will be quiet1 and let the world go its 
own gait1 the world is very well        
contented to let it alone1 or even to   
say polite things to it4 ,why should the
 world take the trouble of persecuting  
the kind of ,christianity that so many  
of us display8 ,what is the difference  
between our ,christianity and their     
worldliness8 ,the world is quite willing
 to come to church on ,sundays1 and to  
call itself a ,christian world1 if only 
it may live as it likes4 ,and many      
professing ,christians have precisely   
the same idea4 ,they attend to the      
externals of ,christianity1 and call    
themselves ,christians1 but they bargain
 for its having very little power over  
their lives4 ,why1 then1 should two sets
 of people who have the same ideas and  
practices dislike each other8 ,no reason
 at all6 ,but let ,christian men live up
 to their profession1 and above all let 

them become aggressive1 and try to      
attack the world's evil1 as they are    
bound to do2 let them fight drunkenness1
 let them go against the lust of great  
cities1 let them preach peace in the    
face of a nation howling for war1 let   
them apply the golden rules of          
,christianity to commerce and social    
relationships and the like1 and you will
 very soon hear a pretty shout that will
 tell you that the disciple who is a    
disciple has to share the fate of the   
,master1 notwithstanding nineteen       
centuries of ,christian teaching4  ,if  
you do not know what it is to find      
yourselves out of harmony with the      
world1 ,i am afraid it is because you   
have less of the ,master's spirit than  
you have of the world's4 ,the world     
loves its own4 ,if you are not 'of the  
world1 the world will hate you4' ,if it 
does not1 it must be because1 in spite  
of your name1 you belong to it4  ,but if
 we are like ,him in our relation to the
 world1 because we are like ,him in     

character1 our very share in ',his      
reproach1' and our sense of being       
'aliens' here1 bear the promise that we 
shall be like ,him in all worlds4 ,his  
fortune is ours4 ',the disciple shall be
 as his master4' ,if we suffer with     
,him1 we shall also reign with ,him4 ,no
 cross1 no crown2--if cross1 then crown6
 ,the end of discipleship is not reached
 until the ,master's image and the      
,master's lot are repeated in the       
scholar4  ,take ,christ for your        
sacrifice1 trust to ,his blood1 listen  
to ,his teaching1 walk in ,his          
footsteps1 and you shall share ,his     
sovereignty and sit on ,his throne4 ',it
 is enough1'--ay6 more than enough1 and 
nothing less than that is enough1--'for 
the disciple that he be as'--and        
with--'his master4' ',i shall be        
satisfied when ,i awake in ,thy         
likeness4'      ,,the ,,king',s ,,charge
 ,,to ,,his ,,ambassadors               
',whosoever therefore shall confess ,me 
before men1 him     will ,i confess also

 before ,my ,father which is in heaven4 
#cc4 ,but whosoever shall deny ,me      
before men1 him will ,i     also deny   
before ,my ,father which is in heaven4  
#cd4 ,think     not that ,i am come to  
send peace on earth3 ,i came not to     
send peace1 but a sword4 #ce4 ,for ,i am
 come to set a man     at variance      
against his father1 and the daughter    
against     her mother1 and the daughter
 in law against her mother     in law4  
#cf4 ,and man's foes shall be they of   
his own     household4 #cg4 ,he that    
loveth father or mother more than       
,me is not worthy of ,me3 and he that   
loveth son or     daughter more than ,me
 is not worthy of ,me4 #ch4 ,and he     
that taketh not his cross1 and followeth
 after ,me1 is     not worthy of ,me4   
#ci4 ,he that findeth his life shall    
lose it3 and he that loseth his life for
 ,my sake shall     find it #dj4 ,he    
that receiveth you receiveth ,me1 and he
     that receiveth ,me receiveth ,him  
that sent ,me4 #da4 ,he     that        

receiveth a prophet in the name of a    
prophet shall     receive a prophet's   
reward2 and he that receiveth a         
righteous man in the name of a righteous
 man shall     receive a righteous man's
 reward4 #db4 ,and whosoever     shall  
give to drink unto one of these little  
ones a cup     of cold water only in the
 name of a disciple1 verily ,i     say  
unto you1 he shall in no wise lose his  
reward4'     --,,matt4 x4 #cb-db4  ,the 
first mission of the apostles1 important
 as it was1 was but a short flight to   
try the young birds' wings4 ,the larger 
portion of this charge to them passes   
far beyond the immediate occasion1 and  
deals with the permanent relations of   
,christ's servants to the world in which
 they live1 for the purpose of bringing 
it into subjection to its true ,king4   
,these solemn closing words1 which make 
our present subject1 contain the duty   
and blessedness of confessing ,him1 the 
vision of the antagonisms which ,he     
excites1 ,his demand for                

all-surrendering following1 and the     
rewards of those who receive ,christ's  
messengers1 and therein receive ,himself
 and ,his ,father4  ,i4 ,the duty and   
blessedness of confessing ,him 7vs4 #cb1
 #cc74 ,the 'therefore' is significant4 
,it attaches the promise which follows  
to the immediately preceding thoughts of
 a watchful1 fatherly care1 extending   
like a great invisible hand over the    
true disciple4 ,because each is thus    
guarded1 each shall be preserved to     
receive the honour of being confessed by
 ,christ4 ,no matter what may befall    
,his witnesses1 the extremest disaster  
shall not rob them of their reward4     
,they may be flung down from the        
house-tops where they lift up their bold
 voices1 but ,he who does not let a     
sparrow fall to the ground uncared for1 
will give ,his angels charge concerning 
them who are so much more precious1 and 
they shall be borne up on outstretched  
wings1 lest they be dashed on the       
pavement below4 ,thus preserved1 they   

shall all attain at last to their       
guerdon4 ,nothing can come between      
,christ's servant and his crown4 ,the   
tender providence of the ,father1 whose 
mercy is over all ,his works1 makes sure
 of that4 ,the river of the confessor's 
life may plunge underground1 and be lost
 amid persecutions1 but it will emerge  
again into the brighter sunshine on the 
other side of the mountains4  ,the      
confession which is to be thus rewarded1
 like the denial opposed to it1 is1 of  
course1 not merely a single utterance of
 the lip4 ,so far ,judas ,iscariot      
confessed ,christ1 and ,peter denied    
,him4 ,but it is the habitual           
acknowledgment by lip and life1         
unwithdrawn to the end4 ,the context    
implies that the confession is          
maintained in the face of opposition1   
and that the denial is a cowardly       
attempt to save one's skin at the cost  
of treason to ,jesus4 ,the temptation   
does not come in that sharpest form to  
us4 ,perhaps some cowards would be made 

brave if it did4 ,it is perhaps easier  
to face the gibbet and the fire1 and    
screw oneself up for once to a brief    
endurance1 than to resist the more      
specious blandishments of the world1    
especially when it has been christened1 
and calls itself religious4 ,the light  
laugh of scorn1 the silent pressure of  
the low average of ,christian character1
 the close associations in trade1       
literature1 public and domestic life    
which ,christians have with             
non-,christians1 make many a man's      
tongue lie silent1 to the sore detriment
 of his own religious life4 ',ye have   
not yet resisted unto blood1' and find  
it hard to fulfil the easier conflict to
 which you are called4 ,the sun has more
 power than the tempest to make the     
pilgrim drop his garment4 ,but the duty 
remains the same for all ages4 ,every   
man is bound to make the deepest springs
 of his life visible1 and to stand to   
his convictions1 whatever they be4 ,if  
he do not1 his convictions will         

disappear like a piece of ice hid in a  
hot hand1 which will melt and trickle   
away4 ,this obligation lies with        
infinitely increased weight on ,christ's
 servants2 and the consequences of      
failing to discharge it are more tragic 
in their cases1 in the exact proportion 
of the greater preciousness of their    
faith4 ,corn hoarded is sure to be      
spoiled by weevils and rust4 ,the bread 
of life hidden in our sacks will        
certainly go mouldy4  ,the reward and   
punishment of confession and denial come
 to them not as separate acts1 but as   
each being the revelation of the        
spiritual condition of the doers4       
,christ implies that a true disciple    
cannot but be a confessor1 and that     
therefore the denier must certainly be  
one whom ,he has never known4 ,because1 
therefore1 each act is symptomatic of   
the doer1 each receives the congruous   
and correspondent reward4 ,the confessor
 is confessed2 the denier is denied4    
,what calm and assured consciousness of 

,his place as ,judge underlies these    
words6 ,his recognition is ,god's       
acceptance2 ,his denial is darkness and 
misery4 ,the correspondence between the 
work and the reward is beautifully      
brought out by the use of the same word 
to express each4 ,and yet what a        
difference between our confession of    
,him and ,his of us6 ,and what a hope is
 here for all who have tremblingly1 and 
in the consciousness of much            
unworthiness1 ventured to say that they 
were ,christ's subjects1 and ,he their  
,king1 brother1 and all6 ,their poor1   
feeble confession will be endorsed by   
,his4 ,he will say1 ',yes1 this man is  
mine1 and ,i am his4' ,that will be     
glory1 honour1 blessedness1 life1       
heaven4  ,,ii4 ,the vision of the       
discord which follows the coming of the 
,king of peace4 ,it is not enough to    
interpret these words as meaning that   
our ,lord's purpose indeed was to bring 
peace1 but that the result of ,his      
coming was strife4 ,the ultimate purpose

 is peace2 but an immediate purpose is  
conflict1 as the only road to the peace4
 ,he is first ,king of righteousness1   
and after that also ,king of peace4     
,but1 if ,his kingdom be righteousness1 
purity1 love1 then unrighteousness1     
filthiness1 and selfishness will fight  
against it for their lives4 ,the        
ultimate purpose of ,christ's coming is 
to transform the world into the likeness
 of heaven2 and all in the world which  
hates such likeness is embattled against
 ,him4 ,he saw realities1 and knew men's
 hearts1 and was under no illusion1 such
 as many an ardent reformer has         
cherished1 that the fair form of truth  
need only be shown to men1 and they will
 take her to their hearts4 ,incessant   
struggle is the law for the individual  
and for society till ,christ's purpose  
for both is realised4  ,that conflict   
ranges the dearest in opposite ranks4   
,the gospel is the great solvent4 ,as   
when a substance is brought into contact
 with some chemical compound1 which has 

greater affinity for one of its elements
 than the other element has1 the old    
combination is dissolved1 and a new and 
more stable one is formed1 so           
,christianity analyses and destroys in  
order to synthesis and construction4 ,in
 verse #ba our ,lord had foretold that  
brother should deliver up brother to    
death4 ,here the severance is considered
 from the opposite side4 ,the persons   
who are 'set at variance' with their    
kindred are here ,christians4 ,perhaps  
it is fanciful to observe that they are 
all junior members of families1 as if   
the young would be more likely to flock 
to the new light4 ,but however that may 
be1 the separation is mutual1 but the   
hate is all on one side4 ,the 'man's    
foes' are of his own household2 but he  
is not their foe1 though he be parted   
from them4  ,,iii4 ,earthly love may be 
a worse foe to a true ,christian than   
even the enmity of the dearest2 and that
 enmity may often be excited by the     
,christian subordination of earthly to  

heavenly love4 ,so our ,lord passes from
 the warnings of discord and hate to the
 danger of the opposite--undue love4    
,he claims absolute supremacy in our    
hearts4 ,he goes still farther1 and     
claims the surrender1 not only of       
affections1 but of self and life to     
,him4 ,what a strange claim this is6 ,a 
,jewish peasant1 dead nineteen hundred  
years since1 fronts the whole race of   
man1 and asserts ,his right to their    
love1 which is strange1 and to their    
supreme love1 which is stranger still4  
,why should we love ,him at all1 if ,he 
were only a man1 however pure and       
benevolent8 ,we may admire1 as we do    
many another fair nature in the past2   
but is there any possibility of evoking 
anything as warm as love to an unseen   
person1 who can have had no knowledge of
 or love to us8 ,and why should we love 
,him more than our dearest1 from whom we
 have drawn1 or to whom we have given1  
life8 ,what explanation or justification
 does ,he give of this unexampled       

demand8 ,absolutely none4 ,he seems to  
think that its reasonableness needs no  
elucidation4 ,surely never did teacher  
professing wisdom1 modesty1 and1 still  
more1 religion1 put forward such a claim
 of right2 and surely never besides did 
any succeed in persuading generations   
unborn to yield ,his demand1 when they  
heard it4 ,the strangest thing in the   
world's history is that to-day there are
 millions who do love ,jesus ,christ    
more than all besides1 and whose chief  
self-accusation is that they do not love
 ,him more4 ,the strange1 audacious     
claim is most reasonable1 if we believe 
that ,jesus is the ,son of ,god1 who    
died for each of us1 and that each man  
and woman to the last of the generations
 had a separate place in ,his divine    
human love when ,he died4 ,it is meet to
 love ,him1 if that be true2 it is not1 
unless it be4 ,the requirement is as    
stringent as strange4 ,if the two ever  
seem to conflict1 the earthly must give 
way4 ,if the earthly be withdrawn1 there

 must be found sufficiency for comfort  
and peace in the heavenly4 ,the lower   
must not be permitted to hinder the     
flight of the heavenly to its home4     
',more than ,me' is a rebuke to most of 
us4 ,what a contrast between the warmth 
of our earthly and the tepidity or      
coldness of our heavenly love6 ,how     
spontaneously our thoughts1 when left   
free1 turn to the one2 how hard we find 
it to keep them fixed on the other6 ,how
 sweet service is to the dear ones here2
 how reluctantly it is given to ,christ6
 ,how we long1 when parted1 to rejoin   
them2 how little we are drawn to the    
place where ,he is6 ,we have all to     
confess that we are 'not worthy of'     
,him2 that we requite ,his love with    
inadequate returns1 and live lives which
 tax ,his love for its highest exercise1
 the free forgiveness of sins against   
itself4 ,compliance with that stringent 
law1 and subordinating all earthly love 
to ,his1 is the true elevating and      
ennobling of the earthly4 ,it is        

promoted1 not degraded1 when it is made 
second1 and is infinitely sweeter and   
deeper then than when it was set in the 
place of supremacy1 where it had no     
right to be4  ,but ,christ's demand is  
not only for the surrender of the heart1
 but for the giving up of self1 and1 in 
a very profound sense1 for the surrender
 of life4 ,how enigmatical that saying  
about taking up the cross must have     
sounded to the disciples6 ,they knew    
little about the cross1 as a punishment2
 they had not yet associated it in any  
way with their ,lord4 ,this seems to    
have been the first occasion of ,his    
mentioning it1 and the allusion is so   
veiled as to be but partially           
intelligible4 ,but what was intelligible
 was bewildering4 ,a strange royal      
procession that1 of the ,king with a    
cross on ,his shoulder1 and all ,his    
subjects behind ,him with similar       
burdens6 ,through the ages that         
procession has marched1 and it marches  
still4 ,self-denial for ,christ's sake  

is 'the badge of all our tribe4'        
,observe that word 'take4' ,the cross   
must be willingly and by ourselves      
assumed4 ,no other can lay it on our    
shoulders4 ,observe that other word     
'his4' ,each man has his own special    
form in which self-denial is needful for
 him4 ,we require pure eyes1 and hearts 
kept in very close communion with       
,jesus1 to ascertain what our particular
 cross is4 ,he has them of many         
patterns1 shapes1 sizes1 and materials4 
,we can always make sure of strength to 
carry the one which ,he means us to     
carry1 but not of strength to bear what 
is not ours4  ,,iv4 ,we have the rewards
 of those who receive ,christ's         
messengers1 and therein receive ,him and
 ,his ,father4 ,our ,lord first         
identifies these twelve with ,himself in
 a manner which must have sounded       
strange to them then1 but have heartened
 them for their work by the             
consciousness of ,his mysterious oneness
 with them4 ,the whole doctrine of      

,christ's unity with ,his people lay in 
germ in these words1 though much more   
was needed1 both of teaching and of     
experience1 before their depth of       
blessing and strengthening could be     
apprehended4 ,we know that ,he dwells in
 ,his true subjects by ,his ,spirit1 and
 that a most real union subsists between
 the head and the members1 of which the 
closest unions of earth are but faint   
shadows1 so as that not only those who  
receive ,his followers receive ,him1    
but1 more wonderful still1 ,his         
followers are received at the last by   
,god ,himself as joined to ,him1 and    
portions of ,his very self1 and         
therefore 'accepted in the ,beloved4'   
,our ,lord adds to these words the      
thought that1 in like manner1 to receive
 ,him is to receive the ,father1 and so 
implies that our relation to ,him is in 
certain real respects parallel with ,his
 relation to the ,father4 ,we too are   
sent4 ,he who sends abides with us1 as  
the ,son ever abode in ,god1 and ,god in

 ,him4 ,we are sent to be the brightness
 of ,christ's glory1 and to manifest    
,him to men1 as ,he was sent to reveal  
the ,father4     ,a ,,life ,,lost ,,and 
,,found ,footnote3 ,preached after the  
funeral of ,mr4 ,f4 ,w4 ,crossley4      
',he that loseth his life for ,my sake  
shall find it4'     --,,matt4 x4 #ci4   
,my heart impels me to break this       
morning my usual rule of avoiding       
personal references in the pulpit4      
,death has been busy in our own         
congregation this last week1 and        
yesterday we laid in the grave all that 
was mortal of a man to whom ,manchester 
owes more than it knows4 ,mr4 ,crossley 
has been for thirty years my close and  
dear friend4 ,he was long a member of   
this church and congregation4 ,i need   
not speak of his utter unselfishness1 of
 his lifelong consecration1 of his      
lavish generosity1 of his unstinted work
 for ,god and man2 but thinking of him  
and of it1 ,i have felt as if the words 
of my text were the secret of his life1 

and as if he now understood the fulness 
of the promise they contain3 ',he that  
loseth his life for ,my sake shall find 
it4' ,now1 looking at these words in the
 light of the example so tenderly       
beloved by some of us1 so sharply       
criticised by many1 but now so fully    
recognised as saintly by all1 ,i ask you
 to consider--  ,i4 ,the stringent      
requirement for the ,christian life that
 is here made4  ,now we shall very much 
impoverish the meaning and narrow the   
sweep of these great and penetrating    
words1 if we understand by 'losing one's
 life' only the actual surrender of     
physical existence4 ,it is not only the 
martyr on whose bleeding brows the crown
 of life is gently placed2 it is not    
only the temples that have been torn by 
the crown of thorns1 that are soothed by
 that unfading wreath2 but there is a   
daily dying1 which is continually       
required from all ,christian people1 and
 is1 perhaps1 as hard as1 or harder     
than1 the brief and bloody passage of   

martyrdom by which some enter into rest4
 ,for the true losing of life is the    
slaying of self1 and that has to be done
 day by day1 and not once for all1 in   
some supreme act of surrender at the    
end1 or in some initial act of          
submission and yielding at the          
beginning1 of the ,christian life4 ,we  
ourselves have to take the knife into   
our own hands and strike1 and that not  
once1 but ever1 right on through our    
whole career4 ,for1 by natural          
disposition1 we are all inclined to make
 our own selves to be our own centres1  
our own aims1 the objects of our trust1 
our own law2 and if we do so1 we are    
dead whilst we live1 and the death that 
brings life is when1 day by day1 we     
'crucify the old man with his affections
 and lusts4' ,crucifixion was no sudden 
death2 it was an exquisitely painful    
one1 which made every nerve quiver and  
the whole frame thrill with anguish2 and
 that slow agony1 in all its            
terribleness and protractedness1 is the 

image that is set before us as the true 
ideal of every life that would not be a 
living death4 ,the world is to be       
crucified to me1 and ,i to the world4   
,we have our centre in ourselves1 and we
 need the centre to be shifted1 or we   
live in sin4 ,if ,i might venture upon  
so violent an image1 the comets that    
career about the heavens need to be     
caught and tamed1 and bound to peaceful 
revolution round some central sun1 or   
else they are 'wandering stars to whom  
is reserved the blackness of darkness   
for ever4' ,so1 brethren1 the slaying of
 self by a painful1 protracted process1 
is the requirement of ,christ4  ,but do 
not let us confine ourselves to         
generalities4 ,what is meant8 ,this is  
meant--the absolute submission of the   
will to commandments and providences1   
the making of that obstinate part of our
 nature meek and obedient and plastic as
 the clay in the potter's hands4 ,the   
tanner takes a stiff hide1 and soaks it 
in bitter waters1 and dresses it with   

sharp tools1 and lubricates it with     
unguents1 and his work is not done till 
all the stiffness is out of it and it is
 flexible4 ,and we do not lose our lives
 in the lofty1 noble sense1 until we can
 say--and verify the speech by our      
actions--',not my will but ,thine be    
done4' ,they who thus submit1 they who  
thus welcome into their hearts1 and     
enthrone upon the sovereign seat in     
their wills1 ,christ and ,his           
will--these are they who have lost their
 lives4 ,when we can say1 ',i live1 yet 
not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in me1' then1
 and only then1 have we in the deepest  
sense of the words 'lost our lives4'    
,the phrase means the suppression1 and  
sometimes the excision1 of appetites1   
passions1 desires1 inclinations4 ,it    
means the hallowing of all aims2 it     
means the devotion and the consecration 
of all activities4 ,it means the        
surrender and the stewardship of all    
possessions4 ,and only then1 when we    
have done these things1 shall we have   

come to practical obedience to the      
initial requirement that ,christ makes  
from us all--to lose our lives for ,his 
sake4  ,i need not diverge here to point
 to that life from which my thoughts    
have taken their start in this sermon4  
,surely if there was any one            
characteristic in it more distinct and  
lovely than another1 it was that self   
was dead and that ,christ lived4 ,there 
may be sometimes a call for the         
actual--which is the lesser--surrender  
of the bodily life1 in obedience to the 
call of duty4 ,there have been          
,christian men who have wrought         
themselves to death in the ,master's    
service4 ,perhaps he of whom ,i have    
been speaking was one of these4 ,it may 
be that1 if he had done like so many of 
our wealthy men--had flung himself into 
business and then collapsed into        
repose--he would have been here to-day4 
,perhaps it would have been better if   
there had been a less entire throwing of
 himself into arduous and clamant       

duties4 ,i am not going to enter on the 
ethics of that question4 ,i do not think
 there are many of this generation of   
,christians who are likely to work      
themselves to death in ,christ's cause2 
and perhaps1 after all1 the old saying  
is a true one1 ',better to wear out than
 to rust out4' ,but only this ,i will   
say3 we honour the martyrs of ,science1 
of ,commerce1 of ,empire1 why should not
 we honour the martyrs of ,faith8 ,and  
why should they be branded as imprudent 
enthusiasts1 if they make the same      
sacrifice which1 when an explorer or a  
soldier makes1 his memory is honoured as
 heroic1 and his cold brows are crowned 
with laurels8 ,surely it is as wise to  
die for ,christ as for ,england4 ,but be
 that as it may2 the requirement1 the   
stringent requirement1 of my text is not
 addressed to any spiritual aristocracy1
 but is laid upon the consciences of all
 professing ,christians4  ,,ii4 ,observe
 the grounds of this requirement4  ,did 
you ever think--or has the fact become  

so familiar to you that it ceases to    
attract notice8--did you ever think what
 an extraordinary position it is for the
 son of a carpenter in ,nazareth to     
plant ,himself before the human race and
 say1 ',you will be wise if you die for 
,my sake1 and you will be doing nothing 
more than your plain duty'8 ,what       
business has ,he to assume such a       
position as that8 ,what warrants that   
autocratic and all-demanding tone from  
,his lips8 ',who art ,thou'--we may     
fancy people saying--'that ,thou        
shouldst put out a masterful hand and   
claim to take as ,thine the life of my  
heart8' ,ah6 brethren1 there is but one 
answer3 ',who loved me1 and gave        
,himself for me4' ,the foolish1 loving1 
impulsive apostle that blurted out1     
before his time had come1 ',i will lay  
down my life for ,thy sake1' was only   
premature2 he was not mistaken4 ,there  
needed that ,his ,lord should lay down  
,his life for ,peter's sake2 and then   
,he had a right to turn to the apostle  

and say1 ',thou shalt follow ,me        
afterwards1' and 'lay down thy life for 
,my sake4' ,the ground of ,christ's     
unique claim is ,christ's solitary      
sacrifice4 ,he who has died for men1 and
 ,he only1 has the right to require the 
unconditional1 the absolute surrender of
 themselves1 not only in the sacrifice  
of a life that is submitted1 but1 if    
circumstances demand1 in the sacrifice  
of a death4 ,the ground of the          
requirement is laid1 first in the fact  
of our ,lord's divine nature1 and       
second1 in the fact that ,he who asks my
 life has first of all given ,his4  ,but
 that same phrase1 'for ,my sake1'      
suggests--  ,,iii4 ,the all-sufficient  
motive which makes such a loss of life  
possible4  ,i suppose that there is     
nothing else that will wholly dethrone  
self but the enthroning of ,jesus       
,christ4 ,that dominion is too deeply   
rooted to be abolished by any           
enthusiasms1 however noble they may be1 
except the one that kindles its undying 

torch at the flame of ,christ's own     
love4 ,god forbid that ,i should deny   
that wonderful and lovely instances of  
self-oblivion may be found in hearts    
untouched by the supreme love of        
,christ6 ,but whilst ,i recognise all   
the beauty of such1 ,i1 for my part1    
humbly venture to believe and assert    
that1 for the entire deliverance of a   
man from self-regard1 the one sufficient
 motive power is the reception into his 
opening heart of the love of ,jesus     
,christ4  ,ah6 brethren1 you and ,i know
 how hard it is to escape from the      
tyrannous dominion of self1 and how the 
evil spirits that have taken possession 
of us mock at all lesser charms than the
 name which 'devils fear and fly'2 'the 
,name that is above every name4' ,we    
have tried other motives4 ,we have      
sought to reprove our selfishness by    
other considerations4 ,human love--which
  itself is sometimes only the love of  
self1 seeking satisfaction from         
another--human love does conquer it1 but

 yet conquers it partially4 ,the demons 
turn round upon all other would-be      
exorcists1 and say1 ',jesus we know 444 
but who are ye8' ,it is only when the   
,ark is carried into the ,temple that   
,dagon falls prone before it4 ,if you   
would drive self out of your hearts--and
 if you do not it will slay you--if you 
would drive self out1 let ,christ's love
 and sacrifice come in4 ,and then1 what 
no brooms and brushes1 no spades nor    
wheelbarrows1 will ever do--namely1     
cleanse out the filth that lodges       
there--the turning of the river in will 
do1 and float it all away4 ,the one     
possibility for complete1 conclusive    
deliverance from the dominion and       
tyranny of ,self is to be found in the  
words ',for ,my sake4' ,ah6 brethren1 ,i
 suppose there are none of us so poor in
 earthly love1 possessed or remembered1 
but that we know the omnipotence of     
these words when whispered by beloved   
lips1 ',for ,my sake'2 and ,jesus       
,christ is saying them to us all4  ,,iv4

 ,lastly1 notice the recompense of the  
stringent requirement4  ',shall find    
it1' and that finding1 like the losing1 
has a twofold reference and             
accomplishment3 here and now1 yonder and
 then4  ,here and now1 no man possesses 
himself till he has given himself to    
,jesus ,christ4 ,only then1 when we put 
the reins into ,his hands1 can we coerce
 and guide the fiery steeds of passion  
and of impulse1 ,and so ,scripture1 in  
more than one place1 uses a remarkable  
expression1 when it speaks of those that
 believe to the 'acquiring of their     
souls4' ,you are not your own masters   
until you are ,christ's servants2 and   
when you fancy yourselves to be most    
entirely your own masters1 you have     
promised yourselves liberty and have    
become the slave of corruption4 ,so if  
you would own yourselves1 give          
yourselves away4 ,and such an one 'shall
 find' his life1 here and now1 in that  
all earthly things will be sweeter and  
better4 ,the altar sanctifies the gift4 

,when some pebble is plunged into a     
sunlit stream1 the water brings out the 
veined colourings of the stone that     
looked all dull and dim when it was     
lying upon the bank4 ,fling your whole  
being1 your wealth1 your activities1 and
 everything1 into that stream1 and they 
will flash in splendour else unknown4   
,did not my friend1 of whom ,i have been
 speaking1 enjoy his wealth far more1   
when he poured it out like water upon   
good causes1 than if he had spent it in 
luxury and self-indulgence8 ,and shall  
we not find that everything is sweeter1 
nobler1 better1 fuller of capacity to   
delight1 if we give it all to our       
,master8 ,the stringent requirement of  
,christ is the perfection of prudence4  
',who pleasure follows pleasure slays1' 
and who slays pleasure finds a deeper   
and a holier delight4 ,the keenest      
epicureanism could devise no better     
means for sucking the last drop of      
sweetness out of the clustering grapes  
of the gladnesses of earth than to obey 

this stringent requirement1 and so      
realise the blessed promise1 ',whoso    
loseth his life for ,my sake shall find 
it4' ,the selfish man is a roundabout   
fool4 ,the self-devoted man1 the        
,christ-enthroning man1 is the wise man4
  ,and there will be the further finding
 hereafter1 about which we cannot speak4
 ,only remember1 how in a passage       
parallel with this of my text1 spoken   
when almost within sight of ,calvary1   
our ,lord laid down not only the        
principle of ,his own life but the      
principle for all ,his servants1 when   
,he said1 ',except a corn of wheat fall 
into the ground and die1 it abideth     
alone3 but if it die1 it bringeth forth 
much fruit4' ,the solitary grain dropped
 into the furrow brings forth a waving  
harvest4 ,we may not1 we need not1      
particularise1 but the life that is     
found at last is as the fruit an        
hundredfold of the life that men called 
'lost' and ,god called 'sown4'          
',blessed are the dead which die in the 

,lord2 they rest from their labours1 and
 their works do follow them4'     ,,the 
,,greatest ,,in ,,the ,,kingdom1 ,,and  
,,their ,,reward       ',he that        
receiveth a prophet in the name of a    
prophet     shall receive a prophet's   
reward2 and he that receiveth     a     
righteous man in the name of a righteous
 man shall     receive a righteous man's
 reward4 #db4 ,and whosoever     shall  
give to drink unto one of these little  
ones a cup     of cold water only in the
 name of a disciple1 verily ,i     say  
unto you1 he shall in no wise lose his  
reward4'     --,,matt4 x4 #da1 #db4     
,there is nothing in these words to show
 whether they refer to the present or to
 the future4 ,we shall probably not go  
wrong if we regard them as having       
reference to both4 ,for all godliness   
has 'promise of the life that now is1 as
 well as of that which is to come1' and 
'in keeping ,god's commandments1' as    
well as for keeping them1 'there is     
great reward1' a reward realised in the 

present1 even although ,death holds the 
keys of the treasure-house in which the 
richest rewards are stored4 ,no act of  
holy obedience is here left without     
foretastes of joy1 which1 though they be
 but 'brooks by the way1' contain the   
same water of life which hereafter      
swells to an ocean4  ,some people tell  
us that it is defective morality in     
,christianity to bribe men to be good by
 promising them ,heaven1 and that he who
 is actuated by such a motive is        
selfish4 ,now that fantastic and        
overstrained objection may be very      
simply answered by two considerations3  
self-regard is not selfishness1 and     
,christianity does not propose the      
future reward as the motive for         
goodness4 ,the motive for goodness is   
love to ,jesus ,christ2 and if ever     
there was a man who did acts of         
,christian goodness only for the sake of
 what he would get by them1 the acts    
were not ,christian goodness1 because   
the motive was wrong4 ,but it is a piece

 of fastidiousness to forbid us to      
reinforce the great ,christian motive1  
which is love to ,jesus ,christ1 by the 
thought of the recompense of reward4 ,it
 is a stimulus and an encouragement of1 
not the motive for1 goodness4 ,this text
 shows us that it is a subordinate      
motive1 for it says that the reception  
of a prophet1 or of a righteous man1 or 
of 'one of these little ones1' which is 
rewardable1 is the reception 'in the    
name of' a prophet1 a disciple1 and so  
on1 or1 in other words1 is the          
recognising of the prophet1 or the      
righteous man1 or the disciple for what 
he is1 and because he is that1 and not  
because of the reward1 receiving him    
with sympathy and solace and help4  ,so1
 with that explanation1 let us look at  
these very remarkable words of our text4
  ,i4 ,the first thing which ,i wish to 
observe in them is the three classes of 
character which are dealt               
with--'prophet1' 'righteous man1' 'these
 little ones4'  ,now the question that  

,i would suggest is this3 ,is there any 
meaning in the order in which these are 
arranged8 ,if so1 what is it8 ,do we    
begin at the bottom1 or at the top8     
,have we to do with an ascending or with
 a descending scale8 ,is the prophet    
thought to be greater than the righteous
 man1 or less8 ,is the righteous man    
thought to be higher than the little    
one1 or to be lower8 ,the question is an
 important one1 and worth considering4  
,now1 at first sight1 it certainly does 
look as if we had here to do with a     
descending scale1 as if we began at the 
top and went downwards4 ,a prophet1 a   
man honoured with a distinct commission 
from ,god to declare ,his will1 is1 in  
certain very obvious respects1 loftier  
than a man who is not so honoured1      
however pure and righteous he may be4   
,the dim and venerable figures1 for     
instance1 of ,isaiah and ,jeremiah1     
tower high above all their              
contemporaries2 and godly men who hung  
upon their lips1 like ,baruch on        

,jeremiah's1 felt themselves to be1 and 
were1 inferior to them4 ,and1 in like   
manner1 the little child who believes in
 ,christ may seem to be insignificant in
 comparison with the prophet with his   
,god-touched lips1 or the righteous man 
of the old dispensation with his austere
 purity2 as a humble violet may seem by 
the side of a rose with its heart of    
fire1 or a white lily regal and tall4   
,but one remembers that ,jesus ,christ  
,himself declared that 'the least of the
 little ones' was greater than the      
greatest who had gone before2 and it is 
not at all likely that ,he who has just 
been saying that whosoever received ,his
 followers received ,himself1 should    
classify these followers beneath the    
righteous men of old4 ,the ,christian   
type of character is distinctly higher  
than the ,old ,testament type2 and the  
humblest believer is blessed above      
prophets and righteous men because his  
eyes behold and his heart welcomes the  
,christ4  ,therefore ,i am inclined to  

believe that we have here an ascending  
series--that we begin at the bottom and 
not at the top2 that the prophet is less
 than the righteous man1 and the        
righteous man less than the little one  
who believes in ,christ4 ,for1 suppose  
there were a prophet who was not        
righteous1 and a righteous man who was  
not a prophet4 ,suppose the separation  
between the two characters were         
complete1 which of them would be the    
greater8 ,balaam was a prophet2 ,balaam 
was not a righteous man2 ,balaam was    
immeasurably inferior to the righteous  
whose lives he did not emulate1 though  
he could not but envy their deaths4 ,in 
like manner the humblest believer in    
,jesus ,christ has something that a     
prophet1 if he is not a disciple1 does  
not possess2 and that which he has1 and 
the prophet has not1 is higher than the 
endowment that is peculiar to the       
prophet alone4  ,may we say the same    
thing about the difference between the  
righteous man and the disciple8 ,can    

there be a righteous man that is not a  
disciple8 ,can there be a disciple that 
is not a righteous man8 ,can the        
separation between these two classes be 
perfect and complete8 ,no6 in the       
profoundest sense1 certainly not4 ,but  
then at the time when ,christ spoke     
there were some men standing round ,him1
 who1 'as touching the righteousness    
which is of the law1' were 'blameless4' 
,and there are many men to-day1 with    
much that is noble and admirable in     
their characters1 who stand apart from  
the faith that is in ,jesus ,christ2 and
 if the separation be so complete as    
that1 then it is to be emphatically and 
decisively pronounced that1 if we have  
regard to all that a man ought to be1   
and if we estimate men in the measure in
 which they approximate to that ideal in
 their lives and conduct1 'the          
,christian is the highest style of man4'
 ,the disciple is above the righteous   
men adorned with many graces of         
character1 who1 if they are not         

,christians1 have a worm at the root of 
all their goodness1 because it lacks the
 supreme refinement and consecration of 
faith2 and above the fiery-tongued      
prophet1 if he is not a disciple4  ,now1
 brethren1 this thought is full of very 
important practical inferences4 ,faith  
is better than genius4 ,faith is better 
than brilliant gifts4 ,faith is better  
than large acquirements4 ,the poet's    
imagination1 the philosopher's calm     
reasoning1 the orator's tongue of fire1 
even the inspiration of men that may    
have their lips touched to proclaim ,god
 to their brethren1 are all less than   
the bond of living trust that knits a   
soul to ,jesus ,christ1 and makes it    
thereby partaker of that indwelling     
,saviour4 ,and1 in like manner1 if there
 be men1 as there are1 and no doubt some
 of them among my hearers1 adorned with 
virtues and graces of character1 but who
 have not rested their souls on ,jesus  
,christ1 then high above these1 too1    
stands the lowliest person who has set  

his faith and love on that ,saviour4    
,neither intellectual endowments nor    
moral character are the highest1 but    
faith in ,jesus ,christ4 ,a man may be  
endowed with all brilliancy of intellect
 and fair with many beauties of         
character1 and he may be lost2 and on   
the other hand simple faith1 rudimentary
 and germlike as it often is1 carries in
 itself the prophecy of all goodness1   
and knits a man to the source of all    
blessedness4 ',whether there be tongues1
 they shall cease2 whether there be     
knowledge1 it shall vanish away4 ,now   
abideth these three1 faith1 hope1       
charity4' ',rejoice not that the spirits
 are subject unto you1 but rather       
rejoice because your names are written  
in ,heaven4'  ,ah6 brethren1 if we      
believed in ,christ's classification of 
men1 and in the order of importance and 
dignity in which ,he arranges them1 it  
would make a wonderful practical        
difference to the lives1 to the desires1
 and to the efforts of a great many of  

us4 ,some of you students1 young men and
 women that are working at college or   
your classes1 if you believed that it   
was better to trust in ,jesus ,christ   
than to be wise1 and gave one-tenth1 ay6
 one-hundredth part of the attention and
 the effort to secure the one which you 
do to secure the other1 would be        
different people4 ',not many wise men   
after the flesh1' but humble trusters in
 ,jesus ,christ1 are the victors in the 
world4 ,believe you that1 and order your
 lives accordingly4  ,oh6 what a        
reversal of this world's estimates is   
coming one day1 when the names that     
stand high in the roll of fame shall    
pale1 like photographs that have been   
shut up in a portfolio1 and when you    
take them out have faded off the paper4 
',the world knows nothing of its        
greatest men1' but there is a time      
coming when the spurious mushroom       
aristocracy that the world has          
worshipped will be forgotten1 like the  
nobility of some conquered land1 who are

 brushed aside and relegated to private 
life by the new nobility of the         
conquerors1 and when the true nobles1   
,god's aristocrats1 the righteous1 who  
are righteous because they have trusted 
in ,christ1 shall shine forth like the  
sun 'in the ,kingdom of ,my ,father4'   
,here is the climax3 gifts and          
endowments at the bottom1 character and 
morality in the middle1 and at the top  
faith in ,jesus ,christ4  ,,ii4 ,now    
notice briefly in the second place the  
variety of the reward according to the  
character4  ,the prophet has his1 the   
righteous man has his1 the little one   
has his4 ,that is to say1 each level of 
spiritual or moral stature receives its 
own prize4 ,there is no difficulty in   
seeing that this is so in regard to the 
rewards of this life4 ,every faithful   
message delivered by a prophet increases
 that prophet's own blessedness1 and has
 joys in the receiving of it from ,god1 
in the speaking of it to men1 in the    
marking of its effects as it spreads    

through the world1 which belong to him  
alone4 ,in all these1 and in many other 
ways1 the 'prophet' has rewards that no 
stranger can intermeddle with4 ,all     
courses of obedient conduct have their  
own appropriate consequences and        
satisfaction4 ,every character is       
adapted to receive1 and does receive1 in
 the measure of its goodness1 certain   
blessings and joys1 here and now4       
',surely the righteous shall be         
recompensed in the earth4'  ,and the    
same principle1 of course1 applies if we
 think of the reward as altogether      
future4 ,it must be remembered1 however1
 that ,christianity does not teach1 as  
,i believe1 that if there be a prophet  
or a righteous man who is not a         
disciple1 that prophet or righteous man 
will get rewards in the future life4 ,it
 must be remembered1 too1 that every    
disciple is righteous in the measure of 
his faith4 ,discipleship being          
presupposed1 then the disciple who is a 
prophet will have one reward1 and the   

disciple who is a righteous man shall   
have another2 and where all three       
characteristics coincide1 there shall be
 a triple crown of glory upon his head4 
,that is all plain and obvious enough1  
if only we get rid of the prejudice that
 the rewards of a future life are merely
 bestowed upon men by ,god's arbitrary  
good pleasure4 ,what is the reward of   
,heaven8 ',eternal life1' people say4   
,yes6 ',blessedness4' ,yes6 ,but where  
does the life come from1 and where does 
the blessedness come from8 ,they are    
both derived1 they come from ,god in    
,christ2 and in the deepest sense1 and  
in the only true sense1 ,god is ,heaven1
 and ,god is the reward of ,heaven4 ',i 
am thy shield1' so long as dangers need 
to be guarded against1 and then1        
thereafter1 ',i am thine exceeding great
 ,reward4' ,it is the possession of ,god
 that makes all the ,heaven of ,heaven1 
the immortal life which ,his children   
receive1 and the blessedness with which 
they are enraptured4 ,we are heirs of   

immortality1 we are heirs of life1 we   
are heirs of blessedness1 because1 and  
in the measure in which1 we become heirs
 of ,god4  ,and if that be so1 then     
there is no difficulty in seeing that in
 ,heaven1 as on earth1 men will get just
 as much of ,god as they can hold2 and  
that in ,heaven1 as on earth1 capacity  
for receiving ,god is determined by     
character4 ,the gift is one1 the reward 
is one1 and yet the reward is infinitely
 various4 ,it is the same light which   
glows in all the stars1 but 'star       
differeth from star in glory4' ,it is   
the same wine1 the new wine of the      
,kingdom1 that is poured into all the   
vessels1 but the vessels are of divers  
magnitudes1 though each be full to the  
brim4  ,and so in those two sister      
parables of our ,master's1 which are so 
remarkably discriminated and so         
remarkably alike1 we have both these    
aspects of the ,heavenly reward set     
forth--both that which declares its     
identity in all cases1 and the other    

which declares its variety according to 
the recipient's character4 ,all the     
servants receive the same welcome1 the  
same prize1 the same entrance into the  
same joy2 although one of them had ten  
talents1 and another five1 and another  
two4 ,but the servants who were each    
sent out to trade with one poor pound in
 their hands1 and by their varying      
diligence reaped varying profits1 were  
rewarded according to the returns that  
they had brought2 and one received ten1 
and the other five1 and the other two1  
cities over which to have authority and 
rule4 ,so the reward is one1 and yet    
infinitely diverse4 ,it is not the same 
thing whether a man or a woman1 being a 
,christian1 is an earnest1 and devoted1 
and growing ,christian here on earth1 or
 a selfish1 and an idle1 and a stagnant 
one4 ,it is not the same thing whether  
you content yourselves with simply      
laying hold on ,christ1 and keeping a   
tremulous and feeble hold of ,him for   
the rest of your lives1 or whether you  

grow in the grace and knowledge of our  
,lord and ,saviour4 ,there is such a    
fate as being saved1 yet so as by fire1 
and going into the brightness with the  
smell of the fire on your garments4     
,there is such a fate as having just1 as
 it were1 squeezed into ,heaven1 and got
 there by the skin of your teeth4 ,and  
there is such a thing as having an      
abundant entrance ministered1 when its  
portals are thrown wide open4 ,some     
imperfect ,christians die with but      
little capacity for possessing ,god1 and
 therefore their heaven will not be as  
bright1 nor studded with as majestic    
constellations1 as that of others4 ,the 
starry vault that bends above us so far 
away1 is the same in the number of its  
stars when gazed on by the savage with  
his unaided eye1 and by the astronomer  
with the strongest telescope2 and the   
,infinite ,god1 who arches above us1 but
 comes near to us1 discloses galaxies of
 beauty and oceans of abysmal light in  
,himself1 according to the strength and 

clearness of the eye that looks upon    
,him4 ,so1 brethren1 remember that the  
one glory has infinite degrees2 and     
faith1 and conduct1 and character here  
determine the capacity for ,god which we
 shall have when we go to receive our   
reward4  ,,iii4 ,the last point that is 
here is the substantial identity of the 
reward to all that stand on the same    
level1 however different may be the form
 of their lives4  ',he that receiveth a 
prophet in the name of a prophet shall  
receive a prophet's reward4' ,and so in 
the case of the others4 ,the active     
prophet1 righteous man1 or disciple1 and
 the passive recogniser of each in that 
character1 who receives each as a       
prophet1 or righteous man1 or disciple1 
stand practically and substantially on  
the same level1 though the one of them  
may have his lips glowing with the      
divine inspiration and the other may    
never have opened his mouth for ,god4   
,that is beautiful and deep4 ,the power 
of sympathising with any character is   

the partial possession of that character
 for ourselves4 ,a man who is capable of
 having his soul bowed by the stormy    
thunder of ,beethoven1 or lifted to     
,heaven by the ethereal melody of       
,mendelssohn1 is a musician1 though he  
never composed a bar4 ,the man who      
recognises and feels the grandeur of the
 organ music of ',paradise ,lost' has   
some fibre of a poet in him1 though he  
be but 'a mute1 inglorious ,milton4'    
,all sympathy and recognition of        
character involve some likeness to that 
character4 ,the poor woman who brought  
the sticks and prepared food for the    
prophet entered into the prophet's      
mission and shared in the prophet's work
 and reward1 though his task was to     
beard ,ahab1 and hers was only to bake  
,elijah's bread4 ,the old knight that   
clapped ,luther on the back when he went
 into the ,diet of ,worms1 and said to  
him1 ',well done1 little monk6' shared  
in ,luther's victory and in ,luther's   
crown4 ,he that helps a prophet because 

he is a prophet1 has the making of a    
prophet in himself4  ,as all work done  
from the same motive is the same in     
,god's eyes1 whatever be the outward    
shape of it1 so the work that involves  
the same type of spiritual character    
will involve the same reward4 ,you find 
the ,egyptian medal on the breasts of   
the soldiers that kept the base of      
communication as well as on the breasts 
of the men that stormed the works at    
,tel-el-,kebir4 ,it was a law in        
,israel1 and it is a law in ,heaven3    
',as his part is that goeth down into   
the battle1 so shall his part be that   
tarrieth by the stuff1 they shall part  
alike4' ',i am going down into the pit1 
you hold the ropes1' said ,carey1 the   
pioneer missionary4 ,they that hold the 
ropes1 and the daring miner that swings 
away down in the blackness1 are one in  
the work1 may be one in the motive1 and1
 if they are1 shall be one in the       
reward4 ,so1 brethren1 though no coal of
 fire may be laid upon your lips1 if you

 sympathise with the workers that are   
trying to serve ,god1 and do what you   
can to help them1 and identify yourself 
with them1 and so hold the ropes1 my    
text will be true about you4 ',he that  
receiveth a prophet in the name of a    
prophet shall receive a prophet's       
reward4' ,they who by reason of         
circumstances1 by deficiency of power1  
or by the weight of other tasks and     
duties1 can only give silent sympathy1  
and prayer1 and help1 are one with the  
men whom they help4  ,dear brethren6    
remember that this awful1 mystical life 
of ours is full everywhere of           
consequences that cannot be escaped4    
,what we sow we reap1 and we grind it1  
and we bake it1 and we live upon it4 ,we
 have to drink as we have brewed2 we    
have to lie on the beds that we have    
made4 ',be not deceived3 ,god is not    
mocked4' ,the doctrine of reward has two
 sides to it4 ',nothing human ever      
dies4' ,all our deeds drag after them   
inevitable consequences2 but if you will

 put your trust in ,jesus ,christ1 ,he  
will not deal with you according to your
 sins1 nor reward you according to your 
iniquities2 and the darkest features of 
the recompense of your evil will all be 
taken away by the forgiveness which we  
have in ,his blood4 ,if you will trust  
yourselves to ,him you will have that   
eternal life1 which is not wages1 but a 
gift2 which is not reward1 but a free   
bestowment of ,god's love4 ,and then1 if
 we build upon that ,foundation on which
 alone men can build their hopes1 their 
thoughts1 their characters1 their lives1
 however feeble may be our efforts1     
however narrow may be our               
sphere1--though we be neither prophets  
nor sons of prophets1 and though our    
righteousness may be all stained and    
imperfect1 yet1 to our own amazement and
 to ,god's glory1 we shall find1 when   
the fire is kindled which reveals and   
tests our works1 that1 by the might of  
humble faith in ,christ1 we have built  
upon that ,foundation1 gold and silver  

and precious stones2 and shall receive  
the reward given to every man whose work
 abides that trial by fire4             
,,john',s ,,doubts ,,of ,,jesus1 ,,and  
,,jesus' ,,praise ,,of ,,john           
',now when ,john had heard in the prison
 the works of     ,christ1 he sent two  
of his disciples1 #c4 ,and said unto    
,him1 ,art ,thou ,he that should come1  
or do we look for     another8 #d4      
,jesus answered and said unto them1 ,go 
and     shew ,john again those things   
which ye do hear and see3     #e4 ,the  
blind receive their sight1 and the lame 
walk1     the lepers are cleansed1 and  
the deaf hear1 the dead     are raised  
up1 and the poor have the gospel        
preached     to them4 #f4 ,and blessed  
is he1 whosoever shall not be           
offended in ,me4 #g4 ,and as they       
departed1 ,jesus began     to say unto  
the multitudes concerning ,john1 ,what  
went     ye out into the wilderness to  
see8 ,a reed shaken with     the wind8  
#h4 ,but what went ye out for to see8 ,a

 man     clothed in soft raiment8       
behold1 they that wear soft     clothing
 are in kings' houses4 #i4 ,but what    
went ye out     for to see8 ,a prophet8 
yea1 ,i say unto you1 and more     than 
a prophet4 #aj4 ,for this is he1 of whom
 it is     written4 ,behold1 ,i send ,my
 messenger before ,thy face1     which  
shall prepare ,thy way before ,thee4    
#aa4 ,verily ,i     say unto you1 ,among
 them that are born of women there      
hath not risen a greater than ,john the 
,baptist3     notwithstanding he that is
 least in the kingdom of     heaven is  
greater than he4 #ab4 ,and from the days
 of     ,john the ,baptist until now the
 kingdom of heaven     suffereth        
violence1 and the violent take it by    
force4     #ac4 ,for all the prophets   
and the law prophesied until            
,john--,and if ye will receive it1 this 
is ,elias1 which     was for to come4   
#af4 ,he that hath ears to hear1 let    
him hear4'--,,matt4 xi4 #b-ae4  ,this   
text falls into two parts3 the first1   

from verses #b-f inclusive1 giving us   
the faltering faith of the great        
witness1 and ,christ's gentle treatment 
of the waverer2 the second1 from verse  
#g to the end1 giving the witness of    
,christ to ,john1 exuberant in          
recognition1 notwithstanding his        
momentary hesitation4  ,i4 ,we do not   
believe that this message of ,john's was
 sent for the sake of strengthening his 
disciples' faith in ,jesus as ,messiah1 
nor that it was merely meant as a hint  
to ,jesus to declare ,himself4 ,the     
question is ,john's4 ,the answer is sent
 to him3 it is he who is to ponder the  
things which the messengers saw1 and to 
answer his own question thereby4 ,the   
note which the evangelist prefixes to   
his account gives the key to the        
incident4 ,john was 'in prison1' in that
 gloomy fortress of ,machaerus which    
,herod had rebuilt at once for 'a sinful
 pleasure-house' and for an impregnable 
refuge1 among the savage cliffs of      
,moab4 ,the halls of luxurious vice and 

the walls of defence are gone2 but the  
dungeons are there still1 with the holes
 in the masonry into which the bars were
 fixed to which the prisoners--,john1   
perhaps1 one of them--were chained4 ,no 
wonder that in the foul atmosphere of a 
dark dungeon the spirit which had been  
so undaunted in the free air of the     
desert began to flag2 nor that even he  
who had seen the fluttering dove descend
 on ,christ's head1 and had pointed to  
,him as the ,lamb of ,god1 felt that    
'all his mind was clouded with a doubt4'
 ,it would have been wiser if           
commentators1 instead of trying to save 
,john's credit at the cost of straining 
the narrative1 had recognised the       
psychological truth of the plain story  
of his wavering conviction and had      
learned its lessons of self-distrust4   
,there is only one ,man with whom it was
 always high-water2 all others have ebbs
 and flows in their religious life1 and 
variations in their grasp of truth4     
,the narrative further gives the motive 

for ,john's embassy1 in the report which
 had reached him of 'the works of       
,christ4' ,we need only recall ,john's  
earlier testimony to understand how     
these works would not seem to him to    
fill up the role which he had           
anticipated for ,messiah4 ,where is the 
axe that was to be laid at the root of  
the trees1 or the fan that was to winnow
 out the chaff8 ,where is the fiery     
spirit which he had foretold8 ,this     
gentle ,healer is not the theocratic    
judge of his warning prophecies4 ,he is 
tending and nurturing1 rather than      
felling1 the barren trees4 ,a nimbus of 
merciful deeds1 not of flashing 'wrath  
to come1' surrounds ,his head4 ,so ,john
 began to wonder if1 after all1 he had  
been premature in his recognition4      
,perhaps this ,jesus was but a          
precursor1 as he himself was1 of the    
,messiah4 ,evidently he continues firm  
in the conviction of ,christ's being    
sent from ,god1 and is ready to accept  
,his answer as conclusive2 but1 as      

evidently1 he is puzzled by the         
contrariety between ,jesus' deeds and   
his own expectations4 ,he asks1 ',art   
,thou ,he that cometh'--a well-known    
name for ,messiah--'or are we to expect 
another8' where it should be noted that 
the word for 'another' means not merely 
a second1 but a different kind of1      
person1 who should present the aspects  
of the ,messiah as revealed in prophecy1
 and as embodied in ,john's own         
preaching1 which ,jesus had left        
unfulfilled4  ,we may well take to heart
 the lesson of the fluctuations possible
 to the firmest faith1 and pray to be   
enabled to hold fast that we have4 ,we  
may learn1 too1 the danger to right     
conceptions of ,christ1 of separating   
the two elements of mercy and judgment  
in ,his character and work4 ,john was   
right in believing that the ,christ must
 come to judge4 ,a ,christ without the  
fan in ,his hand is a maimed ,christ4   
,john was wrong in stumbling at the     
gentleness1 just as many to-day1 who go 

to the opposite extreme1 are wrong in   
stumbling at the judicial side of ,his  
work4 ,both halves are needed to make   
the full-orbed character4 ,we have not  
to 'look for a different' ,christ1 but  
we have to look for ,him1 coming the    
second time1 the same ,jesus1 but now   
with ,his axe in ,his pierced hands1 to 
hew down trees which ,he has patiently  
tended4 ,let ,john's profound sense of  
the need for a judicial aspect in the   
,christ who is to meet the prophecies   
written in men's hearts1 as well as in  
,scripture1 teach us how one-sided and  
superficial are representations of ,his 
work which suppress or slur over ,his   
future coming to judgment4  ,our ,lord  
does not answer ',yes' or ',no4' ,to do 
so might have stilled1 but would not    
have removed1 ,john's misconception4 ,a 
more thorough cure is needed4 ,so       
,christ attacks it in its roots by      
referring him back for answer to the    
very deeds which had excited his doubt4 
,in doing so1 ,he points to1 or indeed1 

we may say1 quotes1 two prophetic       
passages 7,isa4 xxxv4 #e1 #f2 lxi4 #a7  
which give the prophetic 'notes' of     
,messiah4 ,it is as if ,he had said1    
',have you forgotten that the very      
prophets whose words have fed your      
hopes1 and now seem to minister to your 
doubts1 have said this and this about   
the ,messiah8' ,further1 there is deep  
wisdom in sending ,john back again to   
think over the very deeds at which he   
was stumbling4 ,it is not ,christ's work
 which is wanting in conformity to the  
divine idea2 it is ,john's conceptions  
of that idea that need enlarging4 ,what 
he wants is not so much to be told that 
,jesus is the ,christ1 as to grow up to 
a truer1 because more comprehensive1    
notion of what the ,christ is to be4 ,a 
wide principle is taught us here4 ,the  
very points in ,christ's work which may 
occasion difficulty1 will1 when we stand
 at the right point of view1 become     
evidences of ,his claims4 ,what were    
stumbling-blocks become stepping-stones4

 ,arguments against become proofs of1   
the truth when we look at them with     
clearer eyes1 and from the proper angle4
 ,further1 we are taught here1 that what
 ,christ does is the best answer to the 
question as to who ,he is4 ,still ,he is
 doing these works among us4 ,darkened  
eyes are flooded with light by ,his     
touch1 and see a new world1 because they
 gaze with faith on ,him4 ,lame limbs   
are endowed with strength1 and can run  
in the way of ,his commandments1 and    
walk with unfainting perseverance the   
thorniest paths of duty and             
self-sacrifice4 ,lepers are cleansed    
from the rotting leprosy of sin1 and    
their flesh comes again1 'as the flesh  
of a little child4' ,deaf ears hear the 
voice of the ,son of ,god1 and the dead 
who hear live4 ,good news is preached to
 all the poor in spirit1 and whosoever  
knows himself to be in need of all      
things may claim all things as his own  
in ,christ4 ,he who through the ages has
 been working such works1 and works them

 still1 'needs not to speak anything' to
 confirm ,his claims1 'neither is there 
salvation in any other4' ,we look for no
 second ,christ2 but we look for that   
same ,jesus to come the second time to  
be the ,judge of the world of which ,he 
is the ,saviour4  ,the benediction on   
him who finds none occasion of stumbling
 in ,christ1 is at once a beatitude and 
a warning4 ,it rebukes in the gentlest  
fashion ,john's temper1 which found     
difficulty in even the perfect          
personality of ,jesus1 and made that    
which should have been the 'sure        
foundation' of his spirit a stone of    
stumbling4 ,our ,lord's consciousness of
 absolute perfection of moral character1
 and of absolute perfectness in ,his    
office and work1 is distinct in the     
words4 ,he knows that 'there is none    
occasion of stumbling in ,him1' and that
 whoever finds any1 brings it or makes  
it4 ,he knows and warns us that all     
blessedness lies for us in recognising  
,him for what ,he is--,god's sure       

foundation of our hopes1 our peace1 our 
thoughts1 our lives4 ,he knows that all 
woe and loss are involved in stumbling  
on this stone1 against which whosoever  
falls is broken1 and by which1 when it  
begins to move1 and falls on a man1 he  
is ground to powder1 like the dust of   
the threshing-floor4 ,what tremendous   
arrogance of assertion6 ,who is he who  
can venture on such words without       
blasphemy against ,god1 and universal   
ridicule from men8  ,,ii4 ,the witness  
of ,christ to ,john4 ,praise from ,jesus
 is praise indeed2 and it is poured out 
here with no stinted hand on the        
languishing prisoner whose doubts had   
just been brought to ,him4 ,such an     
eulogium at such a time is a wonderful  
instance of loving forbearance with a   
true-hearted follower's weakness1 and of
 a desire which1 in a man1 we should    
call magnanimous1 to shield ,john's     
character from depreciation on account  
of his message4 ,the world praises a man
 to his face1 and speaks of his faults  

behind his back4 ,christ does the       
opposite4 ,not till the messengers were 
departing does ,he begin to speak       
'concerning ,john4' ,he lays bare the   
secret of the ,baptist's power1 and     
allocates his place as greatest in one  
epoch and as less than the least in     
another1 with an authority more than    
human1 and on principles which set      
,himself high above all comparison with 
men1 whether the greatest or the least4 
,the ,king places ,his subjects1 and    
,himself sits enthroned above them all4 
,first1 ,christ praises ,john's great   
personal character in the dramatic and  
vivid questions which begin this        
section4 ,he recalls the scenes of      
popular enthusiasm when all ,israel     
streamed out to the desert preacher4 ,a 
small man could not have made such an   
upheaval4 ,what drew the crowds8 ,just  
what will draw them2 the qualities      
without which1 either possessed in      
reality or in popular estimation1 no man
 can be a power religiously4 ,the first 

essential is heroic firmness4 ,it was   
not reeds swaying in the wind by        
,jordan's banks1 nor a poor feeble man  
like these1 that the people flocked to  
listen to4 ,his emblem was not the reed1
 but 'an iron pillar4' ,his whole career
 had been marked by decisiveness1       
constancy1 courage4 ,nothing can be done
 worth doing in the world without a     
wholesome obstinacy and                 
imperturbability1 which keep a man true 
to his convictions and his task1        
whatever winds blow in his teeth4 ,the  
multitudes will not flock to listen to a
 teacher who does not speak with the    
accent of conviction1 nor will truths   
feebly grasped touch the lips with fire4
 ,the first requisite for a religious   
teacher is that he shall be sure of his 
message and of himself4 ,athanasius has 
to 'stand against the world' before the 
world accepts his teaching4 ',though    
there were as many devils in ,worms as  
there are tiles on the house-tops1 go ,i
 will1' said ,luther4 ,that is the      

temper for ,god's instruments4  ,the    
next requisite1 which ,john also had1 is
 manifest indifference to material ease4
 ,silken courtiers do not haunt the     
desert4 ,kings' houses1 and not either  
the wilderness or kings' dungeons1 are  
the sunny spots where they spread their 
plumage4 ,if the gaunt ascetic1 with his
 girdle of camel's hair and his coarse  
fare1 had been a self-indulgent         
sybarite1 his voice would never have    
shaken a nation4 ,the least breath of   
suspicion that a preacher is such a man 
ends his power1 and ought to end it2 for
 self-indulgence and the love of fleshly
 comforts eat the heart out of goodness1
 and make the eyes too heavy to see     
visions4 ,john was the same man then as 
they had known him to be2 therefore it  
was no impatience of the hardships of   
his prison that had inspired his doubts4
  ,our ,lord next speaks of ,john's     
great office4 ,he was a prophet4 ,the   
dim recognition that ,god spoke in ,his 
fiery words had drawn the crowds1 weary 

of teachers in whose endless jangle and 
jargon of casuistry was no inspiration4 
,the voice of a man who gets his message
 at first-hand from ,god has a ring in  
it which even dull ears detect as       
something genuine4 ,alas for the        
bewildering babble of echoes and the    
paucity of voices to-day6  ,so far      
,jesus had been appealing to ,his       
hearers' knowledge2 ,he now goes on to  
add higher truth concerning ,john4 ,he  
declares that he is more than a prophet1
 because he is ,his messenger before    
,his face2 that is1 immediately         
preceding ,himself4 ,we cannot stay to  
comment on the remarkable variation     
between the original form of the        
quotation from ,malachi and ,christ's   
version of it1 which1 in its            
substitution of 'thee' for 'me1' bears  
so forcibly on the divinity of ,christ2 
but we may mark the principle on which  
,john's superiority to the whole        
prophetic order is based4 ,it is that   
nearness to ,jesus makes greatness4 ,the

 closer the relation to ,him1 the higher
 the honour4 ,in that long procession   
the ,king comes last2 and of 'them that 
go before1 crying1 ,hosanna to ,him that
 cometh1' the order of precedence is    
that the first are last1 and that the   
highest is he who walks in front of the 
,sovereign4  ,next1 we have the         
limitations of the forerunner and his   
relative inferiority to the least in the
 kingdom of heaven4 ,another standard of
 greatness is here from that of the     
world1 which smiles at the contrast     
between the uncultured preacher of      
repentance and the mighty thinkers1     
poets1 legislators1 kingdom-makers1 whom
 it enrols among the great4 ,in         
,christ's eyes greatness is nearness to 
,him1 and understanding of ,him and ,his
 work4 ,neither natural faculty nor     
worth is in question1 but simply        
relation to the ,kingdom and the ,king4 
,he who had only to preach of ,him who  
should come after him1 and had but a    
partial apprehension of ,christ and ,his

 work1 stood on a lower level than the  
least who has to look to a ,christ who  
has come1 and has opened the gates of   
the kingdom to the humblest believer4   
,the truths which were hid from ages1   
and were but visible as in morning      
twilight to ,john1 are sunlit to us4    
,the scholars in our ,sunday-schools    
know familiarly more than prophets and  
kings ever knew4 ,we 'hold the grey     
barbarian lower than the ,christian     
child'2 and not merely he1 but the      
wisest of the prophets1 and the         
forerunner himself4 ,the history of the 
world is parted into two by the coming  
of ,jesus ,christ1 as every dictionary  
of dates tells1 and the least of the    
greater is greater than the greatest of 
the less4 ,what a place1 then1 does     
,christ claim6 ,our relation to ,him    
determines greatness4 ,to recognise ,him
 is to be in the ,kingdom of ,heaven4   
,union to ,him brings us to fulfil the  
ideal of human nature2 and this is life1
 to know and trust ,him1 the ,king4     

,our ,lord adds a brief characterisation
 of the effect of ,john's ministry4 ,it 
was of mingled good and evil1 and there 
is a tone of sadness perceptible in the 
ambiguous words4 ,john had aroused great
 popular excitement1 and had stirred    
multitudes to seek to enter the         
,kingdom4 ,so far was good4 ,but had all
 the crowds understood what sort of     
kingdom it was8 ,had they not too often 
dragged down the lofty conception to    
their own vulgar level1 and1 with their 
dream of an outward sovereignty1 thought
 to gain it for their own by violence   
instead of meekness1 by arms and worldly
 force rather than by submission8 ,the  
earnestness was good1 but ,christ's sad 
insight saw how much strange fire had   
mingled in the blaze1 as if some        
earth-born smoky flame should seek to   
blend with the pure sunlight4 ,such     
seems the most natural interpretation of
 the words1 but they are ambiguous1 and 
may possibly mean by 'the violent' those
 who had been roused to genuine         

earnestness by the clarion voice which  
rang in the ears of that slumbering     
generation4  ,then follows the          
explanation of this new interest in the 
kingdom4 ',all the prophets and the law 
prophesied until ,john4' ,the whole     
period till his coming was one of       
preparation1 and it all converged on the
 epoch of the forerunner4 ,the eagerness
 to flock into the ,kingdom which       
characterised his time would have been  
impossible in the earlier days4 ,he     
closes that order of things1 standing1  
as it were1 on the isthmus between      
prophecy and fulfilment1 belonging      
properly to neither1 but having         
affinities with both1 and being the     
transition from the one to the other4   
,then our ,lord closes ,his words       
concerning ,john with the distinct      
statement1 which ,he expects ,his       
hearers to have difficulty in receiving1
 probably from the contradiction to it  
which ,john's present condition seemed  
to give1 that in him was fulfilled      

,malachi's prophecy of the sending of   
',elijah the prophet before 444 day of  
the ,lord4' ,the fiery ,tishbite1 gaunt 
and grim1 ascetic and solitary1 who     
bearded ,ahab1 and flamed across a      
corrupt age with a stern message of     
repentance or destruction1 was repeated 
in the lonely ascetic who had his ,ahab 
in ,herod1 and his ,jezebel in          
,herodias1 and like his prototype1 knew 
no fear1 but flashed out the lightnings 
of his words on every sin4 ,the two men 
were brothers1 and their voices answer  
each other across the centuries4 ,christ
 crowns ,his witness to ,john while thus
 quoting the last swansong of ancient   
prophecy1 and thereby at once sets ,john
 on a pinnacle of greatness1 and        
advances a claim concerning ,himself all
 the more weighty1 because ,he leaves it
 to be inferred4 ',he that hath ears to 
hear1 let him hear'--this eulogium on   
the forerunner needs to be reflected on 
ere all its bearings are seen4 ,if ,john
 was ,elias1 the day of the ,lord was at

 hand1 and 'the ,sun of ,righteousness' 
was already above the horizon4 ,jesus'  
witness concerning ,john ends in witness
 concerning ,himself4     ,,the ,,friend
 ,,of ,,publicans ,,and ,,sinners       
',the ,son of ,man came eating and      
drinking1 and they say1     ,behold a   
man gluttonous1 and a winebibber1 a     
friend of     publicans and sinners4    
,but wisdom is justified of her         
children1'--,,matt4 xi4 #ai4  ,jesus    
very seldom took notice of ,his enemies'
 slanders4 ',when ,he was reviled ,he   
reviled not again4' ,if ever ,he did1 it
 was for the sake of those whom it      
harmed to distort ,his beauty4 ,thus1   
here ,he speaks1 without the slightest  
trace of irritation1 of the capricious  
inconsistency of condemning ,himself and
 ,john on precisely opposite grounds4   
,john will not suit them because he     
neither eats nor drinks4 ,well1 one     
would think that ,jesus would be hailed 
since ,he does both4 ,but ,he pleases   
them just as little4 ,what was at the   

root of this contrary working dislike8  
,it was the dislike for the truths they 
both preached1 the rejection of the     
wisdom of which they were the           
messengers4 ,when men do not like the   
message1 nothing that the messengers do1
 or are1 is right4 ,never mind          
consistency1 but object to this form of 
,christian teaching that it is too      
harsh1 and to that1 that it is too soft2
 to this man that he is always          
thundering condemnation1 to that1 that  
he is always preaching mercy2 to one1   
that he has too much to say about duty1 
to another1 that he dwells too much on  
grace2 to this presentation of the      
gospel1 that it is too learned and      
doctrinal1 to that1 that it is too      
sentimental and emotional1 and so on1   
and so on4 ,the generation of children  
who neither like piping nor lamenting1  
lives still4  ,but my purpose now is not
 to dwell on the conduct with which our 
,lord is dealing1 but on this caricature
 of ,him which ,his own lips repeat     

without a sign of anger4 ,it is the only
 calumny of antagonists reported by     
,himself4 ,we owe our knowledge of its  
currency to this saying4 ,like other    
words of ,his enemies1 this saying is a 
distorted refraction of ,his glory4 ,the
 facts it embodies are facts2 the       
conclusions it draws are false4 ,if     
,jesus had not come eating and drinking1
 ,he could not have been called         
gluttonous and a wine-bibber4 ,if ,he   
had not drawn publicans and sinners to  
,him in a conspicuous manner and degree1
 ,he could not have been called their   
friend4 ,the charge1 like all others1 is
 a tribute4 ,let us try to see what was 
the blessed truth that it caricatured4  
,we may take the two points separately1 
for though closely connected they are   
distinct1 and cover different ground4   
,i4 ,his enemies' witness to ,christ's  
participation in common life4  7a7 ,that
 participation witnesses to ,his true   
manhood4  ,significant use of ',son of  
,man' in context4  ,because ,he is so1  

,he must pass into all human            
circumstances4  ,looked at in the light 
of incarnation1 the simple fact that ,he
 shared our common lot in all things    
assumes proportions of majestic         
condescension4  ,extend to all physical 
necessities1 and to simple material     
pleasures4  ,what a witness this hostile
 criticism is to ,christ's genial       
identification of ,himself with homely  
feasters6  7b7 ,it sets forth the       
highest type of manhood4  ,john could be
 ascetic1 but the ,pattern ,man could   
not4  ,the true perfecting of humanity  
is not the extirpation1 but the control1
 of the flesh by the spirit4 ,and in    
accordance with this thought1 we may see
 in the eating and drinking ,christ1 the
 pattern for the religious life4        
,asceticism is not the noblest form of  
sanctity4 ,there is nothing more        
striking in ,old ,testament than the way
 in which its heroes and saints mingle  
in all ordinary duties4 ,they are       
warriors1 statesmen1 shepherds1 they    

buy1 they sell4 ,asceticism came later1 
along with formalisms of other sorts4   
,when devotion cools1 it is crusted with
 superstition and external marks of     
godliness4 ,propriety in posturing in   
worship1 casuistry in the interpretation
 of law1 and abstinence from common     
enjoyments1 came in ,pharisaic times4   
,and into such a world ,jesus came1     
eating and drinking4  ,but ,his bearing 
in these matters is example for us4     
,they were rigidly kept in              
subordination4 ,they were all done in   
communion with ,god4  ,so ,he has       
hallowed all by taking part in them4    
,christ should be present in all our    
material enjoyments4 ,if you cannot     
think that ,he is with you1 if you      
cannot conceive of ,his being there1    
that is no place for you4 ,if you cannot
 feel that ,he approves1 that is no fit 
enjoyment for you4  ,the tendency of    
this day is to take a wider view of the 
liberty allowed to ,christians in regard
 to partaking in material enjoyment1 and

 ,i dare say that many of you who have  
thought that ,i spoke well in insisting 
on all things belonging to the          
,christian1 will think that ,i am       
dropping back into the old narrow groove
 in my next remark1 that all such       
thoughts need guarding4  ,one has heard 
the example of ,christ invoked to       
justify unchristian laxity and excess4  
,therefore ,i wish to say that the      
liberty permitted to ,christians in     
these matters is to be limited within   
the limits within which ,christ's was   
confined4  ,the excessive use of        
innocent things is not justified by ,his
 example1 nor is the use of things      
innocent in themselves1 which are mixed 
up with harmful things4  ,christ's      
example does not warrant the importance 
attached to luxury1 the waste on mere   
eating and drinking4 ,it is sometimes   
quoted as against total abstinence4 ,it 
has no bearing on the question4 ,but if 
,he gave up heaven for ,his brethren1 ,i
 think that they who give up an         

indulgence for the sake of theirs are in
 the line of ,his action4 ,i venture to 
think that if ,jesus ,christ lived in   
,england to-day1 ,he would be a total   
abstinence fanatic4  ',if thy hand      
offend thee1 cut it off4' ,asceticism is
 not the highest1 but it is sometimes   
necessary4 ,if my indulgence in innocent
 things hurts me1 or if my abstinence   
from them would help others1 or increase
 my power for good1 or if innocent      
things are intertwisted with things not 
innocent1 then it is vain to try to     
shelter under ,christ's example1 and the
 only right course for ,his disciple is 
to abridge his liberty4 ,he came eating 
and drinking1 therefore ,his followers  
may use all innocent earthly blessings  
and bodily pleasures1 subject to this   
one law3 ',whether ye eat or drink1 or  
whatever ye do1 do all to the glory of  
,god1' and to this solemn warning3 ',he 
that soweth to the flesh shall of the   
flesh reap corruption4'  ,,ii4 ,his     
enemies' witness to ,jesus as the friend

 of the outcasts4  ,the fact was that   
,he drew them to ,himself and evidently 
was glad to have them round ,him4 ,the  
inference natural to low natures was    
noscitur a sociis and that the bond     
between ,him and them was common evil   
tendencies and ways4 ,his censors could 
not conceive of any one's seeking the   
outcasts from pity and for their good4  
7a7 ,christ's consorting with these was 
the revelation of ,his love to them4    
,it meant no complicity with1 nor       
minimising of1 sinfulness4  ,his        
sternness is as conspicuous as ,his     
love4  ,he warned1 rebuked1 tried to win
 back4  ,the highest purity is not      
repellent to sinners4  ,so in ,jesus is 
the combination of tenderest love and   
intense moral earnestness4  ,how        
difficult for anything but actual sight 
of such a life to have painted it6      
,where did the evangelists get such an  
embodiment of two attitudes so unlike   
each other1 and which we so seldom see  
united in fact8 ,i venture to think that

 the combination in perfect harmony and 
proportion of these1 is a strong        
presumption in favour of the historical 
truth of the ,christ of the gospels4    
,but remember that if we take ,his own  
statement 7',he that hath seen ,me hath 
seen the ,father'71 we are to see in    
this kindly consorting with sinners not 
only the love of a perfectly pure       
manhood1 but a revelation of the heart  
of ,god4 ,and that adds wonderfulness   
and awe to the fact4 ,this man to whom  
sinners were drawn by strange           
attraction1 in whom they found the      
highest purity and yet softest          
tenderness1 therein revealed ,god4  7b7 
,it witnesses to ,his boundless hope4   
,no outcasts were hopeless in ,his view4
 ,to man's eyes there are hopeless      
classes1 but ,he sees deeper4 ',perhaps 
a spark lies hid4' ,there are dormant   
possibilities in all souls4  ,none are  
so hard as that they cannot be melted by
 the high temperature of love1 just as  
there are no metals that cannot be      

volatilised if exposed to intense heat4 
,carry the most thick-ribbed ice into   
the sun and it will thaw4  ,so the      
,christian view of mankind is much more 
hopeful than that of mere educationists 
or moralists4  ,none of them paint human
 nature so black as it does1 but none of
 them have such boundless confidence in 
the possibility of making it lustrously 
white4  ,urge1 then1 that none are      
beyond the power of ,christ's gospel4   
,his divine ,spirit can change any man4 
,there are no incurables in the judgment
 of the great ,physician4  7c7 ,it      
witnesses to the truth that gross sin   
does not shut out from ,him so much as  
does self-complacent ignorance of our   
own need4  ',they that are whole need   
not a physician1 but they that are      
sick4' ,where should the physician be   
but at the sick man's bedside8  ,the one
 impassable barrier between us and      
,christ is fancying that we are not     
sinners and do not need ,him4  ,this    
boundless hopefulness and seeking after 

the outcasts is the unique glory of     
,christianity4 ,what has been the       
mainspring of all movements for their   
elevation8 ,what broke the chains of    
slavery8 ,what has sent men to the ends 
of the earth for the elevation of savage
 races8 ,what is the motive power in the
 benevolent works of this day8 ,is it   
philosophical altruism or is it         
,christian faith8 ,no doubt1 there are  
some sporadic movements among people who
 do not accept the gospel4 ,at present1 
,i do not ask how far these are due to  
the underground influence of            
,christianity filtering to men who stand
 apart from it4 ,but ,i gravely doubt   
whether you will ever get any large1    
continuous1 self-sacrificing efforts for
 the outcasts1 unless they are the      
direct result of the spirit of ,christ  
moving on men who owe their own         
deliverance to ,him4 ,we have not yet   
seen agnostic missionary societies or   
the like4  ,this spirit must mark all   
living ,christianity4 ,if ever churches 

forget their obligations to the         
publicans and sinners1 they will cease  
to grow4 ,it will be a sign that they   
have lost their hold of ,christ4 ,they  
will soon die1 and no mourners will     
attend their funerals4 ,it is a good    
sign to-day that all ,christian churches
 are waking up to feel more their       
obligations to the outcasts4 ,only1 we  
must take heed that we go to them as    
,christ did1 making no compromise with  
sin1 speaking no false flatteries1 and  
bent on one thing1 their emancipation   
from the evil which is slaying them4    
,let us all take the blessed thought for
 ourselves1 that ,jesus ,christ is our  
friend because ,he is the friend of     
sinners1 and we are sinners4 ,degrees of
 sinfulness vary1 but the fact is       
invariable4 ,the universality of        
sinfulness makes the universality of    
,christ's love the more wonderful and   
blessed4 ,if ,he did not love sinners1  
there would be none for ,him to love4   
,we may be ,his enemies1 or may neglect 

all ,his beseechings2 but ,he is still  
our friend1 wishing us well1 and        
desiring to bless us4 ,but ,he cannot   
give us ,his deepest friendship unless  
we are willing to recognise our sin4 ,we
 must come to ,him on the footing of    
transgressors if we are to come to ,him 
at all4  ,he will deliver us from our   
sins4  ,appeal to give hearts to ,him4  
,how has ,he shown ,his friendship8     
',greater love hath no man than this1'  
that 'while we were yet sinners1 ,christ
 died for us4'  ,to be friends of       
,christ is the highest honour and       
blessing4  ',ye are my friends if ye do 
whatsoever ,i command you4'  ',he was   
called the friend of ,god4' ,abraham's  
name in ,mohammedan lands is still ,el  
,khalil1 the companion or friend4 ,that 
is our highest title4 ,christ's friends 
will not continue sinners4     ,,sodom1 
,,capernaum1 ,,manchester       ',then  
began ,he to upbraid the cities wherein 
most of     ,his mighty works were done1
 because they repented not4'            

--,,matt4 xi4 #bj4  ,these words1 and   
the woes which they introduce1 are found
 in another connection in ,luke's       
,gospel4 ,he attaches them to his report
 of the mission of the seventy          
disciples4 ,matthew here introduces them
 in an order which seems not to depend  
upon time1 but upon identity of subject4
 ,it is his method in his ,gospel to    
group together similar events1 as we    
have it exemplified1 for instance1 in   
the ,sermon on the ,mount1 and in the   
long procession of miracles which       
immediately follows it1 as well as in   
other parts of the ,gospel4 ,in this    
chapter it is not difficult to discover 
the common idea which binds its parts   
into a whole4 ,we have a number of      
instances strung together1 illustrating 
the different effects of ,christ's      
appearance and work on different classes
 of persons4 ,there pass before us1     
,john the ,baptist with his doubts1 the 
excitable multitude ready to take the   
,kingdom of ,heaven by storm1 the       

critics who cavilled with impartial     
inconsistency alike at ,john's          
asceticism and at ,christ's freedom4    
,then follow the woes pronounced by ,him
 upon the indifference of those who knew
 ,him best1 and these are succeeded by  
,his rejoicing in spirit over the babes 
who accepted ,him2 and the whole is     
crowned by great words of invitation    
which extend equally over those and over
 all other varieties of disposition1    
and1 since all 'labour and are heavy    
laden1' summon all1 be they what they   
may1 to come and find rest in ,him4     
,obviously1 then1 the order in this     
chapter is not that of time1 but that of
 subject4  ,notice that of all these    
different classes and types of character
 that pass in review before us1 the one 
that is singled out for the solemn      
denunciation of heavy judgment is that  
of the people who stood in a blaze of   
light1 and simply paid no attention to  
it4 ,these are the worst sort4 ,i wonder
 how many of them are in my audience    

now8  ,let me try1 then1 to bring before
 you the thoughts naturally suggested by
 these introductory words1 and the      
solemn1 sorrowful forebodings of        
retribution which follow them4 ,i ask   
you to look at three things1--the blaze 
of light2 the neglect of the light2 the 
rebuke for the neglected light4 ',jesus 
began to upbraid the cities wherein most
 of ,his mighty works were done4'  ,i4  
,first1 then1 consider the blaze of     
light4  ,according to the words of my   
text1 the larger number of the miracles 
of our ,lord were wrought in these three
 places4 ',cities1' our ,bible calls    
them2 two of them were little fishing   
villages1 the third a somewhat          
considerable town4 ,where are these     
miracles recorded8 ,not in our gospels4 
,as for ,chorazin1 we never hear its    
name except in this verse1 and in the   
parallel in ,luke's ,gospel2 and all    
that ,he did there is swallowed up in   
oblivion4 ,as for ,bethsaida1 there are 
a couple of miracles1 probably1 recorded

 as having been wrought there1 though   
there is some obscurity in reference to 
the locality of at least one of them4   
,as for ,capernaum1 there are several   
miracles recorded as having been        
performed in that place1 and several    
others referred to as having been done  
there4 ,but there is nothing in the four
 gospels that would suggest the         
statement of the text4  ,now the        
inference 7which has nothing to do with 
my present subject1 but which ,i just   
note in passing7 is1--how extremely     
fragmentary and incomplete these four   
gospels avowedly are6 ,they harvest for 
us a few ears plucked in the great      
waving cornfield1--and all the others   
withered and died where they grew4 ,the 
light falls upon one or two groups in   
the crowd of miserables whom ,he helped1
 the rest lie in dim shadow4 ,you have  
to think of dozens1 ,i suppose ,i should
 not be exaggerating if ,i were to say  
hundreds1 of miracles unrecorded but    
known1 lying behind the specimens that  

we have in the gospels4 ',many other    
things truly did ,jesus1 which are not  
written in this book4'  ,our ,lord takes
 these two little fishing villages1 and 
,he parallels and contrasts them with   
the two great maritime cities of ,tyre  
and ,sidon1 and says that these         
insignificant places have far more light
 than those had4 ,then ,he isolates     
,capernaum1 a place of more importance1 
and ,his own usual settled residence2   
and1 in like manner1 ,he contrasts it   
with the long-buried ,sodom1 and        
proclaims the superiority of the        
illumination which fell on the more     
modern three4 ,why were they so         
superior8 ,because they had ,moses8     
because they had the prophets1 the law1 
the temple1 the priesthood8 ,by no      
means4 ,because they had ,him4 ,so ,he  
sets ,himself forth as being the highest
 and clearest of all the revelations    
that ,god has made to the world1 and    
asserts that in ,him1 in ,his character1
 in ,his deeds1 men ought to find       

motives that should bow them in         
penitence before ,god2 motives sweeter1 
tenderer1 stronger than any that the    
world knows besides4 ,there is no such  
light of the knowledge of the glory of  
,god anywhere else as there is in the   
face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,and oh6        
brother2 no thoughts of the nobleness of
 rectitude1 and the imperfection of     
one's own life1 no thoughts of a divine 
justice and a divine punishment1 will   
bow a man in penitence like having once 
caught a glimpse of the perfect         
sweetness and perfect beauty of the     
perfect ,humanity that is revealed to us
 in ,jesus ,christ4  ,but now1 mark2--as
 ,capernaum is to ,sodom1 so is         
,manchester to ,capernaum6 ,i wonder if 
,jesus ,christ were to come amongst us  
now1 whether ,he would not repeat in    
spirit the same lesson that is in my    
text1 and bid us contrast our greater   
illumination with the morning twilight  
that dawned upon these men1 and yet was 
light enough to bring condemnation8     

,think1--these people of whom our ,lord 
is speaking here1 and setting them high 
above ,tyre and ,sidon and ,sodom1 knew 
nothing about ,his cross1 death1        
resurrection1 ascension4 ,they knew ,him
 only as 'a dubious ,name1' as a        
possible ,divine ,messenger and a       
,miracle-worker2 but all the sweetest   
and the deepest thoughts about ,him lay 
unrevealed4 ,whilst they stood but in   
the morning twilight1 you and ,i stand  
in the noonday blaze4 ,they might be    
pardoned for doubting whether the light 
that shone from ,him was sunshine or    
candle1 but men of this twentieth       
century1 who have the whole story of    
,christ1 which is the gospel for the    
world1 wrought out through all the      
tragedy and pathos of ,his death1 and   
triumph and power of ,his resurrection1 
and who have1 besides1 the history of   
the world and of the ,church for        
nineteen centuries1 are more            
unpardonable unless they listen to ,him 
with penitence and faith1 than were any 

of ,his contemporaries4  ,my brother1 we
 stand in the very focus and fountain1  
as it were1 of the heavenly radiance4 ,a
 whole ,christ1 a crucified ,christ1 a  
risen ,christ1 an ascended ,christ1 a   
,christ who is the ,lord of the ,spirit1
 a ,christ who through the centuries is 
saving and blessing men1 a ,christ who  
can point to nineteen hundred years and 
say1 ',that is ,my work1 in so far as it
 is good and noble1'--this ,christ      
shines with a clearer evidence than the 
,miracle-worker of ,capernaum and       
,bethsaida4 ,and to you the word comes1 
',if the mighty works which have been   
done in thee1 had been done in          
,bethsaida and ,chorazin1 they would    
have remained until this day4'  ,there  
are many of you here saturated with the 
knowledge of the gospel1 who from       
childhood have heard it and heard it and
 heard it4 ,you have lived in the light 
all your days4 ,alas6 ',if the light    
that is' round 'thee be darkness1 how   
great is that darkness6'  ,,ii4 ,that   

brings me in the next place to notice   
the negligent indifference to the ,light
 in all its blaze4  ,the men of these   
three little fishing towns were not     
sinners above all the ,galileans of     
their day4 ,their crime was that they   
did nothing4 ,no persecution is recorded
 as having been raised against ,him by  
them2 there were no angry antagonisms1  
no scornful words1 no violent           
opposition4 ,they simply stolidly stood 
like some black rock in the sunshine1   
and let the sunshine pour down upon     
them1 and remained grim and black as    
ever4 ,that was all4  ,that is to say1  
the thing that brings down the severest 
rebuke is not the angry antagonism of   
the men who are contending in           
half-darkness1 with a misunderstood and 
therefore disliked ,christ1 but the     
sleek1 passive apathy that is never     
touched deeper than its ears by the     
message of ,god's word4 ,it is not a    
difficult thing to incur this           
condemnation4 ,you have simply to do    

what some of you are doing1 and have    
been doing all your lives1 as to        
,christianity1 and that is--nothing6    
,you have simply to acquiesce politely  
and respectfully1 as many of you do1 and
 say you are ,christians2 and there an  
end4 ,you have simply to take my words  
7as ,i fear so many of those that listen
 to them do7 as matters of course1 the  
proper things to be said on a ,sunday1  
and for me to say1 which may be very    
true in some vague1 general way1 but    
which have no felt application to you4  
,that is all you have to do4 ,it is     
quite enough4 ,negative vices will ruin 
a man1 in mind1 body1 and estate2 and   
the negative sin of simple indifference 
avails to put a barrier between you and 
,jesus ,christ1 through which none of   
,his blessing can filter4 ,if a sailor  
does not lash himself to something      
fixed1 the next sea that comes across   
the deck will do the rest4 ,if a sick   
man does not take the medicine1 by doing
 nothing he has committed suicide4 ,and 

simple passivity1 that is to say 7to    
translate it out of ,latin into good1   
honest ,english71 doing nothing1 is all 
that is needed in order to part you from
 ,christ and ,christ from you4 ,he      
'upbraided the cities because they      
repented not4'  ,one can fancy some     
well-to-do and thoroughly respectable   
and clean-living native of ,capernaum   
saying1 ',what6 those foul beasts in    
,sodom better off than ,i8 ,impossible6'
 ,well1 ,jesus ,christ says so upon very
 intelligible grounds4 ,the measure of  
light is the measure of responsibility4 
,that is one ground4 ,and the not       
preferring ,him is the preferring of    
self and the world1 and that is the sin 
of sins4 ,he will 'convince the world of
 sin because they believe not on ,me4'  
,now1 one more point1 viz4 this         
gelatinous kind of indifference1 as of a
 disposition not stiff enough to take   
any impression1 is found most deeply    
seated1 and hopeless1 amongst--shall ,i 
venture8--amongst people like you1 who  

have been listening1 listening1         
listening1 until your systems have      
become so habituated to this ,christian 
preaching that it does not produce the  
least effect4 ,it all runs off you like 
rain off waterproof4 ,you have          
waterproofed your consciences and your  
spiritual susceptibilities by long habit
 of listening and doing nothing4  ,and  
some of you have come to this point1    
that you positively rather like the     
titillation and excitement1 slight      
though it may be1 which is produced by  
coming in contact now and then with a   
good1 wholesome1 rousing ,christian     
appeal4 ,not that you ever intend to do 
anything1 but it is pleasant to see a   
man in earnest1 and preaching as if he  
believed what he was saying4 ,and so    
perhaps some of you are feeling here    
to-night4  ,ah6 my dear friends1 it is  
possible for a man to live by the side  
of ,niagara until he cannot hear the    
cataract2 and it is an awful thing for  
men and women to live under the sound of

 ,christian teaching until it produces  
no more effect upon their wills and     
natures than the ringing of the church  
bells1 to which they pay no attention4  
,you do not know the despair that comes 
over us preachers time after time1 as we
 look down upon the faces of our        
congregations1 and feel1 ',what shall ,i
 do to put a sharp enough point upon    
this truth to get it into the heart of  
some man that has been sitting there as 
long as ,i have been standing here1 and 
is never a bit the better for it8' ,our 
most earnest preaching is like putting a
 red-hot iron into a pond3 the cold     
water puts it out and closes above it1  
and there is no more heard nor seen of  
it4 ,our old ,puritan forefathers used  
to talk about 'gospel-hardened hearers4'
 ,i believe that there are people       
listening to me now who have become so  
inured to ,christian preaching that1    
like artillery horses1 they will not    
move a muscle or quiver if a whole      
battery of cannon is fired off under    

their noses4 ,god knows ,i despair      
sometimes1 many a time1 when ,i think of
 the hundreds of people to whom ,i      
speak1 year after year1 and how there   
seems next to nothing in the world to   
come of it all4  ,,iii4 ,now lastly1    
notice here the rebuke of this          
negligence of the light4  ',he began to 
upbraid the cities4' ,but oh6 we shall  
misunderstand ,him and ,his purpose if  
we think that that upbraiding was       
anything but the sorrowful expression of
 ,his own loving heart1 which warned of 
what was coming in order that ,he might 
never need to send it4 ',woe unto you2  
woe unto you1' and ,his own lips        
quivered and ,his own heart felt the    
woe1 as ,he laid bare the sin and       
foreannounced the retribution4  ,i do   
not feel that ,i dare dwell upon1 or    
that it beseems me to say much about1   
this solemn thought4 ,only1 dear        
friends1 ,i do desire1 if ,i could1 to  
wake some of you to look realities for  
once in the face1 and to be sure of     

this1 that retribution is proportioned  
to light1 and that the sin of sins is   
the rejection of ,jesus ,christ4        
,beneath the broad folds of that 'more  
tolerable' there lie infinite degrees of
 retribution4 ,the same deed done by a  
group of men may be indefinitely varied 
in its culpability1 according to the    
motives and the clearness of knowledge  
which accompany or prompt the doing of  
it4 ,and so1 just because the life      
beyond is the accurate outcome and issue
 of the whole character and conduct1    
estimated according to motive and       
knowledge1 therefore there must be      
differences infinitely wide between the 
fate of the servant that knew his       
,lord's will1 and the servant that knew 
not4  ,where do you think we            
gospel-drenched ,english men and women  
will stand in that allocation of        
culpability8 ,i do not presume to say   
more1 but ,i beseech you1--let no       
present controversies about the duration
 and the possible termination of        

retribution in another state1 or the    
possible prolongation of a probation    
into another state1 blind you to the    
fact that however these questions be    
settled1 this is a truth1 independent of
 them1 but being forgotten amidst the   
dust of controversy1 that the next life 
is a life of retribution1 and that there
 you and ,i will give account of our    
deeds1 and chiefly of our attitude to   
,jesus4  ,and now let me say1 in one    
word1--hoisting the danger-signal is the
 work of kindness1 and ,jesus ,christ   
was never more loving than when from    
,his lips there came these words1 heavy 
with ,his own sorrow1 and stern with the
 prophecy of retribution4 ,i know that  
,christian teachers have often spoken of
 the solemn things beyond1 in tones much
 to be deplored1 and which weaken the   
force of their message4 ,but surely1    
surely1 if we believe in a judgment to  
come1 and if we believe that some of    
those that listen to us are in peril of 
it1 surely1 surely1 the plainest duty is

 that with tears in our voice and       
pleading tenderness in our tone1 seeing 
the sword coming1 we should give        
warning1 and beseech men to flee for    
refuge to the hope of the ,gospel4 ,the 
solemn words that we have been looking  
at now1 lead up to1 and are intended to 
make more impressive and gracious1 the  
invitation with which this chapter ends3
 ',come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and
 are heavy laden1 and ,i will give you  
rest4'  ,dear friends1 we stand in the  
blaze of the light4 ,our familiarity    
with ,jesus ,christ may be our ruin4 ,we
 are tempted to pay no heed to ,his     
words because we know them so well4     
,neglect of ,christ on your part will   
bring deeper woes on your head than the 
people of ,capernaum pulled down upon   
theirs4 ,the brighter the sunshine1 the 
louder the thunder and the fiercer the  
lightning2 the longer the summer day1   
the longer the winter night2 the closer 
the comet comes to the sun1 the further 
away it plunges1 at the other extremity 

of its orbit1 into space and darkness4  
,so ,i beseech you1 listen as if you had
 never heard it before1 and listen as if
 your lives depended upon it 7as indeed 
they do7 to that merciful invitation1   
',come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and 
are heavy laden1' and then you will get 
rest for your souls here1 and at that   
day when ,sodom and ,capernaum and      
,manchester--they and we--shall stand   
before ,his throne1 you may lift up your
 eyes1 and be glad to see who it is that
 sits on the tribunal1 and that you     
learned to know and love the face of    
your ,saviour1 before you saw ,him      
enthroned as your ,judge4               
,,christ',s ,,strange ,,thanksgiving    
',i thank ,thee1 ,o ,father1 ,lord of   
heaven and earth1     because ,thou hast
 hid these things from the wise and     
prudent1 and hast revealed them unto    
babes4'     --,,matt4 xi4 #be4  ,when   
,jesus was about to cure one dumb man1  
,he lifted up ,his eyes to heaven and   
sighed4 ,sorrow filled ,his soul in the 

act of working deliverance4 ,the thought
 of the depth of the miseries ,he had   
come to heal1 and of the ocean of them  
which ,he was then diminishing but by   
one poor drop1 saddened ,him4 ,when     
,jesus thought of the woes that had     
fallen on the impenitent ,sodom1 and of 
the worse that still remained to be     
revealed at the day of judgment1 ,he    
rejoiced in spirit4 ,strange6 and yet   
all in harmony with ,his depth of love4 
,this once1 and this once only1 do we   
read that ,his heart filled with joy4   
,did ,he lift up ,his solemn            
thanksgiving to ,god1 for the woes that 
had fallen on ,chorazin8 ,oh no6 ,for   
the blinding of the wise and prudent8   
,oh no6 ,for the revelation to babes8   
,yes1 and not only for that1 but for    
that full and universal offer and       
possibility of salvation1 which forms   
the reason for both the revelation to   
babes and the hiding from the wise4 ,if 
we attend to the connection of this     
passage we get light on its force4 ,it  

begins with a clear prophecy of endless 
woe and sorrow upon the rejecters4 ,then
 comes my text1 alleviating the terror  
of that thought of destruction by       
showing the principles on which the     
reception and rejection are especially  
based1 the sort of people who receive   
and who reject4 ,then follows the reason
 why the wise are shut out and the babes
 let in4 ,that reason is not only ,god's
 inscrutable decree1 but something in   
the very nature of the ,gospel4 ,god is 
hidden from all human sight4 ,there is  
one divine ,revealer apart from whom all
 is darkness4 ',neither doth any man    
know the ,father save the ,son1 and he  
to whomsoever the ,son willeth to reveal
 ,him4' ,that is the characteristic     
which shuts out the wise and lets in the
 simple4  ,then follows the great call  
to all to come to ,him4 ,the practical  
issue of all these solemn thoughts is   
that the ,gospel is a ,gospel for all   
the world1 and that the one             
qualification for coming within the     

terms of its offer is to be 'weary and  
heavy laden4' ,thus all ends in the     
broad universality of the message1 in   
its adaptation to all1 in its offer to  
all2 and thus it is shown that every    
apparent exclusion of any is but the    
result of its free offer to all1 and    
that to say ',thou hast hid these things
 from the wise and prudent' is but to   
say1 ',ho1 every one that thirsteth1    
come ye to the waters4' ,well then might
 joy fill the heart of the ,man of      
,sorrows4 ,well might ,he lift up ,his  
solemn thanksgiving to ,god and say1 ',i
 thank ,thee1 ,father1 ,lord of ,heaven 
and ,earth4'  ,consider--  ,i4 ,the     
,great ,characteristics of the ,gospel4 
,we shall only understand the ground of 
the revealing and of the hiding if we   
understand what it is which is offered4 
,it is of such a nature as necessarily  
to involve a twofold effect1 caused by a
 twofold attitude towards it4  #a4 ,the 
,gospel addresses itself to all men--man
 as man--not to what is sectional or    

accidental1 not to classes1 not to      
schools1 not to the lite4 ,it is broad  
and universal4 ,it speaks no dialect of 
a province1 but the universal language4 
,it is addressed to ,man as ,man4 ',we  
have all of us one human heart4' ,it    
appeals to the noble and the peasant1 to
 the beggar on the dunghill and to the  
prince on his throne1 in precisely the  
same fashion4 ,it is equal as the       
providence of ,god1 impartial as the    
light1 universal as the air which       
reddens equally the blood that flows in 
long-descended veins and that of the    
foundling on the streets4 ,in its       
sublime universality there are no       
distinctions4 ,death and the ,gospel    
know no ranks4 ,in both1 'the rich and  
the poor meet together1 the ,lord is the
 ,maker of them all4' ',in ,christ      
,jesus there is neither circumcision nor
 uncircumcision4' ,the blue sky which   
bends above all alike is like that great
 word4  #b4 ,it treats all as utterly   
helpless4  #c4 ,it offers to all        

,redemption as their most pressing want4
 ,consequently1 in substance it is the  
gift not of culture1 but deliverance1   
and in form it is not a theory but a    
fact1 not a system of credenda but an   
action1 not an -ology but a power4  #d4 
,it demands from all submission and     
trust4  ,these being the                
characteristics1 consider--  ,,ii4 ,the 
qualifications for reception as         
necessarily resulting from the          
characteristics4  ,the persons who      
receive must be those who consent to    
take the station which the ,gospel      
assigns4 ,they must be babes1 by which  
is meant not such as are innocent1 but  
such as are reliant on a higher ,power1 
self-distrustful1 willing to obey4      
,these qualifications are all moral4    
,the organ for reception of the ,gospel 
is the heart1 not the head4 ,to receive 
it by faith is a spiritual1 not an      
intellectual process4 ,ignorance is no  
qualification nor no disqualification4  
,ignorance or knowledge is immaterial4  

,the one condition is to be willing to  
accept4  ,,iii4 ,the disqualification of
 the wise as necessarily resulting from 
the qualification4  ,the organ for the  
reception is not the head but the heart4
 ,therefore1 wisdom is a barrier only in
 this way1 that it has nothing to do in 
the matter4 ,its presence or its absence
 is quite indifferent here as in many   
other spheres of experience4 ,the joys  
of the affections1 the joys of common   
emotions1 the joys of bodily life--all  
these are utterly independent of the    
culture of the understanding4  ,hence   
'wisdom' becomes a barrier1 because its 
possessors are accustomed to think it   
the master key4 ,not intellect1 but the 
pride of intellect1 trusting in it1     
glorying in wisdom is the               
disqualification4  ,it is not true that 
there is any discord between religion   
and cultivated thought4 ,the loftier the
 soul1 the loftier all its attributes1  
the nobler should be1 may be1 its       
religion4 ,it is not true that there is 

any natural affinity between ignorance  
and religion1 between narrow            
understandings and deep faith4 ,that is 
not the ,bible truth4 ,the religion of  
,christ is not like owls that love the  
twilight1 but like eagles that 'purge   
their sight at the very fountain itself 
of heavenly radiance4'  ,take history3  
the great names--an ,augustine and a    
,luther1 a ,dante and a ,milton1 a      
,bacon and a ,pascal--are enough to show
 that there is no antagonism4 ,on the   
other hand1 names enough rise to show   
that there is no alliance4 ,the         
inference is that the intellect has     
little to do with a man's attitude      
towards the ,revelation of ,god in      
,christ1 but that the moral is all4     
,let me close with the repetition of the
 thought that the apparent exclusion is 
the result of the universality1 and that
 ',come unto ,me' is ,christ's          
commentary on my text4 ,well then may we
 rejoice when we think of a gospel for  
the world4 ,whatever you are1 it is for 

you if you are a man4 ,however foolish1 
though you cannot read a letter and know
 nothing1 it is for you4 ,if you be     
enriched with all knowledge1 you must   
come on the same terms as that beggar at
 your side4 ,that is a healthy          
discipline4 ,you are more than a        
student1 than a scholar1 than a thinker2
 you are a man1 you are a sinful man4   
,there is a deeper chamber in your heart
 than any into which knowledge can      
penetrate4 ,christ brings a gospel for  
all4 ,when we think of it1 with its     
sublime disregard of all peculiarities1 
we may well rejoice with him who said1  
',ye see your calling1 brethren1' and   
with ,him1 the loftiest1 the incarnate1 
,wisdom who said1 ',i thank ,thee1      
,father4' ,for if you rightly grasp the 
bearing of this text1 and mark what     
follows it in our ,lord's heart and     
thoughts1 you will see these deep eyes  
of solemn joy turned from the heaven to 
you1 filmy with compassion1 and those   
hands1 then lifted in rapt devotion1    

stretched out to beckon you and all the 
world to ,his breast1 and hear the voice
 that rose in that burst of thanksgiving
 melting into tenderness as it woos you1
 be you wise or ignorant1 to come to    
,him and rest4     ,,the ,,rest ,,giver 
',come unto ,me1 all ye that labour and 
are heavy laden1     and ,i will give   
you rest4 #bi4 ,take ,my yoke upon you1 
and learn of ,me2 for ,i am meek and    
lowly in heart3 and     ye shall find   
rest unto your souls4'--,,matt4 xi4 #bh1
 #bi4  ,one does not know whether       
tenderness or majesty is predominant in 
these wonderful words4 ,a divine        
penetration into man's true condition1  
and a divine pity1 are expressed in     
them4 ,jesus looks with clearsighted    
compassion into the inmost history of   
all hearts1 and sees the toil and the   
sorrow which weigh on every soul4 ,and  
no less remarkable is the divine        
consciousness of power1 to succour and  
to help1 which speaks in them4 ,think of
 a ,jewish peasant of thirty years old1 

opening his arms to embrace the world1  
and saying to all men1 ',come and rest  
on ,my breast4' ,think of a man         
supposing himself to be possessed of a  
charm which could soothe all sorrow and 
lift the weight from every heart4  ,a   
great sculptor has composed a group     
where there diverge from the central    
figure on either side1 in two long      
lines1 types of all the cruel varieties 
of human pains and pangs2 and in the    
midst stands1 calm1 pure1 with the      
consciousness of power and love in ,his 
looks1 and with outstretched hands1 as  
if beckoning invitation and dropping    
benediction1 ,christ the ,consoler4 ,the
 artist has but embodied the claim which
 the ,master makes for ,himself here4   
,no less remarkable is ,his own picture 
of ,himself1 as 'meek and lowly in      
heart4' ,did ever anybody before say1   
',i am humble1' without provoking the   
comment1 ',he that says he is humble    
proves that he is not'8 ,but ,jesus     
,christ said it1 and the world has      

allowed the claim2 and has answered1    
',though ,thou bearest record of        
,thyself1 ,thy record is true4'  ,but my
 object now is not so much to deal with 
the revelation of our ,lord contained in
 these marvellous words1 as to try1 as  
well as ,i can1 to re-echo1 however     
faintly1 the invitation that sounds in  
them4 ,there is a very striking         
reduplication running through them which
 is often passed unnoticed4 ,i shall    
shape my remarks so as to bring out that
 feature of the text1 asking you to look
 first with me at the twofold           
designation of the persons addressed2   
next at the twofold invitation2 and last
 at the twofold promise of rest4  ,i4   
,consider then the twofold designation  
here of the persons addressed1 ',come   
unto ,me1 all ye that labour and are    
heavy laden4'  ,the one word expresses  
effort and toil1 the other a burden and 
endurance4 ,the one speaks of the       
active1 the other of the passive1 side  
of human misery and evil4 ,toil is work 

which is distasteful in itself1 or which
 is beyond our faculties4 ,such toil1   
sometime or other1 more or less1 sooner 
or later1 is the lot of every man4 ,all 
work becomes labour1 and all labour1    
sometime or other1 becomes toil4 ,the   
text is1 first of all1 and in its most  
simple and surface meaning1 an          
invitation to all the men who know how  
ceaseless1 how wearying1 how empty the  
effort and energy of life is1 to come to
 this ,master and rest4  ,you remember  
those bitter words of the ,book of      
,ecclesiastes1 where the preacher sets  
forth a circle of labour that only comes
 back to the point where it began1 as   
being the law for nature and the law for
 man4 ,and truly much of our work seems 
to be no better than that4 ,we are like 
squirrels in a cage1 putting forth      
immense muscular effort1 and nothing to 
show for it after all4 ',all is vanity1 
and striving after wind4'  ,toil is a   
curse2 work is a blessing4 ,but all our 
work darkens into toil2 and the         

invitation1 ',come unto ,me1 all ye that
 labour1' reaches to the very utmost    
verge of the world and includes every   
soul4  ,and then1 in like manner1 the   
other side of human experience is set   
forth in that other word4 ,for most men 
have not only to work1 but to bear2 not 
only to toil1 but to sorrow4 ,there are 
efforts that need to be put forth1 which
 task all our energy1 and leave the     
muscles flaccid and feeble4 ,and many of
 us have1 at one and the same moment1 to
 work and to weep1 to toil whilst our   
hearts are beating like a forge-hammer2 
to labour whilst memories and thoughts  
that might enfeeble any worker1 are busy
 with us4 ,a burden of sorrow1 as well  
as effort and toil1 is1 sooner or later1
 the lot of all men4  ,but that is only 
surface4 ,the twofold designation here  
before us goes a great deal deeper than 
that4 ,it points to two relationships to
 ,god and to ,god's law of              
righteousness4 ,men labour with vague   
and yet with noble effort1 sometimes1 to

 do the thing that is right1 and after  
all efforts there is left a burden of   
conscious defect4 ,in the purest and the
 highest lives there come both of these 
things4 ,and ,jesus ,christ1 in this    
merciful invitation of ,his1 speaks to  
all the men that have tried1 and tried  
in vain1 to satisfy their consciences   
and to obey the law of ,god1 and says to
 them1 ',cease your efforts1 and no     
longer carry that burden of failure and 
of sin upon your shoulders4 ,come unto  
,me1 and ,i will give you rest4'  ,i    
should be sorry to think that ,i was    
speaking to any man or woman who had    
not1 more or less1 tried to do what is  
right4 ,you have laboured at that effort
 with more or less of consistency1 with 
more or less of earnestness4 ,have you  
not found that you could not achieve it8
  ,i am sure that ,i am speaking to no  
man or woman who has not upon his or her
 conscience a great weight of neglected 
duties1 of actual transgressions1 of    
mean thoughts1 of foul words and        

passions1 of deeds that they would be   
ashamed that any should see2 ashamed    
that their dearest should catch a       
glimpse of4 ,my friend1 universal       
sinfulness is no mere black dogma of a  
narrow ,calvinism2 it is no uncharitable
 indictment against the race2 it is     
simply putting into definite words the  
consciousness that is in every one of   
your hearts4 ,you know that1 whether you
 like to think about it or not1 you have
 broken ,god's law1 and are a sinful    
man4 ,you carry a burden on your back   
whether you realise the fact or no1 a   
burden that clogs all your efforts1 and 
that will sink you deeper into the      
darkness and the mire4 ',come unto ,me1 
all ye that labour1' and with noble1    
but1 at bottom1 vain1 efforts have      
striven after right and truth4 ',come   
unto ,me all ye that are burdened1' and 
bear1 sometimes forgetting it1 but often
 reminded of its pressure by galled     
shoulders and wearied limbs1 the burden 
of sin on your bent backs4  ,this       

invitation includes the whole race4 ,in 
it1 as in a blank form1 you may each    
insert your name4 ,jesus ,christ speaks 
to thee1 ,john1 ,thomas1 ,mary1 ,peter1 
whatever thy name may be1 as distinctly 
as if you saw your name written on the  
pages of your ,new ,testament1 when ,he 
says to you1 ',come unto ,me1 all ye    
that labour and are heavy laden4' ,for  
the 'all' is but the sum of the units2  
and ,i1 and thou1 and thou1 have our    
place within the word4  ,,ii4 ,now1     
secondly1 look at the twofold invitation
 that is here4  ',come unto ,me 444     
,take ,my yoke upon you1 and learn of   
,me4' ,these two things are not the     
same4 ',coming unto ,me1' as is quite   
plain to the most superficial           
observation1 is the first step in the   
approach to a companionship1 which      
companionship is afterwards perfected   
and kept up by obedience and imitation4 
,the 'coming' is an initial act which   
makes a man ,christ's companion4 ,and   
the ',take ,my yoke upon you1 and learn 

of ,me1' is the continuous act by which 
that companionship is manifested and    
preserved4 ,so that in these words1     
which come so familiarly to most of our 
memories that they have almost ceased to
 present a sharp meaning1 there is not  
only a merciful summons to the initial  
act1 but a description of the continual 
life of which that act is the           
introduction4  ,and now1 to put that    
into simpler words1 when ,jesus ,christ 
says ',come unto ,me1' ,he ,himself has 
taught us what is ,his inmost meaning in
 that invitation1 by another word of    
,his3 ',he that cometh unto ,me shall   
never hunger1 and he that believeth on  
,me shall never thirst'2 where the      
parallelism of the clauses teaches us   
that to come to ,christ is simply to put
 our trust in ,him4 ,there is in faith a
 true movement of the whole soul towards
 the ,master4 ,i think that this        
metaphor teaches us a great deal more   
about that faith that we are always     
talking about in the pulpit1 and which1 

,i am afraid1 many of our congregations 
do not very distinctly understand1 than 
many a book of theology does4 ,to 'come 
to ,him' implies1 distinctly1 that ,he1 
and no mere theological dogma1 however  
precious and clear1 is the ,object on   
which faith rests4  ,and1 therefore1 if 
,christ1 and not merely a doctrinal     
truth about ,christ1 be the ,object of  
our faith1 then it is very clear that   
faith1 which grasps a ,person1 must be  
something more than the mere act of the 
understanding which assents to a truth4 
,and what more is it8 ,how is it        
possible for one person to lay hold of  
and to come to another8 ,by trust and   
love1 and by these alone4 ,these be the 
bonds that bind men together4 ,mere     
intellectual consent may be sufficient  
to fasten a man to a dogma1 but there   
must be will and heart at work to bind a
 man to a person2 and if it be ,christ  
and not a theology1 to which we come by 
our faith1 then it must be with         
something more than our brains that we  

grasp ,him and draw near to ,him4 ,that 
is to say1 your will is engaged in your 
confidence4 ,trust ,him as you trust one
 another1 only with the difference      
befitting a trust directed to an        
absolute and perfect object of trust1   
and not to a poor1 variable human heart4
 ,trust ,him as you trust one another4  
,then1 just as husband and wife1 parent 
and child1 friend and friend1 pass      
through all intervening hindrances and  
come together when they trust and love1 
so you come closer to ,christ as the    
very soul of your soul by an inward real
 union1 than you do even to your dear   
ones1 if you grapple ,him to your heart 
with the hoops of steel1 which1 by      
simple trust in ,him1 the ,divine       
,redeemer forges for us4 ',come unto    
,me1' being translated out of metaphor  
into fact1 is simply ',believe on the   
,lord ,jesus ,christ and thou shalt be  
saved4'  ,and still further1 we have    
here1 not only the initial act by which 
companionship and union with ,jesus     

,christ is brought about1 but the       
continual course by which it is kept up1
 and by which it is manifested4 ,the    
faith which saves a man's soul is not   
all which is required for a ,christian  
life4 ',take ,my yoke upon you1 and     
learn of ,me4' ,the yoke is that which1 
laid on the broad forehead or the thick 
neck of the ox1 has attached to it the  
cords which are bound to the burden that
 the animal draws4 ,the burden1 then1   
which ,christ gives to ,his servants to 
pull1 is a metaphor for the specific    
duties which ,he enjoins upon them to   
perform2 and the yoke by which they are 
fastened to their burdens1 'obliged' to 
their duties1 is ,his authority1 ,so to 
'take ,his yoke' upon us is to submit   
our wills to ,his authority4 ,therefore 
this further call is addressed to all   
those who have come to ,him1 feeling    
their weakness and their need and their 
sinfulness1 and have found in ,him a    
,saviour who has made them restful and  
glad2 and it bids them live in the      

deepest submission of will to ,him1 in  
joyful obedience1 in constant service2  
and1 above all1 in the daily imitation  
of the ,master4  ,you must put both     
these commandments together before you  
get ,christ's will for ,his children    
completely expressed4 ,there are some of
 you who think that ,christianity is    
only a means by which you may escape the
 penalty of your sins2 and you are ready
 enough1 or fancy yourselves so1 to     
listen when ,he says1 ',come to ,me that
 you may be pardoned1' but you are not  
so ready to listen to what ,he says     
afterwards1 when ,he calls upon you to  
take ,his yoke upon you1 to obey ,him1  
to serve ,him1 and above all to copy    
,him4 ,and ,i beseech you to remember   
that if you go and part these two halves
 from one another1 as many people do1   
some of them bearing away the one half  
and some the other1 you have got a      
maimed ,gospel2 in the one case a       
foundation without a building1 and in   
the other case a building without a     

foundation4 ,the people who say that    
,christ's call to the world is ',come   
unto ,me1' and whose ,christianity and  
whose ,gospel is only a proclamation of 
indulgence and pardon for past sin1 have
 laid hold of half of the truth4 ,the   
people who say that ,christ's call is   
',take ,my yoke upon you and learn of   
,me1' and that ,christianity is a       
proclamation of the duty of pure living 
after the pattern of ,jesus ,christ our 
great ,example1 have laid hold of the   
other half of the truth4 ,and both      
halves bleed themselves away and die1   
being torn asunder2 put them together1  
and each has power4  ,that separation is
 one reason why so many ,christian men  
and women are such poor ,christians as  
they are--having so little real         
religion1 and consequently so little    
real joy4 ,i could lay my fingers upon  
many men1 professing ,christians--,i do 
not say whether in this church or in    
other churches--whose whole life shows  
that they do not understand that ,jesus 

,christ has a twofold summons to ,his   
servants2 and that it is of no avail    
once1 long ago1 to have come1 or to     
think that you have come1 to ,him to get
 pardon1 unless day by day you are      
keeping beside ,him1 doing ,his         
commandments1 and copying ,his sweet and
 blessed example4  ,,iii4 ,and now1     
lastly1 look at the twofold promise     
which is here4  ,i do not know if there 
is any importance to be attached to the 
slight diversity of language in the two 
verses1 so as that in the one case the  
promise runs1 ',i will give you rest1'  
and in the other1 ',ye shall find rest4'
 ,that sounds as if the rest that was   
contingent upon the first of the        
invitations was in a certain and more   
direct and exclusive fashion ,christ's  
gift than the rest which was contingent 
upon the second4 ,it may be so1 but ,i  
attach no importance to that criticism2 
only ,i would have you observe that our 
,lord distinctly separates here between 
the rest of 'coming1' and the rest of   

wearing ,his 'yoke4' ,these two1        
howsoever they may be like each other1  
are still not the same4 ,the one is the 
perfecting and the prolongation1 no     
doubt1 of the other1 but has likewise in
 it some other1 ,i say not more blessed1
 elements4 ,dear brethren1 here are two 
precious things held out and offered to 
us all4 ,there is rest in coming to     
,christ2 the rest of a quiet conscience 
which gnaws no more2 the rest of a      
conscious friendship and union with     
,god1 in whom alone are our soul's home1
 harbour1 and repose2 the rest of fears 
dispelled2 the rest of forgiveness      
received into the heart4 ,do you want   
that8 ,go to ,christ1 and as soon as you
 go to ,him you will get that rest4     
,there is rest in faith4 ,the very act  
of confidence is repose4 ,look how that 
little child goes to sleep in its       
mother's lap1 secure from harm because  
it trusts4 ,and1 oh6 if there steal over
 our hearts such a sweet relaxation of  
the tension of anxiety when there is    

some dear one on whom we can cast all   
responsibility1 how much more may we be 
delivered from all disquieting fears by 
the exercise of quiet confidence in the 
infinite love and power of our ,brother 
,redeemer1 ,christ6 ,he will be 'a      
covert from the storm1 and a refuge from
 the tempest'2 as 'rivers of water in a 
dry place1 and the shadow of a great    
rock in a weary land4' ,if we come to   
,him1 the very act of coming brings     
repose4  ,but1 brethren1 that is not    
enough1 and1 blessed be ,god6 that is   
not all4 ,there is a further1 deeper    
rest in obedience1 and emphatically and 
most blessedly there is a rest in       
,christ-likeness4 ',take ,my yoke upon  
you4' ,there is repose in saying ',thou 
art my ,master1 and to ,thee ,i bow4'   
,you are delivered from the unrest of   
self-will1 from the unrest of contending
 desires1 you get rid of the weight of  
too much liberty4 ,there is peace in    
submission2 peace in abdicating the     
control of my own being2 peace in       

saying1 ',take ,thou the reins1 and do  
,thou rule and guide me4' ,there is     
peace in surrender and in taking ,his   
yoke upon us4  ,and most especially the 
path of rest for men is in treading in  
,christ's footsteps4 ',learn of ,me1' it
 is the secret of tranquillity4 ,we have
 done with passionate hot desires1--and 
it is these that breed all the disquiet 
in our lives--when we take the meekness 
and the lowliness of the ,master for our
 pattern4 ,the river will no longer     
roll1 broken by many a boulder1 and     
chafed into foam over many a fall1 but  
will flow with even foot1 and broad1    
smooth bosom1 to the parent sea4  ,there
 is quietness in self-sacrifice1 there  
is tranquillity in ceasing from mine own
 works and growing like the ,master4    
',the ,cross is strength2 the solemn    
,cross is gain4    ,the ,cross is       
,jesus' breast1    ,here giveth ,he the 
rest1    ,that to ,his best beloved doth
 still remain4'  ',take up thy cross    
daily1' and thou enterest into ,his     

rest4  ,my brother1 'the wicked is like 
the troubled sea that cannot rest1 whose
 waters cast up mire and dirt4' ,but    
you1 if you come to ,christ1 and if you 
cleave to ,christ1 may be like that 'sea
 of glass1 mingled with fire1' that lies
 pure1 transparent1 waveless before the 
,throne of ,god1 over which no tempests 
rave1 and which1 in its deepest depths1 
mirrors the majesty of ',him that       
sitteth upon the ,throne1 and of the    
,lamb4'     ,,the ,,pharisees' ,,sabbath
 ,,and ,,christ',s       ',at that time 
,jesus went on the ,sabbath day through 
the     corn2 and ,his disciples were an
 hungred1 and began to     pluck the    
ears of corn1 and to eat4 #b4 ,but when 
the     ,pharisees saw it they said unto
 ,him1 ,behold1 ,thy     disciples do   
that which is not lawful to do upon the 
,sabbath day4 #c4 ,but he said unto     
them1 ,have ye not read     what ,david 
did1 when he was an hungred1 and they   
that     were with him2 #d4 ,how he     
entered into the house of ,god1     and 

did eat the shewbread1 which was not    
lawful for him     to eat1 neither for  
them which were with him1 but only      
for the priests6 #e4 ,or have ye not    
read in the law1 how     that on the    
,sabbath days the priests in the temple 
profane the ,sabbath1 and are blameless6
 #f4 ,but ,i say     unto you1 ,that in 
this place is one greater than the      
temple4 #g4 ,but if ye had known what   
this meaneth1 ,i     will have mercy1   
and not sacrifice1 ye would not have    
condemned the guiltless4 #h4 ,for the   
,son of ,man is ,lord     even of the   
,sabbath day #i4 ,and when he was       
departed     thence1 ,he went into their
 synagogue3 #aj4 ,and1 behold1     there
 was a man which had his hand withered4 
,and they     asked ,him1 saying1 ,is it
 lawful to heal on the ,sabbath         
days8 that they might accuse ,him4 #aa4 
,and ,he said unto     them1 ,what man  
shall there be among you1 that shall    
have     one sheep1 and if it fall into 
a pit on the ,sabbath day1     will he  

not lay hold on it1 and lift it out8    
#ab4 ,how     much then is a man better 
than a sheep8 ,wherefore it is          
lawful to do well on the ,sabbath days4 
#ac4 ,then saith     ,he to the man1    
,stretch forth thine hand4 ,and he      
stretched it forth2 and it was restored 
whole1 like as     the other4 #ad4 ,then
 the ,pharisees went out1 and held a    
counsel against ,him1 how they might    
destroy ,him4'     --,,matt4 xii4 #a-ad4
  ,we have had frequent occasion to     
point out that this ,gospel is          
constructed1 not on chronological1 but  
on logical lines4 ,it groups together   
incidents related in subject1 though    
separated in time4 ,thus we have the    
collection of ,christ's sayings in the  
,sermon on the ,mount1 followed by the  
collection of doings in chapters viii4  
and ix41 the collected charge to ,his   
ambassadors in chapter x41 the          
collection of instances illustrative of 
the relations of different classes to   
the message of the ,kingdom and its     

,king in chapter xi41 and now in this   
chapter a series of incidents setting   
forth the growing bitterness of         
antagonism on the part of the guardians 
of traditional and ceremonial religion4 
,this is followed1 in the next chapter1 
with a series of parables4  ,the present
 lesson includes two ,sabbath incidents1
 in the first of which the disciples are
 the transgressors of the sabbatic      
tradition2 in the second1 ,christ's own 
action is brought into question4 ,the   
scene of the first is in the fields1    
that of the second is in the synagogue4 
,in the one1 ,sabbath observance is set 
aside at the call of personal needs2 in 
the other1 at the call of another's     
calamity4 ,so the two correspond to the 
old ,puritan principle that the ,sabbath
 law allowed of 'works of necessity and 
of mercy4'  ,i4 ,the ,sabbath and       
personal needs4 ,this is a strange sort 
of ,king who cannot even feed ,his      
servants4 ,what a glimpse into the      
penury of their usual condition the     

quiet statement that the disciples were 
hungry gives us1 especially if we       
remember that it is not likely that the 
,master had fared better than they6     
,indeed1 ,his reference to ,david and   
his band of hungry heroes suggests that 
',he was an hungred' as well as 'they   
that were with ,him4' ,as they traversed
 some field path through the tall       
yellowing corn1 they gathered a few     
ears1 as the merciful provision of the  
law allowed1 and hastily began to eat   
the rubbed-out grains4 ,as soon as they 
'began1' the eager ,pharisees1 who seem 
to have been at their heels1 call ,him  
to 'behold' this dreadful crime1 which1 
they think1 requires ,his immediate     
remonstrance4 ,if they had had as sharp 
eyes for men's necessities as for their 
faults1 they might have given them food 
which it was 'lawful' to eat1 and so    
obviated this frightful iniquity4 ,but  
that is not the way of ,pharisees4      
,moses had not forbidden such gleaning1 
but the casuistry which had spun its    

multitudinous webs over the law1 hiding 
the gold beneath their dirty films1 had 
decided that plucking the ears was of   
the nature of reaping1 and reaping was  
work1 and work was forbidden1 which     
being settled1 of course the inferential
 prohibition became more important than 
the law from which it was deduced4 ,that
 is always the case with human          
conclusions from revelation2 and the    
more questionable these are1 the more   
they are loved by their authors1 as the 
sickly child of a family is the dearest4
  ,our ,lord does not question the      
authority of the tradition1 nor ask     
where ,moses had forbidden what ,his    
disciples were doing4 ,still less does  
,he touch the sanctity of the ,jewish   
,sabbath4 ,he accepts ,his questioners' 
position1 for the time1 and gives them a
 perfect answer on their own ground4    
,perhaps there may be just a hint in the
 double ',have ye not read8' that they  
could not produce ,scripture for their  
prohibition1 as ,he would do for the    

liberty which ,he allowed4 ,he quotes   
two instances in which ceremonial       
obligations gave way before higher law4 
,the first1 that of ,david and his      
followers eating the shew-bread1 which  
was tabooed to all but priests1 is      
perhaps chosen with some reference to   
the parallel between ,himself1 the true 
,king1 now unrecognised and hunted with 
,his humble followers1 and the fugitive 
outlaw with his band4 ,it is but a      
veiled allusion at most2 but1 if it fell
 on good soil1 it might have led some   
one to ask1 ',if this is ,david1 where  
is ,saul1 and where is ,doeg1 watching  
him to accuse him8' ,this example serves
 our ,lord's purpose of showing that    
even a divine prohibition1 if it relates
 to mere ceremonial matter1 melts1 like 
wax1 before even bodily necessities4    
,what a thrill of holy horror would meet
 the enunciation of the doctrine that   
such a carnal thing as hunger rightfully
 abrogated a sacred ritual proscription6
 ,the law of right is rigid2 that of    

external ceremonies is flexible4 ,better
 that a man should die than that the one
 should be broken2 better that the other
 should be flung to the winds than that 
a hungry man should go unfed4 ,it may   
reasonably be doubted whether all       
,christian communities have learned the 
sweep of that principle yet1 or so judge
 of the relative importance of keeping  
up their appointed forms of worship1 and
 of feeding their hungry brother4 ,the  
brave ,ahimelech1 'the son of ,ahitub1' 
was ahead of a good many people of      
to-day4  ,the second example comes still
 closer to the question in hand1 and    
supplies the reference to the ,sabbath  
law1 which the former had not4 ,there   
was much hard work done in the temple on
 the ,sabbath--sacrifices to be slain1  
fires and lamps to be kindled1 and so   
on4 ,that was not ,sabbath desecration4 
,why8 ,because it was done in the       
temple1 and as a part of divine service4
 ,the sanctity of the place1 and the    
consequent sanctity of the service1     

exempted it from the operation of the   
law4 ,the question1 no doubt1 was       
springing to the lips of some scowling  
,pharisee1 ',and what has that to do    
with our charge against your disciples8'
 when it was answered by the wonderful  
next words1 ',in this place'--here among
 the growing corn1 beneath the free     
heaven1 far away from ,jerusalem--'is   
one greater than the temple4' ,profound 
words1 which could only sound as        
blasphemy or nonsense to the hearers1   
but which touch the deepest truths      
concerning ,his person and ,his         
relations to men1 and which involve the 
destruction of all temples and rituals4 
,he is all that the temple symbolised4  
,in ,him the ,godhead really dwells2 ,he
 is the meeting-place of ,god and man1  
the place of the oracle1 the place of   
sacrifice4 ,then1 where ,he stands is   
holy ground1 and all work done with     
reference to ,him is worship4 ,these    
poor followers of ,his are priests2 and 
if1 for ,his sake1 they had broken a    

hundred ,sabbath regulations1 they were 
guiltless4  ,so far our ,lord has been  
answering ,his opponents2 now ,he       
attacks4 ,the quotation from ,hosea is  
often on ,his lips4 ,here ,he uses it to
 unmask the real motives of ,his        
assailants4 ,their murmuring came not   
from more religion1 but from less love4 
,if they had had a little more milk of  
human kindness in them1 it would have   
died on their lips2 if they had grasped 
the real meaning of the religion they   
professed1 they would have learned that 
its soul was 'mercy'--that is1 of       
course1 man's gentleness to man--and    
that sacrifice and ceremony were but the
 body1 the help1 and sometimes the      
hindrance1 of that soul4 ,they would    
have understood the relative importance 
of disposition and of external worship1 
as end and means1 and not have visited a
 mere breach of external order with a   
heat of disapprobation only warranted by
 a sin against the former4 ,their       
judgment would have been liker ,god's if

 they had looked at those poor hungry   
men with merciful eyes and with merciful
 hearts1 rather than with eager scrutiny
 that delighted to find them tripping in
 a triviality of outward observance4    
,what mountains of harsh judgment by    
,christ's own followers on each other   
would have been removed into the sea if 
the spirit of these great words had     
played upon them6  ,the 'for' at the    
beginning of verse #h seems to connect  
with the last words of the preceding    
verse1 ',i call them guiltless1 for1'   
etc4 ,it states more plainly still the  
claim already put forward in verse #f4  
',the ,son of ,man1' no doubt1 is       
equivalent to ',messiah'2 but it is     
more1 as revealing at once ,christ's    
true manhood and ,his unique and        
complete manhood1 in which the very     
ideal of man is personally realised4 ,it
 can never be detached from ,his other  
name1 the ',son of ,god4' ,they are the 
obverse and reverse of the same golden  
coin4 ,he asserts ,his power over the   

,sabbath1 as enjoined upon ,israel4 ,his
 is the authority which imposed it4 ,it 
is plastic in ,his hands4 ,the whole    
order of which it is part has its       
highest purpose in witnessing of ,him4  
,he brings the true 'rest4'  ,,ii4 ,the 
,sabbath1 and works of beneficence4     
,matthew appears to have brought        
together here two incidents which1      
according to ,luke1 were separated in   
time4 ,the scene changes to a synagogue1
 perhaps that of ,capernaum4 ,among the 
worshippers is a man with 'a withered   
hand1' who seems to have been brought   
there by the ,pharisees as a bait to try
 to draw out ,christ's compassion4 ,what
 a curious state of mind that was1--to  
believe that ,christ could work         
miracles1 and to want ,him to do one1   
not for pity's sake1 nor for            
confirmation of faith1 but to have      
material for accusing ,him6 ,and how    
heartlessly careless of the poor        
sufferer they are1 when they use him    
thus6 ,he for his part stands silent4   

,desire and faith have no part in       
evoking this miracle4 ,deadly hatred and
 calculating malignity ask for it1 and  
for once they get their wish4 ,having   
baited their hook1 and set the man with 
his shrunken hand full in view1 they get
 into their corners and wait the event4 
,matthew tells us that they ask our     
,lord the question which ,luke          
represents ,him as asking them4 ,perhaps
 we may say that ,he gave voice to the  
question which they were asking in their
 hearts4 ,their motive is distinctly    
given here4 ,they wanted material for a 
legal process before a local tribunal4  
,the whole thing was an attempt to get  
,jesus within the meshes of the law4    
,again1 as in the former case1 it is the
 traditional1 not the written1 law1     
which healing would have broken4 ,the   
question evidently implies that1 in the 
judgment of the askers1 healing was     
unlawful4 ,talmudical scholars tell us  
that in later days the rabbis differed  
on the point1 but that the prevalent    

opinion was1 that only sicknesses       
threatening immediate danger to life    
could lawfully be treated on the        
,sabbath4 ,the more rigid doctrine was  
obviously held by ,christ's questioners4
 ,it is a significant instance of the   
absurdity and cruelty which are possible
 when once religion has been made a     
matter of outward observance4 ,nothing  
more surely and completely ossifies the 
heart and blinds common sense4  ,in ,his
 former answer ,jesus had appealed to   
,scripture to bear out ,his teaching    
that ,sabbath observance must bend to   
personal necessities4 ,here ,he appeals 
to the natural sense of compassion to   
confirm the principle that it must give 
way to the duty of relieving others4    
,his question is as confident of an     
answer as the ,pharisees' had been4 ,but
 though ,he takes it for granted that   
,his hearers could only answer it in one
 way1 the microscopic and cold-blooded  
ingenuity of the rabbis1 since ,his day1
 answers it in another4 ,they say1      

',don't lift the poor brute out1 but    
throw in a handful of fodder1 and       
something for him to lie upon1 and let  
him be till next day4' ,a remarkable way
 of making 'thine ox and thine ass' keep
 the ,sabbath6 ,there is a delicacy of  
expression in the question2 the owner of
 'one sheep' would be more solicitous   
about it than if he had a hundred2 and  
our ,shepherd looks on all the millions 
of ,his flock with a heart as much      
touched by their sorrow and needs as if 
each were ,his only possession4 ,the    
question waits for no answer2 but       
,christ goes on 7as if there could be   
but one reply7 to ,his conclusion1 which
 ,he binds to ,his first question by    
another1 equally easy to answer4 ,man's 
superiority to animals makes his claim  
for help more imperative4 ',you would   
not do less for one another than for a  
sheep in a hole1 surely4' ,but the form 
in which our ,lord put ,his conclusive  
answer to the ,pharisees gives an       
unexpected turn to the reply4 ,he does  

not say1 ',it is lawful to heal1' but1  
',it is lawful to do well1' thus at once
 showing the true justification of      
healing1 namely1 that it was a          
beneficent act1 and widening the scope  
of ,his answer to cover a whole class of
 cases4 ',to do well' here means1 not to
 do right1 but to do good1 to benefit   
men4 ,the principle is a wide one3 the  
charitable succour of men's needs1 of   
whatever kind1 is congruous with the    
true design of that day of rest4 ,have  
the churches laid that lesson to heart8 
,on the whole1 it is to be observed that
 our ,lord here distinctly recognises   
the obligation of the ,sabbath1 that ,he
 claims power over it1 that ,he permits 
the pressure of one's own necessities   
and of others' need of help1 to modify  
the manner of its observance1 and that  
,he leaves the application of these     
principles to the spiritual insight of  
,his followers4  ,the cure which follows
 is done in a singular fashion4 ,without
 a whisper of request from the sufferer 

or any one else1 ,he heals him by a     
word4 ,his command has a promise in it1 
and ,he gives the power to do what ,he  
bids the man do4 ',give what ,thou      
commandest1' says ,st4 ,augustine1 'and 
command what ,thou wilt4' ,we get       
strength to obey in the act of          
obedience4 ,but beyond the possible     
symbolical significance of the mode of  
cure1 and beyond the revelation of      
,christ's power to heal by a word1 the  
manner of healing had a special reason  
in the very cavils of the ,pharisees4   
,not even they could accuse ,him of     
breaking any ,sabbath law by such a     
cure4 ,what had ,he done8 ,told the man 
to put out his hand4 ,surely that was   
not unlawful4 ,what had the man done8   
,stretched it forth4 ,surely that broke 
no subtle rabbinical precept4 ,so they  
were foiled at every turn1 driven off   
the field of argument1 and baffled in   
their attempt to find ground for laying 
an information against ,him4 ,but       
neither ,his gentle wisdom nor ,his     

healing power could reach these hearts1 
made stony by conceit and pedantic      
formalism2 and all that their contact   
with ,jesus did was to drive them to    
intenser hostility1 and to send them    
away to plot ,his death4 ,that is what  
comes of making religion a round of     
outward observances4 ,the ,pharisee is  
always blind as an owl to the light of  
,god and true goodness2 keen-sighted as 
a hawk for trivial breaches of his      
cobweb regulations1 and cruel as a      
vulture to tear with beak and claw4 ,the
 race is not extinct4 ,we all carry one 
inside us1 and need ,god's help to cast 
him out4     ,,an ,,attempt ,,to        
,,account ,,for ,,jesus       ',but when
 the ,pharisees heard it1 they said1    
,this man     doth not cast out demons1 
but by ,beelzebub1 the prince     of the
 demons4'--,,matt4 xii4 #bd4  ,mark's   
,gospel tells us that this astonishing  
explanation of ,christ and ,his work was
 due to the ingenious malice of an      
ecclesiastical deputation1 sent down    

from ,jerusalem to prevent the simple   
folk in ,galilee from being led away by 
this new ,teacher4 ,they must have been 
very hard put to it to explain          
undeniable but unwelcome facts1 when    
they hazarded such a preposterous       
theory4  ,formal religionists never know
 what to make of a man who is in        
manifest touch with the unseen4 ,these  
scribes1 like ,christ's other critics1  
judged themselves in judging ,him1 and  
bore witness to the very truths that    
they were eager to deny4 ,for this      
ridiculous explanation admits the       
miraculous1 recognises the impossibility
 of accounting for ,christ on any       
naturalistic hypothesis1 and by its very
 outrageous absurdity indicates that the
 only reasonable explanation of the     
facts is the admission of ,his divine   
message and authority4 ,so we may learn1
 even from such words as these1 how the 
glory of ,jesus ,christ shines1 though  
distorted and blurred1 through the fogs 
of prejudice and malice4  ,i4 ,note1    

then1 first1 the unwelcome and          
undeniable facts that insist upon       
explanation4  ,i have said that these   
hostile critics attest the reality of   
the miracles4 ,i know that it is not    
fashionable at present to attach much   
weight to the fact that none of all the 
enemies that saw them ever had a doubt  
about the reality of ,christ's miracles4
 ,i know quite well that in an age that 
believed in the possibility of the      
supernatural1 as this age does not1     
credence would be more easy1 and that   
such testimony is less valuable than if 
it had come from a jury of scientific   
twentieth century sceptics4 ,but ,i     
know1 on the other hand1 that for long  
generations the expectation of the      
miraculous had died out before ,christ  
came2 that ,his predecessor1 ,john the  
,baptist1 made no such claims2 and that1
 at first1 at all events1 there was no  
expectation of ,jesus working miracles1 
to lead to any initial ease of          
acceptance of ,his claims4 ,and ,i know 

that there were never sharper and more  
hostile eyes brought to bear upon any   
man and his work than the eyes of these 
ecclesiastical 'triers4' ,it would have 
been so easy and so triumphant a way of 
ending the whole business if they could 
have shown1 what they were anxious to be
 able to show1 that the miracle was a   
trick4 ,and so ,i venture to think that 
not without some weight is the          
attestation from the camp of the enemy1 
',this man casteth out demons4'  ,but   
you have to remember that amongst the   
facts to be explained is not only this  
one of ,christ's works having passed    
muster with ,his enemies1 but the other 
of ,his own reiterated and solemn claim 
to have the power of working what we    
call miracles4 ,now1 ,i wish to dwell on
 that for one moment1 because it is     
fashionable to put one's thumb upon it  
nowadays4 ,it is not unusual to         
eliminate from the ,gospel narrative all
 that side of it1 and then to run over  
in eulogiums about the rest4 ,but what  

we have to deal with is this fact1 that 
the ,man whom the world admits to be the
 consummate flower of humanity1 meek1   
sane1 humble1 who has given all         
generations lessons in self-abnegation  
and devotion1 claimed to be able to     
raise the dead1 to cast out demons1 and 
to do many wonderful works4 ,and though 
we should be misrepresenting the facts  
if we said that ,he did what ,his       
followers have too often been inclined  
to do1 i4e4 rested the stress of        
evidence upon that side of ,his work1   
yet it is an equal exaggeration in the  
other direction to do1 as so many are   
inclined to do to-day1 i4e4 disparage   
the miraculous evidence as no evidence  
at all4 ',go and tell ,john the things  
that ye see and hear1'--that is ,his own
 answer to the question1 ',art ,thou ,he
 that should come8' ,and though ,i      
rejoice to believe that there are far   
loftier and more blessed answers to it  
than these outward signs and tokens1    
they are signs and tokens2 and they are 

part of the whole facts that have to be 
accounted for4  ,i would venture to     
widen the reference of my text for a    
moment1 and include not only the actual 
miracles of our ,lord's earthly life1   
but all the beneficent1 hallowing1      
elevating1 ennobling1 refining results  
which have followed upon the            
proclamation of ,his truth in the world 
ever since4 ,i believe1 as ,i think     
,scripture teaches me to believe1 that  
in the world today ,christ is working2  
and that it is a mistake to talk about  
the results of ',christianity1' meaning 
thereby some abstract system divorced   
from ,him4 ,it is the working of ,jesus 
,christ in the world that has brought   
'nobler manners1 purer laws'2 that has  
given a new impulse and elevation to art
 and literature2 that has lifted the    
whole tone of society2 that has         
suppressed ancient evils2 that has      
barred the doors of old temples of      
devildom1 of lust1 and cruelty1 and     
vice2 and that is still working in the  

world for the elevation and the deifying
 of humanity4 ,and ,i claim the whole   
difference between ',b4,c4 and          
,a4,d4'--the whole difference between   
,christendom and ,heathendom--as being  
the measure of the continuous power with
 which ,jesus ,christ has grappled with 
and throttled the snakes that have      
fastened on men4 ,that continuous       
operation of ,his in delivering from the
 powers of evil has1 indeed1 not yielded
 such results as might have been        
expected4 ,but just as on earth ,he was 
hindered in the exercise of ,his        
supernatural power by men's unbelief1 so
 that ',he could do no mighty works1    
save that ,he laid ,his hands on a few  
sick folk' here and there1 'and healed  
them1' so ,he has been thwarted by ,his 
,church1 and hindered in the world1 from
 manifesting the fulness of ,his power4 
,but yet1 sorrowfully admitting that1   
and taking as deserved the scoffs of the
 men that say1 ',your ,christianity does
 not seem to do so very much after all1'

 ,i still venture to allege that its    
record is unique2 and that these are    
facts which wise men ought to take into 
account1 and have some fairly plausible 
way of explaining4  ,,ii4 ,secondly1    
note the preposterous explanation4      
',this man doth not cast out demons1 but
 by ,beelzebub1 the prince of the       
demons4' ,that is the last resort of    
prejudice so deep that it will father an
 absurdity rather than yield to         
evidence4 ,and ,christ has no difficulty
 in putting it aside1 as you may        
remember1 by a piece of common sense3   
',if ,satan cast out ,satan1 he is      
divided against himself1 and his kingdom
 cannot stand4' ,there is an old play   
which has for its title1 ,the ,devil as 
an ,ass4 ,he is not such an ass as that1
 to build up with one hand and cast down
 with the other4 ,as the proverb has it1
 ',hawks do not pick out hawks' eyes4'  
,but this plainly hopeless attempt to   
account for ,christ and ,his work may be
 turned into a witness for both1 and    

yield not unimportant lessons4  ,this   
explanation witnesses to the            
insufficiency of all explanations which 
omit the supernatural4 ,these men felt  
that they had to do with a ,man who was 
in touch with a whole world of unseen   
powers2 and that they had here to deal  
with something to which ordinary        
measuring lines were palpably           
inapplicable4 ,and so they fell back    
upon 'by ,beelzebub'2 and they thereby  
admitted that humanity without something
 more at the back of it never made such 
a man as that4 ,and ,i beg you to lay   
that to heart4 ,it is very easy to solve
 an insoluble problem if you begin by   
taking all the insoluble elements out of
 it4 ,and that is how a great deal of   
modern thinking does with ,christianity4
 ,knock out all the miracles2 pooh-pooh 
all ,christ's claims2 say nothing about 
,incarnation2 declare ,resurrection to  
be entirely unhistorical1 and you will  
not have much difficulty in accounting  
for the rest2 and it will not be worth  

the accounting for4 ,but here is the    
thing to be dealt with1 that whole life1
 the ,christ of the ,gospels4 ,and ,i   
venture to say that any explanation     
professing to account for ,him which    
leaves out ,his coming from an unseen   
world1 and ,his possession of powers    
above this world of sense and nature1 is
 ludicrously inadequate4 ,suppose you   
had a chain which for thousands of years
 had been winding on to a drum1 and link
 after link had been rough iron1 and all
 at once there comes one of pure gold1  
would it be reasonable to say that it   
had been dug from the same mine1 and    
forged in the same fires1 as its black  
and ponderous companions8 ,generation   
after generation has passed across the  
earth1 each begetting sons after its own
 likeness2 and lo6 in the midst of them 
starts up one sinless ,man4 ,is it      
reasonable to say that ,he is the       
product of the same causes which have   
produced all the millions1 and never    
another like ,him8 ,surely to account   

for ,jesus without the supernatural is  
hopeless4  ,further1 this explanation   
may be taken as an instance showing the 
inadequacy of all theories and          
explanations of ,christ and             
,christianity from an unbelieving point 
of view4 ,it was the first attempt of   
unbelievers to explain where ,christ's  
power came from4 ,like all first        
attempts1 it was crude1 and it has been 
amended and refined since4 ,earlier     
generations did not hesitate to call the
 ,apostles liars1 and ,christ's         
contemporaries did not hesitate to call 
,him 'this deceiver4' ,we have got      
beyond that2 but we still are met by    
explanations of the power of the ,gospel
 and of ,christ1 its subject and        
,author1 which trace these to ignoble   
elements1 and do not shrink from        
asserting that a blunder or a           
hallucination lies at the foundation4   
,now1 ,i am not going to enter upon     
these matters at any length1 but ,i     
would just recall to you our ,lord's    

broad1 simple principle3 ',a corrupt    
tree cannot bring forth good fruit1     
neither doth a good tree bring forth    
evil fruit4' ,and ,i would apply that   
all round4 ,christian teachers have     
often made great mistakes1 as it seems  
to me1 by tracing the prevalence of the 
power of some heathen religions to their
 vices and lies4 ,no system has ever had
 great moral power in this world but by 
reason of its excellences and truths4   
,mohammedanism1 for instance1 swept     
away1 and rightly1 a mere formal        
superstition which called itself        
,christianity1 because it grasped the   
one truth3 ',there is no ,god but ,god'2
 and it had faith of a sort4            
,monasticism held the field in ,europe1 
with all its faults1 for centuries1     
because it enshrined the great          
,christian truth of self-sacrifice and  
absolute obedience4 ,and you may take it
 as a fixed rule1 that howsoever some   
'mixture of falsehood doth ever please1'
 as ,bacon says1 in his cynical way1 the

 reason for the power of any great      
movement has been the truth that was in 
it and not the lie2 and the reason why  
great men have exercised influence has  
been their greatness and their goodness1
 and not their smallnesses and their    
vices4  ,i apply that all round1 and ,i 
ask you to apply it to ,christianity2   
and in the light of such plain          
principles to answer the question3      
',where did this ,man1 so fair1 so      
radiant1 so human and yet so superhuman1
 so universal and yet so                
individual--where did ,he come from8 and
 where did the ,gospel1 which flows from
 ,him1 and which has done such things in
 the world as it has done--where did it 
come from8 ',do men gather grapes of    
thorns1 or figs of thistles8' ,if it is 
true that ,jesus ,christ is either      
mistakenly represented in the ,gospels1 
or that ,he made enthusiastic claims    
which cannot be verified2 and if it is  
true that the faith in a ,resurrection  
on which ,christianity is suspended1 and

 which has produced such fruits as we   
know have been produced1 is a delusion2 
then all ,i can say is that the noblest 
lives that ever were lived in the world 
have found their impulse in a falsehood 
or a dream2 and that the richest        
clusters that ever have yielded wine for
 the cup have grown upon a thorn4 ,if   
like produces like1 you cannot account  
for ,christ and ,christianity by        
anything short of the belief in ,his    
,divine mission4 ,serpents' eggs do not 
hatch out into doves4 ,this ,man1 when  
,he claimed to be ,god's ,son and the   
world's ,saviour1 was no brain-sick     
enthusiast2 and the results show that   
the ,gospel which ,his followers        
proclaim rests upon no lie4  ,again1    
this explanation is an instance of the  
credulity of unbelief4 ,think of the    
mental condition which could swallow    
such an explanation of such a ,worker   
and such work4 ,it is more difficult to 
believe the explanation than the        
alternative which it is framed to       

escape4 ,so it is always4 ,the          
difficulties of faith are small by      
comparison with those of unbelief1 gnats
 beside camels1 and that that is so is  
plain from the short duration of each   
unbelieving explanation of ,jesus4 ,one 
can remember in the compass of one's own
 life more than one assailant taking the
 field with much trumpeting and         
flag-waving1 whose attack failed and is 
forgotten4 ,the child's story tells of a
 giant who determined to slay his enemy1
 and belaboured an empty bed with his   
club all night1 and found his foe       
untouched and fresh in the morning4 ,the
 ,gospel is here2 what has become of its
 assailants8 ,they are gone1 and the    
limbo into which the scribes' theory has
 passed will receive all the others4 ,so
 we may be quite patient1 and sure that 
the sieve of time1 which is slowly and  
constantly working1 will riddle out all 
the rubbish1 and cast it on the dunghill
 where so many exploded theories rot    
forgotten4  ,,iii4 ,and now1 one word   

about the last point2 and that is--the  
true explanation4  ,now1 at this stage  
of my sermon1 ,i must not be tempted to 
say a word about the light which our    
,lord throws1 in these declarations in  
the context1 into that dim unseen world4
 ,his words seem to me to be too solemn 
and didactic to be taken as             
accommodations to popular prejudice1 and
 a great deal too grave to be taken as  
mere metaphor4 ,and ,i1 for my part1 am 
not so sure that1 apart from ,him1 ,i   
know all things in heaven and earth1 as 
to venture to put aside these solemn    
words of ,his--which lift a corner of   
the veil which hides the unseen--and to 
dismiss them as unworthy of notice4 ,is 
it not a strange thing that a world     
which is so ready to believe in         
spiritual communications when they are  
vouched for by a newspaper editor1 is so
 unwilling to believe them when they are
 in the ,bible8 ,and is it not a strange
 thing that scientists1 who are always  
taunting ,christians with the importance

 they attach to man in the plan of the  
universe1 and ask if all these starry   
orbs were built for him1 should be so   
incredulous of teachings which fill the 
waste places with loftier beings8 ,but  
that is by the way4  ,what does ,christ 
say in the context8 ,he tells the secret
 of ,his power4 ',i1 by the ,spirit of  
,god1 cast out demons4' ,and then ,he   
goes on to speak about a conflict that  
,he wages with a strong man2 and about  
,his binding the strong man1 and        
spoiling his house4 ,all which1 being   
turned into modern language1 is just    
this1 that the ,lord1 by ,his           
incarnation1 life1 death1 resurrection1 
ascension1 and government at the right  
hand of ,god1 has broken the powers of  
evil in their central hold4 ,he has     
crushed the serpent's head2 and though  
,he may still1 as ,milton puts it1      
'swinge the scaly horror of his folded  
tail1' it is but the flurries of the    
dying brute4 ,the conquering heel is    
firm on his head4 ,so1 brethren1 evil is

 conquered1 and ,christ is the          
,conqueror2 and by ,his work in life and
 death ,he has delivered them that were 
held captive of the devil4 ,and you and 
,i may1 if we will1 pass into 'the      
liberty wherewith ,christ has made us   
free4'  ,that is the only explanation of
 ,him--in ,his person1 in ,his          
character1 in ,his work1 and in the     
effects of that work in the world--that 
covers all the facts1 and will hold     
water4 ,all others fail1 and they mostly
 fail by boldly eliminating the very    
facts that need to be accounted for4    
,let us rather look to ,him1 thankful   
that our ,brother has conquered2 and let
 us put our trust in that ,saviour4     
,for1 if ,his explanation is true1 then 
a very solemn personal consideration    
arises for each of us1 ',if ,i1 by the  
,spirit of ,god1 cast out demons1 then  
the ,kingdom of ,god is come unto you1' 
it stands beside us2 it calls for our   
obedience4 ,jesus ,christ1 and ,jesus   
,christ alone1 can cast the evils out of

 our natures4 ,it is the ,incarnate     
,christ1 the ,divine ,christ1 the       
crucified ,christ1 the ascended ,christ1
 the indwelling ,christ1 who will so    
fill our hearts that there shall be no  
aching voids there to invite the return 
of the expelled tyrants4 ,if any other  
reformation pass upon us than the       
thorough one of receiving ,him by faith 
into our hearts1 then1 though they may  
be swept and garnished1 they will be    
empty2 and the demons will come back4   
,with ,jesus inside--they will be       
outside4     ',,make ,,the ,,tree       
,,good'       '444 ,make the tree good1 
and his fruit good4444'     --,,matt4   
xii4 #cc4  ,in this ,gospel we find that
 our ,lord twice uses this image of a   
tree and its fruit4 ,in the ,sermon on  
the ,mount ,he applies it as a test to  
false teachers1 who hide1 beneath the   
wool of the sheep's clothing1 the fangs 
and paws of ravening wolves4 ,he says1  
',by their deeds ye shall know them2 for
 as is the tree so is its fruit4' ,that 

is a rough and ready test1 which applies
 rather to the teacher than to his      
doctrine1 but it applies1 to some       
extent1 to the doctrine too1 on the     
hypothesis that the teacher's life      
fairly represents it4 ,of course1 it is 
not the only thing that we have to take 
into account2 but it may prick many a   
bladder1 and unmask many an error1 and  
it is the way by which the masses       
generally judge of systems and of their 
apostles4 ,a saintly life has more power
 than dusty volumes of controversy4     
,but in our text ,christ applies the    
same thoughts in rather a deeper        
fashion4 ,here the lesson that ,he would
 have us draw is of the connection      
between character and conduct2 how what 
we do is determined by what we are1 and 
how1 not of course with the same        
absolute regularity and constancy1 but  
still somewhat in the same fashion as   
the fruit is true to the tree1 so1 after
 all allowance made for ups and downs1  
for the irregular play of will and      

conscience1 for the strife that is waged
 within a man1 for the temptations of   
external circumstances1 and the         
like--still1 in general1 as is the inner
 man1 so is the outward manifestation4  
,the facts of a life are important      
mainly as registering and making visible
 the inner condition of the doer4 ,now1 
that seems very elementary4 ,everybody  
believes that 'out of the heart are the 
issues of life1' as a wise man said long
 ago1 but it is one of the truths that1 
if grasped and worked into our          
consciousness1 and out in our lives1    
would do much to revolutionise them4    
,and so1 though it is a very old story1 
and though we all admit it1 ,i wish now 
to come face to face with the           
consequences of this thought1 that      
behind action lies character1 and that  
,doing is the second step1 and ,being is
 the first4  ,i4 ,i would ask you to    
notice how here we are confronted with  
the great problem for every man4  ',make
 the tree good4' ,it takes a good man to

 do good things4 ,so how shallow is all 
that talk1 'do1 do1 do1' this1 that1 and
 the other thing4 ,all right1 but be2   
that is the first thing2 or1 as ,christ 
said1 ',make the tree good1 and the     
fruit' will take care of itself4 ,so do 
you not see how1 if that is true about  
us1 we are each brought full front up to
 this1 ',am ,i trying to make my tree   
good8 ,and what kind of success am ,i   
having in the attempt8' ,the water that 
rises from some spring will bring up    
with it1 in solution1 a trace of a bed  
of salt through which it has come1 and  
of all the minerals in the soil through 
which it has passed4 ,and as its        
sparkling waters come out into the      
light1 if one could analyse them        
completely1 one might register a        
geological section of the strata through
 which it has risen4 ,so1 our acts bear 
in them a revelation of all the hidden  
beds through which they have risen2 and 
sometimes they are bitter and salt1 but 
they are always true to the self whose  

apocalypse they are to the world1 or at 
all events to ,god4  ,therefore1        
brethren1 ,i have to urge this1 that we 
shall not be doing our true work as men 
and women1 if we are simply trying to   
better our actions1 important as these  
are4 ,by this saying the centre of      
gravity is shifted1 and in one aspect1  
the deeds are made less important4 ,the 
condition of the hidden man of the heart
 is the all-important thing4 ,christ's  
word comes to each of us as the briefest
 statement of all that it is our highest
 duty and truest wisdom to aim at in    
life--',make the tree good4'  ,if you   
have ever tried it honestly1 and have   
not been contented with the superficial 
cleaning up of outsides1 which consists 
in shifting the dirt into another place 
only1 not in getting rid of it1 ,i know 
what met you almost as soon as you      
began1 like some great black rock that  
rises in a mountain-pass1 and forbids   
all farther advance--the consciousness  
that you were not good met you4 ,i am   

not going to talk theological           
technicalities4 ,never mind about       
phrases--they have been the ruin of a   
great deal of earnest preaching--call it
 what you like1 here is a fact1 that    
whenever a man sets himself1 with       
anything like resolute determination and
 rigid self-examination1 to the task of 
getting himself right1 he finds that he 
is wrong4 ,that being the case1 each of 
us has to deal with a tremendous        
problem2 and the more earnestly and     
honestly we try to deal with it1 the    
more we shall feel how grave it is4 ,you
 can cure a great deal1 ,i know4 ,god   
forbid that ,i should say one word that 
seems to deny a man's power to do much  
in the direction of self-improvement1   
but after all that is done1 again you   
are brought short up on this fact1 the  
testimony of conscience4 ,and so ,i see 
men labouring at a task as vain as that 
of those who would twist the sands into 
ropes1 according to the old fable4 ,i   
see men seeking after higher perfection 

of purity than they will ever attain4   
,that is the condition of us all1 of    
course1 for our ideal must always outrun
 our realisation1 else we may as well   
lie down and die4 ,but there is a       
difference between the imperfect        
approximation1 which we feel to be      
imperfect1 and yet feel to be           
approximation1 and the despairing       
consciousness1 that ,i am sure a great  
many of my audience have had1 more or   
less1 that ,i have a task set for me    
that is far beyond my strength4 ',talk  
about making the tree good6 ,i cannot do
 it4' ,so men fold their hands1 and the 
foiled endeavour begets despair4 ,or1 as
 is the case with some of you1 it begets
 indifference1 and you do not care to   
try any more1 because you have tried so 
often1 and have made nothing of it4     
,there is the problem1 how 'make the    
tree good1' the tree being bad1 or1 at  
all events1 if you do not like that     
broad statement1 the tree having an     
element of badness1 if ,i may so say1 in

 and amongst any goodness that it has4  
,i do not care which of the two forms of
 statement you take1 the fact remains   
the same4  ,,ii4 ,note the universal    
failure to solve the problem4  ',make   
the tree good4'  ,yes4 ,and there are a 
whole set of would-be arboriculturists  
who tell you they will do it if you will
 trust to them4 ,let us look at them4   
,first comes one venerable personage4   
,he says1 ',i am ,law1 and ,i prescribe 
this1 and ,i forbid that1 and ,i show   
reward and punishment1 and ,i tell      
you--be a good man4' ,well6 what then8  
,it is not for want of telling that men 
are bad4 ,the worst man in the world    
knows his duty a great deal more than   
the best man in the world does it4 ,and 
whether it is the law of the land1 or   
whether it is the law of society1 or the
 law written in ,scripture1 or the law  
written in a man's own heart1 they all  
come under the same fatal disability4   
,they tell us what to do1 and they do   
not put out a finger to help us to do   

it4 ,a lame man does not get to the city
 because he sees a guide-post at the    
turning which tells him which road to   
take4 ,the people who do not believe in 
certain modern agitations about the     
restrictions of the liquor traffic say1 
',you cannot make people sober by ,act  
of ,parliament1' which is absolutely    
true1 although it does not bear1 ,i     
think1 the inference that they would    
draw from it1 and it just puts into a   
rough form the fatal weakness of this   
would-be gardener and improver of the   
nature of the trees4 ,he tells us our   
duty1 and there an end4  ,do you        
remember how the ,apostle put the       
weakness of law in words1 the antique   
theological terminology of which should 
not prevent us from seeing the large    
truth in them8 ',if there had been a law
 given which could have given life1 then
 righteousness should have been by the  
law1' which being translated into modern
 ,english is just this1 ,if ,law could  
impart a power to obey its behests1 then

 it is all that we want to make us      
right4 ,but until it can do that it     
fails in two points4 ,it deals with     
conduct1 and we need to have character  
dealt with2 and it does not lift the    
burden that it lays on me with one of   
its fingers4 ,so we may rule ,law out of
 court4  ,and then comes another1 and he
 says1 ',i am ,culture1 and intellectual
 acquirement2 or my name is ,education1 
and ,i am going to make the tree good in
 the most scientific fashion1 because   
what makes men bad is that they do not  
know1 and if they only knew they would  
do the right4' ,now1 ,i thoroughly      
believe that education diminishes crime4
 ,i believe it weans from certain forms 
of evil4 ,i believe that1 other things  
being equal1 an educated man1 with his  
larger interests and his cultivated     
tastes1 has a certain fastidiousness    
developed which keeps him from being so 
much tempted by the grosser forms of    
transgression4 ,i believe that very     
largely you will empty your gaols in    

proportion as you fill your schools4    
,and let no man say that ,i am an       
obscurantist1 or that ,i am indifferent 
to the value of education and the       
benefits of intellectual culture1 when  
,i declare that all these may be        
attained1 and the nature of the tree    
remain exactly what it was4 ,you may    
prune1 you may train along the wall1 you
 may get bigger fruit1 you will not get 
better fruit4 ,did you ever hear the    
exaggerated line that describes one of  
the pundits of science as 'the greatest1
 wisest1 meanest of mankind'8 ,the plain
 fact is that the cultivation of the    
understanding has little to do with the 
purifying of the depths of the heart4   
,and then comes another1 and says1 ',i  
am the genius of ,beauty and ,art4 ,and 
my recipe is pictures and statues1 and  
all that will refine the mind1 and lift 
the taste4' ,that is the popular gospel 
of this day1 in a great many quarters4  
,yes1 and have we never heard of a      
period in ,european history which was1  

as they call it1 'the ,renaissance' of  
art and the death of morality8 ,do we   
not know that side by side there have   
been cultivated in all ages1 and are    
being cultivated to-day1 the most       
exclusive devotion to the beauty that   
can be expressed by art1 and the most   
intense indifference to the beauty of   
holiness8 ,ah6 brethren1 it wants       
something far deeper-going than pictures
 to purge the souls of men4 ,and whilst1
 as before1 ,i thankfully acknowledge   
the refining influence of this new cult1
 ,i would protest against the absurdity 
of putting it upon a pedestal as the    
guide and elevator of corrupted         
humanity4  ,and then come others1 and   
they say1 ',environment is the thing    
that is to blame for it all4 ,how can   
you get decent lives in the slums8' ,no1
 ,i know you cannot2 and ,god bless     
every effort made to get the people out 
of the slums1 ,i say4 ,only do not let  
us exaggerate4 ,you cannot change a man1
 as deeply as we need to be changed1 by 

any change of his circumstances4 ',take 
the bitter tree1' as ,i remember an old 
,jewish saying has it1 'take the bitter 
tree and plant it in ,eden1 and water it
 with the rivers there2 and let the     
angel ,gabriel be the gardener1 and the 
tree will still bear bitter fruit4' ,are
 all the people who live in good houses 
good8 ,will a 'living wage'--eight      
shillings a day and eight hours'        
play--will these change a man's         
character8 ,will these go deep enough   
down to touch the springs of evil8 ,you 
cannot alter the nature of a set of     
objects by arranging them in different  
shapes1 parallelograms1 or squares1 or  
circles1 or any others4 ,as long as you 
have the elements that are in human     
nature to deal with1 you may do as you  
like about the distribution of wealth1  
and the relation of ,capital to ,labour1
 and the various cognate questions which
 are all included in the vague word     
,socialism2 and human nature will be too
 strong for you1 and you will have the  

old mischiefs cropping out again4       
,brethren1 you cannot put out ,vesuvius 
by bringing to bear on it the squirts of
 all the fire engines in creation4 ,the 
water will go up in steam1 and do little
 or nothing to extinguish the fire4 ,and
 whilst ,i would thankfully help in all 
these other movements1 and look for     
certain limited results of good from    
them1 ,i1 for my part1 believe1 and     
therefore ,i am bound to declare1 that  
neither singly1 nor all of them in      
combination1 will they ever effect the  
change on human nature which ,jesus     
,christ regarded as the only possible   
means for securing that human nature    
should bear good fruit4  ,for1 if there 
were no other reason1 there are two     
plain ones which ,i only touch4 ,god is 
the source of all good1 of all creatural
 purity as well as all creatural        
blessedness4 ,and if a life has a blank 
wall turned to ,him1 and has cut itself 
off from ,him1 ,i do not care how you   
educate it1 fill it full of science1    

plunge it into an atmosphere of art1    
make the most perfect arrangements for  
social and economical and political     
circumstances1 that soul is cut off from
 the possibility of good1 because it is 
cut off from the fontal source of all   
good4 ,and there is another reason which
 is closely connected with this1 and    
that is that the true bitter tang in us 
all is self-centring regard4 ,that is   
the mother-tincture that1 variously     
coloured and compounded1 makes in all   
the poisonous element that we call sin1 
and until you get something that will   
cast that evil out of a man's heart1 you
 may teach and refine and raise him and 
arrange things for him as you like1 and 
you will not master the source of all   
wrong and corrupt fruit4  ,,iii4        
,lastly1 let me say a word about the    
triumphant solution4  ,law says1 ',make 
the tree good1' and does not try to do  
it4 ,christ said1 ',make the tree good1'
 and proceeds to do it4 ,and how does   
,he do it8  ,he does it by coming to us2

 to every soul of man on the earth1 and 
offering1 first1 forgiveness for all the
 past4 ,i do not know that amongst all  
the bonds by which evil holds a poor    
soul that struggles to get away from it1
 there is one more adamantine and       
unyielding than the consciousness that  
the past is irrevocable1 and that 'what 
,i have written ,i have written1' and   
never can blot out4 ,but ,jesus ,christ 
deals with that consciousness4 ,it is   
true that 'whatsoever a man soweth that 
shall he also reap1' and the ,christian 
doctrine of forgiveness does not        
contradict that solemn truth1 but it    
assures us that ,god's heart is not     
turned away from us1 notwithstanding the
 past1 and that we can write the future 
better1 and break altogether the fatal  
bond that decrees1 apart from ,him1 that
 'to-morrow shall be as this day1 and   
much more abundant1' and that past sin  
shall beget a progeny of future sins4   
,that fruitfulness of sin is at an end1 
if we take ,christ for our ,saviour4    

,he makes the tree good in another      
fashion still2 for the very centre1 as  
it seems to me1 of the ,gospel of ,jesus
 ,christ is that into our spirits ,he   
will breathe a new life kindred with    
,his own1 a new nature which is free    
from the law and bonds of past sin1 and 
of present and future death4 ,the tree  
is made good because ,he makes those who
 believe in ,him 'new creatures in      
,christ ,jesus4' ,now1 do not turn away 
and say that that is mysticism4 ,be it  
mysticism or not1 it is ,god's truth4   
,it is the truth of the ,christian      
,revelation1 that faith in ,jesus       
,christ puts a new nature into any man1 
however sinful he may have been1 and    
however deep the marks of the fetters   
may have been upon his limbs4  ,christ  
makes the tree good in yet another      
fashion1 because ,he brings to the      
reinforcement of the new life which ,he 
imparts the mightiest motives1 and sways
 by love1 which leads to the imitation  
of the ,beloved1 which leads to         

obedience to the ,beloved1 which leads  
to shunning as the worst of evils       
anything that would break the communion 
with the ,beloved1 and which is in      
itself the decentralising of the sinful 
soul from its old centre1 and the making
 of ,christ the ,beloved the centre     
round which it moves1 and from which it 
draws radiance and light and motion4 ,by
 all these methods1 and many more that  
,i cannot dwell upon now1 the problem is
 triumphantly solved by ,christianity4  
,the tree is made good1 and 'instead of 
the briar shall come up the myrtle      
tree4'  ,you may say1 ',that is all very
 well in theory4 ,what about the        
practice8 ,i do not see such a mighty   
difference between you ,christians and  
us4' ,well1 for myself and my brethren1 
,i accept the rebuke4 ,there is not such
 a difference as there ought to be4 ,but
 do you know why8 ,not because our great
 ,gardener cannot change the nature of  
the plant1 but because we do not submit 
ourselves to ,his power as we ought to  

do4 ,debit us with as many imperfections
 and inconsistencies as you like1 do not
 lay them to the charge of ,christ4     
,and yet we are willing to accept the   
test of ,christianity which lies in its 
power to change men4 ,i point to the    
persecutor on the road to ,damascus4 ,i 
point to the ,bedfordshire tinker1 to   
him that wrote ,pilgrim's ,progress4 ,i 
point to the history of the ,christian  
,church all down through the ages4 ,i   
point to our mission fields to-day4 ,i  
point to every mission hall1 where      
earnest1 honest men are working1 and    
where1 if you go and ask them1 they will
 let you see people lifted from the very
 depths of degradation and sin1 and made
 honest1 sober1 respectable1            
hard-working1 though not very           
intelligent or refined1 ,christian      
people4 ,i suppose that there is no man 
in an official position like mine who   
cannot look back over his ministry and  
remember1 some of them dozens1 some of  
them scores1 some of them hundreds1 of  

cases in which the change was made on   
the most hopeless people1 by the simple 
acceptance of the simple gospel1        
',christ died for me1 and ,christ lives 
in me4' ,i know that ,i can recall such1
 and ,i am sure that my brethren can4   
,people who are not ,christians talk    
glibly about the failure of             
,christianity to transform men4 ,they   
have never seen the transformations     
because they have never put themselves  
in the way of seeing them4 ,they are    
being worked to-day2 they might be      
worked here and now4  ,try the power of 
the ,gospel for yourselves4 ,you cannot 
make the tree good1 but you can let     
,jesus ,christ do it4 ,the ,ethiopian   
cannot change his skin1 nor the leopard 
his spots1 but ,jesus can do both4 ',the
 lion shall eat straw like the ox4' ,it 
is weary work to be tinkering at your   
acts4 ,take the comprehensive way1 and  
let ,him change your character4 ,i      
believe that in some processes of       
dyeing1 a piece of cloth1 prepared with 

a certain liquid1 is plunged into a vat 
full of dye-stuffs of one colour1 and is
 taken out tinged of another4 ,the soul1
 wet with the waters of repentance1 and 
plunged into the ',fountain opened for  
sin and for uncleanness1' the crimson   
fountain of the blood of ,christ1       
emerges 'whiter than snow4' ,let ,him   
'make the tree good and fruit will be   
good1' for if not we shall be 'hewn down
 and cast into the fire1' because we    
cannot bear any fruit unto holiness1 nor
 can the end be everlasting life4       
',a ,,greater ,,than ,,jonas'       ',a 
greater than ,jonas is here4'--,,matt4  
xii4 #da4  ,there never was any man in  
his right mind1 still more of influence 
on his fellows1 who made such claims as 
to himself in such unmistakable language
 as ,jesus ,christ does4 ,to say such   
things of oneself as come from ,his lips
 is a sign of a weak1 foolish nature4   
,it is fatal to all influence1 to all   
beauty of character4 ,it is not only    
that ,he claims official attributes as a

 fanatical or dishonest pretender to    
inspiration may do4 ,he does that1 but  
,he does more--,he declares ,himself    
possessed of virtues which1 if a man    
said he had them1 it would be the best  
proof that he did not possess them and  
did not know himself4 ',i am the way and
 the truth and the life4' ',i am the    
light of the world'--a 'greater than the
 temple1' a greater than ,jonah1 a      
'greater than ,solomon1' and then withal
 ',i am meek and lowly of heart4' ,and  
the world believes ,him1 and says1 ,yes6
 it is true4  ,these three comparisons  
of ,jesus with ,temple1 ,jonas1 and     
,solomon1 carry great claims and great  
lessons4 ,by the first ,jesus asserts   
that ,he is in reality all that the     
,temple was in shadowy symbol1 and sets 
,himself above ritual1 sacrifices1 and  
priests4 ,by the second he asserts ,his 
superiority not only to one prophet but 
to them all4 ,by the third ,he asserts  
,his superiority to ,solomon1 whom the  
,jews reverenced as the bright1         

consummate flower of kinghood4  ,now we 
may take this comparison as giving us   
positive thoughts about our ,lord4 ,the 
points of comparison may be taken to be 
three1 with ,jonah as one of an order1  
with ,jonah in his personal character as
 a servant of ,god1 with ,jonah as a    
prophet charged with a special work4    
,i4 ,the prophets and the ,son4  ,the   
whole prophetic order may fairly be     
taken as included here4 ,and over       
against all these august and venerable  
names1 the teachers of wisdom1 the      
speakers of the oracles of ,god1 this   
,nazarene peasant stands there before   
,pharisees and ,scribes1 and asserts    
,his superiority4 ,it is either the most
 insane arrogance of self-assertion1 or 
it is a sober truth4 ,if it be true that
 self-consciousness is ever the disease 
of the soul1 and that the religious     
teacher who begins to think of himself  
is lost1 how marvellous is this         
assertion6  ,compare it with ,paul's1   
',unto me who am less than the least of 

all saints'--',i am not a whit behind   
the chief of the ,apostles'--'though ,i 
be nothing'--',not ,i1 but ,christ in   
me4' ,and yet this is meekness1 for it  
is infinite condescension in ,him to    
compare ,himself with any son of man4   
7a7 ,the contrast is suggested between  
the prophets and the theme of the       
prophets4  ',the testimony of ,jesus is 
the spirit of prophecy4' ,though        
undoubtedly the prophet order had other 
work than prediction to do1 yet the soul
 of their whole work was the            
announcement of the ,messiah4  ,in      
testimony whereof1 ,elijah1 who was     
traditionally the chief of the prophets1
 stood beside ,jesus on the ,mount of   
,transfiguration1 and passed away as    
lost in ,his light4  7b7 ,the contrast  
is suggested between the recipients of  
the word of ,god and the ,word of ,god4 
,the relation of the prophets to their  
message is contrasted with ,his who was 
the ,truth1 who not merely received1 but
 was1 the ,word of ,god4  ,there is     

nothing in ,christ's teaching to show   
that ,he was conscious of standing in a 
human relation to the truths which ,he  
spoke4 ,his own personality is ever     
present in ,his teaching instead of     
being suppressed--as in all the         
prophets4 ,his own personality is ,his  
teaching1 for ,his revelation is by     
being as much as by saying4 ,similarly1 
,his miracles are done by ,his own      
power4  7c7 ,the contrast is suggested  
between the partial teacher of ,god's   
,name and the complete revealer of it4  
,the foundation was laid by the         
prophets1 ,jesus ,christ ,himself being 
the chief corner stone 7,hebrews i4 #a74
  ,,ii4 ,the disobedient prophet and the
 perfect ,son4  ,jonah stands as the    
great example of human weakness in the  
chosen instruments of ,god's hand4      
,take the story--his shrinking from the 
message given him4 ,we know not why2 but
 perhaps from faint-hearted fear1 or    
from a sense of his unworthiness and    
unfitness for the task4 ,his own words  

about ,god as long-suffering seem to    
suggest another reason1 that he feared  
to go with a message of judgment which  
seemed to him so unlikely to be executed
 by the long-suffering ,god4 ,if so1    
then what made him recreant was not so  
much fear from personal motives as      
intellectual perplexity and imperfect   
comprehension of the ways of ,god4 ,then
 we hear of his pitiable flight with its
 absurdity and its wickedness4 ,then    
comes the prayer which shows him to have
 been right and true at bottom1 and     
teaches us that what makes a good man is
 not the absence of faults1 but the     
presence of love and longing after ,god4
 ,then we see the boldness of his       
mission4 ,then follows the reaction from
 that lofty height1 the petulance or    
whatever else it was with which he sees 
the city spared4 ,even the mildest      
interpretation cannot acquit him of much
 disregard for the poor souls whom he   
had brought to repentance1 and of       
dreadful carelessness for the life and  

happiness of his fellows4  ,now ,jonah's
 behaviour is but a specimen of the     
vacillations1 the alternations of       
feeling which beset every man2 the      
loftiest1 the truest1 the best4 ,moses1 
,david1 ,solomon1 ,elijah1 ,john the    
,baptist1 ,peter1 ,luther1 ,cranmer4    
,and it is full of instruction for us4  
,then we turn to the contrast in        
,christ's perfect obedience and         
faithfulness in ,his prophetic office4  
,in ,him is no trace of shrinking even  
when the grimness of the ,cross weighed 
most on ,his heart4 ,no confusion of    
mind as to the ,father's will1 or as to 
the union in ,him of perfect            
righteousness and infinite mercy1 ever  
darkened ,his clear utterances or cast a
 shadow over his own soul4 ,he was never
 weakened by the collapse that follows  
on great effort or strong emotion4 ,he  
never failed in his mission through lack
 of pity4  ,but there is no need to draw
 out the comparison4 ,we look on all    
,god's instruments1 and see them all    

full of faults and flaws4 ,here is one  
stainless name1 one life in which is no 
blot1 one heart in which are no envy1 no
 failings--one obedience which never    
varied4 ,he says of ,himself1 ',i do    
always those things which please ,him1' 
and we1 thinking of all the noblest     
examples of virtue that the world has   
ever seen1 and seeing in them all some  
speck1 turn to this whole and perfect   
chrysolite and say1 ,yes6 'a greater    
than they6'  ,,iii4 ,the bearer of a    
transitory message of repentance to one 
,gentile people1 and the bearer of an   
eternal message of grace and love to the
 whole earth4  ,jonah is remarkable as  
having had the sphere of his activity   
wholly outside ,israel4  ,the nature of 
his message2 a preaching of punishment2 
a call to repentance4  ,the sphere of   
it--one ,gentile city4 ,the effect of   
it--transitory4 ,we know what ,nineveh  
became4  ,jesus is greater than ,jonah  
or any prophet in this respect1 that    
,his message is to the world1 and in    

this1 that what ,he preaches and brings 
far transcends even the loftiest and    
most spiritual words of any of them4    
,his voice is sweetest1 tenderest1      
clearest and fullest of all that have   
ever sounded in men's ears4 ,and just   
because it is so1 the hearing of it     
brings the most solemn responsibility   
that was ever laid on men1 and to us    
still more gravely and truly may it be  
said than to those who heard ,jesus     
speak on earth1 ',the men of ,nineveh   
shall rise in judgment with this        
generation and condemn it4'     ',a     
,,greater ,,than ,,solomon'       ',a   
greater than ,solomon is here4'--,,matt4
 xii4 #db4  ,it is condescension in ,him
 to compare ,himself with any2 yet if   
any might have been selected1 it is that
 great name4 ,to the ,jews ,solomon is  
an ideal figure1 who appealed so        
strongly to popular imagination as to   
become the centre of endless legends2   
whose dominion was the very apex of     
national glory1 in recounting whose     

splendours the historical books seem to 
be scarce able to restrain their triumph
 and pride4  ,i4 ,the ,man4 ,the story  
gives us a richly endowed and many-sided
 character4 ,it begins with lovely1     
youthful enthusiasm1 with a profound    
sense of his own weakness1 with earnest 
longings after wisdom and guidance4 ,he 
lived a pure and beautiful youth1 and   
all his earlier and middle life was     
adorned with various graces4 ,there is a
 certain splendid largeness about the   
character4 ,he had a rich variety of    
gifts3 he was statesman1 merchant1 sage1
 physicist1 builder1 one of the         
many-sided men whom the old world       
produced4 ,and on this we may build a   
comparison and contrast4  ,the          
completeness of ,christ's ,humanity     
transcends all other men1 even the most 
various1 and transcends all gathered    
together4 ,every type of excellence is  
in ,him4 ,we cannot say that ,his       
character is any one thing in special1  
it falls under no classification4 ,it is

 a pure white light in which all rays   
are blended4 ,this all-comprehensiveness
 and symmetry of character are          
remarkably shown in four brief records4 
,but we have to take into account the   
dark shadows that fell on ,solomon's    
later years4 ,he clearly fell away from 
his early consecration and noble ideals1
 and let his sensuous appetites gain    
power4 ,he countenanced1 if he did not  
himself practise1 idolatry4 ,as a king  
he became an arbitrary tyrant1 and his  
love of building led him to oppress his 
subjects1 and so laid the foundation for
 the revolt under ,jeroboam which rent  
the kingdom4 ,so his history is another 
illustration of the possible shipwreck  
of a great character4 ,it is one more   
instance of the fall of a 'son of the   
morning4' ,we need not elaborate the    
contrast with ,christ's character4 ,in  
,him is no falling from a high ideal1 no
 fading of morning glory into a cloudy  
noon or a lurid evening4 ,there is no   
black streak in that flawless white     

marble4 ,jesus draws the perfect circle1
 like ,giotto's ,o1 while all other     
lives show some faltering of hand1 and  
consequent irregularity of outline4     
,greater than ,solomon1 with his        
over-clouded glories and his character  
worsened by self-indulgence1 is ,jesus1 
'the ,sun of righteousness1' the perfect
 round of whose lustrous light is broken
 by no spots on the surface1 no         
indentations in the circumference1 nor  
obscured by any clouds over its face4   
,,ii4 ,the ,teacher4  ,solomon was      
traditionally regarded as the author of 
much of the ,book of ,proverbs1 and     
,ecclesiastes was written as by him4    
,possibly the attribution to him of some
 share in the former book may be        
correct1 but at any rate1 his wisdom was
 said to have drawn the ,queen of ,sheba
 to hear him1 and that is the point of  
the comparison of our text4  ,if we take
 these two books of ,proverbs and       
,ecclesiastes into account1 as popularly
 attributed to him1 they suggest points 

of comparison and contrast with ,jesus  
as a teacher1 which we may briefly point
 out4 ,now1 ,proverbs falls into two    
very distinct portions1 the former part 
being a connected fatherly admonition to
 the pursuit of wisdom1 and the latter a
 collection of prudential maxims1 in    
which it is rare for any two contiguous 
verses to have anything to do with each 
other4 ,in the former part ,wisdom is   
set forth as man's chief good1 and the  
,wisdom which is so set forth is mainly 
moral wisdom1 the right disposition of  
will and heart1 and almost identical    
with what the ,old ,testament elsewhere 
calls righteousness4 ,but it is         
invested1 as the writer proceeds1 with  
more and more august and queenly        
attributes1 and at last stands forth as 
being1 if not a divine person1 at least 
a personification of a divine attribute4
  ,bring that ancient teaching and set  
it side by side with ,jesus1 and what   
can we say but that ,he is what the old 
writer1 be he ,solomon or another1 dimly

 saw8 ,he is the 'wisdom' which was     
traditionally called the 'wisdom of     
,solomon1' and which the ,queen came    
from far to hear4 ,jesus is greater1 as 
the light is more than the eye1 or as   
the theme is more than the speaker4     
',the power of ,god and the wisdom of   
,god' is greater than the sage or seer  
who celebrates it4 ,what is true of     
,solomon or whoever wrote that praise of
 ,wisdom1 is true of all teachers and   
wise men1 they are 'not that light1'    
they are 'sent to bear witness of that  
light4' ,jesus is ,wisdom1 other men are
 wise4 ,jesus is the greatest teacher1  
for ,he teaches us ,himself4 ,he is     
lesson as well as teacher4 ,unless ,he  
was a great deal more than ,teacher1 ,he
 could not be the perfect ,teacher for  
whom the world groans4  ,the second half
 of ,proverbs is1 as ,i have said1      
mostly a collection of prudential and   
moral maxims1 with very little reference
 to ,god or high ideals of duty in them4
 ,they may represent to us the impotence

 of wise saws to get themselves         
practised4 ,a guide-post is not a guide4
 ,it stretches out its gaunt wooden arms
 towards the city1 but it cannot bend   
them to help a lame man lying at its    
foot4 ,men do not go wrong for lack of  
knowing the road1 nearly so often as for
 lack of inclination to walk in it4 ,we 
have abundant voices to tell us what we 
ought to do4 ,but what we want is the   
swaying of inclination to do it1 and the
 gift of power to do it4 ,and it is     
precisely because ,jesus gives us both  
these that ,he is what no collection of 
the wisest sayings can ever be1 the     
efficient teacher of all righteousness1 
and of the true wisdom which is 'the    
principal thing4'  ,as for              
,ecclesiastes1 though not his1 it       
represents not untruly the tone which we
 may suppose to have characterised his  
later days in its dwelling on the vanity
 of life4 ,the sadness of it may be     
contrasted with the light thrown by the 
,gospel on the darkest problems4        

,solomon cries1 ',all is vanity'--,jesus
 teaches ,his scholars to sing1 ',all   
things work together for good4'  ,,iii4 
,the ,temple builder4  ,in this respect 
'a greater than ,solomon is here1'      
inasmuch as ,jesus is ,himself the true 
,temple1 being for all men1 which       
,solomon's structure only shadowed1 the 
meeting-place of ,god and man1 in whom  
,god dwells and through whom we can draw
 near to ,him1 the place where the true 
,sacrifice is once for all offered1 by  
which ,sacrifice sin is truly put away4 
,and1 further1 ,jesus is greater than   
,solomon in that ,he is1 through the    
ages1 building up the great ,temple of  
,his ,church of redeemed men1 the       
eternal temple of which not one stone   
shall ever be taken down4  ,,iv4 ,the   
peaceful ,king4  ,there were no wars in 
,solomon's reign4 ,but a dark shadow    
brooded over it in its later years1     
which were darkened by oppression1      
luxury1 and incipient revolt4  ,contrast
 with that merely external and sadly    

imperfect peacefulness1 the deep1 inward
 peace of spirit which ,jesus breathes  
into every man who trusts and obeys     
,him1 and with the peace among men which
 the acceptance of ,his rule brings1 and
 will one day bring perfectly1 to a     
regenerated humanity dwelling on a      
renewed earth4 ,he is ,king of          
righteousness1 and after that also ,king
 of peace4  ,surely from all these      
contrasts it is plain that 'a greater   
than ,solomon is here4'     ,,four      
,,sowings ,,and ,,one ,,ripening        
',the same day went ,jesus out of the   
house1 and sat by     the sea side4 #b4 
,and great multitudes were gathered     
together unto ,him1 so that ,he went    
into a ship1 and     sat2 and the whole 
multitude stood on the shore4 #h4 ,and  
,he spake many things unto them in      
parables1 saying1     ,behold1 a sower  
went forth to sow2 #d4 ,and when he     
sowed1 some seeds fell by the way side1 
and the fowls     came and devoured them
 up3 #f4 ,some fell upon stony          

places1 where they had not much earth3  
and forthwith     they sprung up1       
because they had no deepness of earth3  
#f4 ,and when the sun was up1 they were 
scorched2 and     because they had no   
root1 they withered away4 #g4 ,and      
some fell among thorns2 and the thorns  
sprung up1 and     choked them3 #h4 ,but
 other fell into good ground1 and       
brought forth fruit1 some an            
hundredfold1 some     sixtyfold1 some   
thirtyfold4 #i4 ,who hath ears to hear1 
let him hear4'--,,matt4 xiii4 #a-i4     
,the seven parables of the kingdom1 in  
this chapter1 are not to be regarded as 
grouped together by ,matthew4 ,they were
 spoken consecutively1 as is obvious    
from the notes of time in verses #cf and
 #ec4 ,they are a great whole1 setting  
forth the 'mystery of the kingdom' in   
its method of establishment1 its        
corruption1 its outward and inward      
growth1 the conditions of entrance into 
it1 and its final purification4 ,the    
sacred number seven1 impressed upon     

them1 is the token of completeness4     
,they fall into two parts3 four of them 
being spoken to the multitudes from the 
boat1 and presenting the more obvious   
aspects of the development of the       
kingdom2 three being addressed to the   
disciples in the house1 and setting     
forth truths about it more fitted for   
them4  ,the first parable1 which        
concerns us now1 has been generally     
called the ,parable of the ,sower1 but  
he is not the prominent figure4 ,the    
subject is much rather the soils2 and   
the intention is1 not so much to declare
 anything about him1 as to explain to   
the people1 who were looking for the    
kingdom to be set up by outward means1  
irrespective of men's dispositions1 that
 the way of establishing it was by      
teaching which needed receptive spirits4
 ,the parable is both history and       
prophecy4 ,it tells ,christ's own       
experience1 and it foretells ,his       
servants'4 ,he is the great ,sower1 who 
has 'come forth' from the ,father4 ,his 

present errand is not to burn up thorns 
or to punish the husbandmen1 but to     
scatter on all hearts the living seed1  
which is here interpreted1 in accordance
 with the dominant idea of this ,gospel1
 as being 'the word of the kingdom'     
7ver4 #ai74 ,all who follow ,him1 and   
make ,his truth known1 are sowers in    
their turn1 and have to look for the    
same issue of their work4 ,the figure is
 common to all languages4 ,truth1       
whether intellectual1 moral1 or         
spiritual1 is seminal1 and1 deposited in
 the heart1 understanding1 or           
conscience1 grows4 ,it has a mysterious 
vitality1 and its issue is not a        
manufacture1 but a fruit4 ,if all       
teachers1 especially religious teachers1
 would remember that1 perhaps there     
would be fewer failures1 and a good deal
 of their work would be modified4 ,we   
have here four sowings and one          
ripening--a sad proportion6 ,we are not 
told that the quantity of seed was in   
each case the same4 ,rather we may      

suppose that much less fell on the      
wayside1 and on the rocky soil1 and     
among the thorns1 than on the good      
ground4 ,so we cannot say that          
seventy-five per cent1 of it was wasted2
 but1 in any case1 the proportion of    
failure is tragically large4 ,this      
,sower was under no illusion as to the  
result of ,his work4  ,it is folly to   
sow on the hard footpath1 or the rocky  
ground1 or among thorns2 but ,christ and
 ,his servants have to do that1 in      
endless hope that these unreceptive     
hearts may become good soil4 ,one lesson
 of the parable is1 ,scatter the seed   
everywhere1 on the most unlikely places4
  ,i4 ,our ,lord begins with the case in
 which the seed remains quite outside   
the soil1 or1 without metaphor1 in which
 the word finds absolutely no entrance  
into the heart or mind4 ,a beaten path  
runs by the end1 or perhaps through the 
middle1 of the cornfield4 ,it is of     
exactly the same soil as the rest1 but  
many passengers have trodden it hard1   

and the very foot of the sower1 as he   
comes and goes in his work1 has helped4 
,some of the seed1 sown broadcast1 of   
course falls there1 and lies where it   
falls1 having no power to penetrate the 
hard surface4 ,as in our own ,english   
cornfields1 a flock of bold1 hungry     
birds watch the sower2 and1 as soon as  
his back is turned1 they are down with a
 swift-winged swoop1 and away goes the  
exposed grain4 ,so there is an end of   
it2 and the path is as bare as ever1    
five minutes after it has been strewed  
with seeds4  ,the explanation is too    
plain to be mistaken1 but we may briefly
 touch its main features4 ,notice1 then1
 that our ,lord begins with the case in 
which there is least contact between    
,his word and the soul1 and that1 as the
 contact is least in degree1 so it is   
shortest in duration4 ,a minute or two  
finishes it4 ,notice especially that the
 path has been made hard by external    
pressure4 ,it is not rock1 but soil like
 the other parts of the field4 ,it      

represents the case of men whose        
insensibility to the word is caused by  
outward things having made a            
thoroughfare of their natures1 and      
trodden them into incapacity to receive 
the message of ,christ's love4 ,the     
heavy baggage-wagons of commerce1 the   
light cars of pleasure1 merry dancers1  
and sad funeral processions1 have all   
used that way1 and each footfall has    
beaten the once loose soil a little     
firmer4 ,we are made insensitive to the 
gospel by the effect of innocent and    
necessary things1 unless we take care to
 plough up the path along which they    
travel1 and to keep our spirits         
susceptible by a distinct effort4 ,how  
many hearers of every teacher are there1
 who never take in his words at all1    
simply because they are so completely   
preoccupied6  ,notice what becomes of   
the seed that lies thus bare4           
',immediately1' says ,mark1 ',satan     
cometh4' ,his agents are these          
light-winged thoughts that flutter round

 the hearer as soon as the sermon or the
 lesson is over4 ,talk of the weather1  
criticism of the congregation1 or of the
 sower's attitude as he flung the seed1 
or politics1 or business1 drive away the
 remembrance of even the text1 before   
many of our hearers are out of sight of 
the church4 ,then the whirl of traffic  
begins again1 and the path is soon      
beaten a little harder4 ,if the seed had
 got ever so little way into the ground1
 the sharp beaks of the thieves would   
not have carried it off so easily4      
,impressions so slight as ,christ's word
 makes on busy men are quickly rubbed   
out4 ,but if the seed sown vanishes thus
 swiftly1 the fault is not in it1 but in
 ourselves4 ,satan may seek to snatch it
 away1 but we can hinder him4  ,our     
,lord uses a singular expression1 ',this
 is he that was sown by the way side1'  
which appears to identify the man with  
the seed rather than with the soil4 ,it 
has been suggested by some commentators 
that this expression is to be regarded  

as conveying the truth that the seed    
sown in the heart and growing up there  
becomes the life-spring of the          
individual1 and that therefore we may   
speak of him or of it as bearing the    
fruit4 ,but this explanation will not   
avail for the case where there is no    
entrance of the word into the heart1 and
 so no new birth by the word4 ,more     
probably we are to regard the expression
 simply as a conversational shorthand   
form of speech1 not strictly accurate1  
but quite intelligible4  ,,ii4 ,the next
 variety of soil differs from the       
preceding in having its hindrance deep  
seated4 ,many a hillside in ,galilee--as
 in ,scotland or ,new ,england--would   
show a thin surface of soil over rock1  
like skin stretched tightly on a bone4  
,no roots could get through the rock nor
 find nourishment in it2 while the very 
shallowness of earth and the heat of the
 underlying stone would accelerate      
growth4 ,such premature and feeble      
shoots perish as quickly as they spring 

up2 the fierce ,eastern sun makes a     
speedy end of them1 and a few days sees 
their springing and withering4 ,it is a 
case of 'lightly come1 lightly go4'     
,quick-sprouting herbs are soon-dying   
herbs4 ,a shallow pond is up in waves   
under a breeze which raises no sea on   
the ,atlantic1 and it is calm again in a
 few minutes4 ,readily stirred emotion  
is transient4 ,brushwood catches fire   
easily1 and burns itself out quickly4   
,coal takes longer to kindle1 and is    
harder to put out4  ,the persons meant  
are those of excitable temperament1     
whose feelings lie on the surface1 and  
can be got at without first passing     
through the understanding or the        
conscience4 ,such people are easily     
played on by the epidemic influence of  
any prevalent enthusiasm or emotion1 as 
every revival of religion shows4 ,their 
very 'joy' in hearing the word is       
suspicious2 for a true reception of it  
seldom begins with joy1 but rather with 
'the sorrow which worketh repentance not

 to be repented of4' ,their immediate   
reception of it is suspicious1 for it   
suggests that there has been no time to 
consult the understanding or to form a  
deliberate purpose2 stable resolutions  
are slowly formed4 ,it is the sunny side
 of religion which1 has attracted them4 
,they know nothing of its difficulties  
and depths4 ,hence1 as soon as they find
 out the realities of the course which  
they have embraced so lightly1 they     
desert1 like ,john ,mark running away as
 soon as home comforts at ,cyprus were  
left behind4 ,the ,christian life means 
self-denial1 toil1 hard resistance to   
many fascinations4 ,it means sweat and  
blood1 or it means nothing4 ,whether    
there be 'persecution' or no1 there will
 be affliction1 'because of the word1'  
and all the joyful emotion will ooze out
 at the man's finger-ends4 ,the same    
superficial excitability which          
determined his swift reception of the   
word will determine his hasty casting of
 it aside1 and immediately he stumbles4 

,all his acts will be done in a hurry1  
and none of his moods will last4        
,feeling is in its place down in the    
engine-room1 but it makes a poor pilot4 
,very significant is that phrase1 ',no  
root in himself4' ,his roots are in the 
accidents of the moment4 ,his religion  
has never really struck root in him1 but
 only in the superficial layer of him4  
,his conscience1 will1 understanding1   
are unpenetrated by its fibres4 ,so it  
is easily pulled up1 as well as soon    
withered4  ,there is another profound   
truth in this picture4 ,the hard1       
impenetrable rock lies right under the  
thin skin of soil4 ,the nature which is 
over-emotional on its surface is utterly
 hard at its core4 ,the most heartless  
people are those whose feelings are     
always ready to gush2 the most          
unimpressible are those who are most    
easily brought to a certain degree of   
emotion by the sound of the word4 ,this 
class is an advance on the former1 in   
that there has been a real contact with 

the word1 which has lain longer in their
 hearts1 and has had some growth4 ,we   
may regard it as either better or worse 
than the former1 according as we        
consider that it is better to accept and
 feel than not to accept at all1 or that
 it is worse to have in some measure    
possessed and felt than not to have     
received the word of the kingdom4       
,,iii4 ,in one part of the field was a  
patch where the soil was neither rammed 
solid1 as on the footpath1 nor thin1 as 
where the rock cropped out1 but where   
there had been a tangle of thorns1 which
 grow luxuriantly in ,palestine4 ,these 
had been cut down1 but not stubbed up1  
as is plain from the very fact that the 
seed reached the ground1 as also from   
the description of them as 'springing   
up4' ,the two growths advance together4 
,in this case1 the seed has a longer    
life than in the former4 ,it roots and  
grows1 and even1 according to the other 
evangelist's version1 fruits1 though it 
does not mature its fruit4 ,there is no 

question of 'falling away' here4 ,only  
the hardier growth1 which had the       
advantage of previous possession1 and   
which pushes up its shoots above ground 
all round the more tender plant1 gets   
the start of it1 and smothers its green 
blades1 overtopping it1 and keeping it  
from sun and air1 as well as drawing to 
itself the nourishment from the soil4   
,the main point here is simultaneousness
 of the two growths4 ,this man is1 as   
,james calls him1 a 'double-minded man4'
 ,he is trying to grow both corn and    
thorn on the same soil4 ,he has some    
religion1 but not enough to make        
thorough work of it4 ,he is endeavouring
 to ride on two horses at once4         
,religion says 'either--or'2 he is      
trying 'both--and4' ,the human heart has
 only a limited amount of love and trust
 to give1 and ,christ must have it all4 
,it has enough for one--that is1 for    
,him2 but not enough for two1--that is1 
for ,him and the world4 ,this man's     
religion has not been powerful enough to

 grub up the roots of the thorns4 ,they 
were cut down when the seed was sown1   
for a little while1 at the beginning of 
his course2 the new life in him seemed  
to conquer1 but the roots of the old lay
 hid1 and1 in due time1 showed again    
above ground4 ',ill weeds grow apace'2  
and these1 as is their nature1 grow     
faster than the good seed4 ,so the only 
thing to do is to get them out of the   
ground to the last fibre4  ,christ      
specifies what ,he deems thorns4 ,we can
 all understand care being so called2   
but riches8 ,yes1 they too have sharp   
prickles1 as anybody will find who      
stuffs a pillow with them4 ,but our     
,lord chooses ,his words to point the   
lesson that not outward things1 but our 
attitude to them1 make the barrenness of
 this soil4 ,it is not 'this world1' but
 'the care of this world1' not 'riches1'
 but 'the deceitfulness of riches1' that
 choke the word4 ,these two seem        
opposites1 but they are really the same 
thing on two opposite sides4 ,the man   

who is burdened with the cares of       
poverty1 and the man who is deceived by 
the false promises of wealth1 are really
 the same man4 ,the one is the other    
turned inside out4 ,we make the world   
our god1 whether we worship it by       
saying1 ',i am desolate without thee1'  
or by fancying that we are secure with  
it4 ,note that the issue in this case   
is--unfruitfulness4 ,the man may1 and ,i
 suppose usually does1 keep up a        
profession of ,christianity all his     
life4 ,he very likely does not know that
 the seed is choked1 and that he has    
become unfruitful4 ,but he is a stunted1
 useless ,christian1 with all the sap   
and nourishment of his soul given to his
 worldly position1 and his religion is a
 poor pining growth1 with blanched      
leaves and abortive fruit4 ,how much of 
,christ's field is filled with plants of
 that sort6  ,,iv4 ,the parable tells us
 nothing about the comparative acreage  
of the path and the rocky and thorny    
soils on the one hand1 and of the       

fertile soil on the other4 ,it is not   
meant to teach the proportion of success
 to failure1 but to exhibit the fact    
that the reception of the word depends  
on men's dispositions4 ,the good soil   
has none of the faults of the rest of   
the field4 ,it is loose1 and thus unlike
 the path2 deep1 and thus unlike the    
rocky bit2 clean1 and thus unlike the   
thorn brake4 ,the interpretation given  
of it by our ,lord seems at first sight 
incomplete4 ,it is all summed up in one 
word1 'understandeth4' ,then1 did not   
the second and third classes1 at all    
events1 understand8 ,they received the  
word1 and it had some growth in them4   
,the distinction between them and the   
good-soil hearer is surely of a moral   
nature1 rather than of so purely        
intellectual a kind as 'understanding'  
suggests4 ,hence1 ,luke's keep fast 'in 
an honest and good heart' may seem a    
more adequate statement4 ,but ,biblical 
usage does not regard 'understanding' as
 a purely intellectual process1 but     

rather as the action of the whole moral 
and spiritual nature4 ,it knows nothing 
of dividing a man up into water-tight   
compartments1 one of which may be full  
of evil1 and the other clean and        
receptive of good4 ,according to it1 we 
'understand' religious truth by our     
hearts and moral nature in conjunction  
with the dry light of intellect4 ,so the
 word here is used in a pregnant sense1 
and includes the grasp of the truth with
 the whole being1 the complete reception
 of the word of the kingdom not merely  
into the intellect1 but into the central
 self which is the undivided fountain   
from which flow the issues of life1     
whether these be called intellect1 or   
affection1 or conscience1 or will4 ,only
 he who has thus become one with the    
word1 and housed it deep in his inmost  
soul1 'understands' it1 in the sense in 
which our ,lord here uses that          
expression4 ',thy word have ,i hid in   
mine heart' exactly corresponds to the  
'understanding' which is here given as  

the distinctive mark of the good soil4  
,the result of that reception into the  
depths of the spirit is that he 'verily 
beareth fruit4' ,the man who receives   
the word is identified with the plant   
that springs from the seed which he     
receives4 ,the life of a ,christian is  
the result of the growth in him of a    
supernatural seed4 ,he bears fruit1 yet 
the fruit comes not from him1 but from  
the seed sown4 ',i live2 yet not ,i1 but
 ,christ liveth in me4' ,fruitfulness is
 the aim of the sower1 and the test of  
the reception of the seed4 ,if there is 
not fruit1 manifestly there has been no 
real understanding of the word4 ,a      
touchstone1 that1 which will produce    
surprising results in detecting spurious
 ,christianity1 if it be honestly       
applied6  ,there is variety in the      
degree of fruitfulness1 according to the
 goodness of the soil2 that is to say1  
according to the thoroughness and depth 
of the reception of the word4 ,the great
 ,husbandman does not demand uniform    

fertility4 ,he is glad when ,he gets an 
hundredfold1 but ,he accepts sixty1 and 
does not refuse thirty1 only ,he        
arranges them in descending order1 as if
 ,he would fain have the highest rate   
from all the plants1 and1 not without   
disappointment1 gradually stretches ,his
 merciful allowance to take in even the 
lowest4 ,he will accept the scantiest   
fruitage1 and will lovingly 'purge' the 
branch 'that it may bring forth more    
fruit4'  ,no parable teaches everything4
 ,paths1 rocks1 and thorns cannot       
change4 ,but men can plough up the      
trodden ways1 and blast away the rock1  
and root out the thorns1 and1 with      
,god's help1 can open the door of their 
hearts1 that the ,sower and ,his seed   
may enter in4 ,we are responsible for   
the nature of the soil1 else ,his       
warning were vain1 ',take heed1         
therefore1 how ye hear4'     ,,ears     
,,and ,,no ,,ears       ',who hath ears 
to hear1 let him hear4--,,matt4 xiii4   
#h4  ,this saying was frequently on our 

,lord's lips1 and that in very various  
connections4 ,he sometimes1 as in the   
instance before us1 appended it to      
teaching which1 from its parabolic form1
 required attention to disentangle the  
spiritual truth implied4 ,he sometimes  
used it to commend some strange1 new    
revolutionary teaching to men's         
investigation--as1 for instance1 after  
that great declaration of the nullity of
 ceremonial worship1 how that nothing   
could defile a man except what came from
 his heart4 ,in other connections1 which
 ,i need not now enumerate1 we find it4 
,like printing a sentence in italics1 or
 underscoring it1 this saying calls     
special attention to the thing uttered4 
,it is interesting to notice that our   
,lord1 like the rest of us1 had to use  
such means of riveting and sharpening   
the attention of ,his hearers4 ,there is
 also a striking reappearance of the    
expression in the last book of          
,scripture4 ,the ,christ who speaks to  
the seven churches1 from the heavens1   

repeats ,his old word spoken on earth1  
and at the end of each of the letters   
says once more1 as if even the ,voice   
that spoke from heaven might be listened
 to listlessly1 ',he that hath an ear1  
let him hear what the ,spirit saith to  
the churches4'  ,i4 ,we all have ears4  
,now1 it is a very singular instance of 
the superficial1 indolent way in which  
people are led away by sound rather than
 by sense1 that this saying of my text  
has often been taken to mean that there 
is a certain class that can listen1 and 
that it is their business to listen1 and
 there is another class that cannot1 and
 so they are absorbed from all          
responsibility4 ,the opposite conclusion
 is the correct one4 ,everybody has     
ears1 therefore everybody is bound to   
hear4 ,which being translated1 is that  
there is not a man or woman among us    
that has not the capacity of hearing in 
the sense of understanding1 and of      
hearing in the sense of obeying the word
 that ,jesus ,christ speaks to us all4  

,every one of us1 whatever may be our   
diversities of education1 temperament1  
natural capacity in regard to other     
subjects of study and apprehension1 has 
the ears that are capable of receiving  
the message that comes to us all in     
,jesus ,christ4  ,for what is it that   
,he addresses8 ,universal human nature1 
the universal human wants1 and mainly   
and primarily1 as ,i believe1 the sense 
of sin which lies dormant indeed1 but   
capable of being awakened1 in all men1  
because the fact of sin attaches to all 
men4 ,there is no man but has the needs 
to which ,christ addresses ,himself1 and
 no man but has the power of            
apprehending1 of accepting1 and of      
living by1 the great ,incarnate ,word   
and ,his message to the world4 ,so that 
instead of there being a restriction    
implied in the words before us1 there is
 the broadest implication of the        
universality of ,christ's message4 ,and 
just as every man comes into the world  
with a pair of ears on his head1 so     

every man comes into the world with the 
capacity of listening to1 and accepting1
 that gracious ,lord4 ,that is the first
 thing that our ,master distinctly      
declares here1 that we all have ears4   
,,ii4 ,if we have ears we are bound to  
use them4  ',let him hear4' ,in all     
regions1 as ,i need not remind you1     
capacity and responsibility go together2
 and the power that we possess is the   
measure of the obligation under which we
 come4 ,all our natural faculties1 for  
instance1 are given to us with the      
implied command1 ',see that you make the
 best use of them4' ,so that even these 
bodily organs of ours1 much more the    
higher faculties and capacities of the  
spirit of which the body is partly the  
symbol and partly the instrument1 are   
intrusted to us on terms of stewardship4
 ,and just as it is criminal for a man  
to go through life with a pair of ears  
on his head1 and a pair of eyes in his  
forehead1 neither of which he educates  
and cultivates1 so is it criminal for a 

man having the capacity of grasping the 
great ,revelation of ,god1 who 'at      
sundry times and in divers manners hath 
spoken unto the ,fathers by the         
prophets1 but in these last days hath   
spoken unto us by the ,son1' to turn    
away from that ,voice1 and pay no heed  
to it4  ,it is universally true that    
obligation goes with capacity4 ,it is   
especially true with regard to our      
relation to ,jesus ,christ4 ,we are all 
bound to 'hear ,him1' as the great      
,voice said on the ,mount of            
,transfiguration4 ,the upshot of all    
that manifestation of the divine glory  
welling up from the depths of ,christ's 
nature1 and transfiguring ,his          
countenance1 the upshot of all that     
solemn and mysterious communion with the
 mighty dead1 ,moses and ,elias1 the end
 of all that encompassing glory that    
wrapped ,him1 was the ,voice from       
,heaven which proclaimed1 ',this is ,my 
beloved ,son2 hear ye ,him4' ,moses with
 his ,law1 ,elijah with his ,prophecy1  

faded away and were lost4 ,but there    
stood forth singly the one ,figure1     
relieved against the background of the  
glory-cloud1 the ,christ to whom we are 
all bound to turn with the vision of    
longing eyes1 with the listening of     
docile ears1 with the aspiration of     
yearning affection1 with the submission 
of absolute obedience4  ',hear ye ,him4'
 ,for just as truly as light is meant   
for the eye1 so truly are the words of  
the ,incarnate ,word1 and the life which
 is speech and revelation1 meant to be  
the supreme objects of our attention1 of
 our contemplative regard1 and of our   
practical submission4 ,we are bound to  
hear because we have ears2 and of all   
the voices that are candidates for our  
attention1 and of all the music that    
sounds through the universe1 no voice is
 so sweet and weighty1 no words so      
fundamental and all-powerful1 no music  
so melodious1 so deep and thunderous1 so
 thrilling and gracious1 as are the     
words of that ,word who was made flesh  

and dwelt among us4 ,we are bound to    
hear1 and we hear to most profit when it
 is ,him that we hear4  ,,iii4 ,we shall
 not hear without an effort4  ,christ   
says in my text1 ',let him hear1' as if 
the possession of the ear did not       
necessarily involve that there should be
 hearing4 ,and so it is2 ',having ears1 
they hear not1' is a description        
verified in a great many other walks of 
life than in regard to religious        
matters4 ,but it is verified there in   
the most conspicuous and in the most    
tragic fashion4 ,i wonder how many of us
 there are who1 though we have heard    
with the hearing of the outward ear1    
have not heard in the sense of          
attending1 have scarcely heard in the   
sense of apprehending1 and have not     
heard at all in the sense of obeying8   
,friend1 what is it that keeps you from 
hearing1 if you do not hear8 ,let me run
 over two or three of the things that   
thus are like wax in a man's ears1      
making him deaf to the message of life  

in ,jesus ,christ1 in order to bring out
 how needful it is that these should be 
counteracted by an effort of will1 and  
the vigorous concentration of thought   
and heart upon that message4  ,what is  
it that keeps men from hearing8 ,being  
busy with other things is one hindrance4
 ,there is an old story of ,st4 ,bernard
 riding along by a lake on his way to a 
,council1 and being so occupied with    
thoughts and discussions1 that after the
 day's travel he lifted up his eyes and 
said1 ',where is the lake8' ,and so we1 
many of us1 go along all our days on the
 banks of the great sea of divine love1 
and we are so busy thinking about other 
things1 or doing other things1 that at  
the end of the journey we do not know   
that we have been travelling by the side
 of the flashing waters all the day     
long4 ,everybody knows how possible it  
is to be so engrossed with one's        
occupations or thoughts as that when the
 clock strikes in the next steeple1 we  
hear it and do not hear it4 ,we have    

read of soldiers being so completely    
absorbed in the fury of the fight that a
 thunderstorm has rattled over their    
heads1 and no man heard the roll1 and no
 man saw the flash4 ,many of us are so  
swallowed up in our trade1 in our       
profession1 in our special branch of    
study1 in our occupations and desires1  
that all the trumpets of ,sinai might be
 blown into our ears1 and we should hear
 them as though we heard them not2 and  
what is worse1 that the pleading voice  
of that great ,lord who is ever saying  
to each of us1 ',come unto ,me1 all ye  
that labour1 and are heavy laden1 and ,i
 will give you rest1' passes us by1 and 
produces no effect1 any more than does  
the idle wind whistling through an      
archway4 ,brethren1 you have the need1  
the sin1 the weakness1 the transiency1  
to which the ,gospel appeals4 ,you have 
the faculties to which it addresses     
itself4 ,jesus ,christ is speaking to   
every one of us4 ,i beseech you to ask  
yourselves1 ',do ,i hear ,him8' ,if not1

 is it not because the clatter of the   
world's business1 or the more refined   
sounds of some profession or study1 have
 so taken up your attention that you    
have none to spare for that which       
requires and repays it most8  ,then     
there is another thing that makes       
attention1 and concentration1 and a dead
 lift of resolution necessary1 if you   
are rightly to hear1 and that is the    
very fact that1 superficially1 you have 
heard all your days4 ,you do not know   
the despair that sometimes comes over   
men in my position when we face our     
congregations of people that are        
familiar to weariness with everything   
that we have to say1 and because they   
are superficially so familiar with it1  
fancy that there is no need for them to 
give heed any more4 ,what can a poor man
 like me do to get through that crust of
 familiarity with the mere surface of   
,christian truth and teaching which is  
round many of you8 ,you come and listen 
to me1 and say1 ',oh6 he has nothing    

original to say4 ,we have heard it all  
before4' ,yes1 your ears have heard it4 
,have you heard8 ',jesus ,christ died   
for me1' you have been told that ever   
since you were a little child2 and so   
the thousand-and-first1 the             
million-and-first1 repetition of it has 
little power over you4 ,if once1 just   
once1 that truth could get through the  
crust of familiarity1 and touch your    
heart1 your bare heart1 with its quick  
naked point of fire-shod love1 ,i think 
there might be a wound made that would  
mean healing4 ,but some of you will go  
away presently1 just as you have gone   
away a thousand times before1 and my    
words will rebound from you like an     
india-rubber ball from a wall1 or run   
off you like water from the sea-bird's  
plumes1 just because you think you have 
heard it all before--and you have never 
heard it all your days4 ',he that hath  
ears to hear1 let him hear4'  ,then     
there is another hindrance4 ,a man may  
put his fingers in his ears4 ,and some  

of you1 ,i am afraid1 are not ignorant  
of what it is to have made distinct and 
conscious efforts to get rid of the     
impressions of religion1 and of         
,christ's voice to us4  ,and then there 
are some of us who1 out of sheer        
listlessness1 do not hear4 ,it is not   
because we are too busy4 ,it is not     
because we have any intellectual        
objection to the message4 ,it is not    
because we have made any definite effort
 to get away from it4 ,it is not even   
because we have been so accustomed to   
hear it1 that it is impossible to make  
an impression on our listless           
indifference4 ,go down into ,morecambe  
,bay when the tide is making2 and1 as   
the water is beginning to percolate     
through the sand1 try to make an        
impression with a stick upon the        
tremulous jelly4 ,as soon as you take   
out the point the impression is lost4   
,and there are many of us like that1    
who1 out of sheer stolid listlessness1  
retain no fragment of the truth that is 

sounding in our ears4 ,dear friends1    
',if the word spoken by angels was      
steadfast1 how shall we escape if       
we'--what8 ,reject8 ,deny8 ,fight       
against8 ,angrily repel8 ,no2--'if we   
neglect so great salvation8' ,that is   
the question for you negligent people1  
for you people who think you know all   
about it and there an end1 for you      
people who are so busy with your daily  
lives that1 amidst the hubbub of earth1 
heaven's silent voice is inaudible to   
your ears4 ,neglect stops the ears and  
ruins the man4 ,but you will not hear1  
though you have ears1 unless you make an
 effort of will and concentration of    
attention4  ,,iv4 ,and now the last     
thing that ,i have to say is3--,if we do
 not hear1 we shall become deaf4  ,that 
is what ,christ said in the context4    
,the sentence which ,i have taken as my 
text was spoken at the close of the     
,parable of the ,sower2 and when ,his   
disciples came and asked ,him why ,he   
spake in parables1 ,his answer was in   

effect that the people to whom ,he spoke
 had not profited by what they had      
heard1 'hearing1 they heard not1' and   
therefore ,he spoke in parables which   
veiled as well as revealed the truth4   
,it was not given to them to know the   
mysteries of the ,kingdom1 because they 
had not given heed to what had been made
 known to them4 ,the great law was      
taking effect which gives to him that   
has and takes from him that has not2 and
 that law applied not only to the form  
of ,christ's teaching1 but also to the  
faculty of receiving it4 ,that          
diminished capacity is sometimes        
represented as men's own act1 and       
sometimes as the divinely inflicted     
penalty of not hearing1 but in either   
case the same fact is in view--namely1  
the loss of susceptibility by neglect1  
the dying out of faculties by disuse4   
,just as in the bodily life capacities  
untrained and unexercised become faint  
and disappear2 just as the ,indian      
fakir1 who holds his arm up above his   

head for years1 never using the muscles1
 has the muscles atrophied1 and at last 
cannot bring his arm down to his        
side2--so the people who neglect to use 
the ears that ,god has given them by    
degrees will lose the capacity of       
hearing at all4 ,which1 being put into  
plain ,english1 just comes to this3 that
 if we do not listen to ,jesus ,christ  
when ,he calls to us in ,his love1 we   
shall gradually have the capacity of    
hearing diminished until--,i do not know
 if it ever reaches that point          
here--until its ultimate extinction4    
,dear friends1 this word of the love and
 pity and pardon and purifying power of 
,god manifest in ,jesus ,christ for us  
all1 which ,i am trying to preach to you
 now1 is not without an effect even on  
the men by whom it is most superficially
 and perfunctorily heard4 ,it either    
softens or hardens4 ,as the old mystics 
used to say1 the same heat that melts   
wax hardens clay into brick4 ,the same  
light that brings blessing to one eye   

brings pain to another4 ,you have heard1
 and hearing you have not heard2 and you
 will cease to be able to hear at all2  
and then the thunders may rattle over   
your heads1 and be inaudible to you2 and
 that ,voice which is as loud as the    
sound of many waters1 and sweet as      
harpers harping on their harps1 and     
which says to each of us1 ',come to ,me1
 and ,i will be thy peace and thy rest  
and thy strength1' will no more be      
audible in your atrophied ears4 ,dear   
friends6 ,i do not know1 as ,i have     
said1 whether that ultimate tragic      
result is ever wholly reached in this   
world4 ,i am sure that it is not reached
 with some of you as yet4 ,and ,i       
beseech you to obey that voice which    
says1 ',this is ,my beloved ,son2 hear  
,him1' and to let there not be only     
outward hearing1 but to let there be    
inward acceptance1 attention1           
apprehension1 and obedience4 ,and then  
we shall be able to say1 ',blessed are  
our ears1 for they hear2 blessed are our

 eyes1 for they see4' ',many prophets   
and righteous men desired to hear the   
things that ye hear1 and heard them not1
 take care that1 since you are thus     
advanced in the outward possession of   
the perfect word of ,god1 there be also 
the yielding to1 and reception of it4   
',,to ,,him ,,that ,,hath ,,shall ,,be  
,,given'       ',whosoever hath1 to him 
shall be given1 and he shall     have   
more abundance3 but whosoever hath not1 
from him     shall be taken away even   
that he hath4'-- ,,matt4 xiii4 #ab4     
,there are several instances in the     
,gospels of our ,lord's repetition of   
sayings which seem to have been1 if we  
may use the expression1 favourites with 
,him2 as1 for instance1 ',there are     
first which shall be last1 and there are
 last which shall be first'2 or1 again1 
',the servant is not greater than his   
master1 nor the disciple than his lord4'
 ,my text is one of these4 ,it is here  
said as part of the explanation why ,he 
chose to speak in parables1 in order    

that the truth1 revealed to the diligent
 and attentive1 might be hidden from the
 careless4 ,again1 we find it in two    
other ,gospels1 in a somewhat similar   
connection1 though with a different     
application1 where ,jesus enunciates it 
as the basis of ,his warning1 ',take    
heed how'--or1 in another version1      
'what'--'ye hear4' ,again ,he employs it
 in this ,gospel in the parable of the  
talents1 as explaining the principle on 
which the retribution to the slothful   
servant was meted out4 ,and we find it  
yet once more in the parable of the     
pounds in ,luke's ,gospel1 which1 though
 entirely different in conception and   
purpose from that of the talents1 is    
identical in the portion connected with 
the slothful servant4  ,so there are two
 very distinct directions in which this 
saying looks1 as it was used by our     
,lord--one in reference to the attitude 
of men towards the ,revelation of ,god1 
and one in reference to the solemn      
subject of future retribution4 ,i wish1 

now1 mainly to try and illustrate the   
great law which is set forth here1 and  
to follow out the various spheres of its
 operation1 and estimate the force of   
its influence4 ,for ,i think that large 
and very needful lessons for us all may 
be drawn therefrom4 ,the principle of my
 text shapes all life4 ,it is a paradox1
 but it is a deep truth4 ,it sounds     
harsh and unjust1 but it contains the   
very essence of righteous retribution4  
,the paradox is meant to spur attention1
 curiosity1 and inquiry4 ,the key to it 
lies here--to use is to have4 ,there is 
a possession which is no possession4    
,that ,i have rights of property in a   
thing1 as contradistinguished to your   
rights1 does not make it in any deep and
 real sense mine4 ,what ,i use ,i have2 
and all else is1 as one of the other    
evangelists has it1 but 'seeming' to    
have4  ,so much1 then1 by way of        
explanation of our text4 ,now1 let me   
ask you to look with me into two or     
three of the regions where we shall find

 illustrations of its working4  ,i4     
,take the application of this principle 
to common life4  ,the lowest instance is
 in regard to material possessions4 ,it 
is a complaint that is made against the 
present social arrangements and         
distribution of wealth1 that money makes
 money2 that wealth has a tendency to   
clot2 the rich man to get richer1 and   
the poor man to get poorer4 ,just as in 
a basin of water when the plug is out1  
and circular motion is set up1 the      
little bits of foreign matter that may  
be there all tend to get together1 so it
 is in regard to these external         
possessions4 ',to him that hath shall be
 given'2 and people grumble about that  
and say1 ',it never rains but it pours1 
and the man that needs more money least 
gets it most easily4' ,of course4       
,treasure used grows2 treasure hoarded  
rusts and dwindles4 ,the millionaire    
will double his fortune by a successful 
speculation4 ,the man with half a dozen 
large shops drives the poor little      

tradesman out of the field4 ,so it is   
all round3 ',to him that hath shall be  
given2 but from him that hath not shall 
be taken even that he hath4'  ,next1 go 
a step higher4 ,look at how this law    
works in regard to powers of body4 ,that
 is a threadbare old illustration4 ,the 
blacksmith's arm we have all heard      
about2 the sailor's eye1 the pianist's  
wrist1 the juggler's fingers1 the       
surgeon's deft hand--all these come by  
use4 ',to him that hath shall be given4'
 ,and the same man who has cultivated   
one set of organs to an almost          
miraculous fineness or delicacy or      
strength will1 by the operation of the  
other half of the same principle1 have  
all but atrophied another set4 ,so with 
the blacksmith's arm1 which has grown   
muscular at the expense of his legs4    
,part of the physical frame has         
monopolised what might have been        
distributed throughout the whole4 ,use  
is strength2 use makes growth4 ,we have 
what we employ4 ,and even in regard to  

our bodily frame the organs that we do  
not use we carry about with us rather as
 a weight attached to us than as a      
possession4  ,again1 come a little      
higher4 ,this great principle largely   
goes to determine our position in the   
world and our work4 ,the man that can do
 a thing gets it to do4 ,in the long run
 the tools come to the hand that can use
 them4 ,so here is one medical man's    
consulting-room crammed full of         
patients1 and his neighbour next door   
has scarcely one4 ,the whole world runs 
to read ,a's1 ,b's1 or ,c's books4 ,the 
briefless barrister complains that there
 is no middle course between having     
nothing to do and being overwhelmed with
 briefs4 ',to him that hath shall be    
given'--the man can do a thing1 and he  
gets it to do--'and from him that hath  
not shall be taken away even that which 
he hath1' ,that law largely settles     
every man's place in the world4  ,let us
 come still higher4 ,the same law has   
much--not all1 but much--to do in making

 men's characters4 ,for it operates in  
its most intense fashion1 and with      
results most blessed or most disastrous1
 in the inner life4 ,the great example  
that ,i would adduce is conscience4 ,use
 it1 obey it1 listen for its voice1     
never thwart it1 and it grows and grows 
and grows1 and becomes more and more    
sensitive1 more and more educated1 more 
and more sovereign in its decisions4    
,neglect it1 still more1 go in its      
teeth1 and it dwindles and dwindles and 
dwindles2 and ,i suppose it is          
possible--though one would fain hope    
that it is a very exceptional case--for 
a man1 by long-continued indifference to
 the voice within that says ',thou      
shalt' or ',thou shalt not1' to come at 
last to never hearing it at all1 or to  
its never speaking at all4 ,it is       
'seared as with a hot iron1' says one of
 the ,apostles2 and in seared flesh     
there is no feeling any more4 ,are any  
of you1 dear friends1 bringing about    
such a state8 ,are you doing what you   

know you ought not to do8 ,then you will
 be less and less troubled as the days  
go on2 and1 by neglecting the voice1 you
 will come at last to be like the       
profligate woman in the book of         
,proverbs1 who1 after her sin1 'wipes   
her mouth and says1 ,i have done no     
harm4' ,do you think that is a desirable
 state--to put out the eyes of your     
soul1 to stifle what is the truest echo 
of ,god's voice that you will ever hear8
 ,do you not think that it would be     
wiser to get the blessed half of this   
law on your side1 instead of the        
dreadful one8 ,listen to that voice4    
,never1 as you value yourselves1 neglect
 it4 ,cultivate the habit of waiting for
 its monitions1 its counsels prohibitory
 or commendatory1 and then you will have
 done much to secure that your spirit   
shall be enriched by the operations of  
this wide-spread law4  ,take another    
illustration4 ,people who1 by           
circumstances1 are placed in some       
position of dependence and              

subordination1 where they have seldom to
 exercise the initiative of choice1 but 
just to do what they are bid1 by degrees
 all but lose the power of making up    
their minds about anything4 ,and so a   
slave set free is proverbially a        
helpless creature1 like a bit of        
driftwood2 and children who have been   
too long kept in a position of pupilage 
and subordination1 when they are sent   
into the world are apt to turn out very 
feeble men1 for want of a good1 strong  
backbone of will in them4 ,so1 many a   
woman that has been accustomed to leave 
everything in her husband's hands1 when 
the clods fall on his coffin finds      
herself utterly helpless and bewildered1
 just because in the long1 happy years  
she never found it necessary to exercise
 her own judgment or her own will about 
practical matters4  ,so do not get into 
the habit of letting circumstances      
settle what you are to do1 or you will  
lose the power of dominating them1      
before very long4 ,and if a man for     

years leaves himself1 as it were1 to be 
guided by the stream of circumstances1  
like long green weeds in a river1 he    
will lose the power of determining his  
own fate1 and the ,will will die clean  
out of him4 ,cultivate it1 and it will  
grow4  ,again1 this same principle      
largely settles our knowledge1 our      
convictions1 the operations and the     
furniture of our understandings4 ,if a  
man holds any truth slackly1 or in the  
case of truths that are meant to        
influence life and conduct1 does not let
 it influence these1 then that is a kind
 of having truth that is sure to end in 
losing it4 ,if you want to lose your    
convictions grasp them loosely--do not  
act upon them1 do not take them for     
guides of your life--and they will soon 
relieve you of their unwelcome presence4
 ,if you wish mind and knowledge to     
grow1 grip with a grip of iron what you 
do know1 and let it dominate you1 as it 
ought4 ,he that truly has his learning  
will learn more and pile by slow degrees

 stone upon stone1 until the building is
 complete4  ,so1 dear friends1 here1 in 
these illustrations1 which might have   
been indefinitely enlarged1 we see the  
working of a principle which has much to
 do in making men what they are4 ,what  
you use you increase1 what you leave    
unused you lose4 ,there are grey heads  
in my present audience who1 when they   
were young men1 had dreams and          
aspirations that they bitterly smile at 
now4 ,there are men here who began life 
with possibilities that have never      
blossomed or fruited1 but have died on  
the stem4 ,why8 ,because they were so   
much occupied with the vulpine craft of 
making their position and their 'pile'  
that generous emotions and noble        
sympathies and lofty aspirations1       
intellectual or otherwise1 were all     
neglected1 and so they are dead2 and the
 men are the poorer incalculably1       
because of what has thus been shed away 
from them4 ,you make your characters by 
the parts of yourselves that you choose 

to cultivate and employ4 ,do you think  
that ,god gave us whatever of an        
intellectual and emotional and moral    
kind is in us1 in order that it might be
 all used up in our daily business8 ,a  
very much scantier outfit would have    
done for all that is wanted for that4   
,but there are abortive and dormant     
organs in your spiritual nature1 as     
there are in the corporeal1 which tell  
you what you were meant for1 and which  
it is your sin to leave undeveloped4    
,brethren1 the law of my text shapes us 
in the two ways1 that whatever we       
cultivate1 be it noble or be it bestial1
 will grow1 and whatever we repress or  
neglect will die4 ,choose which of the  
two halves of yourselves you will       
foster1 and on which you will frown4    
,so much1 then1 for the first general   
application of these words4 ,now let me 
turn for a moment to another4  ,,ii4 ,i 
would note1 secondly1 the application of
 this two-fold law in regard to ,god's  
revelation of ,himself4  ,that is the   

bearing of it in the immediate context  
from which our text is taken4 ,our ,lord
 explains that teaching by parable--a   
transparent veil over a truth--was      
adopted in order that the veiled truth  
might be a test as well as a revelation4
 ,and although ,i do not believe that   
the ,christian revelation has been made 
in any degree less plain and obvious    
than it could have been made1 ,i cannot 
but recognise the fact that the         
necessities of the case demand that1    
when ,god speaks to us1 ,he should speak
 in such a fashion as that it is        
possible to say1 ',tush6 ,it is not ,god
 that is speaking2 it is only ,eli6' and
 so to turn about the young ,samuel's   
mistake the other way4 ,i do not believe
 that ,god has diminished the evidence  
of ,his ,revelation in order to try us2 
but ,i do maintain that the ,revelation 
which ,he has made does come to us1 and 
must come to us1 in such a form as that1
 not by mathematical demonstration but  
by moral affinity1 we shall be led to   

recognise and to bow to it4 ,he that    
will be ignorant1 let him be ignorant1  
and he that will come asking for truth1 
it will flood his eyeballs with a       
blessed illumination4 ,the veil will but
 make more attractive to some eyes the  
outlines of the fair form beneath it1   
whilst others are offended at it and    
say1 ',unless we see the truth undraped1
 we will not believe that it is truth at
 all4'  ,so1 brethren1 let me remind    
you--what is really but a repetition in 
reference to another subject of what ,i 
have already said1--that in regard to   
,god's speech to men1 and especially in 
regard to what ,i1 for my part1 believe 
to be the complete and ultimate and     
perfect speech of ,god to men1 in ,jesus
 ,christ our ,saviour1 the principle of 
my text holds good4  ',to him that hath 
shall be given4' ,if you will make that 
truth your own by loyal faith and honest
 obedience1 if you will grapple it to   
your heart1 then you will learn more and
 more4 ,whatever tiny corner of the     

great whole you have grasped1 hold on by
 that and draw it into yourselves1 and  
you will by degrees get the entire1     
glorious1 golden web to wrap round you4 
',if any man wills to do ,his will he   
shall know4' ,that is ,christ's promise2
 and it will be fulfilled to us all4    
',to him that hath shall be given4'     
,if1 on the other hand1 you 'have'      
,christian truth and ,christ1 who is the
 ,truth1 in the fashion in which so many
 of us have it and ,him1 as a form1 as a
 mere intellectual possession1 so that  
we can1 when we go to church1 repeat the
 creed without feeling that we are      
telling a lie1 but that when we go to   
market we do not carry the ,commandments
 with us--if that is our ,christianity1 
then it will dribble away into nothing4 
,we shall not be much the poorer for the
 loss of such a sham possession1 but it 
will go4 ,it drops out of the hands that
 are not clasped to hold it4 ,it is just
 that a thing so neglected shall some   
day be a thing withdrawn4 ,so in regard 

to ,revelation and a man's perception   
and reception of it1 my text holds good 
in both its halves4  ,,iii4 ,lastly1    
look at the application of these words  
in the future4  ,that is our ,lord's own
 application of them1 twice out of the  
five times in which the saying appears  
in the three ,gospels3 in the parable of
 the talents and in the parallel portion
 of the parable of the pounds4 ,i do not
 venture into the regions of speculation
 about that future1 but from the words  
before us there come clearly enough two 
aspects of it4 ,the man with the ten    
talents received more2 the man that had 
hid the talent or the pound in the      
ground was deprived of that which he had
 not used4  ,now1 with regard to the    
former there is no difficulty in        
translating the representations of the  
parables1 sustained as they are by      
distinct statements of other portions of
 ,scripture4 ,they come to this1 that1  
for the life beyond1 indefinite progress
 in all that is noble and blessed and   

,godlike in heart and character1 in     
intellect and power1 are certain2 that  
faith1 hope1 love1 here cultivated but  
putting forth few blossoms and small    
fruitage1 there1 in that higher house   
where these be planted1 will flourish in
 the courts of the ,lord1 and will bear 
fruit abundantly2 that here the few     
things faithfully administered will be  
succeeded yonder by the many things     
royally ruled over2 that here one small 
coin1 as it were1 is put into our       
palm--namely the present blessedness and
 peace and strength and purity of a     
,christian life2 and that yonder we     
possess the inheritance of which what we
 have here is but the earnest4 ,it used 
to be the custom when a servant was     
hired for the next term-day to give him 
one of the smallest coins of the realm  
as what was called 'arles'--wages in    
advance1 to seal the bargain4           
,similarly1 in buying an estate a bit of
 turf was passed over to the purchaser4 
,we get the earnest here of the broad   

acres of the inheritance above4 ',to him
 that hath shall be given4'  ,and the   
other side of the same principle works  
in some terrible ways that we cannot    
speak about4 ',from him that hath not   
shall be taken away even that which he  
hath4' ,i have spoken of the terrible   
analogy to this solemn prospect which is
 presented us by the imperfect          
experiences of earth4 ,and when we see  
in others1 or discover in ourselves1 how
 it is possible for unused faculties to 
die entirely out1 ,i think we shall feel
 that there is a solemn background of   
very awful truth1 in the representation 
of what befell the unfaithful servant4  
,hopes unnourished are gone2            
opportunities unimproved are gone1      
capacities undeveloped are gone2 fold   
after fold1 as it were1 is peeled off   
the soul1 until there is nothing left   
but the naked self1 pauperised and      
empty-handed for evermore4 ',take it    
from him'2 he never was the better for  
it2 he never used it2 he shall have it  

no longer4  ,brethren1 cultivate the    
highest part of yourselves1 and see to  
it that1 by faith and obedience1 you    
truly have the ,saviour1 whom you have  
by the hearing of the ear and by outward
 profession4 ,and then death will come  
to you1 as a nurse might to a child that
 came in from the fields with its hands 
full of worthless weeds and grasses1 to 
empty them in order to fill them with   
the flowers that never fade4 ,you can   
choose whether ,death--and ,life too1   
for that matter--shall be the porter    
that will open to you the door of the   
treasure-house of ,god1 or the robber   
that will strip you of misused          
opportunities and unused talents4       
,,seeing ,,and ,,blind       ',they     
seeing1 see not4'--,,matt4 xiii1 #ac4   
,this is true about all the senses of   
the word 'seeing'2 there is not one man 
in ten thousand who sees the things     
before his eyes4 ,is not this the       
distinction1 for instance1 of the poet  
or painter1 and man of science--just    

that they do see8 ,how true is this     
about the eye of the mind1 what a small 
number really understand what they know6
 ,but these illustrations are of less   
moment than the saddest                 
example--religious indifference4 ,i wish
 to speak about this now1 and to ask you
 to consider--      ,i4 ,the extent to  
which it prevails4     ,,ii4 ,the causes
 from which it springs4     ,,iii4 ,the 
fearful contrasts it suggests4     ,,iv4
 ,the end to which it conducts4  ,i4    
,the extent to which it prevails4  ,i   
have no hesitation in saying that it is 
the condition of by far the largest     
proportion of our nation4 ,it is the    
true enemy of souls4 ,i do not believe  
that any large proportion of ,englishmen
 are actual disbelievers1 who reject    
,christianity as unworthy of credence1  
or attach themselves to any of the      
innumerable varieties of deistical and  
pantheistical schools4 ,i am not saying 
at present whether it would be a more or
 less hopeful state if it were so1 but  

only that it is not so1 and that a      
complacent taking for granted of        
religious truth1 a torpor of soul1 an   
entire carelessness about ,god and      
,christ1 and the whole mighty scheme of 
the ,gospel1 is the characteristic of   
many in all classes of ,english society4
 ,we have it here in our churches and   
chapels as the first foe we have to     
fight with4 ,disbelief slays its        
thousands1 and dissipation its tens of  
thousands1 but this sleek1 well-to-do   
carelessness1 its millions4 ,as some one
 says1 it is as if an opium sky had     
rained down soporifics4  ,,ii4 ,the     
causes from which it springs4  ,of      
course1 the great cause of this         
condition is man's evil heart of        
alienation1 the spirit of slumber--but  
we may find proximate and special       
causes4  ,there is the indifference     
springing from the absorbing interests  
of the present4 ,a man has only a       
certain quantity of interest to put     
forth4 ,if he expends it all on small   

things1 he has none for great4 ,this    
overmastering1 overshadowing present    
draws us all to itself1 and we have no  
power of attention or interest to spare 
for anything else1 or for reflection    
upon ,christian truth in connection with
 our own conduct4  ,then there is the   
indifference caused by fear of what the 
results of attention might be4 ,it is   
sometimes broken in upon1 and men are in
 danger of having their eyes opened1    
then with an effort they fling          
themselves into some distraction1 and   
sleep again4 ,as the text says1 ',their 
eyes have they closed2 lest they should 
see with their eyes4'  ,then there is   
the indifference fed by an indolent     
acquiescence in the truth4 ,that is a   
favourite way of breaking the force of  
all unwelcome moral truth1 and          
especially of the ,gospel4 ,a man says1 
',oh yes1 it is true1' and because it   
is1 therefore he thinks he has done     
enough when he has acknowledged it4     
,many do not seem to dream that the     

,word has any personal application to   
them at all4  ,then there is the        
indifference which comes from long      
familiarity with the truth4 ,it is this 
which haunts our congregations and makes
 it so impossible to get at many who    
know all our message already4 ,you can  
tell them nothing they do not know4 ,as 
with men who live by a forge1 the sound 
of the blow of the hammer only lulls    
them to sleep4 ,the ,gospel is so       
familiar to them that there is no longer
 any power about it4 ,the vulgar emotion
 of wonder is not excited1 and the other
 of love and admiration has not taken   
its place4  ,men who live in mountain   
scenery do not know its beauties1 and as
 with all other operations of the       
listless eye so with this1 the old is   
deemed to be uninteresting1 and the     
common is the commonplace4 ,as even in  
the piece of earth that you have trodden
 on longest1 you would find marvels that
 you do not dream of if you would look1 
so here4 ,you have heard too much and   

reflected too little4 ,oh1 brethren1 it 
oppresses a man who has to speak to you 
when he reflects how often you have     
heard it all1 how the flow of the river 
only seems to have worn your souls      
smooth enough to let it glide past      
without one stoppage4  ,,iii4 ,the      
contrasts it suggests4  ,contrast the   
indolence here with the earnestness in  
life4 ,the same men who sit with faces  
stolid and expressionless over a        
sermon--meet them on ,monday morning6   
,they go to sleep at prayer or over a   
,bible1 but see them in a bargain or    
over a ledger4 ,think of what powers of 
intense love1 yea1 of almost fearful    
devotion and energy1 lie in us1 ay and  
come out of us1 and then think how poor1
 how cold we are here1 and we may well  
be ashamed4 ,it is as if a burning      
mountain with its cataract of fire were 
suddenly quenched and locked in         
everlasting frost1 and all the flaming  
glory running down its heaving sides    
turned into a slow glacier4 ,there comes

 ice instead of fire1 frost instead of  
flame1 snow instead of sparks4 ,it is as
 if some magician waved a wand and      
stiffened men into a paralysis4         
,religion seems to numb men instead of  
inspiring them4 ,it is an awful thought 
of how they serve themselves and the    
world1 how they can love one another1   
how they can be stirred to noble        
enthusiasm1 and how little of all this  
ever comes to ,god4  ,contrast the      
indifference of the men and the         
awfulness of the things they are        
indifferent about4 ,god--,christ--their 
souls--heaven--hell4 ,the grandest      
things men can think about1 the         
mightiest realities in the universe1 the
 eternal1 the most powerful1 these it is
 which some of you1 seeing1 see not4    
,contrast men's indifference and the    
earnestness of the rest of the creation4
 ,god rose early and sent ,his prophets4
 ,he so loved the world that ,he gave   
,his ,son4 ,christ died1 lives1 works1  
rules1 expects1 beseeches4 ,angels      

desire to look into the wonders that you
 'seeing1 see not'4 ,what makes heaven  
fill with rapture1 and flash through all
 her golden glories with light1 what    
makes hell look on with the lurid scowl 
of baffled malignity1 that is what you  
are careless about4 ,my friend1 you and 
other men like you are the only beings  
in the universe careless about the      
salvation of your souls4  ,,iv4 ,the end
 to which it conducts4  ,that end is    
certain ruin4 ,ah1 dear friends1 you do 
not need to do much to ruin your own    
souls4 ,you have only to continue       
indifferent and you will do it          
effectually4 ,negligence is quite       
enough4 ,ruin is what it will certainly 
end in4  ,and remember that when the    
possibility of salvation ends1 your     
indifference will end too4 ,the poor    
toad that is fascinated by the serpent1 
and drops powerless into the cruel jaws1
 wakes from the stupor when it feels the
 pang4 ,and the lifelong torpor will be 
dissolved for you when you pass into    

another world4 ,what an awful awaking   
that will be when men look back and see 
by the light of eternity what they were 
doing here6 ,oh6 friends1 would to ,god 
that any poor word of mine could rouse  
you from this drugged and opiate sleep6 
,believe me1 it is merciful violence    
which would rouse you4 ,anything rather 
than that the poison should work on till
 the heavy slumber darkens into death4  
,let me implore you1 as you value your  
own souls1 as you would not fling away  
your most precious jewel to 'awake1 thou
 that sleepest1 and arise from the dead1
 and ,christ shall give thee light4'    
,beware of the treacherous indifference 
which creeps on1 till1 like men in the  
,arctic regions1 the sleepers die4      
,,mingled ,,in ,,growth1 ,,separated    
,,in ,,maturity       ',another parable 
put ,he forth unto them1 saying1 ,the   
kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man 
which sowed     good seed in his field3 
#be4 ,but while men slept1 his     enemy
 came and sowed tares among the wheat1  

and went     his way4 #bf4 ,but when the
 blade was sprung up1 and     brought   
forth fruit1 then appeared the tares    
also4     #bg4 ,so the servants of the  
householder came and said     unto him1 
,sir1 didst not thou sow good seed in   
thy     field8 from whence then hath it 
tares8 #bh4 ,he said     unto them1 ,an 
enemy hath done this4 ,the servants said
     unto him1 ,wilt thou then that we  
go and gather them up8     #bi4 ,but he 
said1 ,nay2 lest while ye gather up the 
tares1 ye root up also the wheat with   
them4 #hj4 ,let     both grow together  
until the harvest3 and in the time      
of harvest ,i will say to the reapers1  
,gather ye     together first the tares1
 and bind them in bundles to     burn   
them3 but gather the wheat into my      
barn4'     --,,matt4 xiii4 #bd-cj4  ,the
 first four parables contained in this  
chapter were spoken to a miscellaneous  
crowd on the beach1 the last three to   
the disciples in the house4 ,the        
difference of audience is accompanied   

with a diversity of subject4 ,the former
 group deals with the growth of the     
kingdom1 as it might be observed by     
outsiders1 and especially with aspects  
of the growth on which the multitude    
needed instruction2 the latter1 with    
topics more suited to the inner circle  
of followers4 ,of these four1 the first 
three are parables of vegetation2 the   
last1 of assimilation4 ,the first two   
are still more closely connected1       
inasmuch as the person of the sower is  
prominent in both1 while he is not seen 
in the others4 ,the general scenery is  
the same in both1 but with a difference4
 ,the identification of the seed sown   
with the persons receiving it1 which was
 hinted at in the first1 is predominant 
in the second4 ,but while the former    
described the various results of the    
seed1 the latter drops out of sight the 
three failures1 and follows its fortunes
 in honest and good hearts1 showing the 
growth of the kingdom in the midst of   
antagonistic surroundings4 ,it may      

conveniently be considered in three     
sections3 the first teaching how the    
work of the sower is counter-worked by  
his enemy2 the second1 the patience of  
the sower with the thick-springing      
tares2 and the third1 the separation at 
the harvest4  ,i4 ,the work of the sower
 counter-worked by his enemy1 and the   
mingled crops4  ,the peculiar turn of   
the first sentence1 ',the kingdom of    
heaven is likened unto a man that       
sowed1' etc41 suggests that the main    
purpose of the parable is to teach the  
conduct of the king in view of the      
growth of the tares4 ,the kingdom is    
concentrated in ,him1 and the 'likening'
 is not effected by the parable1 but1 as
 the tenses of both verbs show1 by the  
already accomplished fact of ,his       
sowing4 ,our ,lord veils ,his claims by 
speaking of the sower in the third      
person2 but the hearing ear cannot fail 
to catch the implication throughout that
 ,he ,himself is the sower and the ,lord
 of the harvest4 ,the field is 'his     

field1' and ,his own interpretation     
tells us that it means 'the world4'     
,whatever view we take of the bearing of
 this parable on purity of communion in 
the visible ,church1 we should not slur 
over ,christ's own explanation of 'the  
field1' lest we miss the lesson that ,he
 claims the whole world as ,his1 and    
contemplates the sowing of the seed     
broadcast over it all4 ,the ,kingdom of 
,heaven is to be developed on1 and to   
spread through1 the whole earth4 ,the   
world belongs to ,christ not only when  
it is filled with the kingdom1 but      
before the sowing4 ,the explanation of  
the good seed takes the same point of   
view as in the former parable4 ,what is 
sown is 'the word'2 what springs from   
the seed is the new life of the         
receiver4 ,men become children of the   
kingdom by taking the ,gospel into their
 hearts1 and thereby receive a new      
principle of growth1 which in truth     
becomes themselves4  ,side by side with 
the sower's beneficent work the         

counter-working of 'his enemy' goes on4 
,as the one1 by depositing holy truth in
 the heart1 makes men 'children of the  
kingdom1' the other1 by putting evil    
principles therein1 makes men 'children 
of evil4' ,honest exposition cannot     
eliminate the teaching of a personal    
antagonist of ,christ1 nor of his       
continuous agency in the corruption of  
mankind4 ,it is a glimpse into a        
mysterious region1 none the less        
reliable because so momentary4 ,the     
sulphurous clouds that hide the fire in 
the crater are blown aside for an       
instant1 and we see4 ,who would doubt   
the truth and worth of the unveiling    
because it was short and partial8 ',the 
devil is ,god's ape4' ,his work is a    
parody of ,christ's4 ,where the good    
seed is sown1 there the evil is         
scattered thickest4 ,false ,christs and 
false apostles dog the true like their  
shadows4 ,every truth has its           
counterfeit4 ,neither institutions1 nor 
principles1 nor movements1 nor          

individuals1 bear unmingled crops of    
good4 ,not merely creatural             
imperfection1 but hostile adulteration1 
marks them all4 ,the purest metal       
oxidises1 scum gathers on the most      
limpid water1 every ship's bottom gets  
foul with weeds4 ,the history of every  
reformation is the same3 radiant hopes  
darkened1 progress retarded1 a second   
generation of dwarfs who are careless or
 unfaithful guardians of their heritage4
  ,there are1 then1 two classes of men  
represented in the parable1 and these   
two are distinguishable without doubt by
 their conduct4 ,tares are said to be   
quite like wheat until the heads show1  
and then there is a plain difference4   
,so our ,lord here teaches that the     
children of the kingdom and those of    
evil are to be discriminated by their   
actions4 ,we need not do more than point
 in a sentence to ,his distinct         
separation of men 7where the seed of the
 kingdom has been sown7 into two sets4  
,jesus ,christ holds the unfashionable1 

'narrow' opinion that1 at bottom1 a man 
must either be ,his friend or ,his      
enemy4 ,we are too much inclined to     
weaken the strong line of demarcation1  
and to think that most men are neither  
black nor white1 but grey4  ,the        
question has been eagerly debated       
whether the tares are bad men in the    
,church1 and whether1 consequently1 the 
mingled crop is a description of the    
,church only4 ,the following            
considerations may help to an answer4   
,the parable was spoken1 not to the     
disciples1 but to the crowd4 ,an        
instruction to them as to ,church       
discipline would have been signally out 
of place2 but they needed to be taught  
that the kingdom was to be 'a rose      
amidst thorns1' and to grow up among    
antagonisms which it would slowly       
conquer1 by the methods which the next  
two parables set forth4 ,this general   
conception1 and not directions about    
ecclesiastical order1 was suited to     
them4 ,again1 the designation of the    

tares as 'the children of evil' seems   
much too wide1 if only a particular     
class of evil men--namely1 those who are
 within the ,church--are meant by it4   
,surely the expression includes all1    
both in and outside the ,church1 who 'do
 iniquity4' ,further1 the representation
 of the children of the kingdom1 as     
growing among tares in the field of the 
world1 does not seem to contemplate them
 as constituting a distinct society1    
whether pure or impure2 but rather as an
 indefinite number of individuals1      
intermingled in a common soil with the  
other class4 ',the kingdom of heaven' is
 not a synonym for the ,church4 ,is it  
not an anachronism to find the ,church  
in the parable at all8 ,no doubt1 tares 
are in the ,church1 and the parable has 
a bearing on it2 but its primary lesson 
seems to me to be much wider1 and to    
reveal rather the conditions of the     
growth of the kingdom in human society4 
,,ii4 ,we have the patience of the      
husbandman with the quick-springing     

tares4  ,the servants of the householder
 receive no interpretation from our     
,lord4 ,their question is silently      
passed by in ,his explanation4 ,clearly 
then1 for some reason1 ,he did not think
 it necessary to say any more about     
them2 and the most probable reason is1  
that they and their words have no       
corresponding facts1 and are only       
introduced to lead up to the ,master's  
explanation of the mystery of the growth
 of the tares1 and to ,his patience with
 it4 ,the servants cannot be supposed to
 represent officials in the ,church1    
without hopelessly destroying the       
consistency of the parable2 for surely  
all the children of the kingdom1        
whatever their office1 are represented  
in the crop4 ,many guesses have been    
made1--apostles1 angels1 and so on4 ,it 
is better to say ',the ,lord hath not   
showed it me4'  ,the servant's first    
question expresses1 in vivid form1 the  
sad1 strange fact that1 where good was  
sown1 evil springs4 ,the deepest of all 

mysteries is the origin of evil4        
,explain sin1 and you explain           
everything4 ,the question of the        
servants is the despair of thinkers in  
all ages4 ,heaven sows only good2 where 
do the misery and the wickedness come   
from8 ,that is a wider and sadder       
question than1 ,how are churches not    
free from bad members8 ,perhaps         
,christ's answer may go as far towards  
the bottom of the bottomless as those of
 non-,christian thinkers1 and1 if it do 
not solve the metaphysical puzzles1 at  
any rate gives the historical fact1     
which is all the explanation of which   
the question is susceptible4  ,the      
second question reminds us of ',wilt    
,thou that we command fire444 from      
heaven1 and consume them8' ,it is cast  
in such a form as to put emphasis on the
 householder's will4 ,his answer        
forbidding the gathering up of the tares
 is based1 not upon any chance of       
mistaking wheat for them1 nor upon any  
hope that1 by forbearance1 tares may    

change into wheat1 but simply on what is
 best for the good crop4 ,there was a   
danger of destroying some of it1 not    
because of its likeness to the other1   
but because the roots of both were so   
interlaced that one could not be pulled 
up without dragging the other after it4 
,is this prohibition1 then1 meant to    
forbid the attempt to keep the ,church  
pure from un-,christian members8 ,the   
considerations already adduced are valid
 in answering this question1 and others 
may be added4 ,the crowd of listeners   
had1 no doubt1 many of them1 been       
influenced by ,john the ,baptist's fiery
 prophecies of the ,king who should     
come1 fan in hand1 to 'purge ,his       
floor1' and were looking for a kingdom  
which was to be inaugurated by sharp    
separation and swift destruction4 ,was  
not the teaching needed then1 as it is  
now1 that that is not the way in which  
the kingdom of heaven is to be founded  
and grow8 ,is not the parable best      
understood when set in connection with  

the expectations of its first hearers1  
which are ever floating anew before the 
eyes of each generation of ,christians8 
,is it not ,christ's apologia for ,his  
delay in filling the rle which ,john had
 drawn out for him8 ,and does that      
conception of its meaning make it       
meaningless for us8 ,observe1 too1 that 
the rooting up which is forbidden is1 by
 the proprieties of the emblem1 and by  
the parallel which it must necessarily  
afford to the final burning1 something  
very solemn and destructive4 ,we may    
well ask whether excommunication is a   
sufficiently weighty idea to be taken as
 its equivalent4 ,again1 how does the   
interpretation which sees ecclesiastical
 discipline here comport with the reason
 given for letting the tares grow on8   
,by the hypothesis in the parable1 there
 is no danger of mistake2 but is there  
any danger of casting out good men from 
the ,church along with the bad1 except  
through mistake8 ,further1 if this      
parable forbids casting manifestly evil 

men out of the ,church1 it contradicts  
the divinely appointed law of the       
,church as administered by the apostles4
 ,if it is to be applied to ,church     
action at all1 it absolutely forbids the
 separation from the ,church of any man1
 however notoriously un-,christian1 and 
that1 as even the strongest advocates of
 comprehension admit1 would destroy the 
very idea of the ,church4 ,surely an    
interpretation which lands us in such a 
conclusion cannot be right4 ,we         
conclude1 then1 that the intermingling  
which the parable means is that of good 
men and bad in human society1 where all 
are so interwoven that separation is    
impossible without destroying its whole 
texture2 that the rooting up1 which is  
declared to be inconsistent with the    
growth of the crop1 means removal from  
the field1 namely1 the world2 that the  
main point of the second part of the    
parable is to set forth the patience of 
the ,lord of the harvest1 and to        
emphasise this as the law of the growth 

of ,his kingdom1 that it advances amidst
 antagonism2 and that its members are   
interlaced by a thousand rootlets with  
those who are not subjects of their     
,king4 ,what the interlacing is for1 and
 whether tares may become wheat1 are no 
parts of its teaching4 ,but the lesson  
of the householder's forbearance is     
meant to be learned by us4 ,while we    
believe that the scope of the parable is
 wider than instruction in ,church      
discipline1 we do not forget that a fair
 inference from it is that1 in actual   
churches1 there will ever be a mingling 
of good and evil2 and1 though that fact 
is no reason for giving up the attempt  
to make a church a congregation of      
faithful men1 and of such only1 it is a 
reason for copying the divine patience  
of the sower in ecclesiastical dealings 
with errors of opinion and faults of    
conduct4  ,,iii4 ,the final separation  
at the harvest4  ,the period of         
development is necessarily a time of    
intermingling1 in which1 side by side1  

the antagonistic principles embodied in 
their representatives work themselves   
out1 and beneficially affect each other4
 ,but each grows towards an end1 and1   
when it has been reached1 the blending  
gives place to separation4 ,john's      
prophecy is plainly quoted in the       
parable1 which verbally repeats his     
'gather the wheat into his barn1' and   
alludes to his words in the other clause
 about burning the tares4 ,he was right 
in his anticipations2 his error was in  
expecting the ,king to wield ,his fan at
 the beginning1 instead of at the end of
 the earthly form of ,his kingdom4 ,at  
the consummation of the allotted era1   
the bands of human society are to be    
dissolved1 and a new principle of       
association is to determine men's place4
 ,their moral and religious affinities  
will bind them together or separate     
them1 and all other ties will snap4     
,this marshalling according to religious
 character is the main thought of the   
solemn closing words of the parable and 

of its interpretation1 in which our     
,lord presents ,himself as directing the
 whole process of judgment by means of  
the 'angels' who execute ,his commands4 
,they are ',his angels1' and whatever   
may be the unknown activity put forth by
 them in the parting of men1 it is all  
done in obedience to ,him4 ,what        
stupendous claims ,jesus makes here6    
,what becomes of the tares is told first
 in words awful in their plainness1 and 
still more awful in their obscurity4    
,they speak unmistakably of the absolute
 separation of evil men from all society
 but that of evil men2 of a close       
association1 compelled1 and perhaps     
unwelcome4 ,the tares are gathered out  
of ',his kingdom1'--for the field of the
 world has then all become the kingdom  
of ,christ4 ,there are two classes among
 the tares3 men whose evil has been a   
snare to others 7for the 'things that   
offend' must1 in accordance with the    
context1 be taken to be persons71 and   
the less guilty1 who are simply called  

'them that do iniquity4'  ,perhaps the  
'bundles' may imply assortment according
 to sin1 as in ,dante's circles4 ,what a
 bond of fellowship that would be6 ',the
 furnace1' as it is emphatically called 
by eminence1 burns up the bundles4 ,we  
may freely admit that the fire is part  
of the parable1 but yet let us not      
forget that it occurs not only in the   
parable1 but in the interpretation2 and 
let us learn that the prose reality of  
'everlasting destruction1' which ,christ
 here solemnly announces1 is awful and  
complete4 ,for a moment ,he passes      
beyond the limits of that parable1 to   
add that terrible clause about 'weeping 
and gnashing of teeth1' the tokens of   
despair and rage4 ,so spoke the most    
loving and truthful lips4 ,do we believe
 ,his warnings as well as ,his promises8
  ,the same law of association according
 to character operates in the other     
region4 ,the children of the kingdom are
 gathered together in what is now 'the  
kingdom of ,my ,father1' the perfect    

form of the kingdom of ,christ1 which is
 still ,his kingdom1 for 'the throne of 
,god and of the ,lamb1' the one throne  
on which both sit to reign1 is 'in it4' 
,freed from association with evil1 they 
are touched with a new splendour1 caught
 from ,him1 and blaze out like the sun2 
for so close is their association1 that 
their myriad glories melt as into a     
single great light4 ,now1 amid gloom and
 cloud1 they gleam like tiny tapers far 
apart2 then1 gathered into one1 they    
flame in the forehead of the morning    
sky1 'a glorious church1 not having     
spot1 nor wrinkle1 nor any such thing4' 
,,leaven       ',the kingdom of heaven  
is like unto leaven1 which a     woman  
took1 and bid to three measures of meal1
 till     the whole was                 
leavened4'--,,matt4 xiii4 #cc4  ,how    
lovingly and meditatively ,jesus looked 
upon homely life1 knowing nothing of the
 differences1 the vulgar differences1   
between the small and great6 ,a poor    
woman1 with her morsel of barm1 kneading

 it up among three measures of meal1 in 
some coarse earthenware pan1 stands to  
,him as representing the whole process  
of ,his work in the world4 ,matthew     
brings together in this chapter a series
 of seven parables of the kingdom1      
possibly spoken at different times1 and 
gathered here into a sequence and       
series1 just as he has done with the    
great procession of miracles that       
follows the ,sermon on the ,mount1 and  
just as1 perhaps1 he has done with that 
sermon itself4 ,the two first of the    
seven deal with the progress of the     
,gospel in individual minds and the     
hindrances thereto4 ,then there follows 
a pair1 of which my text is the second1 
which deal with the geographical        
expansion of the kingdom throughout the 
world1 in the parable of the grain of   
mustard-seed growing into the great     
herb1 and with the inward1 penetrating1 
diffusive influence of the kingdom1     
working as an assimilating and          
transforming force in the midst of      

society4  ,i do not purpose to enter now
 upon the wide and difficult question of
 the relation of the kingdom to the     
,church4 ,suffice it to say that the two
 terms are by no means synonymous1 but  
that1 at the same time1 inasmuch as a   
kingdom implies a community of subjects1
 the churches1 in the proportion in     
which they have assimilated the leaven1 
and are holding fast by the powers which
 ,christ has lodged within them1 are    
approximate embodiments of the kingdom4 
,the parable1 then1 suggests to us1 in a
 very striking and impressive form1 the 
function and the obligations of         
,christian people in the world4  ,let me
 deal1 in a purely expository fashion1  
with the emblem before us4  ',the       
kingdom of heaven is like leaven4' ,now 
of course1 leaven is generally in       
,scripture taken as a symbol of evil or 
corruption4 ,for example1 the           
preliminary to the ,passover ,feast was 
the purging of the houses of the        
,israelites of every scrap of evil      

ferment1 and the bread which was eaten  
on that ,feast was prescribed to be     
unleavened4 ,but fermentation works     
ennobling as well as corruption1 and our
 ,lord lays hold upon the other possible
 use of the metaphor4 ,the parable      
teaches that the effect of the ,gospel1 
as ministered by1 and residing in1 the  
society of men1 in whom the will of ,god
 is supreme1 is to change the heavy lump
 of dough into light1 nutritious bread4 
,there are three or four points         
suggested by the parable which ,i could 
touch upon2 and the first of them is    
that significant disproportion between  
the apparent magnitude of the dead mass 
that is to be leavened1 and the tiny    
piece of active energy which is to      
diffuse itself throughout it4  ,we get  
there a glimpse into our ,lord's        
attitude1 measuring ,himself against the
 world and the forces that were in it4  
,he knows that in ,him1 the sole        
,representative1 at the moment1 of the  
kingdom of heaven upon earth--because in

 ,him1 and in ,him alone1 the divine    
will was1 absolutely and always1        
supreme--there lie1 for the time        
confined to ,him1 but never dormant1    
powers which are adequate to the        
transformation of humanity from a dead1 
lumpish mass into an aggregate          
all-penetrated by a quickening          
influence1 and1 if ,i might so say1     
fermented with a new life that ,he will 
bring4 ,a tremendous conception1 and the
 strange thing about it is that it looks
 as if the ,nazarene peasant's dream was
 going to come true6 ,but ,he was       
speaking to the men whom ,he was        
charging with a delegated task1 and to  
them ,he says1 ',there are but twelve of
 you1 and you are poor1 ignorant men1   
and you have no resources at your back1 
but you have ,me1 and that is enough1   
and you may be sure that the tiny morsel
 of yeast will penetrate the whole      
mass4' ,small beginnings characterise   
the causes which are destined to great  
endings2 the things that are ushered    

into the world large1 generally grow    
very little further1 and speedily       
collapse4 ',an inheritance may be gotten
 hastily at the beginning1 but the end  
shall not be blessed4' ,the force which 
is destined to be worldwide1 began with 
the one ,man in ,nazareth1 and although 
the measures of meal are three1 and the 
ferment is a scrap1 it is sure to       
permeate and transform the mass4        
,therefore1 brethren1 let us take the   
encouragement that our ,lord here       
offers4 ,if we are adherents of         
unpopular causes1 if we have to 'stand  
alone with two or three1' do not let us 
count heads1 but measure forces4 ',what 
everybody says must be true1' is a      
cowardly proverb4 ,it may be a correct  
statement that an absolutely universal  
opinion is a true opinion1 but what most
 people say is usually false1 and what  
the few say is most generally true4 ,so 
if we have to front--and if we are true 
men we shall sometimes have to front--an
 embattled mass of antagonism1 and we be

 in a miserable minority1 never mind6   
,we can say1 ',they that be with us are 
more than they that be with them4' ,if  
we have anything of the leaven in us1 we
 are mightier than the lump of dough4   
,but there is another point here1 and   
that is the contact that is necessary   
between the leaven and the dough4 ,we   
have passed from the old monastic idea  
of ,religion being seclusion from life4 
,but that mistake dies hard1 and there  
are many very ,evangelical and very     
,protestant--and in their own notions   
superlatively good--people1 who hold a  
modern analogue of the old monastic     
idea2 and who think that ,christian men 
and women should be very tepidly        
interested in anything except what they 
call the preaching of the ,gospel1 and  
the saving of men's souls4 ,now nobody  
that knows me1 and the trend of my      
preaching1 will charge me with          
undervaluing either of these things1 but
 these do not exhaust the function of   
the ,church in the world1 nor the duty  

of the ,church to society4 ,we have to  
learn from the metaphor in the parable4 
,the dough is not kept on one shelf and 
the leaven on another2 the bit of leaven
 is plunged into the heart of the mass1 
and then the woman kneads the whole up  
in her pan1 and so the influence is     
spread4 ,we ,christians are not doing   
our duty1 nor are we using our          
capacities1 unless we fling ourselves   
frankly and energetically into all the  
currents of the national life1          
commercial1 political1 municipal1       
intellectual1 and make our influence    
felt in them all4 ,the 'salt of the     
earth' is to be rubbed into the meat in 
order to keep it from putrefaction2 the 
leaven is to be kneaded up into the     
dough in order to raise it4 ,christian  
people are to remember that they are    
here1 not for the purpose of isolating  
themselves1 but in order that they may  
touch life at all points1 and at all    
points bring into contact with earthly  
life the better life and the principles 

of ,christian morality4  ,but in this   
contact with all phases of life and     
forms of activity1 ,christian men are to
 be sure that they take the leaven with 
them4 ,there are professing ,christians 
that say3 ',oh6 ,i am not strait-laced  
and pharisaical4 ,i do not keep myself  
apart from any movements of humanity4 ,i
 count nothing that belongs to men alien
 to a ,christian4' ,all right6 but when 
you go into these movements1 when you go
 into ,parliament1 when you become a    
city ,councillor1 when you mingle with  
other men in commerce1 when you meet    
other students in the walks of          
intellect1 do you take your             
,christianity there1 or do you leave it 
behind8 ,the two things are equally     
necessary1 that ,christians should be in
 all these various spheres of activity1 
and that they should be there1          
distinctly1 manifestly1 and1 when need  
be1 avowedly1 as ,christian men4        
,further1 there is another thought here1
 on which ,i just say one word1 and that

 is the effect of the leaven on the     
dough4  ,it is to assimilate1 to set up 
a ferment4 ,and that is what            
,christianity did when it came into the 
world1 and    ',cast the kingdoms old   
,into another mould4'  ,and that is what
 it ought to do to-day1 and will do1 if 
,christian men are true to themselves   
and to their ,lord4 ,do you not think   
that there would be a ferment if        
,christian principles were applied1 say1
 for instance1 to national politics8 ,do
 you not think there would be a ferment 
if ,christian principles were brought to
 bear upon all the transactions on the  
,exchange8 ,is there any region of life 
into which the introduction of the plain
 precepts of ,christianity as the       
supreme law would not revolutionise it8 
,we talk about ,england as a ,christian 
country4 ,is it8 ,a ,christian country  
is a country of ,christians1 and        
,christians are not people that only say
 ',i have faith in ,jesus ,christ4' but 
people that do ,his will4 ,that is the  

leaven that is to change1 and yet not to
 change1 the whole mass2 to change it by
 lightening it1 by putting a new spirit 
into it1 leaving the substance          
apparently unaffected except in so far  
as the substance has been corrupted by  
the evil spirit that rules4 ,brethren1  
if we as ,christians were doing our     
duty1 it would be true of us as it was  
of the early preachers of the ,cross1   
that we are men who turn the world      
upside down4  ,but there is one more    
point on which ,i touch4 ,i have already
 anticipated some of what ,i would say  
upon it1 but ,i must dwell upon it for a
 little longer2 and that is1 the manner 
in which the leaven is to work4  ,here  
is a morsel of barm in the middle of a  
lump of dough4 ,it works by contact1    
touches the particles nearest it1 and   
transforms them into vehicles for the   
further transmission of influence4 ,each
 particle touched by the ferment becomes
 itself a ferment1 and so the process   
goes on1 outwards and ever outwards1    

till it permeates the whole mass4 ,that 
is to say1 the individual is to become  
the transmitter of the influence to him 
who is next him4 ,the individuality of  
the influence1 and the track in which it
 is to work1 viz4 upon those in         
immediate contiguity to the transformed 
particle which is turned from dough into
 leaven1 are taught us here in this     
wonderful simile4  ,now that carries a  
very serious and solemn lesson for us   
all4 ,if you have received1 you are     
able1 and you are bound1 to transmit    
this quickening1 assimilating1          
transforming1 lightening influence1 and 
you need never complain of a want of    
objects upon which to exercise it1 for  
the man or woman that is next you is the
 person that you ought to affect4  ,now 
,i have already said1 in an earlier     
portion of these remarks1 that some good
 people1 taking an erroneous view of the
 function and obligations of the ,church
 in the world1 would fain keep its work 
to purely evangelistic effort upon      

individual souls in presenting to them  
the ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ the       
,saviour4 ,but whilst ,i vehemently     
protest against the notion that that is 
the whole function of the ,christian    
,church1 ,i would as vehemently protest 
against the notion that the so-called   
social work of the ,church can ever be  
efficiently done except upon the        
foundation laid of this evangelistic    
work4 ,first and foremost amongst the   
ways in which this great obligation of  
leavening humanity is to be discharged1 
must ever stand1 as ,i believe1 the     
appeal to the individual conscience and 
heart1 and the presentation to single   
souls of the great ,name in which are   
stored all the regenerative and         
quickening impulses that can ever       
alleviate and bless humanity4 ,so that1 
first and foremost1 ,i put the preaching
 of the ,gospel1 the ,gospel of our     
salvation1 by the death and in the life 
of the ,incarnate ,son of ,god4  ,but   
then1 besides that1 let me remind you   

there are other ways1 subsidiary but    
indispensable ways1 in which the ,church
 has to discharge its function2 and ,i  
put foremost amongst these1 what ,i have
 already touched upon1 and therefore    
need not dilate on now1 the duty of     
,christians as ,christians to take their
 full share in all the various forms of 
national life4 ,i need not dwell upon   
the evils rampant amongst us1 which have
 to be dealt with1 and1 as ,i believe1  
may best if not only1 be dealt with1    
upon ,christian principles4 ,think of   
drink1 lust1 gambling1 to name but three
 of them1 the hydra-headed serpent that 
is poisoning the ,english nation4 ,now  
it seems to me to be a deplorable1 but a
 certainly true thing1 that not only are
 these evils not attacked by the        
,churches as they ought to be1 but that 
to a very large extent the task of      
attacking them has fallen into the hands
 of people who have little sympathy with
 the ,church and its doctrines4 ,they   
are fighting the evils on principles    

drawn from ,jesus ,christ1 but they are 
not fighting the evils to the extent    
that they ought to do1 with the         
,churches alongside4 ,i beseech you1 in 
your various spheres1 to see to it that1
 as far as you can make it so1          
,christian people take the place that   
,christ meant them to take in the       
conflict with the miseries1 the sorrows1
 the sins that honeycomb ,england       
to-day1 and not to let it be said that  
the ,churches shut themselves up and    
preach to people1 but do not lift a     
finger to deal with the social evils of 
the nation4     ,,treasure ,,and ,,pearl
       ,the kingdom of heaven is like   
unto treasure hid in a     field2 the   
which when a man hath found1 he hideth1 
and     for joy thereof goeth and       
selleth all that he hath1 and     buyeth
 that field4 #de4 ,again1 the kingdom of
 heaven is     like unto a merchantman1 
seeking goodly pearls3 #df4 ,who1       
when he had found one pearl of great    
price1 went and     sold all that he    

had1 and bought it4'--,,matt4 xiii4     
#dd-df4  ,in this couple of parables1   
which are twins1 and must be taken      
together1 our ,lord utilises two very   
familiar facts of old-world life1 both  
of them arising from a similar cause4   
,in the days when there were no banks   
and no limited liability companies1 it  
was difficult for a man to know what to 
do with his little savings4 ,in old     
times government meant oppression1 and  
it was dangerous to seem to have any    
riches4 ,in old days war stalked over   
the land1 and men's property must be    
portable or else concealed4 ,so1 on the 
one hand we find the practice of hiding 
away little hoards in some suitable     
place1 beneath a rock1 in the cleft of a
 tree1 or a hole dug in the ground1 and 
then1 perhaps1 the man died before he   
came back for his wealth4 ,or1 again1   
another man might prefer to carry his   
wealth about with him4 ,so he went and  
got jewels1 easily carried1 not easily  
noticed1 easily convertible into what he

 might require4  ,and1 says our ,lord1  
these two practices1 with which all the 
people to whom ,he was speaking were    
very much more familiar than we are1    
teach us something about the kingdom of 
,god4 ,now1 ,i am not going to be       
tempted to discuss what our ,lord means 
by that phrase1 so frequent upon ,his   
lips1 'the kingdom of ,god' or 'of      
heaven4' ,suffice it to say that it     
means1 in the most general terms1 a     
state or order of things in which ,god  
is ,king1 and ,his will supreme and     
sovereign4 ,christ came1 as ,he tells   
us1 to found and to extend that kingdom 
upon earth4 ,a man can go into it1 and  
it can come into a man1 and the         
conditions on which he enters into it1  
and it into him1 are laid down in this  
pair of parables4 ,so ,i ask you to     
notice their similarities and their     
divergences4 ,they begin alike and they 
run on alike for a little way1 and then 
they diverge4 ,there is a fork in the   
road1 and they reunite at the end again4

 ,they agree in their representation of 
the treasure2 they diverge in their     
explanation of the process of           
discovering it1 and they unite at last  
in the final issue4 ,so1 then1 we have  
to look at these three points4  ,i4 ,let
 me ask you to think that the true      
treasure for a man lies in the kingdom  
of ,god4  ,it is not exactly said that  
the treasure is the kingdom1 but the    
treasure is found in the kingdom1 and   
nowhere else4 ,let us put away the      
metaphor2 it means that the only thing  
that will make us rich is loving        
submission to the supreme law of the    
,god whom we love because we know that  
,he loves us4  ,you may put that thought
 into half a dozen different forms4 ,you
 may say that the treasure is the       
blessing that comes from ,christianity1 
or the inward wealth of a submissive    
heart1 or may use various modes of      
expression1 but below them all lies this
 one great thought1 that it is laid on  
my heart1 dear brethren1 to try and lay 

on yours now1 that1 when all is said and
 done1 the only possession that makes us
 rich is--is what8 ,god ,himself4 ,for  
that is the deepest meaning of the      
treasure4 ,and whatever other forms of  
expression we may use to designate it1  
they all come back at last to this1 that
 the wealth of the human soul is to have
 ,god for its very own4  ,let me run    
over two or three points that show us   
that4 ,that treasure is the only one    
that meets our deepest poverty4 ,we do  
not all know what that is1 but whether  
you know it or not1 dear friend1 the    
thing that you want most is to have your
 sins dealt with1 in the double way of  
having them forgiven as guilt1 and in   
having them taken away from you as      
tyrants and dominators over your wills4 
,and it is only ,god who can do that1   
',god in ,christ reconciling the world  
unto ,himself1 not imputing their       
trespasses unto them1' and giving them1 
by a new life which ,he breathes into   
dead souls1 emancipation from the       

tyrants that rule over them1 and thus   
bringing them 'into the liberty of the  
glory of the sons of ,god4' ',thou      
sayest that ,thou art rich and increased
 with goods 444 and knowest not that    
thou art poor 444 and naked4' ,brother1 
until you have found out that it is only
 ,god who will save you from being      
bankrupt1 and enable you to pay your    
debts1 which are your duties1 you do not
 know where your true riches are4 ,and  
if you have all that men can acquire of 
the lower things of life1 whether of    
what is generally called wealth or of   
other material benefits1 and have that  
great indebtedness standing against you1
 you are but an insolvent after all4    
,here is the treasure that will make you
 rich1 because it will pay your debts1  
and endow you with capacity enough to   
meet all future expenditure--viz4 the   
possession of the forgiving and         
cleansing grace of ,god which is in     
,jesus ,christ4 ,if you have that1 you  
are rich2 if you do not possess it1 you 

are poor4 ,now you believe that1 as much
 as ,i do1 most of you4 ,well1 what do  
you do in consequence8  ,further1 the   
possession of ,god1 who belongs to all  
those that are the subjects of the      
kingdom of ,god1 is our true treasure1  
because that wealth1 and that alone1    
meets at once all the diverse wants of  
the human soul4 ,there is nothing else  
of which that can be said4 ,there are a 
great many other precious things in this
 world--human loves1 earthly ambitions  
of noble and legitimate kinds4 ,no one  
but a fool will deny the convenience and
 the good of having a competency of this
 world's possessions4 ,but all these    
have this miserable defect1 or rather   
limitation1 that they each satisfy some 
little corner of a man's nature1 and    
leave all the rest1 if ,i may so say1   
like the beasts in a menagerie whose    
turn has not yet come to be fed1 yelping
 and growling while the keeper is at the
 den of another one4 ,there is only one 
thing that1 being applied1 as it were1  

at the very centre1 will diffuse itself1
 like some fragrant perfume1 through the
 whole sphere1 and fill the else        
scentless air with its rich and         
refreshing fragrance4 ,there is but one 
wealth which meets the whole of human   
nature4 ,you1 however small you are1    
however insignificant people may think  
you1 however humbly you may think of    
yourselves1 you are so great that the   
whole created ,universe1 if it were     
yours1 would be all too little for you4 
,you cannot fill a bottomless bog with  
any number of cartloads of earth4 ,and  
you know as well as ,i can tell you that
 'he that loveth silver shall not be    
satisfied with silver1 nor he that      
loveth abundance with increase1' and    
that none of the good things here below1
 rich and precious as many of them are1 
are large enough to fill1 much less to  
expand1 the limitless desires of one    
human heart4 ,as the ancient ,latin     
father said1 ',lord1 ,thou hast made us 
for ,thyself1 and our heart is unquiet  

till it attains to ,thee4'  ,closely    
connected with that thought1 but capable
 of being dealt with for a moment apart1
 is the other1 that this is our true    
treasure1 because we have it all in one4
  ,you remember the beautiful emphasis  
of one of the parables in our text about
 the man that dissipated himself in     
seeking for many goodly pearls8 ,he had 
secured a whole casket full of little   
ones4 ,they were pearls1 they were many2
 but then he saw one ,orient pearl1 and 
he said1 ',the one is more than the     
many4 ,let me have unity1 for there is  
rest2 whereas in multiplicity there is  
restlessness and change4' ,the sky      
to-night may be filled with galaxies of 
stars4 ,better one sun than a million   
twinkling tininesses that fill the      
heavens1 and yet do not scatter the     
darkness4 ,oh1 brethren1 to have one    
aim1 one love1 one treasure1 one        
,christ1 one ,god--there is the secret  
of blessedness4 ',unite my heart to fear
 ,thy name'2 and then all the miseries  

of multiplicity1 and of drawing our     
supplies from a multitude of separate   
lakes1 will be at an end1 when our souls
 are flooded from the one fountain of   
life that can never fail or be turbid4  
,thus1 the unity of the treasure is the 
supreme excellence of the treasure4     
,nor need ,i remind you in more than a  
word of how this is our true treasure1  
because it is our permanent one4        
,nothing that can be taken from me is   
truly mine4 ,those of you who have lived
 in a great commercial community as long
 as ,i have done1 know that it is not   
for nothing that sovereigns are made    
circular1 for they roll very rapidly1   
and 'riches take to themselves wings and
 fly away4' ,we can all go back to      
instances of men who set their hearts   
upon wealth1 and flaunted their little  
hour before us as kings of the          
,exchange1 and were objects of adoration
 and of envy1 and at last were left     
stranded in poverty4 ,nothing that can  
be stripped from you by the accidents of

 life1 or by inevitable death1 is worth 
calling your 'good4' ,you must have     
something that is intertwined with the  
very fibres of your being4 ,and ,i1     
unworthy as ,i am1 come to you1 dear    
friends1 now1 with this proffer of the  
great gift of wealth from which 'neither
 life1 nor death1 nor angels1 nor       
principalities1 nor powers1 nor things  
present1 nor things to come1 nor height1
 nor depth1 nor any other creature1     
shall be able to separate us4' ,and ,i  
beseech you to ask yourselves1 ,is there
 anything worth calling wealth1 except  
that wealth which meets my deepest need1
 which satisfies my whole nature1 which 
,i may have all in one1 and which1 if ,i
 have1 ,i may have for ever8 ,that      
wealth is the ,god who may be 'the      
strength of your hearts and your        
heritage for ever4'  ,,ii4 ,now notice1 
secondly1 the concealment of the        
treasure4  ,according to the first of   
our parables1 the treasure was hid in a 
field4 ,that is very largely local      

colouring1 which gives veracity and     
vraisemblance to the fact of the story4 
,and there has been a great deal of very
 unnecessary and misplaced ingenuity    
spent in trying to force interpretations
 upon every feature of the parable1     
which ,i do not intend to imitate1 but  
,i just wish to suggest one thing4 ,here
 was this man in the story1 who had     
plodded across that field a thousand    
times1 and knew every clod of it1 and   
had never seen the wealth that was lying
 six inches below the surface4 ,now1    
that is very like some of my present    
hearers4 ,god's treasure comes to the   
world in a form which to a great many   
people veils1 if it does not altogether 
hide1 its preciousness4 ,you have heard 
sermons till you are sick of sermons1   
and ,i do not wonder at it1 if you have 
heard them and never thought of acting  
on them4 ,you know all that ,i can tell 
you1 most of you1 about ,jesus ,christ1 
and what ,he has done for you1 and what 
you should do towards ,him1 and your    

familiarity with the ,word has blinded  
you to its spirit and its power4 ,you   
have gone over the field so often that  
you have made a path across it1 and it  
seems incredible to you that there      
should be anything worth your picking up
 there4 ,ah6 dear friends1 ,jesus       
,christ1 when ,he was here1 'in whom    
were hid all the treasures of wisdom and
 knowledge1' had to the men that looked 
upon ,him 'neither form nor comeliness  
that they should desire ,him1' and ,he  
was to them a stumbling-block and       
foolishness4 ,and ,christ's ,gospel     
comes among busy men1 worldly men1 men  
who are under the dominion of their     
passions and desires1 men who are       
pursuing science and knowledge1 and it  
looks to them very homely1 very         
insignificant2 they do not know what    
treasure is lying in it4 ,you do not    
know what treasure is lying--may ,i     
venture to say it8--in these poor words 
of mine1 in so far as they truly        
represent the mind and will of ,god4    

,dear brethren1 the treasure is hid1 but
 that is not because ,god did not wish  
you to see it2 it is because you have   
made yourselves blind to its flashing   
brightness4 ',if our ,gospel be hid1 it 
is hid to them 444 in whom the god of   
this world hath blinded their eyes4' ,if
 your whole desires are passionately set
 on that which ,manchester recognises as
 the summum bonum1 or1 if you are living
 without a thought beyond this present1 
how can you expect to see the treasure1 
though it is lying there before your    
eyes8 ,you have buried it1 or1 rather1  
you have made that which is its         
necessary envelope to be its            
obscuration4 ,i pray you1 look through  
the forms1 look beneath the words of    
,scripture1 and try and clear your      
eyesight from the hallucinations of the 
dazzling present1 and you will see the  
treasure that is hid in the field4      
,,iii4 ,again1 let me ask you to notice1
 further1 the two ways of finding4  ,the
 rustic in the first story1 who1 as ,i  

said1 had plodded across the field a    
hundred times1 was doing it for the     
hundred and first1 or perhaps was at    
work there with his mattock or his      
homely plough4 ,and1 perchance1 some    
stroke of the spade1 or push of the     
coulter1 went a little deeper than      
usual1 and there flashed the gold1 or   
some shower of rain came on1 and washed 
away a little of the superincumbent     
soil1 and laid bare the bag4 ,now1 that 
is what often happens1 for you have to  
remember that though you are not seeking
 ,god1 ,god is always seeking you1 and  
so the great saying comes to be true1   
',i am found of them that sought ,me    
not4' ,there have been many cases like  
the one of the man who1 breathing out   
threatenings and slaughter1 with no     
thought in his mind except to bind the  
disciples and bring them captive to     
,jerusalem1 saw suddenly a light from   
heaven flashing down upon him1 and a    
,voice that pulled him up in the midst  
of his career4 ,ah6 it would be an awful

 thing if no one found ,christ except   
those who set out to seek for ,him4     
,like the dew on the grass 'that waiteth
 not for men1 nor tarrieth for the sons 
of men1' ,he often comes to hearts that 
are thinking about nothing less than    
about ,him4  ,there are men and women   
listening to me now who did not come    
here with any expectation of being      
confronted with this message to their   
souls2 they may have been drawn by      
curiosity or by a hundred other motives4
 ,if there is one such1 to whom ,i am   
speaking1 who has had no desires after  
the treasure1 who has never thought that
 ,god was his only ,good1 who has been  
swallowed up in worldly things and the  
common affairs of life1 and who now     
feels as if a sudden flash had laid bare
 the hidden wealth in the familiar      
,gospel1 ,i beseech such a one not to   
turn away from the discovered treasure1 
but to make it his own4 ,dear friend1   
you may not be looking for the wealth1  
but ,christ is looking for ,his lost    

coin4 ,and1 though it has rolled away   
into some dusty corner1 and is lying    
there all unaware1 ,i venture to say    
that ,he is seeking you by my poor words
 to-night1 and is saying to you3 ',i    
counsel thee to buy of ,me gold tried in
 the fire4'  ,but then another class is 
described in the other parable of the   
merchantman who was seeking many goodly 
pearls4 ,i suppose he may stand as a    
representative of a class of whom ,i    
have no doubt there are some other      
representatives hearing me now1 namely1 
persons who1 without yielding themselves
 to the claims of ,christ1 have been    
searching1 honestly and earnestly1 for  
'whatsoever things are lovely and of    
good report4' ,dear brethren1 if you    
have been smitten by the desire to live 
noble lives1 if you have been roused    
',to follow knowledge1 like a sinking   
star1    ,beyond the furthest bounds of 
human thought1'  or if in any way you   
are going through the world with your   
eyes looking for something else than the

 world's gross good1 and are seeking for
 the many pearls1 ,i beseech you to lay 
this truth to heart1 that you will never
 find what you seek1 until you          
understand that the many have not it to 
give you1 and that the ,one has4 ,and   
when ,christ draws near to you and says1
 ',whatsoever things are lovely and of  
good report1 whatsoever things are true1
 whatsoever things are venerable1 if    
thou seekest them1 take ,me1 and thou   
wilt find them all1' ,i beseech you1    
accept ,him4 ,there are two ways of     
finding the treasure4 ,it is flashed on 
unexpectant eyes1 and it is disclosed to
 seeking souls4  ,,iii4 ,and now1       
lastly1 let us look at the point where  
the parables converge4  ,there are two  
ways of finding2 there is only one way  
of getting4 ,the one man went and sold  
all that he had and bought the field4   
,never mind about the morality of the   
transaction3 that has nothing to do with
 our ,lord's purpose4 ,perhaps it was   
not quite honest of this man to bury the

 treasure again1 and then to go and buy 
the field for less than it was worth1   
but the point is that1 however a soul is
 brought to see that ,god in ,christ is 
all that he needs1 there is only one way
 of getting ,him1 and that is1 'sell all
 that thou hast4'  ',then it is barter1 
is it8 ,then it is salvation by works   
after all8' ,no6 ,to 'sell all that thou
 hast' is first1 to abandon all hope of 
acquiring the treasure by anything that 
thou hast4 ,we buy it when we           
acknowledge that we have nothing of our 
own to buy it with4 ,buy it 'without    
money and without price'2 buy it by     
yielding your hearts2 buy it by ceasing 
to cling to earth and creatures1 as if  
they were your good4 ,that trust in     
,jesus ,christ1 which is the condition  
of salvation is selling 'all that thou  
hast4' ,self is 'all that thou hast4'   
,abandon self and clutch ,him1 and the  
treasure is thine4 ,but the initial act 
of faith has to be carried on through a 
life of self-denial and self-sacrifice1 

and the subjection of self-will1 which  
is the hardest of all1 and the          
submission of one's self altogether to  
the kingdom of ,god and to its ,king4   
,if we do thus we shall have the        
treasure1 and if we do not thus we shall
 not4  ,surely it is reasonable to fling
 away paste pearls for real ones4       
,surely it is reasonable to fling away  
brass counters for gold coins4 ,surely1 
in all regions of life1 we willingly    
sacrifice the second best in order to   
get the very best4 ,surely if the wealth
 which is in ,god is more precious than 
all besides1 you have the best of the   
bargain1 if you part with the world and 
yourselves and get ,him4 ,and if1 on the
 other hand1 you stick to the second    
best and cleave to yourselves and to    
this poor diurnal sphere and what it    
contains1 then ,i will tell you what    
your epitaph will be4 ,it is written in 
one of the ,psalms1 ',he shall leave    
them in the midst of his days1 and at   
his latter end shall be a fool4'  ,and  

there is a more foolish fool still--the 
man who1 when he has seen the treasure1 
flings another shovelful of earth upon  
it1 and goes away and does not buy it1  
nor think anything more about it4 ,dear 
brother1 do not do that1 but if1 by     
,god's help1 any poor words of mine have
 stirred anything in your hearts of     
recognition of what your true wealth is1
 do not rest until you have done what is
 needful to possess it1 given away      
yourselves1 and in exchange received    
,christ1 and in ,him wealth for         
evermore4     ,,the ,,martyrdom ,,of    
,,john       ',at that time ,herod the  
tetrarch heard of the fame of           
,jesus1 #b4 ,and said unto his servants1
 ,this is ,john the     ,baptist2 he is 
risen from the dead2 and therefore      
mighty works do shew forth themselves in
 him4 #c4 ,for     ,herod had laid hold 
on ,john1 and bound him1 and put him    
in prison for ,herodias' sake1 his      
brother ,philip's wife4     #d4 ,for    
,john said unto him1 ,it is not lawful  

for thee to     have her4 #e4 ,and when 
he would have put him to death1     he  
feared the multitude1 because they      
counted him as a     prophet4 #f4 ,but  
when ,herod's birthday was kept1 the    
daughter of ,herodias danced before     
them1 and pleased     ,herod4 #g4       
,whereupon he promised with an oath to  
give     her whatsoever she would ask4  
#h4 ,and she1 being before              
instructed of her mother1 said1 ,give me
 here ,john     ,baptist's head in a    
charger4 #i4 ,and the king was sorry3   
nevertheless for the oath's sake1 and   
them which sat     with him at meat1 he 
commanded it to be given her4     #aj4  
,and he sent1 and beheaded ,john in the 
prison4     #aa4 ,and his head was      
brought in a charger1 and given to      
the damsel3 and she brought it to her   
mother4 #ab4 ,and     his disciples     
came1 and took up the body1 and buried  
it1     and went and told               
,jesus4'--,,matt4 xiv4 #a-ab4  ,the     
singular indifference of the ,bible to  

the fate of even its greatest men is    
exemplified in the fact that the        
martyrdom of ,john is only told         
incidentally1 in explanation of ,herod's
 alarm4 ,but for that he would          
apparently have dropped out of the      
narrative1 as a man sinks in the sea1   
without a bubble or a ripple4 ,christ is
 the sole theme of the ,gospels1 and all
 others are visible only as ,his light  
falls on them4  ,it took a long time for
 news of ,christ to reach the ears of   
,herod4 ,peasants hear of ,him before   
princes1 whose thick palace walls and   
crowds of courtiers shut out truth4 ,the
 first thing to note is the alarm of the
 conscience-stricken king4 ,we learn    
from the other evangelists that there   
was a difference of opinion among the   
attendants of ,herod--not very good     
judges of a religious teacher--as to who
 this new miracle-working ,rabbi might  
be1 but the tetrarch has no hesitation4 
,there is no proof that ,herod was a    
,sadducee2 but he probably thought as   

little about a resurrection as if he had
 been1 and1 in any case1 did not expect 
dead men to be starting up again1 one by
 one1 and mingling with the living4 ,his
 conscience made a coward of him1 and   
his fear made that terrible which would 
else have been thought impossible4 ,in  
his terror he makes confidants of his   
slaves1 overleaping the barriers of     
position1 in his need of some ears to   
pour his fears into4 ,he was right in   
believing that he had not finished with 
,john1 and in expecting to meet him     
again with mightier power to accuse and 
condemn4 ',if 'twere done when 'tis     
done1' says ,macbeth2 but it is not     
done4 ,there is a resurrection of deeds 
as well as of bodies1 and all our buried
 badnesses will front us again1 shaking 
their gory locks at us1 and saying that 
we did them4  ,instead of following     
closely the narrative1 we may best      
gather up its lessons by considering the
 actors in the tragedy4  ,i4 ,we see in 
,herod the depths of evil possible to a 

weak character4 ,the singular double    
which he1 ,herodias and ,john present to
 ,ahab1 ,jezebel and ,elijah1 has been  
often noticed4 ,in both cases a weak    
king is drawn in opposite directions by 
the stronger-willed temptress at his    
side1 and by the stern ascetic from the 
desert4 ,how ,john had found his way    
into 'kings' houses' we do not know2    
but1 as he carried thither his undaunted
 boldness of plain-spoken preaching of  
morality and repentance1 it was         
inevitable that he should soon find his 
way from the palace to the dungeon4     
,there must have been some intercourse  
between ,herod and him before his       
imprisonment1 or he could not have      
shaken the king's conscience with his   
blunt denunciations4 ,from the account  
in ,mark1 it would appear that1 after   
his imprisonment1 he gained great       
influence over the tetrarch1 and led him
 some steps on the way of goodness4 ,but
 ,herod was 'infirm of purpose1' and a  
beautiful fiend was at his side1 and she

 had an iron will sharpened to an edge  
by hatred1 and knew her own mind1 which 
was murder4 ,between them1 the weaker   
nature was much perplexed1 and like a   
badly steered boat1 yawed in its course1
 now yielding to the impulse from ,john1
 now to that from ,herodias4 ,matthew   
attributes his hesitation as to killing 
,john to his fear of the popular voice1 
which1 no doubt1 also operated4 ,thus he
 'let ,i dare not wait upon ,i would1'  
and had not strength of mind enough to  
hold to the one and despise the other of
 his discordant counsellors4 ,he was    
evidently a sensual1 luxurious1         
feeble-willed1 easily frightened1       
superstitious and cunning despot2 and1  
as is always the case with such1 he was 
driven farther in evil than he meant or 
wished4 ,he was entrapped into an oath1 
and then1 instead of saying1 ',promises 
which should not have been made should  
not be kept1' he weakly consents1 from  
fantastic fear of what his guests will  
say of him1 and unwillingly1 out of pure

 imbecility1 stains his soul for ever   
with blood4 ,in this wicked world1 weak 
men will always be wicked men2 for it is
 less trouble to consent than to resist1
 and there are more sirens to whisper   
',come' than prophets to thunder1 ',it  
is not lawful4' ,strength of will is    
needful for all noble life4  ,we may    
learn from ,herod1 also1 how far we may 
go on the road of obedience to ,god's   
will1 and yet leave it at last4 ,what   
became of all his eager listening1 of   
his partial obedience1 of his care to   
keep ,john safe from ,herodias's malice8
 ,all vanished like early dew4 ,what    
became of his conscience-stricken alarms
 on hearing of ,christ8 ,did they lead  
to any deep convictions8  ,they faded   
away1 and left him harder than before4  
,convictions not followed out ossify the
 heart4 ,if he had sent for ,christ1 and
 told ,him his fears1 all might have    
been well4 ,but he let them pass1 and1  
so far as we know1 they never returned4 
,he did meet ,jesus at last1 when       

,pilate sent him the ,prisoner1 as a    
piece of politeness1 and in what        
mood8--childish pleasure at the chance  
of seeing a miracle4 ,how did ,jesus    
answer his torrent of frivolous         
questions8 ',he answered him nothing4'  
,that sad silence speaks ,christ's      
knowledge that now even ,his words would
 be vain to create one ripple of        
interest on the ,dead ,sea of ,herod's  
soul4 ,by frivolity1 lust1 and neglect  
he had killed the germ of a better life1
 and silence was the kindest answer     
which perfect love could give him4  ,he 
shows us1 too1 the intimate connection  
of all sins4 ,the common root of every  
sin is selfishness1 and the shapes which
 it takes are protean and               
interchangeable4 ,lust dwells hard by   
hate4 ,sensual crimes and cruelty are   
closely akin4 ,the one vice which ,herod
 would not surrender1 dragged after it a
 whole tangle of other sins4 ,no sin    
dwells alone4 ,there is 'none barren    
among them4' ,they are gregarious1 and a

 solitary sin is more seldom seen than a
 single swallow4 ,herod is an           
illustration1 too1 of a conscience      
fantastically sensitive while it is dead
 to real crimes4 ,he has no twinges for 
his sin with ,herodias1 and no effective
 ones at killing ,john1 but he thinks it
 would be wrong to break his oath4 ,the 
two things often go together2 and many a
 brigand in ,calabria1 who would cut a  
throat without hesitation1 would not    
miss mass1 or rob without a little image
 of the ,virgin in his hat4 ,we often   
make compensation for easy indulgence in
 great sins by fussy scrupulosity about 
little faults1 and1 like ,herod1 had    
rather commit murder than not be polite 
to visitors4  ,,ii4 ,the next actors in 
the tragedy are ,herodias and her       
daughter4 ,what a miserable destiny to  
be gibbeted for ever by half a dozen    
sentences6 ,one deed1 after which she no
 doubt 'wiped her mouth1 and said1 ,i   
have done no harm1' has won for the     
mother an immortality of ignominy4 ,her 

portrait is drawn in few strokes1 but   
they are enough4 ,in strength of will   
and unscrupulous carelessness of human  
life1 she is the sister of ,jezebel1 and
 curiously like ,shakespeare's awful    
creation1 ,lady ,macbeth2 but she adds a
 stain of sensuous passion to their     
vices1 which heightens the horror4 ,her 
first marriage was with her full uncle2 
and her second1 if marriage it can be   
called when her husband and ,herod's    
wife were both living1 was with her     
step-uncle1 and thus triply unlawful4   
,john's remonstrance awoke no sense of  
shame in her1 but only malignant and    
murderous hate4 ,once resolved1 no      
failures made her swerve from her       
purpose4 ,hers was no passing fury1 but 
cold-blooded1 deliberate determination4 
,her iron will and unalterable          
persistence were accompanied by         
flexibility of resource4 ,when one      
weapon failed1 she drew another from a  
full quiver4 ,and the means which were  
finally successful show not only her    

thorough knowledge of the weak man she  
had to deal with1 but her readiness to  
stoop to any degradation for herself and
 her child to carry her point4 ',a      
thousand claims to' abhorrence 'meet in 
her1 as mother1 wife1 and queen4' ,many 
a shameless woman would have shrunk from
 sullying a daughter's childhood1 by    
sending her to play the part of a       
shameless dancing-girl before a crew of 
half-tipsy revellers1 and from teaching 
her young lips to ask for murder4 ,but  
,herodias sticks at nothing1 and is as  
insensible to the duty of a mother as to
 that of a wife4 ,if we put together    
these features in her character1 her hot
 animal passions1 her cool inflexible   
revenge1 her cynical disregard of all   
decency1 her deadness to natural        
affection for her child1 her ferocity   
and her cunning1 we have a hideous      
picture of corrupted womanhood4 ,we     
cannot but wonder whether1 in after     
days1 remorse ever did its merciful work
 upon ,herodias4 ,she urged ,herod to   

his ruin at last by her ambition1 which 
sought for him the title of king1 and1  
with one redeeming touch of             
faithfulness1 went with him into dreary 
exile in ,gaul4 ,perhaps there1 among   
strangers1 and surrounded by the wreck  
of her projects1 and when the hot fire  
of passion had died down1 she may have  
remembered and repented her crime4  ,the
 criminality of the daughter largely    
depends upon her age1 of which we have  
no knowledge4 ,perhaps she was too mere 
a child to understand the degradation of
 the dance1 or the infamy of the request
 which her1 we hope1 innocent and       
panting lips were tutored to prefer4    
,but1 more probably1 she was old enough 
to be her mother's fellow-conspirator1  
rather than her tool1 and had learned   
only too well her lessons of impurity   
and cruelty4 ,what chance had a young   
life in such a sty of filth8 ,when the  
mother becomes the devil's deputy1 what 
can the daughter grow up to be1 but a   
worse edition of her8 ,this poor girl1  

so sinning1 and so sinned against1      
followed in ,herodias's footsteps1 and  
afterwards married1 according to the    
custom of the ,herods1 her uncle1       
,philip the tetrarch4 ,she inherited and
 was taught evil2 that was her          
misfortune4 ,she made it her own2 that  
was her crime4 ,as she stands there1    
shameless and flushed1 in that hideous  
banqueting-hall1 with her grim gift     
dripping red blood on the golden        
platter1 and wicked triumph gleaming in 
her dark eyes1 she suggests grave       
questions as to parents' responsibility 
for children's sins1 and is a living    
symbol of the degradation of art to the 
service of vice1 and of the power of an 
evil soul to make hideous all the grace 
of budding womanhood4  ,,iii4 ,there is 
something dramatically appropriate in   
the silent death in the dungeon of the  
lonely forerunner4  ,the faint noise of 
revelry may have reached his ears1 as he
 brooded there1 and wondered if the     
coming ,king would never come for his   

enlargement4 ,suddenly a gleam of light 
from the opened door enters his cell1   
and falls on the blade of the headsman's
 sword4 ,little time can be wasted1 for 
,herodias waits4 ,with short preface the
 blow falls4 ,the ,king has come1 and   
set ,his forerunner free1 sending him to
 prepare ,his way before ,him in the dim
 regions beyond4 ,a world where ,herod  
sits in the festal chamber1 and ,john   
lies headless in the dungeon1 needs some
 one to set it right4 ,when the need is 
sorest1 the help is nearest4 ,truth     
succeeds by the apparent failure of its 
apostle4 ,herodias may stab the dead    
tongue1 as the legend tells that she    
did1 but it speaks louder after death   
than ever4 ,herod kept his birthday with
 drunken and bloody mirth2 but it was a 
better birthday for his victim4  ,,iv4  
,it needed some courage for ,john's     
disciples to come to that gloomy1       
blood-stained fortress1 and bear away   
the headless trunk which scornful       
cruelty had flung out to rot unburied4  

,when reverent love and sorrow had      
finished their task1 what was the little
 flock without a shepherd to do8 ,the   
possibility of their continued existence
 as a company of disciples was at an    
end4 ,they show by their action that    
their master had profited from his last 
message to ,jesus4 ,at once they turn to
 ,him1 and1 no doubt1 the bulk of them  
were absorbed in the body of ,his       
followers4 ,sorrowful and bereaved souls
 betake themselves naturally to ,his    
sweet sympathy for soothing1 and to ,his
 gentle wisdom for direction4 ,the      
wisest thing that any of us can do is to
 'go and tell ,jesus' our loneliness1   
and let it bind us more closely to ,him4
     ,,the ,,grave ,,of ,,the ,,dead    
,,john ,,and ,,the ,,grave ,,of ,,the   
,,living ,,jesus       ',and ,john's    
disciples came1 and took up the body1   
and     buried it1 and went and told    
,jesus4'--,,matt4 xiv4 #ab4      ',and  
they departed quickly from the sepulchre
 with fear     and great joy4'--,,matt4 

xxviii4 #h4  ,there is a remarkable     
parallel and still more remarkable      
contrast between these two groups of    
disciples at the graves of their        
respective masters4 ,john the ,baptist's
 followers venture into the very jaws of
 the lion to rescue the headless corpse 
of their martyred teacher from a prison 
grave4 ,they bear it away and lay it    
reverently in its unknown sepulchre1 and
 when they have done these last offices 
of love they feel that all is over4     
,they have no longer a centre1 and they 
disintegrate4 ,there was nothing to hold
 them together any more4 ,the shepherd  
had been smitten1 and the flock were    
scattered4 ,as a 'school' or a distinct 
community they cease to be1 and are     
mostly absorbed into the ranks of       
,christ's followers4 ,that sorrowful    
little company that turned from ,john's 
grave1 perhaps amidst the grim rocks of 
,moab1 perhaps in his native city       
amongst the hills of ,judah1 parted     
then1 to meet no more1 and to bear away 

only a common sorrow that time would    
comfort1 and a common memory that time  
would dim4  ,the other group laid their 
martyred ,master in ,his grave with as  
tender hands and as little hope as did  
,john's disciples4 ,the bond that held  
them together was gone too1 and the     
disintegrating process began at once4   
,we see them breaking up into little    
knots1 and soon they1 too1 will be      
scattered4 ,the women come to the grave 
to perform the woman's office of        
anointing1 and they are left to go      
alone4 ,other slight hints are given    
which show how much the ties of         
companionship had been relaxed1 even in 
a day1 and how certainly and quickly    
they would have fallen asunder4 ,but all
 at once a new element comes in1 all is 
changed4 ,the earliest visitors to the  
sepulchre leave it1 not with the        
lingering sorrow of those who have no   
more that they can do1 but with the     
quick1 buoyant step of people charged   
with great and glad tidings4 ,they come 

to it wrapped in grief--they leave it   
with great joy4 ,they come to it1       
feeling that all was over1 and that     
their union with the rest who had loved 
,him was little more than a remembrance4
 ,they go away1 feeling that they are   
all bound together more closely than    
ever4  ,the grave of ,john was the end  
of a 'school4' ,the grave of ,jesus was 
the beginning of a ,church4 ,why8 ,the  
only answer is the message which the    
women brought back from the empty       
sepulchre on that ,easter day3 ',the    
,lord is risen4' ,the whole history of  
the ,christian ,church1 and even its    
very existence1 is unintelligible1      
except on the supposition of the        
resurrection4 ,but for that1 the fate of
 ,john's disciples would have been the  
fate of ,christ's--they would have      
melted away into the mass of the nation1
 and at most there would have been one  
more petty ,galilean sect that would    
have lived on for a generation and died 
out when the last of ,his companions    

died4 ,so from these two contrasted     
groups we may fairly gather some        
thoughts as to the ,resurrection of     
,christ1 as attested by the very        
existence of a ,christian ,church1 and  
as to the joy of that resurrection4  ,i4
 ,now the first point to be considered  
is1 that the conduct of ,christ's       
disciples after ,his death was exactly  
the opposite of what might have been    
expected4  ,they held together4 ,the    
natural thing for them to do would have 
been to disband2 for their one bond was 
gone2 and if they had acted according to
 the ordinary laws of human conduct1    
they would have said to themselves1 ,let
 us go back to our fishing-boats and our
 tax-gathering1 and seek safety in      
separation1 and nurse our sorrow apart4 
,a few lingering days might have been   
given to weep together at ,his grave1   
and to assuage the first bitterness of  
grief and disappointment2 but when these
 were over1 nothing could have prevented
 ,christianity and the ,church from     

being buried in the same sepulchre as   
,jesus4 ,as certainly as the stopping up
 of the fountain would empty the river's
 bed1 so surely would ,christ's death   
have scattered ,his disciples4 ,and that
 strange fact1 that it did not scatter  
them1 needs to be looked well into and  
fairly accounted for in some plausible  
manner4 ,the end of ,john's school gives
 a parallel which brings the singularity
 of the fact into stronger relief2 and  
looking at these two groups as they     
stand before us in these two texts1 the 
question is irresistibly suggested1 ,why
 did not the one fall away into its     
separate elements1 as the other did8    
,the keystone of the arch was in both   
cases withdrawn--why did the one        
structure topple into ruin while the    
other stood firm8  ,not only did the    
disciples of ,christ keep united1 but   
their conceptions of ,jesus underwent a 
remarkable change1 after ,his death4 ,we
 might have expected1 indeed1 that1 when
 memory began to work1 and the          

disturbing influence of daily           
association was withdrawn1 the same     
idealising process would have begun on  
their image of ,him1 which reveals and  
ennobles the characters of our dear ones
 who have gone away from us4 ,most men  
have to die before their true worth is  
discerned4 ,but no process of that sort 
will suffice to account for the change  
and heightening of the disciples'       
thoughts about their dead ,lord4 ,it was
 not merely that1 when they remembered1 
they said1 ,did not our hearts burn     
within us by the way while ,he talked   
with us8--but that ,his death wrought   
exactly the opposite effect from what it
 might have been expected to do4 ,it    
ought to have ended their hope that ,he 
was the ,messiah1 and we know that      
within forty-eight hours it was         
beginning to do so1 as we learn from the
 plaintive words of disappointed and    
fading hope3 ',we trusted that it had   
been ,he which should have redeemed     
,israel4' ,if1 so early1 the cold       

conviction was stealing over their      
hearts that their dearest expectation   
was proved by ,his death to have been a 
dream1 what could have prevented its    
entire dominion over them1 as the days  
grew into months and years8 ,but somehow
 or other that process was arrested1 and
 the opposite one set in4 ,the death    
that should have shattered ,messianic   
dreams confirmed them4 ,the death that  
should have cast a deeper shadow of     
incomprehensibleness over ,his strange  
and lofty claims poured a new light upon
 them1 which made them all plain and    
clear4 ,the very parts of ,his teaching 
which ,his death would have made those  
who loved ,him wish to forget1 became   
the centre of ,his followers' faith4    
,his cross became ,his throne4 ,whilst  
,he lived with them they knew not what  
,he said in ,his deepest words1 but1 by 
a strange paradox1 ,his death convinced 
them that ,he was the ,son of ,god1 and 
that that which they had seen with their
 eyes1 and their hands had handled1 was 

the ,eternal ,life4 ,the cross alone    
could never have done that4 ,something  
else there must have been1 if the men   
were sane1 to account for this paradox4 
,nor is this all4 ,another equally      
unlikely sequel of the death of ,jesus  
is the unmistakable moral transformation
 effected on the disciples4 ,timorous   
and tremulous before1 something or other
 touched them into altogether new       
boldness and self-possession4 ,dependent
 on ,his presence before1 and helpless  
when ,he was away from them for an hour1
 they become all at once strong and     
calm2 they stand before the fury of a   
,jewish mob and the threatenings of the 
,sanhedrim1 unmoved and victorious4 ,and
 these brave confessors and saintly     
heroes are the men who1 a few weeks     
before1 had been petulant1 self-willed1 
jealous1 cowardly4 ,what had lifted them
 suddenly so far above themselves8      
,their ,master's death8 ,that would more
 naturally have taken any heart or      
courage out of them1 and left them      

indeed as sheep in the midst of wolves4 
,why1 then1 do they thus strangely blaze
 up into grandeur and heroism8 ,can any 
reasonable account be given of these    
paradoxes8 ,surely it is not too much to
 ask of people who profess to explain   
,christianity on naturalistic           
principles1 that they shall make the    
process clear to us by which1 ,christ   
being dead and buried1 ,his disciples   
were kept together1 learned to think    
more loftily of ,him1 and sprang at once
 to a new grandeur of character4 ,why   
did not they do as ,john's disciples    
did1 and disappear8 ,why was not the    
stream lost in the sand1 when the       
head-waters were cut off8  ,,ii4 ,notice
 then1 next1 that the disciples'        
immediate belief in the ,resurrection   
furnishes a reasonable1 and the only    
reasonable1 explanation of the facts4   
,there is no better historical evidence 
of a fact than the existence of an      
institution built upon it1 and coeval   
with it4 ,the ,christian ,church is such

 evidence for the fact of the           
,resurrection2 or1 to put the conclusion
 in the most moderate fashion1 for the  
belief in the ,resurrection4 ,for1 as we
 have shown1 the natural effect of our  
,lord's death would have been to shatter
 the whole fabric3 and if that effect   
were not produced1 the only reasonable  
account of the force that hindered it   
is1 that ,his followers believed that   
,he rose again4 ,since that was their   
faith1 one can understand how they were 
banded more closely together than ever4 
,one can understand how their eyes were 
opened to know ,him who was 'declared to
 be the ,son of ,god with power by the  
resurrection from the dead4' ,one can   
understand how1 in the enthusiasm of    
these new thoughts of their ,lord1 and  
in the strength of ,his victory over    
death1 they put aside their old fears   
and littlenesses and clothed themselves 
in armour of light4 ',the ,lord is risen
 indeed' was the belief which made the  
continuous existence of the ,church     

possible4 ,any other explanation of that
 great outstanding fact is lame and     
hopelessly insufficient4  ,we know that 
that belief was the belief of the early 
,church4 ,even if one waived all        
reference to the ,gospels1 we have the  
means of demonstrating that in ,paul's  
undisputed epistles4 ,nobody has        
questioned that he wrote the ,first     
,epistle to the ,corinthians4 ,the date 
most generally assumed to that letter   
brings it within about five-and-twenty  
years of the crucifixion4 ,in that      
letter1 in addition to a multitude of   
incidental references to the ,lord as   
risen1 we have the great passage in the 
fifteenth chapter1 where the apostle not
 only declares that the ,resurrection   
was one of the two facts which made his 
'gospel1' but solemnly enumerates the   
witnesses of the risen ,lord1 and       
alleges that this gospel of the         
,resurrection was common to him and to  
all the ,church4 ,he tells us of        
,christ's appearance to himself at his  

conversion1 which must have taken place 
within six or seven years of the        
crucifixion1 and assures us that at that
 early period he found the whole ,church
 believing and preaching ,christ's      
resurrection4 ,their belief rested on   
their alleged intercourse with ,him a   
few days after ,his death1 and it is    
inconceivable that within so short a    
period such a belief should have sprung 
up and been universally received1 if it 
had not begun when and as they said that
 it did4  ,but we are not left even to  
inferences of this kind to show that1   
from the beginning1 the ,church         
witnessed to the ,resurrection of       
,jesus4 ,its own existence is the great 
witness to its faith4 ,and it is        
important to observe that1 even if we   
had not the documentary evidence of the 
,pauline epistles as the earliest       
records1 of the ,gospels1 and of the    
,acts of the ,apostles1 we should still 
have sufficient proof that the belief in
 the ,resurrection is as old as the     

,church4 ,for the continuance of the    
,church cannot be explained without it4 
,if that faith had not dawned on their  
slow1 sad hearts on that ,easter        
morning1 a few weeks would have seen    
them scattered2 and if once they had    
been scattered1 as they inevitably would
 have been1 no power could have reunited
 them1 any more than a diamond once     
shattered can be pieced together again4 
,there would have been no motive and no 
actors to frame a story of resurrection1
 when once the little company had melted
 away4 ,the existence of the ,church    
depended on their belief that the ,lord 
was risen4 ,in the nature of the case   
that belief must have followed          
immediately on ,his death4 ,it1 and it  
only1 reasonably accounts for the facts4
 ,and so1 over and above ,apostles1 and 
,gospels1 and ,epistles1 the ,church is 
the great witness1 by its very being1 to
 its own immediate and continuous belief
 in the ,resurrection of our ,lord4     
,,iii4 ,again1 we may remark that such a

 belief could not have originated or    
maintained itself unless it had been    
true4  ,our previous remarks have gone  
no farther than to establish the belief 
in the ,resurrection of ,christ1 as the 
basis of primitive ,christianity4 ,it is
 vehemently alleged1 and we may freely  
admit that the step is a long one from  
subjective belief to objective reality4 
,but still it is surely perfectly fair  
to argue that a given belief is of such 
a nature that it cannot be supposed to  
rest on anything less solid than a fact2
 and this is eminently the case in      
regard to the belief in ,christ's       
,resurrection4 ,there have been many    
attempts on the part of those who reject
 that belief to account for its         
existence1 and each of them in          
succession has 'had its day1 and ceased 
to be4' ,unbelief devours its own       
children remorselessly1 and the         
succession to the throne of             
antichristian scepticism is won1 as in  
some barbarous tribes1 by slaying the   

reigning sovereign4 ,the armies of the  
aliens turn their weapons against one   
another1 and each new assailant of the  
historical veracity of the ,gospels     
commences operations by showing that all
 previous assailants have been wrong1   
and that none of their explanations will
 hold water4  ,for instance1 we hear    
nothing now of the coarse old           
explanation that the story of the       
,resurrection was a lie1 and became     
current through the conscious imposture 
of the leaders of the ,church4 ,and it  
was high time that such a solution      
should be laid aside4 ,who1 with half an
 eye for character1 could study the     
deeds and the writings of the apostles1 
and not feel that1 whatever else they   
were1 they were profoundly honest1 and  
as convinced as of their own existence1 
that they had seen ,christ 'alive after 
,his passion1 by many infallible        
proofs'8 ,if ,paul and ,peter and ,john 
were conspirators in a trick1 then their
 lives and their words were the most    

astounding anomaly4 ,who1 either1 that  
had the faintest perception of the      
forces that sway opinion and frame      
systems1 could believe that the fair    
fabric of ,christian morality was built 
on the sand of a lie1 and cemented by   
the slime of deceit bubbling up from the
 very pit of hell8 ,do men gather grapes
 of thorns1 or figs of thistles8 ,that  
insolent hypothesis has had its day4    
,then when it was discredited1 we were  
told that the mythical tendency would   
explain everything4 ,it showed us how   
good men could tell lies without knowing
 it1 and how the religious value of an  
alleged fact in an alleged historical   
revelation did not in the least depend  
on its being a fact4 ,and that great    
discovery1 which first converted solid  
historical ,christianity into a gaseous 
condition1 and then caught the fumes in 
some kind of retort1 and professed to   
hand us them back again improved by the 
sublimation1 has pretty well gone the   
way of all hypotheses4 ,myths are not   

made in three days1 or in three years1  
and no more time can be allowed for the 
formation of the myth of the            
,resurrection4 ,what was the ,church to 
feed on while the myth was growing8 ,it 
would have been starved to death long   
before4  ,then1 the last new explanation
 which is gravely put forward1 and is   
the prevailing one now1 sustains itself 
by reference to undeniable facts in the 
history of religious movements1 and of  
such abnormal attitudes of the mind as  
modern spiritualism4 ,on the strength of
 which analogy we are invited to see in 
the faith of the early ,christians in   
the ,resurrection of the ,lord a        
gigantic instance of 'hallucination4'   
,no doubt there have been1 and still    
are1 extraordinary instances of its     
power1 especially in minds excited by   
religious ideas4 ,but we have only to   
consider the details of the facts in    
hand to feel that they cannot be        
accounted for on such a ground4 ,do     
hallucinations lay hold on five hundred 

people at once8 ,does a hallucination   
last for a long country walk1 and give  
rise to protracted conversation8 ,does  
hallucination explain the story of      
,christ eating and drinking before ,his 
disciples8 ,the uncertain twilight of   
the garden might have begotten such an  
airy phantom in the brain of a single   
sobbing woman2 but the appearances to be
 explained are so numerous1 so varied in
 character1 embrace so many details1    
appeal to so many of the senses--to the 
ear and hand as well as to the eye--were
 spread over so long a period1 and were 
simultaneously shared by so large a     
number1 that no theory of such a sort   
can account for them1 unless by         
impugning the veracity of the records4  
,and then we are back again on the old  
abandoned ground of deceit and          
imposture4 ,it sounds plausible to say1 
,hallucination is a proved cause of many
 a supposed supernatural event--why not 
of this8 ,but the plausibility of the   
solution ceases as soon as you try it on

 the actual facts in their variety and  
completeness4 ,it has to be eked out    
with a length of the fox's skin of      
deceit before it covers them2 and we may
 confidently assert that such a belief  
as the belief of the early ,church in   
the ,resurrection of the ,lord was never
 the product either of deceit or of     
illusion1 or of any amalgam of the two4 
,what new solutions the fertility of    
unbelief may yet bring forth1 and the   
credulity of unbelief may yet accept1 we
 know not2 but we may firmly hold by the
 faith which breathed new hope and      
strange joy into that sad band on the   
first ,easter morning1 and rejoice with 
them in the glad1 wonderful fact that   
,he is risen from the dead4  ,,iv4 ,for 
that message is a message to us as truly
 as to the heavy-hearted unbelieving men
 that first received it4 ,we may think  
for a moment of the joy with which we   
ought to return from the empty sepulchre
 of the risen ,saviour4  ,how little    
these women knew that1 as they went back

 from the grave in the morning twilight1
 they were the bearers of 'great joy    
which should be to all people'6 ,to them
 and to the first hearers of their      
message there would be little clear in  
the rush of glad surprise1 beyond the   
blessed thought1 ,then ,he is not gone  
from us altogether4 ,sweet visions of   
the resumption of happy companionship   
would fill their minds1 and it would not
 be until calmer moments that the       
stupendous significance of the fact     
would reveal itself4  ,mary's rapturous 
gesture to clasp ,him by the feet1 when 
the certainty that it was in very deed  
,he flooded her soul with dazzling      
light1 reveals her first emotion1 which 
no doubt was also the first with them   
all1 ',then we shall have ,him with us  
again1 and all the old joy of           
companionship will be ours once more4'  
,nor were they wrong in thinking so1    
however little they as yet understood   
the future manner of their fellowship1  
or anticipated ,his leaving them again  

so soon4 ,nor are we without a share    
even in that phase of their joy2 for the
 ,resurrection of ,jesus ,christ gives  
us a living ,lord for our love1 an ever 
present ,companion and ,brother for our 
hearts to hold1 even if our hands cannot
 clasp ,him by the feet4 ,a dead ,christ
 might have been the object of faint    
historical admiration1 and the fair     
statue might have stood amidst others in
 the galleries of history2 but the      
risen1 living ,christ can love and be   
loved1 and we too may be glad with the  
joy of those who have found a heart to  
rest their hearts upon1 and a           
companionship that can never fail4  ,as 
the early disciples learned to reflect  
upon the fact of ,christ's              
,resurrection1 its riches unfolded      
themselves by degrees1 and the earliest 
aspect of its 'power' was the light it  
shed on ,his person and work4 ,taught by
 it1 as we have seen1 they recognised   
,him for the ,messiah whom they had long
 expected1 and for something more--the  

,incarnate ,son of ,god4 ,that phase of 
their joy belongs to us too4 ,if        
,christ1 who made such avowals of ,his  
nature as we know that ,he did1 and     
hazarded such assertions of ,his claims1
 ,his personality and ,his office1 as   
fill the ,gospels1 were really laid in  
the grave and saw corruption1 then the  
assertions are disproved1 the claims    
unwarranted1 the office a figment of    
,his imagination4 ,he may still remain a
 great teacher1 with a tremendous       
deduction to be made from the worth of  
,his teaching1 but all that is deepest  
in ,his own words about ,himself and    
,his relation to men must be sorrowfully
 put on one side4 ,but if ,he1 after    
such assertions and claims1 rose from   
the dead1 and rising1 dieth no more1    
then for the last time1 and in the      
mightiest tones1 the voice that rent the
 heavens at ,his baptism and ,his       
transfiguration proclaims3 ',this is ,my
 beloved ,son2 hear ye ,him4' ,our joy  
in ,his ,resurrection is the joy of     

those to whom ,he is therein declared to
 be the ,son of ,god1 and who see in    
,christ risen their accepted ,sacrifice1
 and their ever-living ,redeemer4  ,such
 was the earliest effect of the         
,resurrection of ,jesus1 if we trust the
 records of apostolic preaching4 ,then  
by degrees the joyful thought took shape
 in the ,church's consciousness that    
their ,shepherd had gone before them    
into the dark pen where ,death pastured 
his flocks1 and had taken it for ,his   
own1 for the quiet resting-place where  
,he would make them lie down by still   
waters1 and whence ,he would lead them  
out to the lofty mountains where ,his   
fold should be4 ,the power of ,christ's 
,resurrection as the pattern and pledge 
of ours is the final source of the joy  
which may fill our hearts as we turn    
away from that empty sepulchre4  ,the   
world has guessed and feared1 or guessed
 and hoped1 but always guessed and      
doubted the life beyond4 ,analogies1    
poetic adumbrations1 probabilities drawn

 from consciousness and from conscience1
 from intuition and from anticipation1  
are but poor foundations on which to    
build a solid faith4 ,but to those to   
whom the ,resurrection of ,christ is a  
fact their own future life is a fact4   
,here we have a solid certainty1 and    
here alone4 ,the heart says as we lay   
our dear ones in the grave1 ',surely we 
part not for ever4' ,the conscience     
says1 as it points us to our own evil   
deeds1 ',after death the judgment4' ,a  
deep indestructible instinct prophesies 
in every breast of a future4 ,but all is
 vague and doubtful4 ,the one proof of a
 life beyond the grave is the           
,resurrection of ,jesus ,christ4        
,therefore let us be glad with the      
gladness of men plucked from a dark     
abyss of doubt and planted on the rock  
of solid certainty2 and let us rejoice  
with joy unspeakable1 and laden with a  
prophetic weight of glory1 as we ring   
out the ancient ,easter morning's       
greeting1 ',the ,lord is risen indeed6' 

,,the ,,food ,,of ,,the ,,world         
',he gave the loaves to the disciples1  
and the disciples     to the multitude4 
#bj4 ,and they did all eat1 and were    
filled2 and they took up of the         
fragments that remained     twelve      
baskets full4'--,,matt4 xiv4 #ai1 #bj4  
,the miracles of ,scripture are not     
merely wonders1 but signs4 ,it is one of
 their most striking characteristics    
that they are not1 like the pretended   
portents of false faiths1 mere mighty   
deeds standing in no sort of            
intellectual relation to the message of 
which they claim to be the attestation1 
but that they have themselves a         
doctrinal significance4 ,our ,lord's    
miracles have been called 'the great    
bell before the sermon1' but they are   
more than that4 ,they are themselves no 
unimportant part of the sermon4 ,in     
fact1 it would not be difficult to      
construct from them a revelation of ,his
 nature1 person1 and work1 scarcely less
 full and explicit than that contained  

in ,his words1 or even than that more   
systematic and developed one which we   
receive in the writings of ,his         
apostles4  ,this miracle1 for instance1 
of the feeding of the five thousand with
 five barley loaves and two small       
fishes1 is one of the few which the     
,apostle ,john relates in his ,gospel1  
and his reason for selecting it seems to
 be the commentary with which our ,lord 
followed it1 and which ,john alone has  
preserved4 ,that commentary is all the  
wonderful discourse about ,christ as the
 bread of life1 and eating ,his flesh as
 our means of receiving ,his life into  
ourselves4 ,we are warranted1 then1 in  
regarding this miracle as a symbolic    
revelation of ,christ as supplying all  
the wants of this hungry world4 ,if so1 
we may perhaps venture to take one more 
step1 and regard the manner in which ,he
 dispenses ,his gifts as also           
significant4 ,his agents are ,his       
disciples1 or as would appear probable  
from the twelve baskets full of         

fragments1 the twelve apostles1 the     
nucleus and representatives of ,his     
,church4 ,thus we come to the point from
 which we wish to regard this narrative 
now4 ,there are three stages in the     
words of our text--the distribution1 the
 meal1 and the gathering up of the      
abundance that was left4 ,these three   
stages may guide us to some thoughts    
regarding the work to which ,christ     
calls ,his ,church1 the success which   
attends it1 and the results to the      
distributors themselves4  ,i4 ,christ   
feeds the famishing world by means of   
,his ,church4  ',he gave the loaves to  
the disciples1 and the disciples to the 
multitude4' ,one very striking feature  
in all our ,lord's miracles is economy  
of power4 ,the miraculous element being 
admitted for some good and sufficient   
reason1 it is kept down to the lowest   
possible point4 ,precisely so much of it
 as is needed is permitted1 and not one 
hairsbreadth more4 ,it does not begin to
 make its appearance at any point in the

 process where ordinary human agency can
 be used4 ,it does not produce a result 
beyond the actual necessity4 ,it does   
not last one instant longer than is     
required4 ,it inosculates closely with  
the natural order of things4  ,take an  
illustration from the beginning of      
miracles where ,jesus manifested forth  
,his glory1 at the marriage in ,cana of 
,galilee--that great miracle in which   
our ,lord hallowed the ties of human    
affection1 and consecrated the joy of   
united hearts4 ,the necessity is felt   
before ,he supplies it4 ,the servants   
fill the waterpots4 ,the water is used  
as the material on which the miraculous 
power operates4 ,only so much as is     
drawn for present use becomes wine4 ,the
 servants are used as the agents for the
 distribution1 and all is done so       
unostentatiously1 though it be the      
manifesting of ,his glory1 that no man  
knows but they4  ,take another          
illustration from the other great       
contrasted miracle at the grave of      

,lazarus1 where our ,lord hallowed the  
breaking of earthly bonds by death1 and 
sanctified the sorrows of parted love4  
,he does not work ,his wonder from the  
other side ,jordan1 but comes4 ,he does 
not avert the death which ,he will      
conquer1 nor prevent the grief which ,he
 shares4 ,he goes to the side of the    
grave--true human tears are wet upon    
,his cheek4 ,they have to roll away the 
stone4 ,then1 there is flung into the   
darkness of the tomb the mighty word1   
',lazarus6 come forth4' ,the            
inconceivable miraculous act is done1   
and life stirs in the sheeted dead4 ,but
 there the miraculous ceases4 ,the man  
with his restored life has himself to   
come out of the grave1 and human hands  
have tremblingly to lift the napkin from
 the veiled face 7how they must have    
thrilled as they did it1 wondering what 
nameless horror they might see in the   
eyes that had looked on the inner       
chamber of death71 and human help has to
 unfold the grave-clothes from the      

tightly swathed and stumbling limbs1    
',loose him1 and let him go4'  ,this    
marked characteristic of all our ,lord's
 miracles is full of instruction1 which 
it would lead us too far from our       
present purpose to indicate at any      
length4 ,but we may just observe in     
passing1 that it brings these into      
striking parallel with the divine       
creative act1 where there is ever the   
same precise adaptation of power        
employed to result contemplated1 the    
same background of veiled omnipotence1  
the same emergence of proportioned1     
adequate1 but not superfluous force1 so 
that1 in fact1 economy of power may be  
said to be the very signature and broad 
arrow of divinity stamped on all ,his   
works4 ,again1 it presents a broad      
contrast to the wild1 reckless          
miracle-mongering of false faiths1 and  
is at once a test of the genuineness of 
all 'lying signs and wonders1' and an   
indication of the self-restraint of the 
,worker1 and of the fine sanity and     

truthfulness of the narrators1 of these 
,gospel miracles4 ,and yet1 again1 it is
 one phase of the disciplinary character
 of the whole revelation of ,god in     
,christ--not obtrusive1 though obvious1 
capable of being overlooked if men will4
 ,there was the hiding of ,his power4   
',if any man wills to be ignorant1 let  
him be ignorant4'  ,but coming more     
immediately to the narrative before us1 
we find this same characteristic in full
 prominence in it4 ,the people are      
allowed to hunger4 ,the disciples are   
permitted to feel themselves at their   
wits' end4 ,they are bid to bring their 
poor resources to ,christ4 ,the lad who 
had come with his little store1 perhaps 
a fisherman's boy from some of the lake 
villages who hoped to sell his loaves   
and fishes in the crowd1 supplies the   
material on which ,christ wills to      
exercise ,his miraculous power4 ,the    
disciples' agency is pressed into the   
service4 ,each man separately receives  
his portion1 and when all are supplied1 

the fragments are carefully preserved   
for the use of those who had been fed by
 miracle1 and of ,him who had fed them6 
,besides the general lessons already    
referred to1 as naturally arising from  
this feature of the miracle1 there is   
that one which belongs to it especially1
 namely1 that ,christ feeds the         
famishing world by means of ,his        
,church4  ,precisely as in the miracles 
in general1 so in the work of ,christ as
 a whole1 the field of supernatural     
intervention is rigidly confined1 and   
fits in with the established order of   
things4 ,the ,incarnation and ,sacrifice
 of our ,lord are the purely            
supernatural work of the divine ,power  
and ,mercy4 ,he comes1 enters into our  
human conditions1 assumes our humanity1 
dies the death for us all4 ',i have     
trodden the wine-press alone4' ,there is
 no question of any human agency        
co-operating there1 any more than there 
is in the word ',lazarus1 come forth1'  
or in the multiplication of the loaves4 

,there1 by ,christ alone1 is brought to 
us and is finished for us an eternal    
redemption1 with which the whole race of
 man have nothing to do but to receive  
it1 to eat and be filled4 ,but this     
having been done by the solitary work of
 ,jesus ,christ1 this new power having  
been introduced into the world1 human   
agency is henceforth called into        
operation to diffuse it1 just as the    
servants at ,cana had to draw the wine  
which ,he had made1 just as the         
disciples at the ,sea of ,tiberias have 
to give to the multitude the bread which
 was blessed and broken by ,his hands4  
,the supernaturally given ,bread of     
,life is to be carried over the world in
 accordance with the ordinary laws by   
which all other truth is diffused and   
all other gifts that belong to one man  
are held by him in stewardship for all  
his fellows4 ,true1 there is ever in and
 with that word of life a divine        
,spirit1 which is the real cause of its 
progress1 which guards it from          

destruction though all men were         
faithless1 and keeps it alive though all
 ,israel bowed the knee to ,baal4 ,but1 
however easy it may be for us to confuse
 ourselves with metaphysical puzzles    
about the relation between the natural  
and the supernatural elements--the human
 agency and the divine energiser--in the
 successful discharge of the ,church's  
work1 practically the matter is very    
plain4  ,the truth that it behoves us   
all to lay to heart is just this--that  
,christian people are ,christ's         
instruments for effecting the           
realisation of the purposes of ,his     
death4 ,not without them shall ,he see  
of the travail of ,his soul4 ,not       
without them shall the preaching be     
fully known4 ,not without the people    
willing in the day of ,his power1 and   
clothed in priestly beauty1 shall the   
,priest ,king set ,his feet upon ,his   
enemies4 ,not without the armies of     
heaven following ,him1 shall the ',word 
of ,god' ride forth to victory4 ,neither

 the divine decree1 nor the expansive   
power of the ,truth1 nor the crowned    
expectancy of the waiting ,lord1 nor the
 mighty working of the ,comforter1 are  
the complete means for the              
accomplishment of the divine promise    
that all nations shall be blessed in    
,him4 ,could all these be conceived of  
as existing without the service and     
energies of ,god's ,church proclaiming  
the name of ,christ1 they were not      
enough4 ,he has willed that to us1 less 
than the least of all saints1 should    
this grace be given1 that we should make
 known the unsearchable riches of       
,christ4 ,god reveals ,his truth1 that  
men who believe it may impart it4 ,god  
gives the word1 that1 caught up by those
 who receive it into an honest and good 
heart1 it may be poured forth1 in mighty
 chorus from the lips of the 'great     
company of them that publish it4' ',he  
gave the loaves to the disciples1 and   
the disciples to the multitude4'        
,christian men6 learn your high         

vocation1 and your solemn               
responsibilities4 ',what6 came the word 
of ,god out from you1 or came it unto   
you only8' ,for what did you receive it8
 ,for the same reason for which you have
 received everything else which you     
possess--that you might share it with   
your brethren4 ,how did you receive it8 
,as a gift1 unmerited1 the result of a  
miracle of divine mercy1 that you might 
feel bound to give as ye have received1 
and spread the free divine gift by      
cheerful human work of distribution4    
,from whom did you receive it8 ,from    
,christ1 who in the very act of giving  
binds you to live for ,him and not for  
yourselves1 and to mould your lives     
after the pattern of ,his4 ,what a      
multitude of motives converge on the    
solemn duty of work for ,christ1 if we  
read in the light of this deeper meaning
 the simple words of our text1 ',he gave
 the loaves to the disciples6' ,what    
manner of servant is he who can bear to 
have no part in the blessed work that   

follows--'and the disciples to the      
multitude'8  ,it is further noticeable  
how these apostles were prepared for the
 work which they had to do4 ,the first  
lesson which they had to learn was the  
almost ludicrous disproportion between  
the resources at their command and the  
necessities of the crowd4 ',how many    
loaves have ye8 go and see4' ,and this  
is the first lesson that we have to     
learn in all our work for ,christ and   
for our brethren1 that in ourselves we  
have nothing fit for the task before us4
 ,think of what that task is as measured
 by the necessities and sorrows of men4 
,think of all the sighs that go up at   
every moment from burdened hearts1 of   
the tears that run down so many blanched
 and anxious cheeks4 ,think of 'all the 
misery that is done under the sun6' ,if 
it could be made visible1 what a dark   
pall would swathe the world1 an         
atmosphere of sorrow rolling ever with  
it through space4 ,the sight is too sad 
to be seen by any but by ,him who cures 

it all1 and it wrung from ,his heart the
 sigh with which ere ,he cured one poor 
sufferer--a drop in the ocean--,he      
looked up to heaven1 as in mute appeal  
against all these heaped miseries of    
suffering man4  ,and we1 what can we do 
in ourselves8 ,on what comparison of our
 resources do we not feel utterly       
inadequate to the work8 ,if we think of 
the proportion in numbers1 we have to   
say1 like the narrator of the wars in   
,israel1 ',the children of ,israel      
pitched before them like two little     
flocks of kids1 but the ,syrians filled 
the country4' ,if we think of the       
strength that we ourselves possess and  
look at our own tremulous faith1 at our 
own feeble love1 at the uncertain hold  
which we ourselves have on the ,gospel  
that we profess1 at the mists and       
darkness which cover so much of ,god's  
revelation from our own understandings1 
at the sins and faults of our own lives1
 must we not cry out1 ,send whom ,thou  
wilt send1 ,o ,lord1 but take not me1 so

 sinful1 so little influenced by ,thy   
grace1 to be the messenger of ,thy      
grace8 ',who is sufficient for these    
things8'  ,and such contemplations1 when
 they drive home to our hearts the      
wholesome lesson of our own weakness1   
are the beginning1 and the only possible
 beginning1 of divine strength4 ,the    
only temper in which we can serve ,god  
and bless man is that of lowliest       
self-abasement4 ,god works with bruised 
reeds1 and out of them makes polished   
shafts1 pillars in ,his house4 ,only    
when we are low on our faces before     
,god1 crying out1' ,unclean1 unclean1'  
does the purifying coal touch our lips  
and the prophet strength flow into our  
souls4  ,be humble and self-distrustful1
 and then learn the further lesson of   
this narrative1 and carry your poor     
inadequate resources to ,christ4 ',bring
 them hither to ,me4' ,in ,his hands    
they become sufficient4 ,he multiplies  
them4 ,he gives wisdom1 strength1 and   
all that fits for the task to which ,he 

calls us4 ,bring your little faith to   
,him and ,he will increase it4 ,bring   
your feeble love to ,him1 and ask ,him  
to kindle it from the pure flame of ,his
 own1 and ,he will make your heart burn 
within you4 ,bring your partial         
understanding of ,his will and way to   
,him1 and ,he will be to you wisdom4    
,bring all the poverty of your natures1 
all the insufficiency of your religious 
character1 all the inadequacy of your   
poor work1 to your ,lord4 ,feel it all4 
,let the conviction of your nothingness 
sink into your soul4 ,then wait before  
,him in simple faith1 in lowly          
obedience1 and power will come to you   
equal to your desire and to your duties1
 and ,he will put ,his spirit upon you1 
and will anoint you to proclaim liberty 
to the captives and to give bread to all
 the hungry4 ',who is sufficient for    
these things8' must ever precede1 and   
will ever be followed by1 'our          
sufficiency is of ,god4'  ,mark again   
that the disciples seem themselves to   

have partaken of the bread before they  
parted it among the multitudes4 ,that is
 our true preparation for the work of   
feeding the hungry4 ,the ,church which  
feeds the world is able to do so1 only  
because1 and in proportion as1 it has   
found in ,christ its own sustenance and 
life4 ,it is only they who can say 'we  
have tasted and felt and handled of the 
word of life' who can declare it to     
others4 ,personal participation in the  
bread of life makes any man able to     
offer it to some fainting spirit4       
,nothing else makes him able4 ,ability  
involves responsibility4 ',power to its 
last particle is duty4' ,you1 dear      
friends1 who have 'tasted that the ,lord
 is gracious1' have thereby come under  
weighty obligations4 ,your own personal 
experience of that precious bread has   
fitted you to do something in offering  
it to others4 ,the manner in which you  
do so must be determined by your        
character and circumstances4 ,every one 
has his proper walk2 but something you  

can do4 ,to some lips you can commend   
the food for all the world4 ,somewhere  
your word is a power4 ,see that you do  
what you can do4 ,remember that ,christ 
feeds the world by ,his ,church1 and    
that every man who has himself eaten of 
the bread of life is thereby consecrated
 to carry it to those who yet are       
perishing in the far-off hunger-ridden  
land1 and trying to fill their bellies  
with the husks that the swine eat4      
,,ii4 ,the ,bread is enough for all the 
world4  ',they did all eat and were     
filled4' ,one can fancy how doubtingly  
and grudgingly the apostles doled out   
the supplies at first1 and how the      
portion of each was increased1 as group 
after group was provided1 and no        
diminution appeared in ,christ's full   
hands1 until1 at last1 all the five     
thousand1 of all ages1 of both sexes1 of
 every sort1 were fed1 and the fragments
 lying uncared for proved how sufficient
 had been the share of each4  ,may we   
not see in that scene a picture of the  

full supply for all the wants of the    
whole world which there is in that      
,bread of ,life which came down from    
heaven8 ,the ,gospel proclaims a full   
feast1 which is enough for all mankind1 
which is intended for all mankind1 which
 shall one day satisfy all mankind4     
,this universal adaptation of the       
message of the ,gospel to the whole     
world arises from the obvious fact that 
it addresses itself to universal wants1 
to the great rudimentary1 universally   
diffused characteristics of human       
nature1 and that it provides for all    
these1 in the grand simplicity of its   
good tidings1 the one sufficing word4   
,it entangles itself with no local or   
historical peculiarities of the time and
 place of its earthly origin1 which can 
hinder it in its universal diffusion4   
,it commits itself to no transient human
 opinions4 ,it addresses itself to no   
sectional characteristics of classes of 
men4 ,it brushes aside all the surface  
distinctions which separate us from one 

another1 and goes right down to the     
depths of the central identities in     
which we are all alike4 ,however we may 
differ from one another1 in training1 in
 habits1 in cast of thought1 in         
idiosyncrasies of character1 in         
circumstances1 in age--all these are but
 the upper strata which vary locally4   
,beneath all these there lie everywhere 
the solid foundations of the primeval   
rocks1 and beneath these1 again1 the    
glowing central mass1 the flaming heart 
of the world4 ,christianity sends its   
shaft right down through all these upper
 and local beds1 till it reaches the    
deepest depths which are the same in    
every man--the obstinate wilfulness of a
 nature averse from ,god1 and the yet   
deeper-lying longings of a soul that    
flames with the consciousness of ,god1  
and yearns for rest and peace4 ,to the  
sense of sin1 to the sense of sorrow1 to
 the conscience never wholly stifled1 to
 the desires after good never utterly   
eradicated and never slaked by aught    

besides itself1 does this mighty word   
come4 ,not to this or that sort of man1 
not to men in this or that phase of     
progress1 age of the world1 or stage of 
civilisation1 does it address itself1   
but to the common humanity which belongs
 to all1 to the wants and sorrows and   
inward consciousness which belong to man
 as man1 be he philosopher or fool1 king
 or slave1 ,eastern or ,western1 'pagan 
suckled in a creed outworn1' or         
,englishman with the new lights and     
material science of this twentieth      
century4  ,hence its universal          
adaptation to mankind4 ,it alone of all 
so-called faiths overleaps all          
geographical limits and lives in all    
centuries4 ,it alone wins its trophies  
and bestows its gifts on all sorts and  
conditions of men4 ,other plants which  
the ',heavenly ,father hath not planted'
 have their zones of vegetation and die 
outside certain degrees of latitude1 but
 the seed of the kingdom is like corn1  
an exotic nowhere1 for wherever man     

lives it will grow1 and yet an exotic   
everywhere1 for it came down from       
heaven4 ,other food requires an educated
 palate for its appreciation1 but any   
hungry man in any land will relish      
bread4 ,for every soul on earth this    
living dying love of the ,lord ,jesus   
,christ addresses itself to1 and        
satisfies1 his deepest wants4 ,it is the
 bread which gives life to the world4   
,and one of the constituents of that    
company by the ,galilean lake was       
children4 ,it is one great glory of     
,christianity that its merciful         
mysteries can find their way to the     
hearts of the little children4 ,its     
mysteries1 we say--for the ,gospel has  
its mysteries no less than these old    
systems of heathenism which fenced round
 their deepest truths with solemn       
barriers1 only to be passed by the      
initiated4 ,but the difference lies     
here--that its mysteries are taught at  
first to the neophytes1 and that the sum
 of them lies in the words which we     

learned at our mother's knees so long   
ago that we have forgotten that they    
were ever new to us3 ',god so loved the 
world that ,he gave ,his only-begotten  
,son1 that whosoever believeth in ,him  
should not perish1 but should have      
eternal life4' ,the little child who has
 learned his earliest lessons of what   
father and son1 loving and giving1 trust
 and life mean1 by the sweet experiences
 of his own father's home and his own   
mother's love1 can grasp these blessed  
words4 ,they carry the deepest mysteries
 which will still gleam before us       
unfathomed in all their profundity1     
unappropriated in all their blessedness1
 when millenniums have passed since we  
stood in the inner shrine of heaven4    
,wonderful is the word which blesses the
 child1 which transcends the angel      
before the throne6  ,this is the bread  
for the world--meant for it1 and one day
 to be partaken of by it4 ,for these    
ordered fifties at their                
,christ-provided meal are for us a      

prophecy of the day that shall surely   
dawn1 when all the hunger of wandering  
prodigals is over1 and the deceived     
heart of the idol-worshipper no longer  
drawing him aside to feed on ashes1 they
 shall come from the ,east and from the 
,west1 and from the ,north and from the 
,south1 and sit at the feast which the  
,lord hath prepared for all nations1 and
 when all the earth shall be satisfied  
with the goodness of ,his house1 even of
 ,his holy temple4  ,,iii4 ,the ,bread  
which is given to the famishing is      
multiplied for the future of the        
,distributors4  ',they took of the      
fragments that remained twelve baskets  
full4' ,more was gathered than they had 
possessed at first4 ,they preserved     
over1 for their own sustenance and      
refreshment in days to come1 a far      
larger store than the five loaves and   
two small fishes with which they had    
begun4 ,the fact contains a principle   
which is true about almost all except   
material possessions1 which is often in 

,god's providence made true about them1 
and which is emphatically true about    
spiritual blessings1 about our religious
 emotions1 our ,christian beliefs1 the  
joys and powers which ,christ comes to  
give4  ,for all these1 the condition of 
increase is diffusion4 ,to impart to    
others is to gain for oneself4 ,every   
honest effort to bring some other human 
heart into conscious possession of      
,christ's love deepens one's own sense  
of its preciousness4 ,every attempt to  
lead some other understanding to the    
perception of the truth1 as it is in    
,jesus1 helps me to understand it better
 myself4 ,if you would learn1 teach4    
,that will clear your mind1 will open   
hidden harmonies1 will reveal           
unsuspected deficiencies and            
contradictions in your own conceptions1 
will help you to feel more the truths   
that come from your lips4 ,it will      
perhaps shame your cold appreciation of 
them1 when you see how others grasp at  
them from your teaching1 or give you    

more confidence in the ,gospel as the   
power of ,god unto salvation1 when you  
behold it1 even as ministered through   
you1 mighty to pull down strongholds4   
,at the lowest1 it will keep your own   
mind in healthy contact with what you   
art but too apt to forget4 ,if you would
 learn to love ,christ more1 try to lead
 some one else to love ,him1 ,you will  
catch new gleams from ,his gracious     
heart in the very act of commending ,him
 to others4 ,if you would have your own 
spiritual life strengthened and         
deepened1 remember that not by solitary 
meditation or raptures of silent        
communion alone can that be             
accomplished1 but by these and by honest
 manful work for ,god in the world4 ,the
 ,mount of ,transfiguration must be     
left1 although there were there ,moses  
and ,elias1 and the cloud of the divine 
glory and the words of approval from    
heaven1 because there were a demoniac   
boy and his weeping1 despairing father  
needing ,christ down below4 ,work for   

,god if you would live with ,god4 ,give 
the bread to the hungry1 if you would   
have it for the food of your own souls4 
,the refusal to engage in such service  
is one fruitful cause of the low state  
of spiritual health in which so many    
,christians pass their days4 ,they seem 
to think that they receive the bread    
from heaven only for their own use1 and 
that they have done all that they have  
to do with it1 when they eat it         
themselves4 ,and so come all manner of  
spiritual diseases4 ,a selfish1 that is 
an inactive1 religion is always more or 
less a morbid religion4 ,for health you 
need exercise4 ',in the sweat of thy    
brow thou shalt eat bread'2 that law    
expresses not only the fact that work is
 needed to get it1 but that toil must   
give the appetite and fit the frame to  
digest it4 ,there is such a thing as a  
morbid ,christianity brought on by want 
of healthy exercise4  ',there is that   
scattereth and yet increaseth1 and there
 is that withholdeth more than is meet1 

and it tendeth to poverty4' ,good       
husbandry does not grind up all the     
year's wheat for loaves for one's own   
eating1 but keeps some of it for seed to
 be scattered in the furrows4 ,and if   
,christian men will deal with the great 
love of ,god1 the great work of ,christ1
 the great message of the ,gospel1 as if
 it were bestowed on them for their own 
sakes only1 they will have only         
themselves to blame if holy desires die 
out in their hearts1 and the            
consciousness of ,christ's love becomes 
faint1 and all the blessed words of     
truth come to sound far off and mythical
 in their ears4 ,the standing water gets
 green scum on it4 ,the close-shut barn 
breeds weevils and smut4 ,let the water 
run4 ,fling the seed broadcast4 ',thou  
shalt find it after many days1' bread   
for thy own soul--even as these         
ministering apostles were enriched      
whilst they gave1 and the full-handed   
liberality 'with which they carried     
,christ's gifts among the crowd' had    

something to do in providing the large  
residue which filled their stores for   
days to come4  ,thus1 then1 this scene  
on the sweet springing grass down by the
 side of blue ,gennesaret is an emblem  
of the whole work of the ,church in this
 starving world4 ,the multitudes famish4
 ,tell ,christ of their wants4 ,count   
your own small resources till you have  
completely learned your poverty1 then   
take them to ,jesus4 ,he will accept    
them1 and in ,his hands they will become
 mighty1 being transfigured from human  
thoughts and forces into divine words1  
into spiritual powers4 ,on that bread   
which ,he gives1 do you yourselves live4
 ,then carry it boldly to all the       
hungry4 ,rank after rank will eat4 ,all 
races1 all ages1 from grey hairs to     
babbling childhood1 will find there the 
food of their souls4 ,as you part the   
blessing1 it will grow beneath ,his eye2
 and the longer you give1 the           
fuller-handed you will become4 ,nor     
shall the bread fail1 nor the word      

become weak1 till all the world has     
tasted of its  sweetness and been       
refreshed by its potent life4  ,this    
miracle is the lesson for the workers4  
,there is another wondrous meal recorded
 in ,scripture1 which is the prophecy   
for the workers when they rest4 ,the    
little ship has been tossing all the    
night on the waters of that ,galilean   
lake4 ,fruitless has been the fishing4  
,the morning breaks cold and grey1 and  
lo6 there stands on the shore ,one who  
first blesses the toilers' work1 and    
then bids them to ,his table4 ,there1   
mysteriously kindled1 burns the fire    
with the welcome meal already laid upon 
it4 ,they add to it the contribution of 
their night of toil1 and then1 hushed   
and blessed in ,his still company1 they 
sup with ,him and ,he with them4 ,so    
when the weary work is over for the     
,church on earth1 we shall be aware of  
,his merciful presence on the shore1    
and1 coming at the last safe to land1 we
 shall 'rest from our labours1' in that 

we see the 'fire of coals1 and fish laid
 thereon and bread'2 and our 'works     
shall follow us1' in that we are 'bidden
 to bring of the fish that we have      
caught4' ,then1 putting off the wet     
fisher's coat1 and leaving behind the   
tossing of the unquiet sea and the toil 
of the weary fishing1 we shall sit down 
with ,him at that meal spread by ,his   
hands1 who blesseth the works of ,his   
servants here below1 and giveth to them 
a full fruition of immortal food at ,his
 table at the last4     ,,the ,,king',s 
,,highway       ',and straightway ,jesus
 constrained ,his disciples to get      
into a ship1 and to go before ,him unto 
the other side1     while ,he sent the  
multitudes away4 #bc4 ,and when ,he had 
sent the multitudes away1 ,he went up   
into a mountain     apart to pray3 and  
when the evening was come1 he was       
there alone4 #bd4 ,but the ship was now 
in the midst of     the sea1 tossed with
 waves3 for the wind was contrary4      
#be4 ,and in the fourth watch of the    

night ,jesus went     unto them1 walking
 on the sea4 #bf4 ,and when the         
disciples saw ,him walking on the sea1  
they were     troubled1 saying1 ,it is a
 spirit2 and they cried out     for     
fear4 #bg4 ,but straightway ,jesus spake
 unto them1     saying1 ,be of good     
cheer2 it is ,i2 be not afraid4     #bh4
 ,and ,peter answered ,him and said1    
,lord1 if it be     ,thou1 bid me come  
unto ,thee on the water4 #bi4 ,and ,he  
said1 ,come4 ,and when ,peter was come  
down out of the     ship1 he walked on  
the water1 to go to ,jesus4 #cj4 ,but   
when he saw the wind boisterous1 he was 
afraid2 and     beginning to sink1 he   
cried1 saying1 ,lord1 save me4     #ca4 
,and immediately ,jesus stretched forth 
,his hand1 and     caught him1 and said 
unto him1 ,o thou of little faith1      
wherefore didst thou doubt4 #cb4 ,and   
when they were come     into the ship1  
the wind ceased4 #cc4 ,then they that   
were     in the ship came and worshipped
 ,him1 saying1 ,of a truth     ,thou art

 the ,son of ,god4 #cd4 ,and when they  
were gone     over1 they came into the  
land of ,gennesaret4 #ce4 ,and     when 
the men of that place had knowledge of  
,him1 they     sent out into all that   
country round about1 and brought        
unto ,him all that were diseased2 #cf4  
,and besought ,him     that they might  
only touch the hem of ,his garment3 and 
as many as touched were made perfectly  
whole4'     --,,matt4 xiv4 #bb-cf4  ,the
 haste and urgency with which the       
disciples were sent away1 against their 
will1 after the miracle of feeding the  
five thousand1 is explained in ,john's  
account4 ,the crowd had been excited to 
a dangerous enthusiasm by a miracle so  
level to their tastes4 ,a prophet who   
could feed them was something like a    
prophet4 ,so they determine to make him 
a king4 ,our ,lord1 fearing the         
outburst1 resolves to withdraw into the 
lonely hills1 that the fickle blaze may 
die down4 ,if the disciples had remained
 with ,him1 ,he could not have so easily

 stolen away1 and they might have caught
 the popular fervour4 ,to divide would  
distract the crowd1 and make it easier  
for ,him to disperse them1 while many of
 them1 as really happened1 would be     
likely to set off by land for           
,capernaum1 when they saw the boat had  
gone4 ,the main teaching of this        
miracle1 over and above its             
demonstration of the ,messianic power of
 our ,lord1 is symbolical4 ,all the     
miracles are parables1 and this         
eminently so4 ,thus regarding it1 we    
have--  ,i4 ,the struggling toilers and 
the absent ,christ4  ,they had a short  
row of some five or six miles in        
prospect1 when they started in the early
 evening4 ,an hour or so might have done
 it1 but1 for some unknown reason1 they 
lingered4 ,perhaps instead of pulling   
across1 they may have kept inshore1 by  
the head of the lake1 expecting ,jesus  
to join them at some point4 ,thus1 night
 finds them but a short way on their    
voyage4 ,the paschal moon would be      

shining down on them1 and perhaps in    
their eager talk about the miracle they 
had just seen1 they did not make much   
speed4 ,a sudden breeze sprang up1 as is
 common at nightfall on mountain lakes2 
and soon a gale1 against which they     
could make no headway1 was blowing in   
their teeth4 ,this lasted for eight or  
nine hours4 ,wet and weary1 they tugged 
at the oars through the livelong night1 
the seas breaking over them1 and the    
wind howling down the glens4  ,they had 
been caught in a similar storm once     
before1 but then ,he had been on board1 
and it was daylight4 ,now it was dark1  
'and ,jesus had not yet come to them1'  
,how they would look back at the dim    
outline of the hills1 where they knew   
,he was1 and wonder why ,he had sent    
them out into the tempest alone6 ,mark  
tells us that ,he saw them distressed1  
hours before ,he came to them1 and that 
makes ,his desertion the stranger4 ,it  
is but ,his method of lovingly training 
them to do without ,his personal        

presence1 and a symbol of what is to be 
the life of ,his people till the end4   
,he is on the mountain in prayer1 and   
,he sees the labouring boat and the     
distressed rowers4 ,the contrast is the 
same as is given in the last verses of  
,mark's ,gospel1 where the serene       
composure of the ,lord1 sitting at the  
right hand of ,god1 is sharply set over 
against the wandering1 toiling lives of 
,his servants1 in their evangelistic    
mission4 ,the commander-in-chief sits   
apart on the hill1 directing the fight1 
and sending regiment after regiment to  
their deaths4 ,does that mean           
indifference8 ,so it might seem but for 
the words which follow1 'the ,lord      
working with them4' ,he shares in all   
the toil2 and the lifting up of ,his    
holy hands sways the current of the     
fight1 and inclines the balance4 ,his   
love appoints effort and persistent     
struggle as the law of our lives4 ,nor  
are we to mourn or wonder2 for the      
purpose of the appointment1 so far as we

 are concerned1 is to make character1   
and to give us 'the wrestling thews that
 throw the world4' ,difficulties make   
men of us4 ,summer sailors1 yachting in 
smooth water1 have neither the joy of   
conflict nor the vigour which it gives4 
,better the darkness1 when we cannot see
 our way1 and the wind in our faces1 if 
the good of things is to be estimated by
 their power to 'strengthen us with     
strength in our soul6'  ,,ii4 ,we have  
the approaching ,christ4  ,not till the 
last watch of the night does ,he come1  
when they have long struggled1 and the  
boat is out in the very middle of the   
lake1 and the storm is fiercest4 ,we may
 learn from this the delays of ,his     
love4 ,because ,he loved ,mary and      
,martha and ,lazarus1 ,he stayed still1 
in strange inaction1 for two days1 after
 their message4 ,because ,he loved      
,peter and the praying band1 ,he let him
 lie in prison till the last hour of the
 last watch of the last night before his
 intended execution1 and then delivered 

him with a leisureliness 7making him put
 on article after article of dress7     
which tells of conscious omnipotence4   
,heaven's clock goes at a different rate
 from our little timepieces4 ,god's day 
is a thousand years1 and the longest    
tarrying is but 'a little while4' ,when 
,he has come1 we find that it is 'right 
early1' though before ,he came ,he      
seemed to us to delay4 ,he comes across 
the waves4 ,their restless and yielding 
crests are smoothed and made solid by   
the touch of ,his foot4 ',he walketh on 
the sea as on a pavement' 7,septuagint  
version of ,job ix4 #h74 ,it is a       
revelation of divine power4 ,it is one  
of the very few miracles affecting      
,christ's own person1 and may perhaps be
 regarded as being1 like the            
,transfiguration1 a casual gleam of     
latent glory breaking through the body  
of ,his humiliation1 and so1 in some    
sense1 prophetic4 ,but it is also       
symbolic4 ,he ever uses tumults and     
unrest as a means of advancing ,his     

purposes4 ,the stormy sea is the        
recognised ,old ,testament emblem of    
antagonism to the divine rule2 and just 
as ,he walked on the billows1 so does   
,he reach ,his end by the very          
opposition to it1 'girding ,himself'    
with the wrath of men1 and making it to 
praise ,him4 ,in this sense1 too1 ,his  
'paths are in the great waters4' ,in    
another aspect1 we have here the symbol 
of ,christ's using our difficulties and 
trials as the means of ,his loving      
approach to us4 ,he comes1 giving a     
deeper and more blessed sense of ,his   
presence by means of our sorrows1 than  
in calm sunny weather4 ,it is generally 
over a stormy sea that ,he comes to us1 
and golden treasures are thrown on our  
shores after a tempest4  ,,iii4 ,we have
 the terror and the recognition4  ,the  
disciples were as yet little lifted     
above their fellows2 they had no        
expectation of ,his coming1 and thought 
just what any rude minds would have     
thought1 that this mysterious ,thing    

stalking towards them across the waters 
came from the unseen world1 and probably
 that it was the herald of their        
drowning4 ,terror froze their blood1 and
 brought out a shriek 7as the word might
 be rendered7 which was heard above the 
dash of waves and the raving wind4 ,they
 had gallantly fought the tempest1 but  
this unmanned them4 ,we too often       
mistake ,christ1 when ,he comes to us4  
,we do not recognise ,his working in the
 storm1 nor ,his presence giving power  
to battle with it4 ,we are so absorbed  
in the circumstances that we fail to see
 ,him through them4 ,our tears weave a  
veil which hides ,him1 or the darkness  
obscures ,his face1 and we see nothing  
but the threatening crests of the waves1
 curling high above our little boat4 ,we
 mistake our best friend1 and we are    
afraid of ,him as we dimly see ,him2 and
 sometimes we think that the tokens of  
,his presence are only phantasms of our 
own imagination4  ,they who were        
deceived by ,his appearance knew ,him by

 ,his voice1 as ,mary did at the        
sepulchre4 ,how blessed must have been  
the moment when that astounding         
certitude thrilled through their souls6 
,that low voice is audible through all  
the tumult4 ,he speaks to us by ,his    
word1 and by the silent speech in our   
spirits1 which makes us conscious that  
,he is there4 ,he does speak to us in   
the deepest of our sorrows1 in the      
darkest of our nights2 and when we hear 
of ,his voice1 and with wonder and joy  
cry out1 ',it is the ,lord1' our sorrow 
is soothed1 and the darkness is light   
about us4  ,the consciousness of ,his   
presence banishes all fear4 ',be not    
afraid1' follows ',it is ,i4' ,it is of 
no use to preach courage unless we      
preach ,christ first4 ,if we have not   
,him with us1 we do well to fear3 ,his  
presence is the only rational foundation
 for calm fearlessness4 ,only when the  
,lord of ,hosts is with us1 ought we not
 to fear1 'though the waters roar 444   
and be troubled4' ',through the dear    

might of ,him that walked the waves' can
 we feeble creatures face all terrors1  
and feel no terror4   ,,iv4 ,we have the
 end of the storm and of the voyage4    
,the storm ceases as soon as ,jesus is  
on board4 ,john does not mention the    
cessation of the tempest1 but tells us  
that they were immediately at the shore4
 ,it does not seem necessary to suppose 
another miracle1 but only that the      
voyage ended very speedily4 ,it is not  
always true that ,his presence is the   
end of dangers and difficulties1 but the
 consciousness of ,his presence does    
hush the storm4 ,the worst of trouble is
 gone when we know that ,he shares it2  
and though the long swell after the gale
 may last1 it no longer threatens4 ,nor 
is it always true that ,his coming1 and 
our consciousness that ,he has come1    
bring a speedy close to toils4 ,we have 
to labour on1 but in how different a    
mood these men would bend to their oars 
after they had ,him on board6 ,with ,him
 beside us toil is sweet1 burdens are   

lighter1 and the road is shortened4     
,even with ,him on board1 life is a     
stormy voyage2 but without ,him1 it ends
 in shipwreck4 ,with ,him1 it may be    
long1 but it will look all the shorter  
while it lasts1 and when we land the    
rough weather will be remembered but as 
a transient squall4 ,these wearied      
rowers1 who had toiled all night1       
stepped on shore as the morning broke on
 the eastern bank4 ,so we1 if we have   
had ,him for our shipmate1 shall land on
 the eternal shore1 and dry our wet     
garments in the sunshine1 and all the   
stormy years that seemed so long shall  
be remembered but as a watch in the     
night4     ,,peter ,,on ,,the ,,waves   
',and ,peter answered ,him and said1    
,lord1 if it be ,thou1     bid me come  
unto ,thee on the water4'--,,matt4 xiv4 
#bh4  ,we owe this account of an episode
 in the miracle of ,christ's walking on 
the waters to ,matthew alone4           
,singularly enough there is no reference
 to ,peter's venturesomeness and failure

 in the ,gospel which is generally      
believed to have been written under his 
special inspection and suggestion4 ,mark
 passes by that part of the narrative   
without a word4 ,that may be because    
,peter was somewhat ashamed of it1 or it
 may be from a natural disinclination to
 make himself prominent in the story at 
all4 ,but1 whatever the reason1 we may  
be thankful that in this first ,gospel  
we have the story1 for it is not only   
interesting as illustrating the         
characteristics of the apostle in a very
 picturesque fashion1 but also as       
carrying in it very plainly large       
lessons that are of use for us all4  ,i4
 ,note1 first1 ,peter's venturesomeness1
 half faith1 and half presumption4      
,there is a singular mixture of good and
 bad in it4 ,looked at one way1 it seems
 all right2 like a bit of shot silk1 in 
one light it is bright1 and in another  
it is black enough4 ,what was good in   
it8 ,well1 there was the man's          
out-and-out confidence in his ,master2  

and there was1 further1 the             
unconsidered1 instinctive shoot of love 
in his heart to the mysterious figure   
standing there upon the water1 so that  
his desire was to be beside ,him4 ,it   
was far more ',bid me come to ,thee6'   
than ',bid me come to ,thee on the      
water4' ,the incident was a kind of     
rehearsal1 with a noticeable difference1
 and yet with nearly parallel           
circumstances1 of the other incident    
when1 after the ,resurrection1 he       
discovered the ,lord standing on the    
shore1 and floundered through the water 
anyhow2 whether on it or in it did not  
matter to him1 so long as he could get  
near his ,master4 ,but though the       
apostle's action was blended with a     
great deal that was childish and        
sensuous1 and was perhaps quite as much 
the result of mere temperament as of    
conscious affection1 still there was    
good in that eager longing to be beside 
his ,lord1 which it would be well for us
 if we in some measure shared1 and in   

that indifference to the perils of the  
strange path so long as it led to       
,christ's side1 which1 if it were ours1 
would ennoble our lives1 and in that    
perfect confidence that ,christ could   
enable him to tread the unquiet sea1    
which would make us lords of all storms1
 if it wrought in us4  ,what was bad in 
it8 ,first1 the characteristic pushing  
of himself to the front1 and wish to be 
singled out from his brethren by some   
special token4 ',bid me come4' ,why     
should he be bidden any more than ,john1
 who sits quietly and gazes1 or the     
others1 who are tugging at the oars8    
,then the impetuous rashness and signal 
over-estimate of his own capacity and   
courage were bad4 ,perhaps1 too1 there  
was a little dash of a boyish kind of   
wish to do a strange thing1 and now that
 he sees his ,master there1 walking on  
the waters1 he thinks he would like to  
try it too4 ,so the request is a rash1  
self-confident pushing of himself before
 his brethren into circumstances of     

wholly unnecessary peril and trial1 of  
which he had not estimated the severity 
till he felt the water beginning to     
yield under his feet and the wind       
smiting him on the face4 ,so that the   
incident is a rehearsal and anticipation
 of the precisely similar thing that he 
did when1 on the morning of ,christ's   
trial1 he shouldered himself            
unnecessarily into the high priest's    
palace1 and got himself close up against
 the fire there1 without a moment's     
reflection on the possible danger he was
 running of having his loyalty melted by
 a fiercer flame1 and little dreaming   
that he was going to fall1 and all his  
courage to ooze out at his finger-ends1 
before the sharp tongue of a            
maid-servant4 ,in like manner as he says
 here1 ',bid me come to ,thee1' without 
the smallest doubt that when he was bade
 to come he would be able to do it1 so  
he said that night3 ',though all should 
forsake ,thee1 yet will not ,i1'--and   
yet he denied ,him4  ,let us take the   

warning from this venturesomeness of a  
generous1 impulsive1 enthusiastic       
religious nature1 and remember that the 
most genuine faith and religious emotion
 need to be sobered and steadied by     
reflection1 and by searching into our   
own motives1 before we venture upon the 
water1 howsoever much we may wish to go 
there4 ,make very sure that your zeal   
for the ,lord has an element of sober   
permanence in it1 and that it is the    
result1 not of a mere transitory        
feeling1 but of a steady1 settled       
purpose4 ,and do not push yourself      
voluntarily into places of peril or of  
difficulty1 where the fighting is hard  
and the fire heavy1 unless you have     
reasonable grounds for believing that   
you can stand the strain4 ,bring quiet1 
sober reason into the loftiest and      
loveliest enthusiasm of your faith1 and 
then there will be something in it that 
will live through storm1 and walk the   
water with unwetted and unsinking foot4 
,an impure alloy of selfish itching for 

pre-eminence and distinction does not   
seldom mingle with the fine gold of     
religious enthusiasm and desire to serve
 and be near our ,lord4 ,therefore we   
have to test our motives and seek to    
refine our purest emotions1 and the more
 scrupulously the purer they seem1 lest 
we be yielding to the impulses of self  
while we fancy that we are being drawn  
by the magnetism of ,christ4  ,,ii4 ,we 
have here the momentary triumph and     
swift collapse of an impure faith4  ,one
 can fancy with what hushed expectation 
the other apostles looked at ,peter as  
he let himself down over the side of the
 ship1 and his feet touched the surges  
and did not sink4 ,christ's grave1      
single-worded answer ',come' barely     
sanctions the apostle's request4 ,it is 
at most a permission1 but scarcely a    
command1 and it is permission to try1 in
 order that ,peter may learn his own    
weakness4 ,he did walk on the water to  
go to ,jesus4 ,what kept him up8 ,not   
,christ's hand1 nor any power bestowed  

on the apostle1 but simply the exercise 
of ,christ's will4 ,but if he was held  
up by the operation of that will1 why   
did he begin to sink8 ,the vivid        
narrative tells us3 ',when he saw the   
wind boisterous1 he was afraid4' ,that  
was why4 ,it had been blowing every bit 
as hard before he stepped out of the    
ship4 ,the waves were not running any   
higher after than when he said1 ',bid me
 come to ,thee4' ,but he was down       
amongst them1 and that makes a wonderful
 difference4 ,for a moment he stood1 and
 then the peril into which he had so    
heedlessly thrust himself began to tell 
on him4 ,presumption subsided swiftly   
into fright1 as it usually does1 and    
fear began to fulfil itself1 as it      
usually does4 ',he became afraid1' and  
that made him heavy and he began to     
sink4 ,not because the gale was any more
 violent1 not because the uneven        
pavement was any more yielding1 but     
because he was frightened1 and his faith
 began to falter at the close sight of  

the danger4  ,and why did the ebbing    
away of faith mean the withdrawal of    
,christ's will to keep him up8 ,why8    
,because it could not but be so4 ,there 
is only one door through which ,christ's
 upholding power gets into a man1 and   
that is the door of the man's trust in  
the power2 and if he shuts the door1 the
 power stops outside4 ,so ,peter went   
down4 ,the text does not tell us how far
 down he went4 ,depend upon it1 it was  
further than over the shoes6 ,but he    
went down because he began to lose his  
trust that ,christ could hold him up2   
and when he lost his trust1 ,christ lost
 ,his power over him4  ,all this is a   
parable1 carrying very plain and        
important lessons4 ,we are upborne by   
,christ's power1 and that power1 working
 on and in our weakness1 invests us with
 prerogatives in some measure like ,his 
own4 ,if ,he can stand quiet on the     
heaving wave1 so can ,his servant4 ',the
 works that ,i do shall ye do also'--and
 'the depths of the sea become a way for

 the ransomed to pass over4' ,that power
 is exercised on condition of our faith4
 ,as soon as faith ceases the influx of 
,his grace is stayed4 ,peter1 though    
probably he was not thinking of this    
incident1 has put the whole philosophy  
of it into plain words in his own       
letter1 when he says1 ',you who are kept
 by the power of ,god through faith unto
 salvation4' ,he was held up as long as 
he believed4 ,his belief was a hand1 and
 that which it grasped was what held him
 up1 and that was ,christ's will and    
power4 ,so we shall be held up          
everywhere1 and in any storm1 as long   
as1 and no longer than1 we set our      
confidence upon ,him4  ,our faith is    
sure to fail when we turn away our eyes 
from ,christ to look at the tempest and 
the dangers4 ,if we keep our gaze fixed 
upon ,him1 the consciousness and the    
confidence of ,his all-sustaining power 
will hold us up4 ,if once we turn aside 
to look at the waves as they heave1 and 
prick our ears to listen to the wind as 

it whistles1 then we shall begin to     
doubt whether ,he is able to keep us up4
 ',looking off' from all these dangers  
'unto ,jesus' is needful if we are to   
run the race set before us4  ,a man     
walking along a narrow ledge of some    
,alpine height has only one chance of   
safety1 and that is1 not to look at his 
feet or at the icy rocks beside him1 or 
at the gulf beneath1 into which he will 
be dashed if he gazes down4 ,he must    
look up and onwards1 and then he will   
walk along a knife-edge1 and he shall   
not fall4 ,so1 ,peter1 never mind the   
water1 never mind the wind2 look at     
,jesus and you will get to ,him dry     
shod4 ,if you turn away your eyes from  
,him1 and take counsel of the           
difficulties and trials and antagonisms1
 down you will be sure to go4 ',they    
sank to the bottom like a stone1 the    
depths covered them4' ,christ holds us  
up4 ,he cannot hold us up unless we     
trust ,him4 ,faith and fear contend for 
supremacy in our hearts4 ,if we rightly 

trust1 we shall not be afraid4 ,if we   
are afraid1 terror will slay trust4 ,to 
look away from ,christ1 and occupy our  
thoughts with dangers and obstacles1 is 
sure to lead to the collapse of faith   
and the strengthening of terror4 ,to    
look past and above the billows to ,him 
that stands on them is sure to cast out 
fear and to hearten faith4 ,peter       
ignored the danger at the wrong time1   
before he dropped over the side of the  
boat1 and he was aware of it at the     
wrong time1 while he was actually being 
held up and delivered from it4 ,rashness
 ignores peril in the wrong way1 and    
thereby ensures its falling on the      
presumptuous head4 ,faith ignores it in 
the right way1 by letting the eye travel
 past it1 to ,christ who shields from   
it1 and thereby faith brings about the  
security it expects1 and annihilates the
 peril from which it looks away to      
,jesus4  ,,iii4 ,we have here the cry of
 desperate faith and its immediate      
answer4  ,the very thing which had      

broken ,peter's faith mended it again4  
,fear sunk him by making him falter in  
his confidence2 and1 as he was sinking1 
the very desperation of his terror drove
 him back to his faith1 and he 'cried'  
with a shrill1 loud voice1 heard above  
the roar of the boisterous wind1 ',lord1
 save me4' ,so difficulties and dangers1
 when they begin to tell upon us1 often 
send us back to the trust which the     
anticipation of them had broken2 and out
 of the very extremity of fear we       
sometimes can draw its own antidote4    
,just as with flint and steel you may   
strike a spark1 so danger1 striking     
against our heart1 brings out the flash 
that kindles the tinder4  ,this brief   
cry for help singularly blends faith and
 fear4 ,there is faith in it1 else      
,peter would not have appealed to       
,christ to save him4 ,there is mortal   
terror in it1 else he would not have    
felt that he needed to cry4 ,but faith  
is uppermost now1 and the very terror   
feeds it4 ,so1 by swift transition1 our 

fears may pass into their own opposite  
and become courageous trust4 ,just as in
 a coal fire the thick black smoke      
sometimes gets alight and passes into   
ruddy flame1 so our fears may catch fire
 and flash up as confidence and prayer4 
,note the merciful swiftness of         
,christ's answer4 ',immediately ,he     
caught him1' because another moment     
would have been too late4 ,there will be
 time to teach him the lessons of his   
presumption1 but when the water is all  
but up to the lips that shrieked for    
help1 there is but one thing to do4 ,he 
must be saved first and talked to       
afterwards4 ,our cries for deliverance  
in temporal matters are not always      
answered so quickly1 for it is often    
better for us to be left to struggle    
with the waves and winds4 ,but our      
appeals for ,christ's helping hand in   
soul-peril are always answered without  
delay4 ,no appreciable time is consumed 
in the passage of the telegram or in    
flashing back the answer4 ,the apostle  

was not caught by ,christ's hand before 
he knew his danger1 for it was good for 
him that he should go down some way1 but
 he was caught as soon as he called on  
the ,master1 and before he had come to  
any harm4 ,the trial lasted long enough 
to wash the stiffening of               
self-confidence out of him1 and then it 
had done its work--and ,christ's strong 
hand held him up4  ,the manner of the   
answer is noteworthy4 ,it is determined 
by1 and adapted to1 his weak faith4 ,he 
could not be upheld now as he had been a
 moment ago1 before his fear had        
weighted him1 by the exercise of        
,christ's will only4 ,then ,christ could
 hold him up without touching him1 but  
now the palpable grasp of the hand was  
needed to assure the tremulous1 doubting
 heart4 ,so we1 too1 sometimes need and 
get material and outward signs which    
make it easier to feel the reality of   
sustaining grace4 ,but whether we do or 
no1 ,christ's swift help always takes   
the form best suited to our faith1 and  

,he has regard to the capacity of our   
clasping hands in the measure and manner
 of ,his gifts4  ,the time and tone of  
,christ's gentle remonstrance are       
remarkable4 ,deliverance comes first1   
and rebuke afterwards4 ,having first    
shown him1 by the fact of safety1 that  
his doubts were irrational1 ,christ     
then1 and not till then1 puts ,his      
gentle question4 ,perhaps there was a   
smile on ,his face1 as surely there was 
love in ,his voice1 that softened the   
rebuke and went to ,peter's heart4      
,what does ,christ rebuke him for8      
,getting out of the boat8 ,no4 ,he does 
not blame him for venturing too much1   
but for trusting too little4 ,he does   
not blame him for attempting something  
beyond his strength1 but for not holding
 fast the beginning of his confidence   
firm unto the end4 ,and so the lesson   
for us is1 that we cannot expect too    
much if we expect it perseveringly4 ,we 
cannot set our conceptions of ,christ's 
possible help to us too high if only we 

keep at the height to which we once have
 set them1 and are assured that ,he will
 hold us up when we are down amongst the
 weltering waves1 as we fancied         
ourselves to be when we were sitting in 
the boat wishing to be with ,him4 ,that 
is the question that ,he will meet us   
with when we get up on the shore yonder2
 and we shall not have any more to say  
for ourselves1 in vindication of our    
tremulous trust1 than ,peter1 silenced  
for once1 had to say on this occasion4  
,it will be good for us all if1 like    
this apostle1 our trials consolidate our
 characters1 and out of the shifting1   
fluctuating1 impetuous nature that was  
blown about like sand by every gust of  
emotion there be made1 by the pressure  
of responsibility and trial1 and        
experience of our own unreliableness1   
the ',rock' of a stable character1      
steadfast and unmovable1 with calm      
resolution and fixed faith1 on which the
 ,great ,architect can build some       
portion of ,his great temple4           

,,crumbs ,,and ,,the ,,bread            
',then ,jesus went thence1 and departed 
into the coasts     of ,tyre and ,sidon4
 #bb4 ,and1 behold1 a woman of ,canaan  
came out of the same coasts1 and cried  
unto ,him1     saying1 ,have mercy on   
me1 ,o ,lord1 thou ,son of ,david2 my   
daughter is grievously vexed with a     
devil4 #bc4 ,but ,he     answered her   
not a word4 ,and ,his disciples came and
     besought ,him1 saying1 ,send her   
away2 for she crieth     after us4 #bd4 
,but ,he answered and said1 ,i am not   
sent     but unto the lost sheep of the 
house of ,israel4     #be4 ,then came   
she and worshipped ,him1 saying1 ,lord1 
help me4 #bf4 ,but ,he answered and     
said1 ,it is not meet     to take the   
children's bread1 and to cast it to     
dogs4     #bg4 ,and she said1 ,truth1   
,lord3 yet the dogs eat of the          
crumbs which fall from their masters'   
table4 #bh4 ,then     ,jesus answered   
and said unto her1 ,o woman1 great is   
thy     faith3 be it unto thee even as  

thou wilt4 ,and her     daughter was    
made whole from that very hour4 #bi4    
,and     ,jesus departed from thence1   
and came nigh unto the sea     of       
,galilee2 and went up into a mountain1  
and sat down     there4 #cj4 ,and great 
multitudes came unto ,him1 having       
with them those that were lame1 blind1  
dumb1 maimed1     and many others1 and  
cast them down at ,jesus' feet2     and 
,he healed them3 #ca4 ,insomuch that the
 multitude     wondered1 when they saw  
the dumb to speak1 the maimed     to be 
whole1 the lame to walk1 and the blind  
to see3     and they glorified the ,god 
of ,israel4'--,,matt4 xv4 #ba-ca4  ,the 
,king of ,israel has passed beyond the  
bounds of ,israel1 driven by the        
hostility of those who should have been 
,his subjects4 ,the delegates of the    
priestly party from ,jerusalem1 who had 
come down to see into this dangerous    
enthusiasm which was beginning in       
,galilee1 have made ,christ's withdrawal
 expedient1 and ,he goes northward1 if  

not actually into the territory of ,tyre
 and ,sidon1 at any rate to the border  
land4 ,the incident of the              
,syro-,phoenician woman becomes more    
striking if we suppose that it took     
place on ,gentile ground4 ,at all       
events1 after it1 we learn from ,mark   
that ,he made a considerable circuit1   
first north and then east1 and so came  
round to the eastern side of the sea of 
,galilee1 where the last paragraph of   
this section finds ,him4 ,the key to its
 meaning lies in the contrast between   
the single cure of the woman's demoniac 
daughter1 obtained after so long        
imploring1 and the spontaneous abundance
 of the cures wrought when ,jesus again 
had ,jewish sufferers to do with1 even  
though it were on the half-,gentilised  
eastern shore of the lake4 ,the contrast
 is an illustration of ,his parable of  
the crumbs that fell from the table and 
the plentiful feast that was spread upon
 it for the children4  ,the story of the
 ,syro-,phoenician woman naturally falls

 into four parts1 each marked by the    
recurrence of ',he answered4'  ,i4      
,there is the piteous cry1 and the      
answer of silence4 ,mark tells us that  
,jesus sought concealment in this       
journey2 but distress has quick eyes1   
and this poor woman found ,him4         
,canaanite as she is1 and thus a        
descendant of the ancient race of       
,israel's enemies1 she has learned to   
call ,him the ,son of ,david1 owning    
,his kingship1 which ,his born subjects 
disowned4 ,she beseeches for that which 
,he delights to give1 identifying       
herself with her poor child's suffering1
 and asking as for herself ,his mercy4  
,as ,chrysostom says3 ',it was a sight  
to stir pity to behold a woman calling  
aloud in such distress1 and that woman a
 mother1 and pleading for a daughter1   
and that daughter in such evil plight4' 
,in her humility she does not bring her 
child1 nor ask ,him to go to her4 ,in   
her agony1 she has nothing to say but to
 spread her grief before ,him1 as       

thinking that ,he1 of whose pity she has
 heard1 needs but to know in order to   
alleviate1 and requires no motives urged
 to induce ,him to help4 ,in her faith1 
she thinks that ,his power can heal from
 afar4 ,what more could ,he have        
desired8 ,all the more startling1 then1 
is ,his demeanour4 ,all the conditions  
which ,he usually required1 were present
 in her2 but ,he1 who was wont to meet  
these with swift and joyful             
over-answers1 has no word to say to this
 poor1 needy1 persevering1 humble1 and  
faithful suppliant4 ,the fountain seems 
frozen1 from which such streams of      
blessing were wont to flow4 ,his mercy  
seems clean gone1 and ,his compassion to
 have failed4 ,a ,christ silent to a    
sufferer's cry is a paradox which       
contradicts the whole gospel story1 and 
which1 we may be very sure1 no          
evangelist would have painted1 if he had
 not been painting from the life4  ,,ii4
 ,there is the disciples' intercession  
answered by ,christ's statement of the  

limitations of ,his mission4 ,their     
petition evidently meant1 ',dismiss her 
by granting her request'2 they knew in  
what fashion ,he was wont to 'send away'
 such suppliants4 ,they seem1 then1 more
 pitiful than ,he is4 ,but their        
thoughts are more for themselves than   
for her4 ,that 'us' shows the cloven    
foot4 ,they did not like the noise1 and 
they feared it might defeat ,his purpose
 of secrecy2 and so1 by their phrase1   
',send her away1' they unconsciously    
betray that what they wanted was not    
granting the prayer1 but getting rid of 
the petitioner4 ,perhaps1 too1 they     
mean1 ',say something to her2 either    
tell her that ,thou wilt or that ,thou  
wilt not2 break ,thy silence somehow4'  
,no doubt1 it was intensely disagreeable
 to have a shrieking woman coming after 
them2 and they were only doing as most  
of us would have done1 and as so many of
 us do1 when we give help without one   
touch of compassion1 in order to stop   
some imploring mouth4  ,their apparently

 compassionate but really selfish       
intercession was put aside by the       
answer1 which explains the paradox of   
,his silence4 ,it puts emphasis on two  
things3 ,his subordination to the divine
 will of the ,father1 and the           
restrictions imposed thereby on the     
scope of ,his beneficent working4 ,he   
was obeying the divine will in confining
 ,his ministry to the ,jewish people1 as
 we know that ,he did4 ,clearly1 that   
restriction was necessary4 ,it was a    
case of concentration in order to       
diffusion4 ,the fire must be gathered on
 the hearth1 if it is afterward to warm 
the chamber4 ,there must be geographical
 and national limits to ,his life2 and  
the ,messiah1 who comes last in the long
 series of the kings and prophets1 can  
only be authenticated as the world's    
,messiah1 by being first the fulfiller  
to the children of the promises made to 
the fathers4 ,the same necessity1 which 
required that revelation should be made 
through that nation1 required that the  

climax and fulfiller of all revelation  
should limit ,his earthly ministry to   
it4 ,this limitation must be regarded as
 applying only to ,his own personal     
ministry4 ,it did not limit ,his        
sympathies1 nor interfere with ,his     
consciousness of being the ,saviour and 
,king of the whole world4 ,he had       
already spoken the parables which       
claimed it all for the area of the      
development of ,his kingdom1 and in many
 other ways had given utterance to ,his 
consciousness of universal dominion1 and
 ,his purpose of universal mercy4 ,but  
,he knew that there was an order of     
development in the kingdom1 and that at 
its then stage the surest way to attain 
the ultimate universality was rigid     
limitation of it to the chosen people4  
,this conviction locked ,his gracious   
lips against even this poor woman's     
piteous cry4 ,we may well believe that  
,his sympathy outran ,his commission1   
and that it would have been hard for so 
much love to be silent in the presence  

of so much sorrow1 if ,he had not felt  
the solemn pressure of that divine      
necessity which ruled all ,his life4 ,he
 was bound by ,his instructions1 and    
therefore ,he answered her not a word4  
,individual suffering is no reason for  
transcending the limits of              
,god-appointed functions2 and he is     
absolved from the charge of indifference
 who refrains from giving help1 which he
 can only give by overleaping the bounds
 of his activity1 which have been set by
 the ,father4  ,,iii4 ,we have1 next1   
the persistent suppliant answered by a  
refusal which sounds harsh and hopeless4
 ,christ's former words were probably   
not heard by the woman1 who seems to    
have been behind the group4 ,she saw    
that something was being said to ,him1  
and may have gathered1 from gestures or 
looks1 that ,his reply was unfavourable4
 ,perhaps there was a short pause in    
their walk1 while they spoke1 during    
which she came nearer4 ,now she falls at
 ,his feet1 and with 'beautiful         

shamelessness1' as ,chrysostom calls it1
 repeats her prayer1 but this time with 
pathetic brevity1 uttering but the one  
cry1 ',lord1 help me6' ,the intenser the
 feeling1 the fewer the words4          
,heart-prayers are short prayers4 ,she  
does not now invoke ,him as the ,son of 
,david1 nor tell her sorrow over again1 
but flings herself in desperation on    
,his pity1 with the artless and         
unsupported cry1 wrung from her agony1  
as she sees the hope of help fading     
away4 ,like ,jacob1 in his mysterious   
struggle1 'she wept1 and made           
supplication unto ,him4'  ,as it would  
seem1 her distress touched no chord of  
sympathy2 and from the lips accustomed  
to drop oil and wine into every wound1  
came words like swords1 cold1 unfeeling1
 keen-edged1 fitted and meant to        
lacerate4 ,we shall not understand them1
 or ,him1 if we content ourselves with  
the explanation which jealousy for ,his 
honour as compassionate and tender has  
led many to adopt1 that ,he meant all   

the long delay in granting her request1 
and the words which ,he spoke1 only as  
tests of her faith4 ,his refusal was a  
real refusal1 founded on the divine     
decree1 which ,he was bound to obey4    
,his words to her1 harsh as they        
unquestionably sound1 are but another   
way of putting the limitation on which  
,he had just insisted in ,his answer to 
the disciples4 ,the 'bread' is the      
blessing which ,he1 as the sent of ,god1
 brings2 the 'children' are the 'lost   
sheep of the house of ,israel'2 the     
'dogs' are the ,gentile world4 ,the     
meaning of the whole is simply the      
necessary restriction of ,his personal  
activity to the chosen nation4 ,it is   
not meant to wound nor to insult1       
though1 no doubt1 it is cast in a form  
which might have been offensive1 and    
would have repelled a less determined or
 less sorrowful heart4 ,the form may be 
partly explained by the intention of    
trying her earnestness1 which1 though it
 is not the sole1 or even the principal1

 is a subordinate1 reason of our ,lord's
 action4 ,but it is also to be          
considered in the light of the woman's  
quick-witted retort1 which drew out of  
it an inference which we cannot suppose 
that ,christ did not intend4 ,he uses a 
diminutive for 'dogs1' which shows that 
,he is not thinking of the fierce1      
unclean animals1 masterless and         
starving1 that still haunt ,eastern     
cities1 and deserve their bad character1
 but of domestic pets1 who live with the
 household1 and are near the table4 ,in 
fact1 the woman seized ,his intention   
much better than later critics who find 
'national scorn' in the words2 and the  
fair inference from them is just that   
which she drew1 and which constituted   
the law of the preaching of the         
,gospel1--',to the ,jew first1 and also 
to the ,gentile4'  ,,iv4 ,we have the   
woman's retort1 which wrings hope out of
 apparent discouragement1 answered by   
,christ's joyful granting of her        
request4 ,out of ,his very words she    

weaves a plea4 ',yes1 ,lord2 ,i am one  
of the dogs2 then ,i am not an alien1   
but belong to the household4' ,the      
,revised ,version does justice to her   
words by reading 'for even' instead of  
'yet1' ,she does not enter a caveat     
against the analogy1 but accepts it     
wholly1 and only asks ,him to carry out 
,his own metaphor4 ,she takes the sword 
from ,his hand1 or1 as ,luther says1    
'she catches ,him in ,his own words4'   
,she does not ask a place at the table1 
nor anything taken from those who have a
 prior claim to a more abundant share in
 ,his mercies4 ,a crumb is enough for   
her1 which they will never miss4 ,in    
other and colder words1 she acquiesces  
in the divine appointment which limits  
,his mission to ,israel2 but she        
recognises that all nations belong to   
,god's household1 and that she and her  
countrymen have a real1 though for the  
time inferior1 position in it4 ,she     
pleads that her gain will not be the    
children's loss1 nor the answer to her  

prayers an infraction of the spirit of  
,his mission4 ,perhaps1 too1 there may  
be a reference to the fact of ,his being
 there on ,gentile soil1 in her words1  
',which fall from the children's table4'
 ,she does not want the bread to be     
thrown from the table to her4 ,she is   
not asking ,him to transfer ,his        
ministry to ,gentiles2 but here ,he is4 
,a crumb has fallen1 in ,his brief      
visit4 ,may she not eat of that8 ,in    
this answer faith1 humility1            
perseverance1 swift perception of ,his  
meaning1 and hallowed ingenuity and     
boldness1 are equally admirable4 ,by    
admitting that she was 'a dog1' and     
pleading her claim on that footing1 she 
shows that she was 'a child4' ,and      
therefore1 because she has shown herself
 one of the true household1 in the      
fixedness of her faith1 in the meekness 
of her humility1 in the persistence of  
her prayers1 ,christ joyfully recognises
 that here is a case in which ,he may   
pass the line of ordinary limitation1   

and that1 in doing so1 ,he does not     
exceed ,his commission4 ,such faith is  
entitled to the fullest share of ,his   
gift4 ,she takes her place beside the   
,gentile centurion as the two recipients
 of commendation from ,him for the      
greatness of their faith4 ,it had seemed
 as if ,he would give nothing2 but ,he  
ends with giving all1 putting the key of
 the storehouse into her hand1 and      
bidding her take1 not a crumb1 but 'as  
thou wilt4' ,her daughter is healed1 by 
,his power working at a distance2 but   
that was not1 we may be very sure1 the  
last nor the best of the blessings which
 she took from that great treasure of   
which ,he made her mistress4 ,nor can we
 doubt that ,he rejoiced at the removal 
of the barrier which dammed back ,his   
help1 as much as she did at the         
abundance of the stream which reached   
her at last4  ,v4 ,the final verses of  
our lesson give us a striking contrast  
to this story4 ,jesus is again on the   
shores of the lake1 after a tour through

 the ,tyrian and ,sidonian territory1   
and then eastwards and southwards1 to   
its eastern bank4 ,there ,he1 as on     
several former occasions1 seeks         
seclusion and repose in the hills1 which
 is broken in upon by the crowds4 ,the  
old excitement and rush of people begin 
again4 ,and large numbers of sick1      
'lame1 blind1 dumb1 maimed and many     
others1' are brought4 ,they are cast    
'down at ,his feet' in hot haste1 with  
small ceremony1 and1 as would appear1   
with little petitioning for ,his healing
 power4 ,but the same grace1 for which  
the ,canaanitish woman had needed to    
plead so hard1 now seems to flow almost 
unasked4 ,she had1 as it were1 wrung a  
drop out2 now it gushes abundantly4 ,she
 had not got her 'crumb' without much   
pleading2 these get the bread almost    
without asking4 ,it is this contrast of 
scant and full supplies which the       
evangelist would have us observe4 ,and  
he points his meaning plainly enough by 
that expression1 'they glorified the    

,god of ,israel1' which seems to be     
,matthew's own1 and not his quotation of
 what the crowd said4 ,this abundance of
 miracle witnesses to the pre-eminence  
of ,israel over the ,gentile nations1   
and to the special revelation of        
,himself which ,god made to them in ,his
 ,son4 ,the crowd may have found in it  
only fuel for narrow national pride and 
contempt2 but it was the divine method  
for the founding of the kingdom none the
 less2 and these two scenes1 set thus   
side by side1 teach the same truth1 that
 the ,king of men is first the ,king of 
,israel4     ,,the ,,divine ,,christ    
,,confessed1 ,,the ,,suffering ,,christ 
,,denied       ',when ,jesus came into  
the coasts of ,caesarea ,phllippi1      
,he asked ,his disciples1 saying1 ,whom 
do men say that ,i     the ,son of ,man 
am8 #ad4 ,and they said1 ,some say that 
thou art ,john the ,baptist2 some1      
,elias2 and others1     ,jeremias1 or   
one of the prophets4 #ae4 ,he saith unto
     them1 ,but whom say ye that ,i am8 

#af4 ,and ,simon ,peter     answered and
 said1 ,thou art the ,christ1 the ,son  
of the     living ,god4 #ag4 ,and ,jesus
 answered and said unto him1            
,blessed art thou1 ,simon ,bar-jona3 for
 flesh and blood     hath not revealed  
it unto thee1 but ,my ,father which is  
in heaven4 #ah4 ,and ,i say also unto   
thee1 ,that thou art     ,peter1 and    
upon this rock ,i will build ,my church2
 and     the gates of hell shall not    
prevail against it4 #ai4 ,and     ,i    
will give unto thee the keys of the     
kingdom of     heaven3 and whatsoever   
thou shalt bind on earth shall     be   
hound in heaven3 and whatsoever thou    
shalt loose on     earth shall be loosed
 in heaven4 #bj4 ,then charged ,he      
,his disciples that they should tell no 
man that ,he was     ,jesus the ,christ4
 #ba4 ,from that time forth began ,jesus
     to shew unto ,his disciples1 how   
that ,he must go unto     ,jerusalem1   
and suffer many things of the elders and
     chief priests and scribes1 and be  

killed1 and be raised     again the     
third day4 #bb4 ,then ,peter took ,him1 
and began     to rebuke ,him1 saying1   
,be it far from ,thee1 ,lord3 this      
shall not be unto ,thee4 #bc4 ,but ,he  
turned1 and said     unto ,peter1 ,get  
thee behind ,me1 ,satan3 thou art an    
offence unto ,me3 for thou savourest not
 the things that     be of ,god1 but    
those that be of men4 #bd4 ,then said   
,jesus unto ,his disciples1 ,if any man 
will come after     ,me1 let him deny   
himself1 and take up his cross1 and     
follow ,me4  #be4 ,for whosoever will   
save his life shall     lose it3 and    
whosoever will lose his life for ,my    
sake     shall find it4 #bf4 ,for what  
is a man profited1 if he     shall gain 
the whole world1 and lose his own soul8 
or     what shall a man give in exchange
 for his soul8 #bg4 ,for     the ,son of
 ,man shall come in the glory of ,his   
,father     with ,his angels2 and then  
,he shall reward every man     according
 to his works4 #bh4 ,verily ,i say unto 

you1     ,there be some standing here1  
which shall not taste of     death1 till
 they see the ,son of ,man coming in    
,his     kingdom4'--,,matt4 xvi4 #ac-bh4
  ,this section is embarrassing from its
 fulness of material4 ,we can but       
lightly touch points on which volumes   
might be1 and indeed have been1 written4
  ,i4 ,the first section 7vs4 #ac-bj7   
gives us ,peter's great confession in   
the name of the disciples1 and ,christ's
 answer to it4 ,the centre of this      
section is the eager avowal of the      
impetuous apostle1 always foremost for  
good or evil4 ,we note the preparation  
for it1 its contents1 and its results4  
,as to the preparation1--our ,lord is   
entering on a new era in ,his work1 and 
desires to bring clearly into ,his      
followers' consciousness the sum of ,his
 past self-revelation4 ,the excitement1 
which ,he had checked after the first   
miraculous feeding1 had died down4 ,the 
fickle crowd had gone away from ,him1   
and the shadows of the cross were       

darkening4 ,amid the seclusion of the   
woods1 fountains1 and rocks of          
,caesarea1 far away from distracting    
influences1 ,he puts these two momentous
 questions4 ,following the ,revised     
,version reading1 we have a double      
contrast between the first and second4  
',men' answers to 'ye1' and 'the ,son of
 ,man' to ',i4' ,the first question is  
as to the partial and conflicting       
opinions among the multitudes who had   
heard ,his name for ,himself from ,his  
own lips2 the second1 in its use of the 
',i1' hints at the fuller unveiling of  
the depths of ,his gracious personality1
 which the disciples had experienced1   
and implies1 ',surely you1 who have been
 beside ,me1 and known ,me so closely1  
have reached a deeper understanding4'   
,it has a tone of the same wistfulness  
and wonder as that other question of    
,his1 ',have ,i been so long time with  
you1 and yet hast thou not known ,me8'  
,for their sakes1 ,he seeks to draw out 
their partly unconscious faith1 that had

 been smouldering1 fed by their daily   
experience of ,his beauty and           
tenderness4 ,half-recognised convictions
 float in many a heart1 which need but a
 pointed question to crystallise into   
master-truths1 to which1 henceforward1  
the whole being is subject4 ,great are  
the dangers of articulate creeds2 but   
great is the power of putting our       
shadowy beliefs into plain words4 ',with
 the mouth confession is made unto      
salvation4'  ,why should this great     
question have been preceded by the      
other8 ,probably to make the disciples  
feel more distinctly the chaotic        
contradictions of the popular judgment1 
and their own isolation by their        
possession of the clearer light4 ,he    
wishes them to see the gulf opening     
between them and their fellows1 and so  
to bind them more closely to ,himself4  
,this is the question the answer to     
which settles everything for a man4 ,it 
has an intensely sharp point4 ,we cannot
 take refuge from it in the general     

opinion4 ,nor does any other man's      
judgment about ,him matter one whit to  
us4 ,this ,christ has a strange power1  
after nineteen hundred years1 of coming 
to each of us1 with the same persistent 
interrogation on ,his lips4 ,and to-day1
 as then1 all depends on the answer     
which we give4 ,many answer by exalted  
estimates of ,him1 like these varying   
replies which ascribed to ,him prophetic
 authority1 but they have not understood
 ,his own name for ,himself1 nor drunk  
in the meaning of ,his self-revelation1 
unless they can reply with the          
full-toned confession of the apostle1   
which sets ,him far above and apart from
 the highest and holiest4  ,as to the   
contents of the confession1 it includes 
both the human and the divine sides of  
,christ's nature4 ,he is the ,messiah1  
but ,he is more than what a ,jew meant  
by that name2 ,he is 'the ,son of the   
living ,god1' by which we cannot indeed 
suppose that ,peter meant all that he   
afterwards learned it contained1 or all 

that the ,church has now been taught of 
its meaning1 but which1 nevertheless1 is
 not to be watered down as if it did not
 declare ,his unique filial relation to 
the ,father1 and so ,his divine nature4 
,nathanael had burst into rapturous     
adoration of ,jesus as 'the ,son of     
,god' at the very beginning2 and the    
disciples' glad confidence1 which cast  
out the fear of the dim form striding   
across the sea1 had echoed the          
confession2 all had heard ,his words1   
',no man knoweth the ,father but the    
,son4' ,so we need not hesitate to      
interpret this confession as in essence 
and germ containing the whole future    
doctrine of our ,lord's divinity4 ,true1
 the speaker did not know all which lay 
in ,his words4 ,do we8 ,do we not see   
here an illustration of the method of   
,christian progress in doctrine1 which  
consists not in the winning of new      
truths1 but in the penetrating further  
into the meaning of old and initial     
truths8 ,the conviction which made and  

makes a ,christian1 is this of ,peter's2
 and ,christian growth is into1 not away
 from1 it4  ,as to the results1 they are
 set forth in our ,lord's answer1 which 
breathes of delight1 and we may almost  
say gratitude4 ,his manhood knew the    
thrill of satisfaction at having some   
hearts which understood though          
partially1 and loved even better than   
they knew4 ,the solemn address to the   
apostle by his ancestral name1 gives    
emphasis to the contrast between his    
natural weakness and his divine         
illumination and consequent privilege4  
,the name of ,peter is not here         
bestowed1 but interpreted4 ,christ does 
not say ',thou shalt be1' but ',thou    
art1' and so presupposes the former     
conferring of the name4 ,unquestionably1
 the apostle is the rock on which the   
,church is built4 ,the efforts to avoid 
that conclusion would never have been   
heard of1 but for the ,roman ,catholic  
controversy2 but they are as unnecessary
 as unsuccessful4 ,is it credible that  

in the course of an address which is    
wholly occupied with conferring         
prerogatives on the apostle1 a clause   
should come in1 which is concerned about
 an altogether different subject from   
the 'thou' of the preceding and the     
'thee' of the following clauses1 and    
which yet should take the very name of  
the apostle1 slightly modified1 for that
 other subject8 ,we do not interpret    
other books in that fashion4 ,but it was
 not the 'flesh and blood' ,peter1 but  
,peter as the recipient and faithful    
utterer of the divine inspiration in his
 confession1 who received these         
privileges4 ,therefore they are not his 
exclusive property1 but belong to his   
faith1 which grasped and confessed the  
divine-human ,lord2 and wherever that   
faith is1 there are these gifts1 which  
are its results4 ,they are the 'natural'
 consequences of the true faith in      
,christ1 in that higher region where the
 supernatural is the natural4 ,peter's  
grasp of ,christ's nature wrought upon  

his character1 as pressure does upon    
sand1 and solidified his shifting       
impetuosity into rock-like firmness4 ,so
 the same faith will tend to do in any  
man4 ,it made him the chief instrument  
in the establishment of the early       
,church4 ,on souls steadied and made    
solid by like faith1 and only on such1  
can ,christ build ,his ,church4 ,of     
course1 the metaphor here regards       
,jesus1 not as the foundation1 as the   
,scripture generally does1 but as the   
founder4 ,the names of the twelve       
apostles of the ,lamb are on the        
foundations of the heavenly city2 and1  
in historical fact1 the name of this    
apostle is graven on the deepest and    
first laid4 ,in like subordinate sense1 
all who share that heroic faith and     
proclaim it are used by the             
,master-builder in the foundations of   
,his ,church2 and ,peter himself is     
eager to share his name among his       
brethren1 when he says ',ye also1 as    
living stones4'  ,built on men who hold 

by that confession1 the ,church is      
immortal2 and the armies who pour out of
 the gates of the pale kingdoms of the  
unseen world shall not be able to       
destroy it4 ,peter1 as confessor of his 
,lord's human-divine nature1 wields the 
keys of the kingdom of heaven1 like a   
steward of a great house2 and that too  
was fulfilled in his apostolic activity 
in his admitting ,jews at ,pentecost1   
and ,gentiles in the house of           
,cornelius4 ,but the same power attends 
all who share his faith and avowal1 for 
the preaching of that faith is the      
opening of heaven's door to men4 ,he    
receives the power of binding and       
loosing1 by which is not meant that of  
forgiving or retaining sins1 but that of
 prohibiting or allowing actions1 or1 in
 other words1 of laying down the law of 
,christian conduct4 ,this meaning of the
 metaphors is made certain by the common
 ,jewish use of them4 ,despotic         
legislative power is not here committed 
to the apostle1 but the great principle 

is taught that the morality of          
,christianity flows directly from its   
theology1 and that whosoever1 like      
,peter1 grasps firmly the cardinal truth
 of ,christ's nature1 and all which     
flows therefrom1 will have his insight  
so cleared that his judgments on what is
 permitted or forbidden to a ,christian 
man will correspond with the decisions  
of heaven1 in the measure of his hold   
upon the truth which underlies all      
religion and all morality1 namely1      
',thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the 
living ,god4' ,these are gifts to ,peter
 indeed1 but only as possessor of that  
faith1 and are much more truly          
understood as belonging to all who      
'possess like precious faith' 7as ,peter
 says71 than as the prerogative of any  
individual or class4  ,,ii4 ,the second 
section 7vs4 #ba-bc7 contains the       
startling new revelation of the         
suffering ,messiah1 and the disciples'  
repugnance to it4 ,the ,gospel has two  
parts3 ,jesus is the ,christ1 and the   

,christ must suffer and enter into ,his 
glory4 ,our ,lord has made sure that the
 disciples have learned the first before
 ,he leads to the second4 ,the very     
conviction of ,his dignity and divine   
nature made that second truth the more  
bewildering1 but still the only road to 
it was through the first4 ,verse #ba    
covers an indefinite time1 during which 
,jesus gradually taught ,his sufferings4
 ,ordinarily we exaggerate the          
suddenness1 and therefore the depth1 of 
,peter's fall1 by supposing that it took
 place immediately after his confession2
 but the narrative discountenances the  
idea1 and merely says that ,jesus then  
'began' ,his new teaching4 ,there had   
been veiled hints of it 7such as ,john  
ii4 #ai1 and ,matt4 ix4 #ae1 xii4 #dj71 
but henceforward it assumed prominence1 
and was taught without veil4 ,it was no 
new thought to ,himself1 forced on ,him 
by the growing enmity of the nation4    
,the cross always cast its shadow on    
,his path4 ,he was no enthusiast1       

beginning with the dream of winning a   
world to ,his side1 and slowly and      
heroically making up ,his mind to die a 
martyr1 but ,his purpose in being born  
was to minister and to die1 a ransom for
 the many4 ,we have not here to do with 
a growing consciousness1 but simply with
 an increasing clearness of utterance4  
,note the detailed accuracy of ,his     
prevision1 which points to ,jerusalem as
 the scene1 and to the rulers of the    
nation as the instruments1 and to death 
as the climax1 and to resurrection as   
the issue1 of ,his sufferings2 the clear
 setting forth of the divine necessity  
which1 as it ruled all ,his life1 ruled 
here also1 and is expressed in that     
solemn 'must'2 and the perfectly willing
 acceptance by ,him of that necessity1  
implied in that 'go1' and certified by  
many another word of ,his4 ,the         
necessity was no external compulsion1   
driving ,him to an unwelcome sacrifice1 
but one imposed alike by filial         
obedience and by brotherly love4 ,he    

must die because ,he would save4  ,how  
vividly the scene of ,peter's rash      
rejection of the teaching is described6 
,the apostle1 full of eager love1 still1
 as of old1 swift to speak1 and driven  
by unexamined impulse1 lays his hand on 
,christ1 and draws ,him a little apart1 
while he 'begins' to pour out words     
which show that he has forgotten his    
confession4 ',rebuke' must not be       
softened down into anything less        
vehement or more respectful4 ,he knows  
better than ,jesus what will happen4    
,perhaps his assurance 'that this shall 
never be' means ',we will fight first4' 
,but he is not allowed to finish what he
 began2 for the ,master1 whom he loved  
unwisely but well1 turns ,his back on   
him1 as in horror1 and shows by the     
terrible severity of ,his rebuke how    
deeply moved ,he is4 ,he repels the hint
 in almost the same words as ,he had    
used to the tempter in the wilderness1  
of whom that ,peter1 who had so lately  
been the recipient and proclaimer of a  

divine illumination1 has become the     
mouthpiece4 ,so possible is it to fall  
from sunny heights to doleful depths6   
,so little can any divine inspiration be
 permanent1 if the man turn away from it
 to think man's thoughts1 and set his   
affections on the things which men      
desire6 ,so certainly does minding these
 degrade to becoming an organ of ,satan6
 ,the words are full of restrained      
emotion1 which reveal how real a        
temptation ,peter had flung in ,christ's
 path4 ,the rock has become a stone of  
stumbling2 the man ,jesus shrank from   
the cross with a natural and innocent   
shrinking1 which never made ,his will   
tremulous1 but was none the less real2  
and such words from loving lips did     
affect him4 ,let us note1 on the whole1 
that the complete truth about ,jesus    
,christ must include these two          
parts1--,his divine nature and          
,messiahship1 and ,his death on the     
cross2 and that neither alone is the    
gospel1 nor is he a disciple1 such as   

,christ desires1 who does not cleave to 
both with mind and heart4  ,,iii4 ,in   
verses #bd-bh1 the law1 which ruled the 
,master's life1 is extended to the      
servants4 ,they recoiled from the       
thought of ,his having to suffer4 ,they 
had to learn that they must suffer too  
if they would be ,his4 ,first1 the      
condition of discipleship is set before 
them as being the fellowship of ,his    
suffering4 ',if any man will' gives them
 the option of withdrawal4 ,a new epoch 
is beginning1 and they will have to     
enlist again1 and to do so with open    
eyes4 ,he will have no unwilling        
soldiers1 nor any who have been beguiled
 into the ranks4 ,no doubt1 some went   
away1 and walked no more with ,him4 ,the
 terms of service are clear4            
,discipleship means imitation1 and      
imitation means self-crucifixion4 ,at   
that time they would only partially     
understand what taking up their cross   
was1 but they would apprehend that a    
martyred master must needs have for     

followers men ready to be martyrs too4  
,but the requirement goes much deeper   
than this4 ,there is no discipleship    
without self-denial1 both in the easier 
form of starving passions and desires1  
and in the harder of yielding up the    
will1 and letting ,his will supplant    
ours4 ,only so can we ever come after   
,him1 and of such sacrifice of self the 
cross is the eminent example4 ,we cannot
 think too much of it as the instrument 
of our reconciliation and forgiveness1  
but we may1 and too often do1 think too 
little of it as the pattern of our      
lives4 ,when ,jesus began to teach ,his 
death1 ,he immediately presented it as  
,his servants' example4 ,let us not     
forget that fact4  ,the ground of the   
law is next stated in verse #be4 ,the   
desire to save life is the loss of life 
in the highest sense4 ,if that desire   
guide us1 then farewell to enthusiasm1  
courage1 the martyr spirit1 and all     
which makes man's life nobler than a    
beast's4 ,he who is ruled mainly by the 

wish to keep a whole skin1 loses the    
best part of what he is so anxious to   
keep4 ,in a wider application1 regard   
for self as a ruling motive is          
destruction1 and selfishness is suicide4
 ,on the other hand1 lives hazarded for 
,christ are therein truly saved1 and if 
they be not only hazarded1 but actually 
lost1 such loss is gain2 and the same   
law1 by which the ,master 'must' die and
 rise again1 will work in the servant4  
,verse #bf urges the wisdom of such     
apparent folly1 and enforces the        
requirement by the plain consideration  
that 'life' is worth more than anything 
beside1 and that on the two grounds1    
that the world itself would be of no use
 to a dead man1 and that1 once lost1    
'life' cannot be bought back4 ,therefore
 the dictate of the wisest prudence is  
that seemingly prodigal flinging away of
 the lower 'life' which puts us in      
possession of the higher4 ,note that the
 appeal is here made to a reasonable    
regard to personal advantage1 and that  

in the very act of urging to crucify    
self4 ,so little did ,christ think1 as  
some people do1 that the desire to save 
one's soul is selfishness4  ,verse #bg  
confirms all the preceding by the solemn
 announcement of the coming of the ,son 
of ,man as ,judge4 ,mark the dignity of 
the words4 ,he is to come 'in the glory 
of the ,father4' ,that ineffable and    
inaccessible light which rays forth from
 the ,father enwraps the ,son4 ,their   
glory is one4 ,the waiting angels are   
',his4' ,he renders to every man        
according to his doing 7his actions     
considered as one whole74 ,thus ,he     
claims for ,himself universal sway1 and 
the power of accurately determining the 
whole moral character of every life1 as 
well as that of awarding precisely      
graduated retribution4 ,they surely     
shall then find their lives who have    
followed ,him here4  ,verse #bh adds1   
with ,his solemn 'verily1' a            
confirmation of this announcement of    
,his coming to judge4 ,the question of  

what event is referred to may best be   
answered by noting that it must be one  
sufficiently far off from the moment of 
speaking to allow of the death of the   
greater number of ,his hearers1 and     
sufficiently near to allow of the       
survival of some2 that it must also be  
an event1 after which these survivors   
would go the common road into the grave2
 that it is apparently distinguished    
from ,his coming 'in the glory of the   
,father1' and yet is of such a nature as
 to afford convincing proof of the      
establishment of ,his kingdom on earth1 
and to be1 in some sort1 a sign of that 
final act of judgment4 ,all these       
requirements 7and they are all the fair 
inferences from the words7 meet only in 
the destruction of ,jerusalem1 and of   
the national life of the chosen people4 
,that was a crash of which we faintly   
realise the tremendous significance4 ,it
 swept away the last remnant of the hope
 that ,israel was to be the kingdom of  
the ,messiah2 and from out of the dust  

and chaos of that fall the ,christian   
,church emerged1 manifestly destined for
 world-wide extension4 ,it was a 'great 
and terrible day of the ,lord1' and1 as 
such1 was a precursor and a prophecy of 
the day of the ,lord1 when ,he 'shall   
come in the glory of the ,father1' and  
'render unto every man according to his 
deeds4'     ,,christ ,,foreseeing ,,the 
,,cross       ',from that time forth    
began ,jesus to shew unto ,his          
disciples1 how that ,he must go unto    
,jerusalem1 and     suffer many things  
of the elders and chief priests     and 
scribes1 and be killed1 and be raised   
again the     third day4'--,,matt4 xvi4 
#ba4  ,the 'time' referred to in the    
text was probably a little more than six
 months before the ,crucifixion1 when   
,jesus was just on the point of finally 
leaving ,galilee1 and travelling towards
 ,jerusalem4 ,it was an epoch in ,his   
ministry4 ,the hostility of the priestly
 party in the capital had become more   
pronounced1 and simultaneously the      

fickle enthusiasm of the ,galilean      
crowds1 which had been cooled by ,his   
discouragement1 had died down into      
apathy4 ,he and ,his followers are about
 to leave familiar scenes and faces1 and
 to plunge into perilous and intrude    
paths4 ,he is resolved that1 if they    
will 'come after ,him1' as ,he bids them
 in a subsequent verse1 it shall be with
 their eyes open1 and as knowing that to
 come after ,him now means to cut       
themselves loose from old moorings1 and 
to put out into the storm4 ,they shall  
be abundantly certified that their      
journeying to ,jerusalem is not a       
triumphal procession to a crown1 but a  
march to a cross4  ,so1 this new epoch  
in ,his life is attended with a new     
development of ,his teaching4 ,my text  
sums up the result of many interviews in
 which1 by slow degrees1 ,he sought to  
put the disciples in possession of this 
unwelcome truth4 ,it was prepared for1  
by the previous conversation in which   
,his question elicited from ,peter1 as  

the mouthpiece of the apostles1 the     
great confession of ,his ,messiahship   
and ,divinity4 ,settled in their belief 
of these truths1 however imperfect their
 intellectual grasp of them1 they might 
perhaps be able to receive the mournful 
mystery of ,his passion4  ,i4 ,we have  
here set forth in the first place our   
,lord's anticipation of the ,cross4     
,mark the tone of the language1 the     
minuteness of the detail1 the absolute  
certainty of the prevision4 ,that is not
 the language of a man who simply is    
calculating that the course which he is 
pursuing is likely to end in his        
martyrdom2 but the thing lies there     
before ,him1 a definite1 fixed          
certainty2 every detail known1 the      
scene1 the instruments1 the             
non-participation of these in the final 
act of ,his death1 ,his resurrection1   
and its date1--all manifested and mapped
 out in ,his sight1 and all absolutely  
certain4  ,now this was by no means the 
first time that the certainty of the    

,cross was plain to ,christ4 ,it was not
 even the first time that it had been   
announced in ,his teaching4 ,veiled     
hints2 allusions1 brief but pregnant1   
had been scattered through ,his earlier 
ministry--such1 for instance1 as the    
enigmatical word at its very beginning1 
',destroy this ,temple1 and in three    
days ,i will raise it up'2 or as the    
profound word to the rabbi that sought  
,him by night1 ',as ,moses lifted up the
 serpent in the wilderness1 so must the 
,son of ,man be lifted up'2 or as the   
passing hint1 dropped to the people1 in 
symbolical language1 about the 'sign of 
the prophet ,jonas'2 or as the grief    
foreshadowed dimly to the apostles1 of  
the withdrawal of the ,bridegroom1 and  
their 'fasting in those days4' ,these   
hints1 and no doubt others unrecorded1  
had cropped to the surface before2 and  
what we have to do with here1 is neither
 the dawning of an expectation in       
,christ1 nor the first utterance of the 
certainty of the ,cross1 but simply the 

beginning of a continuous and           
unenigmatical teaching of it1 as an     
element in ,his instructions to ,his    
disciples4  ,so then1 we have to        
recognise the fact that our ,lord's     
prevision of the end--shone1 ,i was     
going to say1 perhaps it might be truer 
to say1 darkened1--all the path along   
which ,he had to travel4  ,i think that 
people dogmatise a great deal too glibly
 as to what they know very little about1
 the interaction of the divine and the  
human elements in ,christ1 and on the   
one side are far too certain in their   
affirmation that ,his humanity possessed
 in some reflected fashion the divine   
gift of omniscience2 and on the other   
hand1 that ,his manhood1 passing through
 the process of human development1 and  
increasing in wisdom1 was necessarily in
 its earlier stages void of the         
consciousness of ,his ,messianic        
mission4 ,i dare not affirm either 'yes'
 or 'no' about that matter2 but this ,i 
am sure of1 that if ever there was a    

time in the development of the ,manhood 
of ,jesus ,christ when ,he began to know
 ,himself as the ,messias1 at that same 
time ,he began to be certain of the     
,cross4 ,for ,his ,messianic work       
required the ,cross1 and the divine     
thing that was in ,him was born into the
 world for a double purpose1 to minister
 and to die4  ,so1 dear friends1 putting
 aside mere metaphysics1 which are      
superficial after all1 we have to       
recognise this as the fact1 that all    
through ,his career there arose before  
our ,lord the certainty of that death1  
and that it did not assume to ,him the  
aspect which such a prospect might have 
assumed to others as a possible result  
of a mission that failed1 but it assumed
 to ,him the aspect of the certain      
result of a work that was accomplished4 
,he began ,his career with no illusions1
 such as other teachers1 reformers1     
philanthropists1 men that have moved    
society1 have always begun with4 ,moses 
might 'suppose his brethren would have  

understood how that ,god by ,his hand   
would deliver them1' but ,christ had no 
such illusion4 ,he knew from the        
beginning that ,he came to be rejected  
and to die4 ,and so ,he 'trod life's    
common way1' with that grim certainty   
rising ever before ,him4 ,i suppose that
 ,he did not1 as you and ,i do1 forget  
the death that awaits us1 and find the  
non-remembrance of it the condition of  
much of our energy1 but that it was     
perpetually in ,his sight4  ,now ,i do  
not think that we sufficiently dwell    
upon that fact as an element in the     
human experience of our ,lord4 ,what    
beauty it gives to ,his gentleness1 to  
the leisureliness of heart with which   
,he was ready to make everybody's sorrow
 ,his own1 and to lay a healing and a   
loving finger upon every wound6 ,with   
this certainty before ,him1 there was   
yet no strain manifest upon ,his spirit1
 no self-absorption1 no shutting        
,himself out from other people's burdens
 because ,he had so heavy ones of ,his  

own to carry2 but ,he was ready for     
every joy1 ready for all sympathy1 ready
 for every help2 and if we cannot say   
that1 'in cheerful godliness1' as ,i    
think we may1 at least we can say that  
with solemn joy and untroubled          
readiness1 ,he journeyed towards that   
,cross4 ,this ,isaac was under no       
illusions as to who the ,lamb for the   
offering was1 but knowing it1 ,he       
patiently carried the wood and climbed  
the hill1 ready for the ,father's will4 
,,ii4 ,that brings me to notice the     
second point here1 our ,lord's          
recognition of the necessity of ,his    
suffering4  ,mark that ,he does not say 
that ,he shall suffer4 ,certainty is not
 all that ,he proclaims here1 however   
absolute that certainty might be1 but it
 is ',he must4' ,he is speaking not only
 of the historical fact1 but of the     
need1 deep in the nature of things1 for 
,his sufferings that were to follow4    
,and though these were wrought out by   
,his own willing submission on the one  

hand1 and by the unfettered play of the 
evil passions of the worst of men on the
 other1 yet over all that apparent chaos
 of unbridled devildom there ruled the  
unalterable purpose of ,god2 and the    
'must' was wrought out through the      
passions of evil-doers and the voluntary
 submission of the innocent sufferer2   
thus setting before us1 in the central  
fact of the history of humanity1 viz4   
the ,cross and passion of ,jesus        
,christ1 the eminent example of that    
great mystery how the absolute freedom  
of the human will1 and the              
responsibility of the guilt of human    
wrong-doers1 are congruous with the     
fixed purpose of an all-determining and 
all-ruling ,providence4  ,but that is   
apart from my purpose4 ,mark then1 that 
our ,lord's recognition of this         
necessity for ,his suffering is1 on the 
first and plainest aspect of it1 ,his   
recognition that ,his suffering was     
necessary on the ground of filial       
obedience4 ,all through ,his life we    

hear that 'must' echoing1 and ,his whole
 spirit bowed to it4 ,as ,he says       
,himself1 ',the ,son can do nothing of  
,himself4' ,as was said for ,him of old3
 ',lo1 ,i come4 ,in the volume of the   
book it is written of ,me1 ,i delight to
 do ,thy will1 and ,thy law is within   
,my heart4' ,so the ,father's will is   
the ,son's law2 and the ,father's ',thou
 shalt' is answered by the ,son's ',i   
must4'  ,but yet that necessity grounded
 on filial obedience was no mere        
external necessity determined solely by 
the divine will4 ,god so willed it1     
because it must be so2 that it must be  
so was not because ,god so willed it4   
,that is to say1 the work to which      
,christ had set ,his hand was a work    
that demanded the ,cross1 nor could it  
be accomplished without it4 ,for it was 
the work of redeeming the world1 and    
required more than a beautiful life1    
more than a divine gentleness of heart1 
more than the homely and yet deep wisdom
 of ,his teachings1 it required the     

sacrifice that ,he offered on the       
,cross4  ,so1 dear friends1 ,christ's   
'must' is but this3 ',my work is not    
accomplished except ,i die4' ,and       
remember that the connection between our
 ,lord's work and our ,lord's death is  
not that which subsists between the     
works and the deaths of great teachers1 
or heroic martyrs1 or philanthropists   
and benefactors1 who will gladly pay the
 price of life in order to carry out    
their loving or their wise designs4 ,it 
is no mere appendage to ,his work1 nor  
the price that ,he paid for having done 
it1 but it is ,his very work in its     
vital centre4  ,i pray you to consider  
if there is any theory of the meaning   
and power of the death of ,jesus ,christ
 which adequately explains this 'must1' 
except the one that ,he died a sacrifice
 for the sins of the world4 ,on any     
other hypothesis1 as it seems to me1 of 
what ,his death meant1 it is surplusage1
 over and above ,his work3 not adding   
much1 either to ,his teaching or to the 

beauty of ,his example1 and having no   
absolute stringent necessity impressed  
upon it4 ,there is one doctrine--that   
when ,he died ,he bare the sins of the  
whole world--which makes ,his death a   
necessity2 and ,i ask you1 ,is there any
 other doctrine which does8 ,take care  
of a ,christianity which would not be   
much impoverished if the ,cross were    
struck out of it altogether4  ,there is 
a deeper question1 on which1 as ,i      
believe1 it does not become us to enter1
 and that is1 ,what is the necessity for
 the necessity8 ,why must it be that    
,he1 who is the ,redeemer of the world1 
must needs be the ,sacrifice for the    
world8 ,we do not know enough about the 
depths of the divine nature and the     
divine government to speak very wisely  
or reverently upon that subject1 and ,i1
 for one1 abjure the attempt1 which     
seems to me to be presumptuous--the     
attempt to explain why there was needed 
a sacrifice for sin in order to the     
forgiveness of sin4 ,if ,i knew all     

about ,god1 ,i could tell you2 and      
nobody1 that does not1 can4 ,but we can 
see1 as far as concerns us1 that1 as the
 history of all religions tells us1 for 
the forgiveness and acceptance of sinful
 men a pure sacrifice is needed2 and    
that for teaching us the love of ,god1  
the hideousness and wages of sin1 for   
our emancipation from evil1 for the     
quieting of our consciences1 for a      
foothold for faith1 for an adequate     
motive of self-surrender and obedience1 
his sacrificial death is needful4 ,the  
life and death of ,jesus ,christ1       
regarded as ,god's sacrifice for the    
world's sin1 does all this4 ,the life   
and death of ,jesus ,christ1 regarded in
 any other aspect1 does not do this4    
,historically speaking1 mutilated forms 
of ,christianity1 which have not known  
what to do with the ,cross of ,christ1  
have lost their constraining1 purifying1
 and aggressive power4 ,for us sinful   
men1 if we are to be delivered from evil
 and become sons of ,god1 ,he must      

suffer many things1 and be killed1 and  
rise again the third day4  ,,iii4 ,now  
note further1 how we have here also our 
,lord's willing acceptance of the       
necessity4  ,it is one thing to         
recognise1 and another thing to accept1 
a needs-be4 ,this 'must' was no         
unwelcome obligation laid upon ,him     
against ,his will1 but one to which ,his
 whole nature responded and which ,he   
accepted4 ,no doubt there was in ,him   
the innocent instinctive physical       
shrinking from death4 ,no doubt the     
,cross1 in so far1 was pain and         
suffering4 ,no doubt we are to trace the
 reality of a temptation in ,peter's    
rash words which follow1 as indicated to
 us by the severity and almost vehemence
 of the action with which ,christ puts  
it away4 ,no doubt there is a profound  
meaning in that answer of ,his1 ',thou  
art a stumbling-block to ,me4' ,the     
',rock' is turned into a stone of       
stumbling1 and ,peter's suggestion      
appeals to something in ,him which      

responded to it4  ,that shrinking might 
be a shrinking of nature1 but it was not
 a recoil of will4 ,the ship may toss in
 dreadful billows1 but the needle points
 to the pole4 ,the train may rock upon  
the line1 but it never leaves the rails4
 ,christ felt that the ,cross was an    
evil1 but that feeling never made ,him  
falter in ,his determination to bear it4
 ,his willing acceptance of the         
necessity was owing to ,his full resolve
 to save the world4 ,he must die because
 ,he would redeem1 and ,he would redeem 
because ,he could not but love4 ',he    
saved others1' and therefore ',himself  
,he cannot save4' ,so the 'must' was not
 an iron chain that fastened ,him to    
,his ,cross4 ,like some of the heroic   
martyrs of old1 who refused to be bound 
to the funeral pile1 ,he stood there    
chained to it by nothing but ,his own   
will and loving purpose to save the     
world4  ,and1 brethren1 in that loving  
purpose1 each of us may be sure that we 
had an individual and a personal share4 

,whatever the interaction between the   
divinity and the humanity1 this at all  
events is certain1 that every soul of   
man has his distinct and definite place 
in ,christ's knowledge and in ,christ's 
love4 ,each of us all may be sure that  
one strand of the cords of love which   
fastened ,him to the ,cross was ,his    
love for me2 and each of us may say--,he
 must die1 because ',he loved me1 and   
gave ,himself for me4'  ,,iv4 ,lastly1  
notice here our ,lord's teaching the    
necessity of ,his death4  ,this         
announcement was preceded1 as ,i        
remarked1 by that conversation which led
 to the crystallising of the half-formed
 convictions of the apostles in a       
definite creed1 ',thou art the ,christ1 
the ,son of the living ,god4' ,but that 
was not all that they needed to know and
 believe and trust to4 ,that was the    
first volume of their lesson-book4 ,the 
second volume was this1 that ',christ   
must suffer4' ,and so let us learn the  
central place which the ,cross holds in 

,christ's teaching4 ,they tell us that  
the doctrine of ,christ as the          
,sacrifice for the world is not in the  
,gospels4 ,where are the eyes that read 
the ,gospels and do not see it8 ,the    
theory of it is not there2 the          
announcements of it are4 ,and in this   
latest section of our ,lord's ministry1 
they are fuller and more frequent than  
in the earlier1 for the plain reason    
which is implied by the preparation     
through which ,he passed these          
disciples1 ere ,he ventured to          
communicate the mournful and the        
bewildering fact4 ,there must be1 first1
 the grasp of ,his ,messiahship1 and    
some recognition that ,he is the ,son of
 ,god1 ere it is possible to go on to   
speak of the ,cross1 the full message   
concerning which could not be spoken    
until after the ,resurrection and the   
,ascension4  ,but note1 you do not      
understand ,christ's ,cross unless you  
bring to it the faith in ,christ's      
,messiahship and the belief in some     

measure that ,he is the ,son of ,god4   
,neither the pathos nor the power of    
,his death is intelligible if it be     
simply like other deaths--the dying of a
 man who is born subject to the law of  
mortality1 and who yields to it by      
natural process4 ,unless you and ,i take
 upon our lips1 though with far deeper  
meaning1 the words with which the       
heathen centurion gazed upon the dying  
,christ1 and say1 ',truly this was the  
,son of ,god6' ,his ,cross is common and
 trivial and insignificant2 but if we   
can thus speak1 then it stands before us
 as the crown of all ,god's             
manifestations in the world1' the wisdom
 of ,god and the power of ,god4'  ,and  
then note1 still further1 how1 without  
the ,cross1 these other truths are not  
the whole gospel4 ,there were disciples 
then1 as there have been disciples      
since1 and as there are to-day1 who were
 willing to accept1 ',thou art the      
,christ'2 and willing in some sense to  
say ',thou art the ,son of ,god1' but   

stumbled when ,he said1 ',the ,son of   
,man must suffer4' ,brethren1 ,i venture
 to urge that the gospel of the         
,incarnation1 precious as it is1 is not 
the whole gospel1 and that the          
full-orbed truth about ,jesus ,christ is
 that ,he is the ,christ1 and that ,he  
died for our sins1 and rose again to    
live for ever1 our ,priest and ,king4   
,we need a whole ,christ4 ,for our      
soul's salvation1 for the quieting of   
our consciences1 the forgiveness of our 
sins1 for new life1 for peace1 purity1  
obedience1 love1 joy1 hope1 our faith   
must grasp ',christ1 and ,him           
crucified4' ,a half ,christ is no       
,christ1 and unless we have as sinful   
men laid hold of the one ,sacrifice for 
sins for ever1 which ,he offered1 we do 
not understand even the preciousness of 
the half ,christ whom we perceive1 nor  
know the full beauty of ,his example1   
the depth of ,his teaching1 nor the     
tenderness of ,his heart4  ,i beseech   
you1 ask yourselves1 ,what ,christ can  

do for me the things which ,i need to   
have done1 except 'the ,christ that     
died1 yea1 rather1 that is risen again1 
who is even at the right hand of ,god1  
who also maketh intercession for us'8   
,,the ,,king ,,in ,,his ,,beauty        
',and after six days ,jesus taketh      
,peter1 ,james1 and ,john     his       
brother1 and bringeth them up into an   
high mountain     apart1 #b4 ,and was   
transfigured before them3 and ,his      
face did shine as the sun1 and ,his     
raiment was white as     the light4 #c4 
,and1 behold1 there appeared unto them  
,moses and ,elias talking with ,him4 #d4
 ,then answered     ,peter1 and said    
unto ,jesus4 ,lord1 it is good for us   
to be here3 if ,thou wilt1 let us make  
here three     tabernacles2 one for     
,thee1 and one for ,moses1 and one      
for ,elias4 #e4 ,while he yet spake1    
behold1 a bright     cloud overshadowed 
them3 and behold a voice out of the     
cloud1 which said1 ,this is my beloved  
,son1 in whom ,i am     well pleased2   

hear ye ,him4 #f4 ,and when the         
disciples     heard it1 they fell on    
their face1 and were sore afraid4       
#g4 ,and ,jesus came and touched them1  
and said1 ,arise1     and be not afraid4
 #h4 ,and when they had lifted up their 
eyes1 they saw no man1 save ,jesus only4
 #i4 ,and as they     came down from the
 mountain1 ,jesus charged them1 saying1 
,tell the vision to no man1 until the   
,son of ,man be risen     again from the
 dead4 #aj4 ,and ,his disciples asked   
,him1     saying1 ,why then say the     
scribes that ,elias must first     come8
 #aa4 ,and ,jesus answered and said unto
 them1 ,elias     truly shall first     
come1 and restore all things4 #ab4 ,but 
,i say unto you1 ,that ,elias is come   
already1 and they     knew him not1 but 
have done unto him whatsoever they      
listed4 ,likewise shall also the ,son of
 ,man suffer of     them4 #ac4 ,then the
 disciples understood that ,he spake    
unto them of ,john the                  
,baptist4'--,,matt4 xvii4 #a-ac4  ,the  

early guess at ,tabor as the scene of   
the ,transfiguration must be given up as
 untenable4 ,some one of the many peaks 
of ,hermon rising right over ,caesarea  
is a far more likely place4 ,but the    
silence of all the accounts as to the   
locality surely teaches us the          
unimportance of knowledge on the point4 
,the dangers of knowing would more than 
outweigh the advantages4 ,a similar     
indefiniteness attaches to the when4    
,are we to think of it as occurring by  
night1 or by day8 ,perhaps the former is
 slightly the more probable1 from the   
fact of the descent being made 'the next
 day' 7,luke74 ,our conception of the   
scene will be very different1 as we     
think of that lustre from ,his face1 and
 that bright cloud1 as outshining the   
blaze of a ,syrian sun1 or as filling   
the night with glory4 ,but we cannot    
settle which view is correct4  ,there   
are three distinct parts in the whole   
incident3 the ,transfiguration proper2  
the appearance of ,moses and ,elijah2   

and the cloud with the voice from it4   
,i4 ,the ,transfiguration proper4  ,the 
general statement that ,jesus 'was      
transfigured before them' is immediately
 followed out into explanatory details4 
,these are twofold--the radiance of ,his
 face1 and the gleaming whiteness of    
,his raiment1 which shone like the snow 
on ,hermon when it is smitten by the    
sunshine4 ,probably we are to think of  
the whole body as giving forth the same 
mysterious light1 which made itself     
visible even through the white robe ,he 
wore4 ,this would give beautiful        
accuracy and appropriateness to the     
distinction drawn in the two            
metaphors1--that ,his face was 'as the  
sun1' in which the undiluted glory was  
seen2 and ,his garments 'as the light1' 
which is sunshine diffused and weakened4
 ,there is no hint of any external      
source of the brightness4 ,it does not  
seem to have been a reflection from the 
visible symbol of the divine presence1  
as was the fading radiance on the face  

of ,moses4 ,that symbol does not come   
into view till the last stage of the    
incident4 ,we are then to think of the  
brightness as rising from within1 not   
cast from without4 ,we cannot tell      
whether it was voluntary or involuntary4
 ,luke gives a pregnant hint1 in        
connecting it with ,christ's praying1 as
 if the calm ecstasy of communion with  
the ,father brought to the surface the  
hidden glory of the ,son4 ,can it be    
that such glory always accompanied ,his 
prayers1 and that its presence may have 
been one reason for the sedulous privacy
 of these1 except on this one occasion1 
when ,he desired that ,his faithful     
three should be 'eye-witnesses of ,his  
majesty'8 ,however that may be1 we have 
probably to regard the ,transfiguration 
as the transient making visible1 in the 
natural1 symbolic form of light1 of the 
indwelling divine glory1 which dwelt in 
,him as in a shrine1 and then shone     
through the veil of ,his flesh4 ,john   
explains the event1 though ,his words go

 far beyond it1 when he says1 ',we      
beheld ,his glory1 glory as of the only 
begotten from the ,father4'  ,what was  
the purpose of the ,transfiguration8    
,matthew seems to tell us in that       
'before them4' ,it was for their sakes1 
not for ,his1 as indeed follows from the
 belief that it was the irradiation from
 within of the indwelling light4 ,the   
new epoch of ,his life1 in which they   
were to have a share of trial and       
cross-bearing1 needed some great        
encouragement poured into their         
tremulous hearts2 and so1 for once1 ,he 
deigned to let them look on ,his face   
shining as the sun1 for a remembrance   
when they saw it covered with 'shame and
 spitting' and ,his brow bleeding from  
the thorns4 ,but perhaps we may venture 
a step farther1 and see here some       
prophecy of that body of ,his glory in  
which ,he now reigns4 ,speculations as  
to the difference between the earthly   
body of our ,lord and ours are          
fascinating but unsubstantial4 ,it was a

 true human body1 susceptible of hunger1
 pain1 weariness2 but we are not taught 
that it carried in it the necessity of  
death4 ,it may have been more pliable to
 the spirit's behests1 and more         
transparent to its light1 than ours4    
,there may have been in that hour of    
radiance some approximation to the      
perfect harmony between the perfect     
spirit and the body1 which is its fit   
organ1 which we know is ,his now1 and to
 which we also know that ,he will       
conform the body of our humiliation4    
,then ,his face 'shone as the sun'2 when
 one of these three saw ,him in ,his    
glory1 ',his countenance was as the sun 
shineth in his strength'2 and ,his own  
promise to us is that we too 'shall     
shine forth as the sun4' ,then ,his     
garments were white as the light2 ,his  
promise is that they who are worthy     
shall 'walk with ,him in white4' ,the   
,transfiguration was a revelation and a 
prophecy4  ,,ii4 ,the appearance of     
,moses and ,elijah4  ,while the three   

are gazing with dazzled eyes1 suddenly1 
as if shaped out of air1 there stand by 
,jesus two mighty forms1 evidently men1 
and yet1 according to ,luke1 encompassed
 in the white radiance1 walking with the
 ,son of ,man in a better furnace4 ,what
 a stound of awe and wonder must have   
touched the gazers as the conviction who
 these were filled their minds1 and they
 recognised1 we know not how1 the mighty
 lineaments of the lawgiver and the     
prophet6 ,did the three mortals         
understand the meaning of the words of  
the heavenly three8 ,we cannot tell4    
,nor does ,matthew tell us what was the 
theme of that wondrous colloquy4 ,these 
two might have asked1 ',why hast ,thou  
disquieted us to bring us up8' ,what is 
the answer8 ,wherefore were they there8 
,to tell ,jesus that ,he was to die8    
,no1 for that lay plain before ,him4 ,to
 learn from ,him the mystery of ,his    
passion1 that they might be ,his        
heralds1 the one in ,paradise1 the other
 in the pale kingdoms of ,hades8        

,perhaps1 but1 more probably1 they came 
to minister to ,him strength for ,his   
conflict1 even as women did of their    
substance1 and an angel did in          
,gethsemane4 ,perhaps the strength came 
to ,jesus from seeing how they yearned  
for the fulfilment of the typified      
redemption2 perhaps it came from ,his   
being able to speak to them as ,he could
 not to any on earth4 ,at all events1   
surely ,moses and ,elijah were not      
brought there for their own sakes alone1
 nor for the sake of the witnesses1 but 
also for ,his sake who was prepared by  
that converse for ,his cross4  ,further1
 their appearance set forth ,christ's   
death1 which was their theme1 as the    
climax of revelation4 ,the ,law with its
 requirement and its sacrifices1 and    
,prophecy with its forward-looking gaze1
 stand there1 in their representatives1 
and bear witness that their converging  
lines meet in ,jesus4 ,the finger that  
wrote the law1 and the finger that smote
 and parted ,jordan1 are each lifted to 

point to ,him4 ,the stern voices that   
spoke the commandments and that hurled  
threatenings at the unworthy occupants  
of ,david's throne1 both proclaim1      
',behold the ,lamb of ,god1 the perfect 
,fulfiller of law1 the true ,king of    
,israel4' ,their presence and their     
speech were the acknowledgment that this
 was ,he whom they had seen from afar2  
their disappearance proclaims that their
 work is done when they have pointed to 
,him4  ,their presence also teaches us  
that ,jesus is the life of all the      
living dead4 ,of course1 care must be   
exercised in drawing dogmatic           
conclusions from a manifestly abnormal  
incident1 but some plain truths do      
result from it4 ,of these two1 one had  
died1 though mystery hung round his     
death and burial2 the other had passed  
into the heavens by another gate than   
that of death2 and here they both stand 
with lives undiminished by their        
mysterious changes1 in fulness of power 
and of consciousness1 bathed in glory1  

which was as their native air now4 ,they
 are witnesses of an immortal life1 and 
proofs that ,his yet unpierced hands    
held the keys of life and death4 ,he    
opened the gate which moves backwards to
 no hand but ,his1 and summoned them2   
and they come1 with no napkins about    
their heads1 and no trailing            
grave-clothes entangling their feet1 and
 own ,him as the ,king of life4  ,they  
speak too of the eager onward gaze which
 the ,old ,testament believers turned to
 the coming ,deliverer4 ,in silent      
anticipation1 through all these         
centuries1 good men had lain down to    
die1 saying1 ',i wait for ,thy          
salvation1' and after death their       
spirits had lived expectant and crying1 
like the souls under the altar1 ',how   
long1 ,o ,lord1 how long8' ,now these   
two are brought from their hopeful      
repose1 perchance to learn how near     
their deliverance was2 and behind them  
we seem to discern a dim crowd of holy  
men and women1 who had died in faith1   

not having received the promises1 and   
who throng the portals of the unseen    
world1 waiting for the near advent of   
the better ,samson to bear away the     
gates to the city on the hill1 and lead 
thither their ransomed train4  ,peter's 
bewildered words need not long detain   
us4 ,he is half dazed1 but1 true to his 
rash nature1 thinks that he must say    
something1 and that to do something will
 relieve the tension of his spirit4 ,his
 proposal1 so ridiculous as it is1 shows
 that he had not really understood what 
he saw4 ,it also expresses his feeling  
that it is much better to be there than 
to be travelling to a cross--and so may 
stand as an instance of a very real     
temptation for us all1 that of avoiding 
unwelcome duties and shrinking from     
rough work1 on the plea of holding sweet
 communion with ,jesus on the mountain4 
,it was not 'good' to stay there1 and   
leave demoniacs uncured in the plain4   
,,iii4 ,the cloud and the witnessing    
voice4  ,peter's words receive no       

answer1 for1 while he is speaking1      
another solemn and silencing wonder has 
place4 ,suddenly a strange cloud forms  
in the cloudless sky4 ,it is 'bright'   
with no reflection caught from the sun2 
it is borne along by no wind2 slowly it 
settles down upon them1 like a roof1    
and1 bright though it is1 casts a       
strange shadow4 ,according to one       
reading of ,luke's account1 ,christ and 
the two heavenly witnesses pass within  
its folds1 leaving the disciples        
without1 and that separation seems      
confirmed by ,matthew's saying that the 
voice 'came out of the cloud4' ,our     
evangelist points to its brightness as  
singular4 ,it was not merely bright1 as 
if smitten by the sunlight1 but its     
whole substance was luminous4 ,it is    
almost a contradiction to speak of a    
cloud of light1 and the anomalous       
expression points to something beyond   
nature4 ,we cannot but remember the     
pillar which had a heart of fire1 and   
glowed in the darkness over the sleeping

 camp1 and the cloud which filled the   
house1 and drove the priests from the   
sanctuary by its brightness4 ,nor should
 we forget that at ,his ,ascension      
,jesus was not lost to sight in the     
blue2 but while ,he was yet visible in  
the act of blessing1 'a cloud received  
,him out of their sight4' ,it is1 in    
fact1 the familiar symbol of the divine 
presence1 which had long been absent    
from the temple1 and now reappears4 ,we 
may note the beauty and felicity of the 
emblem4 ,it blends light and darkness1  
so suggesting how the very same         
'attributes' of ,god are both2 and how  
,his revelation of ,himself reveals ,him
 as unrevealable4 ,the manifestation of 
,his power is also the 'hiding of ,his  
power4' ,the inaccessible light is also 
thick darkness4 ,the same               
characteristics of ,his nature are light
 and joy to some1 and blackness and woe 
to others4  ,we may note1 too1 ,christ's
 passage into the cloud4 ,moses and     
,elijah1 being purged from mortal       

weakness1 could pass thither4 ,but      
,jesus1 alone of men1 could pass in the 
flesh into that brightness1 and be hid  
in its fiery heart1 unshrinking and     
unconsumed4 ',who among us shall dwell  
with everlasting burnings8 ,his entrance
 into it is but the witness to the      
purity of ,his nature1 and the absence  
in ,him of all fuel for fire4 ,that     
bright cloud was ',his own calm home1   
,his habitation from eternity1' and     
where no man1 compassed with flesh and  
sin1 could live1 ,he enters as the ,son 
into the bosom of the ,father4  ,then   
comes the articulate witness to the     
,son4 ,the solemnity and force of the   
attestation are increased1 if we        
conceive of the disciples as outside the
 cloud1 and parted from ,jesus4 ,this   
word is meant for them only1 and so is  
distinguished from the similar voice at 
the baptism1 and has added the          
imperative ',hear him4' ,the voice bears
 witness to the mystery of our ,lord's  
person4 ,it points to the contrast      

between ,his two attendants and ,him4   
,they are servants1 'this is the ,son4' 
,it sets forth ,his supernaturally born 
humanity1 and1 deeper still1 ,his true  
and proper divinity1 which ,john        
unfolds1 in his ,gospel1 as the deepest 
meaning of the name4 ,it testifies to   
the unbroken union of love between the  
,father and ,him1 and therein to the    
absolute perfection of our ,lord's      
character4 ,he is the adequate object of
 the eternal1 divine love4 ,as ,he has  
been from the timeless depths of old1   
,he is1 in ,his human life1 the object  
of the ever-unruffled divine            
complacency1 in whom the ,father can    
glass ,himself as in a pure mirror4 ,it 
enjoins obedient listening4 ,god's voice
 bids us hear ,christ's voice4 ,if ,he  
is the beloved ,son1 listening to ,him  
is listening to ,god4 ,this is the      
purpose of the whole1 so far as we are  
concerned4 ,we are to hear ,him1 when   
,he declares ,god2 when ,he witnesses of
 ,himself1 of ,his love1 ,his work1 ,his

 death1 ,his judgeship2 when ,he invites
 us to come to ,him1 and find rest2 when
 ,he commands and when ,he promises4    
,amid the ,babel of this day1 let us    
listen to that voice1 low and gentle1   
pleading and soft1 authoritative1       
majestic1 and sovereign4 ,it will one   
day shake 'not the earth only1 but also 
the heaven4' ,but1 as yet1 it calls us  
with strange sweetness1 and the music of
 love in every tone4 ,well for us if our
 hearts answer1 ',speak1 ,lord2 for ,thy
 servant heareth4'  ,matthew tells us   
that this voice from the cloud          
completely unmanned the disciples1 who  
fell on their faces1 and lay there1 we  
know not how long1 till ,jesus came and 
laid a loving hand on them1 bidding them
 arise1 and not fear4 ,so when they     
staggered to their feet1 and looked     
around1 they saw nothing but the grey   
stones of the hillside and the blue sky4
 ',that dread voice was past1' and the  
silence was broken only by the hum of   
insects or the twitter of a far-off     

bird4 ,the strange guests have gone2 the
 radiance has faded from the ,master's  
face1 and all is as it used to be4      
',they saw no one1 save ,jesus only4'   
,it is the summing up of revelation2 all
 others vanish1 ,he abides4 ,it is the  
summing up of the world's history4      
,thickening folds of oblivion wrap the  
past1 and all its mighty names become   
forgotten2 but ,his figure stands out1  
solitary against the background of the  
past1 as some great mountain1 which     
travellers see long after the lower     
summits are sunk beneath the horizon4   
,let us make this the summing up of our 
lives4 ,we can venture to take ,him for 
our sole helper1 pattern1 love1 and aim1
 because ,he1 in ,his singleness1 is    
enough for our hearts4 ,there are many  
fragmentary precious things1 but there  
is only one pearl of great price4 ,and  
then this will be a prophecy of our     
deaths--a brief darkness1 a passing     
dread1 and then ,his touch and ,his     
voice saying1 ',arise1 be not afraid4'  

,so we shall lift up our eyes1 and find 
earth faded1 and its voices fallen dim1 
and see 'no one any more1 save ,jesus   
only4'     ,,the ,,secret ,,of ,,power  
',then came the disciples to ,jesus     
apart1 and said1 ,why     could not we  
cast him out8 #bj4 ,and ,jesus said unto
 them1     ,because of your             
unbelief4'--,,matt4 xvii4 #ai1 #bj4     
',and when ,he had called unto ,him ,his
 twelve disciples1 ,he gave them power  
against unclean spirits to cast them    
out4' ,that same power was bestowed1    
too1 on the wider circle of the seventy 
who returned again with joy1 saying1    
',lord1 even the devils are subject unto
 us through ,thy name4' ,the ground of  
it was laid in the solemn words with    
which ,christ met their wonder at their 
own strength1 and told how ,he 'beheld  
,satan as lightning fall from heaven4'  
,therefore had they triumphed1 showing  
the fruits of their ,master's victory2  
and therefore had ,he a right to renew  
the gift1 in the still more             

comprehensive promise1 ',i give unto you
 power--over all the power of the       
enemy4'  ,what a commentary on such     
words this story affords6 ,what has     
become of the disciples' supernatural   
might8 ,has it ebbed away as suddenly as
 it flowed8 ,is their ,lord's endowment 
a shadow or ,his assurances delusion8   
,has ,he taken back what ,he gave8 ,not 
so4 ,and yet ,his servants are          
ignominiously beaten4 ,one poor         
devil-ridden boy brings all their       
resources to nothing4 ,he stands before 
them writhing in the gripe of his       
tormentor1 but they cannot set him free4
 ,the importunity of the father's       
prayers is vain1 and the tension of     
expectancy in his eager face relaxes    
into the old hopeless languor as he     
slowly droops to the conviction that    
'they could not cast him out4' ,the     
malicious scorn in the eyes of the      
,scribes1 those hostile critics who     
'knew that it would be so1' helps to    
produce the failure which they          

anticipated4 ,the curious crowd buzz    
about them1 and in the midst of it all  
stand the little knot of baffled        
disciples1 possessors of power which    
seems to leave them when they need it   
most1 with the unavailing spells dying  
half spoken on their lips1 and their    
faint hearts longing that their ,master 
would come down from the mount1 and     
cover their weakness with ,his own great
 strength4  ,no wonder that1 as soon as 
,christ and they are alone1 they wish to
 know how their mortifying defeat has   
come about4 ,and they get an answer     
which they little expected1 for the last
 place where men look for the           
explanation of their failures is within2
 but they will ascend into the heavens1 
and descend into the deeps for remote   
and recondite reasons1 before they      
listen to the voice which says1 ',the   
fault is nigh thee1 in thy heart4'      
,christ's reply distinctly implies that 
the cause of their impotence lay wholly 
in themselves1 not in any defect or     

withdrawal of power1 but solely in that 
in them which grasped the power4 ,they  
little expected1 too1 to be told that   
they had failed because they had not    
been sure they would succeed4 ,they had 
thought that they believed in their     
ability to cast out the demon4 ,they had
 tried to do so1 with some kind of      
anticipation that they could4 ,they had 
been surprised when they found that they
 could not4 ,they had wonderingly asked 
why4 ,and now ,christ tells them that   
all along they had had no real faith in 
,him and in the reality of ,his gift4   
,so subtly may unbelief steal into the  
heart1 even while we fancy that we are  
working in faith4 ,and a further portion
 of our ,lord's reply points them to the
 great means by which this conquering   
faith can be maintained--namely1 prayer 
and fasting4 ,if1 then1 we put all these
 things together1 we get a series of    
considerations1 very simple and         
commonplace indeed1 but all the better  
and truer therefor1 which ,i venture to 

submit to you1 as having a very         
important bearing on all our ,christian 
work1 and especially on the missionary  
work of the ,church4 ,the principles    
which the text suggests touch the       
perpetual possession of the power which 
conquers2 the condition of its          
victorious exercise by us1 as being our 
faith2 the subtle danger of unsuspected 
unbelief to which we are exposed2 and   
the great means of preserving our faith 
pure and strong4 ,i ask your attention  
to a few considerations on these points 
in their order4  ,but first1 let me say 
very briefly1 that ,i would not be      
understood as1 by the selection of such 
a text1 desiring to suggest that we have
 failed in our work4 ,thank ,god6 we can
 point to results far1 far greater than 
we have deserved1 far greater than we   
have expected1 however they may be      
beneath our desires1 and still further  
below what the gospel was meant to      
accomplish4 ,it may suit observers who  
have never done anything themselves1 and

 have not particularly clear eyes for   
appreciating spiritual work1 to talk of 
,christian missions as failures2 but it 
would ill become us to assent to the    
lie4 ,failures indeed6 with half a      
million of converts1 with new forms of  
,christian life budding in all the      
wilderness of the peoples1 with the     
consciousness of coming doom creeping   
about the heart of every system of      
idolatry6 ,is the green life in the     
hedges and in the sweet pastures starred
 with rathe primroses1 and in the hidden
 copses blue with hyacinths1 a failure1 
because the east wind bites shrewdly1   
and 'the tender ash delays to clothe    
herself with green'8 ,no6 no1 we have   
not failed4 ,enough has been done to    
vindicate the enterprise1 more than     
enough to fill our lips with            
thanksgiving1 enough to entitle us to   
say to all would-be critics--,do you the
 same with your enchantments4 ,but1 on  
the other hand1 we have to confess that 
the success has been slow and small1    

chequered and interrupted1 that often we
 have been foiled1 that we have         
confronted many a demon whom we could   
not cast out1 and that at home and      
abroad the masses of evil seem to close 
in around us1 and we make but little    
impression on their serried ranks4 ,we  
have had success enough to assure us    
that we possess the treasure1 and       
failures enough to make us feel how weak
 are the earthen vessels which hold it4 
,and now let us turn to the principles  
which flow from this text4  ,i4 ,we have
 an unvarying power4  ,no doubt the     
explanation of their defeat which most  
naturally suggested itself to these     
disciples would be that somehow or      
other--perhaps because of ,christ's     
absence--they had lost the gift which   
they knew that they once had4 ,and the  
same way of accounting for later want of
 success lingers among ,christian people
 still4 ,you will sometimes hear it     
said3 ',god sends forth ,his ,spirit in 
special fulness at special times1       

according to ,his own sovereign will2   
and till then we can only wait and      
pray4' ,or1 ',the miraculous powers     
which dwelt in the early ,church have   
been withdrawn1 and therefore the       
progress is slow4' ,the strong          
imaginative tendency to make an ideal   
perfect in the past leads us to think of
 the primitive age of the ,church as    
golden1 in opposition to the plain facts
 of the case4 ,we fancy that because    
apostles were its teachers1 and the     
,cross within its memory1 the infant    
society was stronger1 wiser1 better than
 any age since1 and had gifts which we  
have lost4 ,what had it which we do not 
possess8 ,the power of working miracles4
 ,what have we which it did not possess8
 ,a completed ,bible1 and the experience
 of nineteen centuries to teach us to   
understand it1 and to confirm by facts  
our confidence that ,christ's gospel is 
for all time and every land4 ,what have 
we in common with it8 ,the same mission 
to fulfil1 the same wants in our        

brethren to meet1 the same gospel1 the  
same spirit1 the same immortal ,lord4   
,all that any age has possessed to fit  
it for the task of witnessing for       
,christ we too possess4 ,the ,church has
 in it a power which is ever adequate to
 the conquest of the world2 and that    
power is constant through all time1     
whether we consider it as recorded in an
 unvarying gospel1 or as energised by an
 abiding spirit1 or as flowing from and 
centred in an unchangeable ,lord4  ,we  
have a gospel which never can grow old4 
,its adaptation to the deepest needs of 
men's souls remains constant with these 
needs4 ,these vary not from age to age4 
,no matter what may be the superficial  
differences of dress1 the same human    
heart beats beneath every robe4 ,the    
great primal wants of men's spirits     
abide1 as the great primal wants of     
their bodily life abide4 ,food and      
shelter for the one1--a loving1         
pardoning ,god1 to know and love1 for   
the other--else they perish4 ,wherever  

men go they carry with them a conscience
 which needs cleansing1 a sense of      
separation from ,god joined with a dim  
knowledge that union with ,him is life1 
a will which is burdened with its own   
selfhood1 an imagination which paints   
the misty walls of this earthly prison  
with awful shapes that terrify and faint
 hopes that mock1 a heart that hungers  
for love1 and a reason which pines in   
atrophy without light4 ,and all these   
the gospel which is lodged in our hands 
meets4 ,it addresses itself to nothing  
in men that is not in man4 ,surface     
differences of position1 culture1 clime1
 age1 and the like1 it brushes aside as 
unimportant1 and it goes straight to the
 universal wants4 ,people tell us it has
 done its work1 and much confident      
dogmatism proclaims that the world has  
outgrown it4 ,we have a right to be     
confident also1 with a confidence born  
of our knowledge1 that it has met and   
satisfied for us the wants which are    
ours and every man's1 and to believe    

that as long as men live by bread1 so   
long will this word which proceedeth out
 of the mouth of ,god be the food of    
their souls4 ,areopagus and ,piccadilly1
 ,benares and ,oxford1 need the same    
message and will find the same response 
to all their wants in the same word4    
,many of the institutions in which      
,christendom has embodied its           
conceptions of ,god's truth will crumble
 away4 ,many of the conceptions will    
have to be modified1 neglected truths   
will grow1 to the dislocation of much   
systematic theology1 and the ,word      
better understood will clear away many a
 portentous error with which the ,church
 has darkened the ,word4 ,be it so4 ,let
 us be glad when 'the things which can  
be shaken are removed1' like mean huts  
built against the wall of some          
cathedral1 masking and marring the      
completeness of its beauty2 'that the   
things which cannot be shaken may       
remain1' and all the clustered shafts1  
and deep-arched recesses1 and sweet     

tracery may stand forth freed from the  
excrescences which hid them4  ',the     
grass withereth1 and the flower thereof 
falleth away4 ,but the word of the ,lord
 endureth for ever4'  ,we have an       
abiding ,spirit1 the ,giver to us of a  
power without variableness or the shadow
 of turning1 ',i will pray the ,father1 
and ,he shall give you another          
,paraclete1 that ,he may abide with you 
for ever4' ,the manner of ,his          
operations may vary1 but the reality of 
,his energy abides4 ,the 'works' of     
wonder which ,jesus did on earth may no 
more be done1 but the greater works than
 these are still the sign of ,his       
presence1 without whom no spiritual life
 is possible4 ,prophecies may fail1     
tongues may cease1 but the more         
excellent gifts are poured out now as   
richly as ever4 ,we are apt to look back
 to ,pentecost and think that that      
marked a height to which the tide has   
never reached since1 and therefore we   
are stranded amidst the ooze and mud4   

,but the river which proceeds from the  
throne of ,god and of the ,lamb is not  
like one of our streams on earth1 that  
leaps to the light and dashes           
rejoicingly down the hillside1 but      
creeps along sluggish in its level      
course1 and dies away at last in the    
sands4 ,it pours along the ages the same
 full volume with which it gushed forth 
at first4 ,rather1 the source goes with 
the ,church in all ages1 and we drink   
not of water that came forth long ago in
 the history of the world1 and has      
reached us through the centuries1 but of
 that which wells out fresh every moment
 from the ,rock that follows us4 ,the   
,giver of all power is with us4  ,we    
have a ,lord1 the same yesterday1 and   
to-day1 and for ever4 ',lo1 ,i am with  
you alway1 even to the end of the       
world4' ,we have not merely to look back
 to the life and death of ,christ in    
history1 and recognise there the work1  
the efficacy of which shall endure for  
ever4 ,but whilst we do this1 we have   

also to think of the ,christ 'that is   
risen again1 who is even at the right   
hand of ,god1 who also maketh           
intercession for us4' ,and the one      
thought1 as the other1 should strengthen
 our confidence in our possession of all
 the might that we need for bringing the
 world back to our ,lord4  ,a work in   
the past which can never be exhausted or
 lose its power is the theme of our     
message4 ,the mists of gathering ages   
wrap in slowly thickening folds of      
forgetfulness all other men and events  
in history1 and make them ghostlike and 
shadowy2 but no distance has yet dimmed 
or will ever dim that human form divine4
 ,other names are like those stars that 
blaze out for a while1 and then smoulder
 down into almost complete invisibility2
 but ,he is the very ,light itself1 that
 burns and is not consumed4 ,other      
landmarks sink below the horizon as the 
tribes of men pursue their solemn march 
through the centuries1 but the ,cross on
 ,calvary 'shall stand for an ensign of 

the people1 and to it shall the         
,gentiles seek4' ,to proclaim that      
accomplished salvation1 once for all    
lodged in the heart of the world's      
history1 and henceforth for ever valid1 
is our unalterable duty4 ,the message   
carries in itself its own immortal      
strength4  ,a living ,saviour in the    
present1 who works with us1 confirming  
the word with signs following1 is the   
source of our power4 ,not till ,he is   
impotent shall we be weak4 ,the         
unmeasurable measure of the gift of     
,christ defines the degree1 and the     
unending duration of ,his life who      
continueth for ever sets the period1 of 
our possession of the grace which is    
given to every one of us4 ,he is ever   
bestowing4 ,he never withdraws what ,he 
once gives4 ,the fountain sinks not a   
hairs-breadth1 though nineteen centuries
 have drawn from it4 ,modern astronomy  
begins to believe that the sun itself by
 long expense of light will be shorn of 
its beams and wander darkling in space1 

circled no more by its daughter planets4
 ,but this ,sun of our souls rays out   
for ever the energies of life and light 
and love1 and after all communication   
possesses the infinite fulness of them  
all4 ',his name shall be continued as   
long as the sun2 all nations shall call 
,him blessed4'  ,here then1 brethren1   
are the perpetual elements of our       
constant power1 an eternal ,word1 an    
abiding ,spirit1 an unchanging ,lord4   
,,ii4 ,the condition of exercising this 
power is ,faith4  ,with such a force at 
our command--a force that could shake   
the mountains and break the rocks--how  
come we ever to fail8 ,so the disciples 
asked1 and ,christ's answer cuts to the 
very heart of the matter4 ,why could you
 not cast him out8 ,for one reason only1
 because you had lost your hold of ,my  
strength1 and therefore had lost your   
confidence in your own derived power1 or
 had forgotten that it was derived1 and 
essayed to wield it as if it were your  
own4 ,you did not trust ,me1 so you did 

not believe that you could cast him out2
 or you believed that you could by your 
own might1 therefore you failed4 ,he    
throws them back decisively on          
themselves as solely responsible4       
,nowhere else1 in heaven or in earth or 
hell1 but only in us1 does the reason   
lie for our breakdown1 if we have broken
 down4 ,not in ,god1 who is ever with   
us1 ready to make all grace abound in   
us1 whose will is that all men should be
 saved and come to the knowledge of the 
truth2 not in the gospel which we       
preach1 for 'it is the power of ,god    
unto salvation'2 not in the demon might 
which has overcome us1 for 'greater is  
,he that is in us than he that is in the
 world4' ,we are driven from all other  
explanations to the bitterest and yet   
the most hopeful of all1 that we only   
are to blame4  ,and what in us is to    
blame8 ,some of us will answer--,our    
modes of working2 they have not been    
free enough1 or not orderly enough1 or  
in some way or other not wisely adapted 

to our ends4 ,some will answer--,our    
forms of presenting the truth2 they have
 not been flexible enough1 or not fixed 
enough2 they have been too much a       
reproduction of the old2 they have been 
too licentious a departure from the old4
 ,some will answer--,our ecclesiastical 
arrangements2 they have been too        
democratic2 they have been too priestly4
 ,some will answer--,our intellectual   
culture2 it has been too great1         
obscuring the simplicity that is in     
,christ2 it has been too small1 sending 
poorly furnished men into the field to  
fight with ordered systems of idolatry  
which rest upon a philosophical basis1  
and can only be overturned by           
undermining that4 ,it is no part of my  
present duty to discuss these varying   
answers4 ,no doubt there is room for    
improvement in all the fields which they
 indicate4 ,but does not the spirit of  
our ,lord's words here beckon us away   
from these purely secondary subjects to 
fix our self-examination on the depth   

and strength of our faith1 as           
incomparably the most important element 
in the conditions which determine our   
success or our failure8 ,i do not       
undervalue the worth of wise methods of 
action1 but the history of the ,church  
tells us that pretty nearly any methods 
of action are fruitful in the right     
hands1 and that without living faith the
 best of them become like the heavy     
armour which half-smothered a feeble    
man4 ,i do not pretend to that sublime  
indifference to dogma which is the      
modern form of supreme devotion to      
truth1 but experience has taught us that
 wherever the name of ,christ1 as the   
,saviour of the world1 has been lovingly
 proclaimed1 there devils have been cast
 out1 whatever private and sectional    
doctrines the exerciser has added to it4
 ,i do not disparage organisation1 but  
courage is more than drill2 and there is
 such a thing as the very perfection of 
arrangement without life1 like cabinets 
in a museum1 where all the specimens are

 duly classified1 and dead4 ,i believe1 
with the old preacher1 that if ,god does
 not need our learning1 ,he needs our   
ignorance still less1 but it is of      
comparatively little importance whether 
the draught of living water be brought  
to thirsty lips in an earthen cup or a  
golden vase4    ',the main thing is1    
does it hold good measure8    ,heaven   
soon sets right all other matters4'     
,and therefore1 while leaving full scope
 for all improvements in these          
subordinate conditions1 let me urge upon
 you that the main thing which makes us 
strong for our ,christian work is the   
grasp of living faith1 which holds fast 
the strength of ,god4 ,there is no need 
to plunge into the jungle of            
metaphysical theology here4 ,is it not a
 fact that the might with which the     
power of ,god has wrought for men's     
salvation has corresponded with the     
strength of the ,church's desire and the
 purity of its trust in ,his power8 ,is 
it not a truth plainly spoken in        

,scripture and confirmed by experience1 
that we have the awful prerogative of   
limiting the ,holy ,one of ,israel1 and 
quenching the ,spirit8 ,was there not a 
time in ,christ's life on earth when ,he
 could do no mighty works because of    
their unbelief8 ,we receive all         
spiritual gifts in proportion to our    
capacity1 and the chief factor in       
settling the measure of our capacity is 
our faith4 ,here on the one hand is the 
boundless ocean of the divine strength1 
unfathomable in its depth1 full after   
all draughts1 tideless and calm1 in all 
its movement never troubled1 in all its 
repose never stagnating2 and on the     
other side is the empty aridity of our  
poor weak natures4 ,faith opens these to
 the influx of that great sea1 and      
'according to our faith1' in the exact  
measure of our receptivity1 does it     
enter our hearts4 ,in itself the gift is
 boundless4 ,it has no limit except the 
infinite fulness of the power which     
worketh in us4 ,but in reference to our 

possession it is bounded by our         
capacity1 and though that capacity      
enlarges by the very fact of being      
filled1 and so every moment becomes     
greater through fruition1 yet at each   
moment it is the measure of our         
possession1 and our faith is the measure
 of our capacity4 ,our power is ,god's  
power in us1 and our faith is the power 
with which we grasp ,god's power and    
make it ours4 ,so then1 in regard to    
,god1 our faith is the condition of our 
being strengthened with might by ,his   
,spirit4  ,consider1 too1 how the same  
faith has a natural operation on        
ourselves which tends to fit us for     
casting out the evil spirits4 ,given a  
man full of faith1 you will have a man  
tenacious in purpose1 absorbed in one   
grand object1 simple in his motives1 in 
whom selfishness has been driven out by 
the power of a mightier love1 and       
indolence stirred into unwearied energy4
 ,such a man will be made wise to       
devise1 gentle to attract1 bold to      

rebuke1 fertile in expedients1 and ready
 to be anything that may help the aim of
 his life4 ,fear will be dead in him1   
for faith is the true anaesthesia of the
 soul2 and the knife may cut into the   
quivering flesh1 and the spirit be      
scarce conscious of a pang4 ,love1      
ambition1 and all the swarm of          
distracting desires will be driven from 
the soul in which the lamp of faith     
burns bright4 ,ordinary human motives   
will appeal in vain to the ears which   
have heard the tones of the heavenly    
music1 and all the pomps of life will   
show poor and tawdry to the sight that  
has gazed on the vision of the great    
white throne and the crystal sea4 ,the  
most ignorant and erroneous 'religious  
sentiment'--to use a modern phrase--is  
mightier than all other forces in the   
world's history4 ,it is like some of    
those terrible compounds of modern      
chemistry1 an inert1 innocuous-looking  
drop of liquid4 ,shake it1 and it flames
 heaven high1 shattering the rocks and  

ploughing up the soil4 ,put even an     
adulterated and carnalised faith into   
the hearts of a mob of wild ,arabs1 and 
in a century they will stream from their
 deserts1 and blaze from the mountains  
of ,spain to the plains of ,bengal4 ,put
 a living faith in ,christ and a heroic 
confidence in the power of ,his ,gospel 
to reclaim the worst sinners into a     
man's heart1 and he will out of weakness
 be made strong1 and plough his way     
through obstacles with the compact force
 and crashing directness of lightning4  
,there have been men of all sorts who   
have been honoured to do much in this   
world for ,christ4 ,wise and foolish1   
learned and ignorant1 differing in tone1
 temper1 creed1 forms of thought1 and   
manner of working1 in every conceivable 
degree2 but one thing1 and perhaps one  
thing only1 they have all had--a passion
 of enthusiastic personal devotion to   
their ,lord1 a profound and living faith
 in ,him and in ,his salvation4 ,all in 
which they differed is but the gay      

gilding on the soldier's coat4 ,that in 
which they were alike is as the strong  
arm which grasps the sword1 and has its 
muscles braced by the very clutch4      
,faith is itself a source of strength1  
as well as the condition of drawing     
might from heaven4  ,consider1 too1 how 
faith has power over men who see it4    
,the exhibition of our own personal     
convictions has more to do in spreading 
them than all the arguments which we    
use4 ,there is a magnetism and a        
contagious energy in the sight of a     
brother's faith which few men can wholly
 resist4 ,if you wish me to weep1 your  
own tears must flow2 and if you would   
have me believe1 let me see your soul   
heaving under the emotion which you     
desire me to feel4 ,the arrow may be    
keen and true1 the shaft rounded and    
straight1 the bow strong1 and the arm   
sinewy2 but unless the steel be winged  
it will fall to the ground long before  
it strikes the butt4 ,your arrows must  
be winged with faith1 else orthodoxy1   

and wise arrangements1 and force and    
zeal1 will avail nothing4 ,no man will  
believe in1 and no demon will obey1     
spells which the would-be exorcist only 
half believes himself4 ,even if he speak
 the name of ,christ1 unless he speak it
 with unfaltering confidence1 all the   
answer he will get will only be the     
fierce and taunting question1 ',jesus ,i
 know1 and ,paul ,i know1 but who are   
ye8' ,brethren1 let us give heed to the 
solemn rebuke which our ,master lovingly
 reads to us in these words1 and while  
we aim at the utmost possible perfection
 in all subordinate matters1 let us     
remember that they all without faith are
 weak1 as an empty suit of armour with  
no life beneath the corselet2 and that  
faith without them all is strong1 like  
the knight of old1 who rode into the    
bloody field in simple silken vest1 and 
conquered4 ,that which determines our   
success or failure in the work of our   
,lord is our faith4  ,,iii4 ,our faith  
is ever threatened by subtle unbelief4  

,it would appear that the disciples were
 ignorant of the unbelief that had made 
them weak4 ,they fancied that they had  
confidence in their ,christ-given power1
 and they certainly had in some dull    
kind of fashion expected to succeed in  
their attempt4 ,but ,he who sees the    
heart knew that there was no real living
 confidence in their souls2 and ,his    
words are a solemn warning to us all1 of
 how possible it is for us to have our  
faith all honeycombed by gnawing doubt  
while we suspect it not1 like some piece
 of wood apparently sound1 the whole    
substance of which has been eaten away  
by hidden worms4 ,we may be going on    
with ,christian work1 and may even be   
looking for spiritual results4 ,we may  
fancy ourselves faithful stewards of the
 gospel1 and all the while there may be 
an utter absence of the one thing which 
makes our words more than so much wind  
whistling through an archway4 ,the shorn
 ,samson went out 'to shake himself as  
at other times1' and knew not that the  

,spirit of the ,lord had departed from  
him4 ,who among us is not exposed to the
 assaults of that pestilence that       
walketh in darkness8 and1 alas6 who     
among us can say that he has repelled   
the contagion8 ,subtly it creeps over us
 all1 the stealthy intangible vapour1   
unfelt till it has quenched the lamp    
which alone lights the darkness of the  
mine1 and clogged to suffocation the    
labouring lungs4  ,i will not now speak 
of the general sources of danger to our 
faith1 which are always in operation    
with a retarding force as constant as   
friction1 as certain as the gravitation 
which pulls the pendulum to rest at its 
lowest point4 ,but ,i may very briefly  
particularise two of the enemies of that
 faith1 which have a special bearing on 
our missionary work1 and may be         
illustrated from the narrative before   
us4  ,first1 all our activity in        
spreading the ,gospel1 whether by       
personal effort or by our gifts1 like   
every form of outward action1 tends to  

become mechanical1 and to lose its      
connection with the motive which        
originated it4 ,of course it is also    
true1 on the other side1 that all       
outward action also tends to strengthen 
the motive from which it flows4 ,but our
 ,christian work will not do so1 unless 
it be carefully watched1 and pains be   
taken to keep it from slipping off its  
original foundation1 and so altering its
 whole character4 ,we may very easily   
become so occupied with the mere        
external occupation as to be quite      
unconscious that it has ceased to be    
faithful work1 and has become routine1  
dull mechanism1 or the result of        
confidence1 not in ,christ1 whose power 
once flowed through us1 but in ourselves
 the doers4 ,so these disciples may have
 thought1 ',we can cast out this devil1 
for we have done the like already1' and 
have forgotten that it was not they1 but
 ,christ in them1 who had done it4  ,how
 widely this foe to our faith operates  
amid the multiplied activities of this  

busy age1 one trembles to think4 ,we see
 all around us a ,church toiling with   
unexampled expenditure of wealth1 and   
effort1 and time4 ,it is difficult to   
repress the suspicion that the work is  
out of proportion to the life4 ,ah1     
brethren1 how much of all this energy of
 effort1 so admirable in many respects1 
will ,he whose fan is in ,his hand      
accept as true service--how much of it  
will be wheat for the garner1 how much  
chaff for the fire8 ,it is not for us to
 divide between the two1 but it is for  
us to remember that it is not impossible
 to make of our labours the most        
dangerous enemy to the depth of our     
still life hidden with ,christ in ,god1 
and that every deed of apparent service 
which is not the real issue of living   
faith is powerless for good to others1  
and heavy with hurt to ourselves4       
,brethren and fathers in the ministry6  
how many of us know what it is to talk  
and toil away our early devotion2 and   
all at once to discover that for years  

perhaps we have been preaching and      
labouring from mere habit and routine1  
like corpses galvanised into some       
ghastly and transient caricature of     
life4 ,christian men and women1 beware  
lest this great enterprise of missions1 
which our fathers began from the holiest
 motives and in the simplest faith1     
should in our hand be wrenched away from
 its only true basis1 and be done with  
languid expectation and more languid    
desires of success1 from no higher      
motive than that we found it in         
existence1 and have become accustomed to
 carry it on4 ,if that be our reason1   
then we harm ourselves1 and mask from   
our own sight our own unbelief4 ,if that
 be the case the work may go on for a   
while1 like a clock ticking with fainter
 and fainter beats for a minute after it
 has run down2 but it will soon cease1  
and neither heaven nor earth will be    
much the poorer for its ending4  ,again1
 the atmosphere of scornful disbelief   
which surrounded the disciples made     

their faith falter4 ,it was too weak to 
sustain itself in the face of the       
consciousness that not a man in all that
 crowd believed in their power2 and it  
melted away before the contempt of the  
scribes and the incredulous curiosity of
 the bystanders1 without any reason     
except the subtle influence which the   
opinions and characters of those around 
us have on us all4  ,and1 brethren1 are 
not we in danger to-day of losing the   
firmness of our grasp on ,christ1 as our
 ,saviour and the world's1 from a       
precisely similar cause8 ,we live in an 
atmosphere of hesitancy and doubt1 of   
scornful rejection of ,his claims1 of   
contemptuous disbelief in anything which
 a scalpel cannot cut4 ,we cannot but be
 conscious that to hold by ,jesus       
,christ as the ,incarnate ,god1 the     
supernatural ,beginning of a new life1  
the sole ,hope of the world1 is to      
expose ourselves to the contempt of     
so-called advanced and liberal thinkers1
 and to be out of harmony with the      

prevailing set of opinions4 ,the current
 of educated thought runs strongly      
against such beliefs1 and ,i suppose    
that every thoughtful man among us feels
 that a great danger to our faith to-day
 comes from the force with which that   
current swings us round1 and threatens  
to make some of us drag our anchors1 and
 drift1 and strike and go to pieces on  
the sands4 ,for one man who is led by   
the sheer force of reason to yield to   
the intellectual grounds on which modern
 unbelief reposes1 there are twenty who 
simply catch the infection in the       
atmosphere4 ,they find that their early 
convictions have evaporated1 they know  
not how2 only that once the fleece was  
wet with dew and now it is dry4 ,for    
unbelief has a contagious energy wholly 
independent of reason1 no less than has 
faith1 and affects multitudes who know  
nothing of its grounds1 as the iceberg  
chills the summer air for leagues1 and  
makes the sailors shiver long before    
they see its barren peaks4  ,therefore1 

brethren1 let us all take heed to       
ourselves1 lest we suffer our grasp of  
our dear ,lord's hand to relax for no   
better reason than because so many have 
left ,his side4 ,to us all ,his pleading
 love1 which knows how much we are      
moulded by the example of others1 is    
saying1 in view of the fashion of       
unbelief1 ',will ye also go away8' ,let 
us answer1 with a clasp that clings the 
tighter for our danger of being sucked  
in by the strong current1 ',lord1 to    
whom shall we go8 ,thou hast the words  
of eternal life4' ,we cannot help seeing
 that the creeping paralysis of         
hesitancy and doubt about even the power
 of ,christ's name is stealing over     
portions of the ,church1 and stiffening 
the arm of its activity4 ,lips that once
 spoke with full confidence the words   
that cast out devils1 mutter them now   
languidly with half-belief4 ,hearts that
 were once full of sympathy with the    
great purpose for which ,christ died are
 growing cold to the work of preaching  

the ,gospel to the heathen1 because they
 are growing to doubt whether1 after    
all1 there is any ,gospel at all4 ,this 
icy breath1 dear brethren1 is blowing   
over our ,churches and over our hearts4 
,and wherever it reaches1 there labour  
for ,jesus and for men languishes1 and  
we recoil baffled with unavailing       
exorcisms dying in our throats1 and the 
rod of our power broken in our hands4   
',why could not we cast him out8        
,because of your unbelief4'  ,,iv4 ,our 
faith can only be maintained by constant
 devotion and rigid self-denial4  ,i can
 touch but very lightly on that solemn  
thought in which our ,lord sets forth   
the condition of our faith1 and         
therefore of our power4 ,this kind goeth
 not out but by prayer and fasting4 ,the
 discipline then which nurtures faith is
 mainly moral and spiritual--not as a   
substitute for1 or to the exclusion of1 
the intellectual discipline1 which is   
presupposed1 not neglected1 in these    
words4  ,the first condition of the     

freshness and energy of faith is        
constant devotion4 ,the attrition of the
 world wears it thin1 the distractions  
of life draw it from its clinging hold  
on ,christ1 the very toil for ,him is   
apt to entice our thoughts from out of  
the secret place of the most ,high into 
the busy arena of our strife4 ,therefore
 we have ever need to refresh the       
drooping flowers of the chaplet by      
bathing them in the ,fountain of ,life1 
to rise above all the fevered toil of   
earth to the calm heights where ,god    
dwells1 and in still communion with ,him
 to replenish our emptied vessels and   
fill our dimly burning lamps with ,his  
golden oil4 ,the sister of the cumbered 
,martha is the contemplative ,mary1 who 
sits in silence at the ,master's feet   
and lets ,his words sink into her soul2 
the closest friend of ,peter the apostle
 of action is ,john the apostle of love4
 ,if our work is to be worthy1 it must  
ever be freshened anew by our gaze into 
,his face2 if our communion with ,him is

 to be deep1 it must never be parted    
from outward service4 ,our ,master has  
left us the example1 in that1 when the  
night fell and every man went to his own
 home1 ,jesus went to the ,mount of     
,olives2 and thence1 after ,his night of
 prayer1 came very early in the morning 
to the temple1 and taught4 ,the stream  
that is to flow broad and life-giving   
through many lands must have its hidden 
source high among the pure snows that   
cap the mount of ,god4 ,the man that    
would work for ,god must live with ,god4
 ,it was from the height of             
transfiguration that ,he came1 before   
whom the demon that baffled the         
disciples quailed and slunk away like a 
whipped hound4 ,this kind goeth not out 
but by prayer4  ,the second condition is
 rigid self-denial4 ,fasting is the     
expression of the purpose to control the
 lower life1 and to abstain from its    
delights in order that the life of the  
spirit may be strengthened4 ,as to the  
outward fact1 it is nothing--it may be  

practised or not4 ,if it be1 it will be 
valuable only in so far as it flows from
 and strengthens that purpose4 ,and such
 vigorous subordination of all the lower
 powers1 and abstinence from many an    
inferior good1 both material and        
immaterial1 is absolutely necessary if  
we are to have any wholesome strength of
 faith in our souls4 ,in the recoil from
 the false asceticism of ,roman         
,catholicism and ,puritanism1 has not   
this generation of the ,church gone too 
far in the opposite direction8 and in   
the true belief that ,christianity can  
sanctify all joys1 and ensure the       
harmonious development of all our       
powers1 have we not been forgetting that
 hand and foot may cause us to stumble1 
and that we had better live maimed than 
die with all our limbs8 ,there is a true
 asceticism1 a discipline--a 'gymnastic 
unto godliness1' as ,paul calls it4 ,and
 if our faith is to grow high and bear  
rich clusters on the topmost boughs that
 look up to the sky1 we must keep the   

wild lower shoots close nipped4 ,without
 rigid self-control and self-limitation1
 no vigorous faith4  ,and without them  
no effectual work6 ,it is no holiday    
task to cast out devils4 ,self-indulgent
 men will never do it4 ,loose-braced1   
easy souls1 that lie open to all the    
pleasurable influences of ordinary life1
 are no more fit for ,god's weapons than
 a reed for a lance1 or a bit of        
flexible lead for a spear-point4 ,the   
wood must be tough and compact1 the     
metal hard and close-grained1 out of    
which ,god makes ,his shafts4 ,the brand
 that is to guide men through the       
darkness to their ,father's home must   
glow with a pallor of consuming flame   
that purges its whole substance into    
light4 ,this kind goeth not out but by  
prayer and fasting4  ,dear brethren1    
what solemn rebuke these words have for 
us all6 ,how they winnow our works of   
,christian activity6 ,how they show us  
the hollowness of our services1 the     
self-indulgence of our lives1 the       

coldness of our devotion1 the cowardice 
of our faith6 ,how marvellous they make 
the fruits which ,god's great goodness  
has permitted us to see even from our   
doubting service6 ,let us turn to ,him  
with fresh thankfulness that unto us1   
who are 'less than the least of all     
saints1 is this grace given1 that we    
should preach among the nations the     
unsearchable riches of ,christ4' ,let us
 not be driven from our confidence that 
we have a gospel to preach for all the  
world2 but strong in the faith which    
rests on impregnable historical grounds1
 on our own experience of what ,christ  
has done for us1 and on nineteen        
centuries of growing power and unfolding
 wisdom1 let us thankfully welcome all  
that modern thought may supply for the  
correction of errors in belief1 in      
organisation1 and in life1 that may have
 gathered round ,his perfect and eternal
 gospel--being assured1 as we have a    
right to be1 that all will but lift     
higher the ,name which is above every   

name1 and set forth more plainly that   
,cross which is the true tree of life to
 all the families of men4 ,let us cast  
ourselves before ,him with penitent     
confession1 and say1--,o ,lord1 our     
strength6 we have not wrought any       
deliverance on earth2 we have been weak 
when all ,thy power was at our command2 
we have spoken ,thy word as if it were  
an experiment and a peradventure whether
 it had might2 we have let go ,thy hand 
and lost ,thy garment's hem from our    
slack grasp2 we have been prayerless and
 self-indulgent4 ,therefore ,thou hast  
put us to shame before our foes1 and    
'our enemies laugh among themselves4    
,thou that dwellest between the         
cherubim1 shine forth2 stir up ,thy     
strength and come and save us6' ,then   
will the last words that ,he spoke on   
earth ring out again from the throne3   
',all power is given unto ,me in heaven 
and in earth4 ,go ye therefore and teach
 all nations2 and lo1 ,i am with you    
alway1 even unto the end of the world4' 

,,the ,,coin ,,in ,,the ,,fish',s       
,,mouth       ',and when he was come    
into the house1 ,jesus prevented        
him1 saying1 ,what thinkest them1       
,simon8 of whom do the     kings of the 
earth take custom or tribute8 of their  
own     children1 or of strangers8 #bf4 
,peter saith unto ,him1 ,of             
strangers4 ,jesus saith unto him1 ,then 
are the children     free4'--,,matt4    
xvii4 #be1 #bf4  ,all our ,lord's       
miracles are 'signs' as well as         
'wonders4' ,they have a meaning4 ,they  
not only authenticate ,his teaching1 but
 they are themselves no inconsiderable  
portion of the teaching4 ,they are not  
only 'the great bell before ,his        
sermon1' but they are also a portion of 
the sermon4  ,that doctrinal or dogmatic
 purpose characterises all the miracles 
in varying degrees4 ,it is the only     
purpose of the one before us4 ,this     
singular miracle of finding the coin in 
the fish's mouth and giving it for the  
tribute-money is unlike our ,lord's     

other works in several particulars4 ,it 
is the only miracle--with the exception 
of the cursing of the barren fig-tree1  
and the episode of the unclean spirits  
entering into the swine--in which there 
is no message of love or blessing for   
man's sorrow and pain4 ,it is the only  
miracle in which our ,lord uses ,his    
power for ,his own service or help1 and 
it is like the whole brood of legendary 
miracles1 and unlike all the rest of    
,christ's in that1 at first sight1 it   
seems done for a very trivial end--the  
providing of some three shillings of our
 money4  ,now1 if we put all these      
things together1 the absence of any     
alleviation of man's sorrow1 the        
presence of a personal end1 and the     
apparent triviality of the result       
secured1 ,i think we shall see that the 
only explanation of the miracle is given
 by regarding it as being what ,i may   
call a teaching one1 full of instruction
 with regard to our ,lord's character1  
person1 and work4 ,it is a parable as   

well as a miracle1 and it is in that    
aspect that ,i wish to look at it now1  
and try to bring out its lessons4  ,i4  
,we have here1 first1 the freedom of the
 ,son4  ,the whole point of the story   
depends upon the fact that this         
tribute-money was not a civil1 but an   
ecclesiastical impost4 ,it had          
originally been levied in the           
,wilderness1 at the time of the         
numbering of the people1 and was        
enjoined to be repeated at each census1 
when every male ,israelite was to pay   
half a shekel for 'a ransom for his     
soul1' an acknowledgment that his life  
was forfeited by sin4 ,in later years it
 came to be levied as an annual payment 
for the support of the temple and its   
ceremonial4 ,it was never compulsory1   
there was no power to exact it4 ,the    
question of the collectors1 ',doth not  
your ,master pay tribute8' does not     
sound like the imperative demand which a
 'publican' would have made for payment 
of an impost due to the ,roman          

,government4 ,it was an 'optional       
church-rate1' and the very fact that it 
was so1 would make ,jews who were1 or   
wished to be considered1 patriotic or   
religious1 the more punctilious in      
paying it4  ,the question put to ,peter 
possibly implies a doubt whether this   
,rabbi1 who held lax views on so many   
points of ,pharisaical righteousness1   
would be likely to recognise the        
obligation of the tax4 ,peter's quick   
answer seems to be prompted by zeal for 
his ,master's honour1 on which the      
question appears to him to cast a slur4 
,it was perhaps too quick1 but the      
apostle has been too much blamed for his
 answer1 which was in fact correct1 and 
for which our ,lord does not blame him4 
,when he comes to ,christ to tell what  
has happened1 before he can speak1      
,christ puts to him this little parable 
which ,i have taken as part of my text3 
',how thinkest thou8 ,do kings of this  
world take custom8'--meaning thereby not
 imports or exports1 but taxes of all   

kinds of things1--'or tribute1'--meaning
 thereby taxes on persons--'from their  
own children1 or from subjects who are  
not their children8' ,the answer1 of    
course1 is1 ',from the latter4' ,so the 
answer comes1 ',then are the children   
free4'  ,christ then here claims in some
 sense1 ,sonship to ,him to whom the    
tribute is paid1 that is1 to ,god1 and  
therefore freedom from the obligation to
 pay the tribute4 ,but notice1 for this 
is an important point in the explanation
 of the words1 that the plural in our   
,lord's words1 ',then are the children  
free1' is not intended to include ,peter
 and the others in the same category as 
,himself4 ,the only question in hand is 
as to ,his obligation to pay a certain  
tax2 and to include any one else would  
have been irrelevant1 as well as        
erroneous4 ,the plural belongs to the   
illustration1 not to its application1   
and corresponds with the plural in the  
question1 ',of whom do the kings of the 
earth take custom8' ,the kings of the   

earth are contrasted with the one ,king 
of the heavens1 the supreme and sole    
,sovereign2 and the children of the     
kings of the earth are contrasted with  
the only begotten ,son of the only ,king
 of kings and ,lord of lords4  ,so that 
here there is no mixing up of ,himself  
with others1 or of others with ,himself1
 but the claiming of an unique position1
 singular and sole1 belonging to ,him   
only1 in which ,he stands as the ,son of
 the mighty ,monarch to whom the tribute
 is paid4 ,he claims to have the divine 
nature1 the divine prerogatives1 to bear
 a specific relationship to ,god        
,himself1 and to be1 as other words in  
,scripture put it1 'the brightness of   
the ,father's glory and the express     
image of ,his person4'  ,if there is    
anything certain about ,jesus ,christ's 
teaching1 this is certain about it1 that
 ,he proclaimed ,himself to be the ,son 
of ,god1 in such a sense as no man      
shared with ,him1 and in such a sense as
 vindicated the attitude which ,he took 

up1 the demands which ,he made1 and the 
gifts which ,he offered to men4  ,what a
 deduction must be made from the wisdom 
of ,his teaching1 and from the meekness 
of ,his ,spirit1 if that claim was an   
illusion6 ,what shall we say of the     
sanity of a man who poses himself before
 the whole race1 claiming to be the ,son
 of ,god1 and whose continual teaching  
to them therefore is1 not1 ',believe in 
goodness'2 ',believe in virtue'2        
',believe in truth'2 ',believe in ,my   
word'2 but ',believe in ,me'8 ,was there
 ever anywhere else a religious teacher1
 all of whose words were gracious and   
wise and sweet1 but who--    ',make the 
important stumble1    ,of saying that   
he1 the sage and humble1    ,was        
likewise--one with the ,creator'8  ,but 
now what is the freedom based on sonship
 which our ,lord here claims8  ,i have  
said that this tax was levied with a    
double meaning2 first1 it was an        
atonement or ransom for the soul2       
second1 it was devoted to the temple and

 its worship4 ,and now1 mark1 that in   
both these aspects our ,lord alleges    
,his true sonship as the reason why ,he 
is exempt from it4  ,that is to say1    
first1 ,jesus ,christ claims to have no 
need of a ransom for ,his soul4 ,never  
one word dropped from ,his lips which   
indicated the smallest consciousness of 
flaw or failure1 of defect or           
imperfection1 still less of actual      
transgression4 ,he takes ,his position  
outside the circle of sinful men which  
includes all others4 ,it is a strange   
characteristic in a religious teacher1  
very unlike the usual tone of devout    
men4 ,and stranger still is the fact    
that the absence of this consciousness  
of evil has never been felt to be itself
 evil and a blot4 ,think of a ,david's  
agony of penitence4 ,think of a ,paul's1
 ',of whom ,i am chief6' ,think of the  
long wail of an ,augustine's            
confessions4 ,think of the stormy       
self-accusations of a ,luther2 and then 
think that ,he who inspired them all1   

never1 by word or deed1 betrayed the    
slightest consciousness that in ,himself
 there was the smallest deflection from 
the perfect line of right1 the least    
speck or stain on the perfect gold of   
,his purity4 ,and remember1 too1 that   
when ,he challenges the world with1     
',which of you convinceth ,me of sin8'  
with the exception of half a dozen men1 
of whom we can scarcely say whether     
their want of spiritual insight or their
 arrogance of self-importance is the    
most flagrant1 who1 in the course of    
nineteen centuries1 have ventured to    
fling their little handfuls of mud at   
,him1 the whole world has answered1     
',thou art fairer than the children of  
men2 grace is poured into ,thy lips4'   
,the ,son needs no 'ransom for ,his     
soul1' which1 being translated1 is but  
this3 the purity and the innocence of   
,jesus ,christ1 which is a manifest fact
 in ,his biography1 is only explicable  
when we believe that we have before us  
the ,incarnate ,god1 and therefore the  

,perfect ,man4 ,and the ,son needs no   
temple for ,his worship4 ,his whole     
life1 as human1 was a life of communion 
and prayer with ,his ,father in heaven4 
,and just because ,he 'dwelt in' ,god's 
'bosom all the year1' for ,him ritual   
and temple were nought4 ,sense-bound men
 needed them2 ,he needed them not4 ',in 
this place1' said ,he1 'is one greater  
than the temple4' ,he was all which the 
temple symbolised4 ,was it the          
dwelling-place of ,god1 the place of    
sacrifice1 the meeting-place of man with
 ,god1 the place of divine              
manifestation8 ',the temple of ,his     
body' was in deepest reality all these4 
,in it dwelt the whole fulness of the   
,godhead4 ,it was at once sacrifice and 
place of sacrifice1 even as ,he is the  
true everlasting ,priest4 ,in ,him men  
see ,god1 and meet with ,god4 ,he is    
greater than the temple because ,he is  
the true temple1 and ,he is the true    
temple because ,he is the ,son4 ,and    
because ,he is the ,son1 therefore ,he  

is free from all dependence upon1 and   
connection with1 the outward worship of 
ceremony and sacrifice and priest and   
ritual4  ,now1 dear brethren1 let me    
pause for one moment to press upon you  
and upon myself this question3 ,do ,i   
welcome that ,christ with the full      
conviction that ,he is the ,son of ,god8
 ,it seems to me that1 in this          
generation1 the question of questions1  
as far as religion is concerned1 is the 
old one which ,christ asked of ,his     
disciples by the fountains and woods of 
,caesarea ,philippi3 ',whom say ye that 
,i1 the ,son of ,man1 am8' ,can you lift
 up your face to meet ,his clear and    
all-searching eye1 and say3 ',thou art  
the ,christ1 the ,son of the living     
,god'8 ,if you can1 you are on the way  
to understanding ,him and ,his work2 if 
you cannot1 ,his life and work are all  
wrapped in darkness for you1 ,his death 
robbed of its truest power1 and your    
life deprived of its surest anchor4     
,,ii4 ,now1 there is a second lesson    

that ,i would gather from this          
miracle--the voluntary submission of the
 ,son to the bonds from which ,he is    
free4  ,he bids ,his disciple pay the   
tribute for ,him1 for a specific reason3
 ',lest we should offend them4' ,that1  
of course1 is simply a piece of         
practical wisdom1 to prevent any narrow 
or purblind souls from stumbling at ,his
 teaching1 by reason of ,his neglect of 
this trivial matter4 ,the question of   
how far religious teachers or any others
 are at liberty1 when they are not      
actuated by personal motives1 to render 
compliance with ceremonies which are of 
no value to them1 is a wide one1 which  
,i have no need to dwell upon here4     
,but1 turning from that specific aspect 
of the incident1 ,i think we may look   
upon it as being an illustration1 in    
regard to a very small matter1 of what  
is really the essence of our ,lord's    
relation to the whole world and         
ourselves--,his voluntary taking upon   
,himself of bonds from which ,he is     

free4  ,is it not a symbol of the very  
heart of the meaning of ,his            
,incarnation8 ',for as much as the      
children are partakers of flesh and     
blood ,he also ,himself likewise takes  
part of the same4' ',he is found in     
fashion as a man4' ,he chooses to enter 
within the limits and the obligations of
 humanity4 ,round the radiant glories of
 the divinity1 ,he gathers the folds of 
the veil of human flesh4 ,he immerses   
the pillar of fire in a cloud of smoke4 
,he comes amongst us1 taking on ,his own
 wrists the fetters that bind us1       
suffering ,himself to be 'cribbed1      
cabined1 and confined' within the narrow
 limits of our manhood1 in order that by
 ,his voluntary acceptance of it we may 
be redeemed from our corruption4  ,is it
 not a parable of ,his life and lowly   
obedience8 ,he proclaimed the same      
principle as the guide for all ,his     
conduct1 when1 sinless1 ,he presented   
,himself to ,john for the 'baptism of   
repentance1' and overcame the baptiser's

 scruples with the words1 ',thus it     
becometh us to fulfil all               
righteousness4' ,he comes under the law4
 ,bound to no such service1 ,he binds   
,himself to all human duties that ,he   
may hallow the bonds which ,he has worn1
 may set us the pattern of perfect      
obedience1 and may know a servant's     
heart4  ,the ,prince is free1 but       
,king's ,son though ,he be1 ,he goes    
among ,his ,father's poor subjects1     
lives their squalid lives1 makes        
experience of their poverty1 and hardens
 ,his hands by labouring like them4     
,sympathy ,he 'learned in huts where    
poor men lie4'  ,is it not the rehearsal
 in parable of ,his death8 ,he was free 
from the bonds of mortality1 and ,he    
took upon ,him our human flesh4 ,he was 
free from the necessity of death1 even  
after ,he had taken our flesh upon ,him4
 ,but1 being free from the necessity1   
,he submitted to the actuality1 and laid
 down ,his life of ,himself1 because of 
,his loving will1 to save and help each 

of us4 ,oh1 dear friends6 we never can  
understand the meaning and the beauty1  
either of the life or of the death of   
our ,master1 unless we look at each from
 this point of view1 that it is ,his    
willing acceptance of the bonds that    
bind us4 ,his own loving will brought   
,him here2 ,his own loving will kept    
,him here2 ,his own loving will impelled
 ,him along the path of life1 though at 
every step of it ,he trod as with naked 
feet upon burning iron2 ,his own loving 
,will brought ,him to the ,cross2 ,his  
own loving will1 and not the ,roman     
soldiers' nails1 fastened ,him to it4   
,let us look1 then1 to ,him with        
thankfulness1 and recognise in that     
death ,his thorough identification with 
all the bonds and miseries of our       
condition4 ,he 'took part of the same   
that through death ,he might deliver    
them that by fear of death were all     
their lifetime subject to bondage4'     
,,iii4 ,then there is another lesson    
which ,i think we may fairly gather from

 this miracle1 viz4 that we have here   
the supernatural glory which ever       
accompanies the humiliation of the ,son4
  ,the miracle1 at first sight1 appears 
to be for a very trivial end4 ,men have 
made merry with it by reason of that    
very triviality4 ,but the miracle is    
vindicated1 peculiar as it is1 by a deep
 divine congruity and decorum4 ,he will 
submit1 ,son though ,he be1 to this     
complete identification of ,himself with
 us4 ,but ,he will so submit as1 even in
 submitting1 to assert ,his divine      
dignity4 ,as has been well said1 ',in   
the midst of the act of submission      
majesty flashes forth4' ,a multiform    
miracle--containing many miracles in    
one--a miracle of omniscience1 and a    
miracle of influence over the lower     
creatures is wrought4 ,the first fish   
that rises carries in its mouth the     
exact sum needed4  ,here1 therefore1 we 
have another illustration of that       
remarkable blending of humiliation and  
glory1 which is a characteristic of our 

,lord's life4 ,these two strands are    
always twined together1 like a twisted  
line of gold and black4 ,at each moment 
of special abasement there is some      
special coruscation of the brightness of
 ,his glory4 ,whensoever ,he stoops     
there is something accompanying the     
stooping1 to tell how great and how     
merciful ,he is who bows4 ,out of the   
deepest darkness there flashes some     
light4 ,so at ,his cradle1 which seems  
to be the identifying of ,him with      
humanity in its most helpless and lowest
 condition1 there shall be angels1 and  
the stars in their courses shall bow and
 move to guide wise men from afar with  
offerings to ,his feet4 ,and at ,his    
,cross1 where ,he sounds the very bass  
string and touches the lowest point of  
humiliation and defeat1 a clearer vision
 sees in that humiliation the highest   
glory4  ,and thus1 here1 ,he will not   
only identify ,himself with sinful men  
who need a ransom1 and with sense-bound 
men who need a sacrifice and a temple1  

but ,he will so identify ,himself with  
them as that ,he shall send ,his power  
into the recesses of the lake1 where    
,his knowledge sees1 as clearly as our  
eyes see the men that stand beside us1  
and obedient to an unconscious impulse  
from ,him1 the dumb creature that had   
swallowed1 as it sunk1 the shining      
stater that had dropped out of the      
girdle of some fisherman1 shall rise    
first to the hook2 in token that not    
only in ,his ,father's house does ,he   
rule as a ,son over ,his own house1 but 
that ,he 'doeth as ,he hath pleased1 in 
all deep places1' and that in ,him the  
ancient hope is fulfilled of a ,son of  
,man who 'hath dominion over the fish of
 the sea1 and whatsoever passeth through
 the paths of the sea4' ,the miracle was
 for a trivial end in appearance1 but it
 was a demonstration1 though to one man 
only at first1 yet through him to all   
the world1 that this ,christ1 in ,his   
lowliness1 is the ,everlasting ,son of  
the ,father4  ,,iv4 ,and so1 lastly1 we 

have here also the lesson of the        
sufficiency for us all of what ,he      
provides4  ',that take1 and give unto   
them for ,me and for thee4 ,he does not 
say ',for us4' ,he and ,peter do not    
stand on the game level4 ,he has chosen 
to submit ,himself to the obligations1  
,peter was necessarily under them4 ,that
 which is found by miracle in the fish's
 mouth is precisely the amount required 
for both the one and the other4 ,it is  
rendered1 as the original has it1       
',instead of thee and ,me1' putting     
emphasis upon the characteristic of the 
tribute as being ransom1 or payment1 for
 a man's soul4  ,and so1 although this  
thought is not part of the original     
purpose of the miracle1 and1 therefore1 
is different from those which ,i have   
already been dwelling on1 which are part
 of that purpose1 ,i think we may fairly
 see here this great truth1--that that  
which ,christ brings to us by           
supernatural act1 far greater than the  
miracle here1 is enough for all the     

claims and obligations that ,god1 or    
man1 or law1 or conscience have upon any
 of us4 ,his perfect obedience and      
stainless life discharged for ,himself  
all the obligations to law and          
righteousness under which ,he came as a 
,man2 ,his perfect life and ,his mighty 
death are for us the full discharge of  
all that can be brought against us4     
,there are many and solemn claims and   
claimants upon each of us4 ,law and     
duty1 that awful 'ought' which should   
rule our lives and which we have broken 
thousands of times1 come to each of us  
in many an hour of clear vision1 and    
take us by the throat1 and say1 ',pay us
 what thou owest6' ,and there is a      
,judgment ,day before all of us2 which  
is no mere bugbear to frighten children1
 but will be a fact of experience in our
 case4 ,friend6 how are you going to    
meet your obligations8 ,you owe ,god all
 your love1 all your heart1 will1       
strength1 service4 ,what an awful score 
of unpaid debts1 with accumulated       

interest1 there stands against each of  
our names6 ,think of some bankrupt      
sitting in his counting-house with a    
balance-sheet before him that shows his 
hopeless insolvency4 ,he sits and       
broods1 and broods1 and does not know   
what in the world he is going to do4    
,the door opens--a messenger enters and 
gives him an envelope4 ,he tears it     
open1 and there flutters out a cheque   
that more than pays it all4 ,the        
illustration is a very low one2 it does 
not cover the whole ground of ,christ's 
work for you4 ,it puts a possibly       
commercial aspect into it1 which we have
 to take care of lest it become the     
exclusive one2 but it is true for all   
that4 ,you are the bankrupt4 ,what have 
you to pay8 ,oh1 behold that precious   
treasure of gold tried in the fire1     
which is ,christ's righteousness and    
,christ's death2 and by faith in ,him1  
'that take and give' and all the debt   
will be discharged1 and you will be set 
free and made a son by that ,son who has

 taken upon ,himself all our bonds1 and 
so has broken them2 who has taken upon  
,himself all our debts1 and so has      
cancelled them every one4               
,,expositions ,,of ,,holy ,,scripture   
,,alexander ,,maclaren1 ,d4 ,d41 ,litt4 
,d4   ,,st4 ,,matthew  ,chaps4 ,,xviii  
to ,,xxviii      ,,contents   ,,the     
,,law ,,of ,,precedence ,,in ,,the      
,,kingdom 7,matt4 xviii4 #a-ad7         
,,self-,,mutilation ,,for               
,,self-,,preservation 7,matt4 xviii4 #h1
 ,r4,v47  ,,the ,,lost ,,sheep ,,and    
,,the ,,seeking ,,shepherd 7,matt4      
xviii4 #ab7  ,,the ,,persistence ,,of   
,,thwarted ,,love 7,matt4 xviii4 #ac2   
,luke xv4 #d7  ,,forgiven ,,and         
,,unforgiving 7,matt4 xviii4 #bb7  ,,the
 ,,requirements ,,of ,,the ,,king       
7,matt4 xix4 #af-bf7  ,,nearest ,,to    
,,christ 7,matt4 xx4 #bc7  ,,the        
,,servant-,,lord ,,and ,,his ,,servants 
7,matt4 xx4 #bh7  ,,what ,,the          
,,historic ,,christ ,,taught ,,about    
,,his ,,death 7,matt4 xx4 #bh7  ,,the   

,,coming ,,of ,,the ,,king ,,to ,,his   
,,palace 7,matt4 xxi4 #a-af7  ,a ,,new  
,,kind ,,of ,,king 7,matt4 xxi4 #d1 #e7 
,,the ,,vineyard ,,and ,,its ,,keepers  
7,matt4 xxi4 #cc-df7  ,,the ,,stone ,,of
 ,,stumbling 7,matt4 xxi4 #dd7  ,,two   
,,ways ,,of ,,despising ,,god',s ,,feast
 7,matt4 xxii4 #a-ad7  ,,the ,,tables   
,,turned3 ,,the ,,questioners           
,,questioned 7,matt4 xxii4 #cd-df7      
,,the ,,king',s ,,farewell 7,matt4      
xxiii4 #bg-ci7  ,,two ,,forms ,,of ,,one
 ,,saying 7,matt4 xxiv4 #ac1 ,r4,v42    
,luke xxi4 #ai7  ,,the ,,carrion ,,and  
,,the ,,vultures 7,matt4 xxiv4 #bh7     
,,watching ,,for ,,the ,,king 7,matt4   
xxiv4 #db-ea7  ,,the ,,waiting ,,maidens
 7,matt4 xxv4 #a-ac7  ,,dying ,,lamps   
7,matt4 xxv4 #h7  ',,they ,,that ,,were 
,,ready' 7,matt4 xxv4 #aj7  ,,traders   
,,for ,,the ,,master 7,matt4 xxv4       
#ad-cj7  ,,why ,,the ,,talent ,,was     
,,buried 7,matt4 xxv4 #bd1 #be7  ,,the  
,,king ,,on ,,his ,,judgment ,,throne   
7,matt4 xxv4 #ca-df7  ,,thb ,,defence   

,,of ,,uncalculating ,,love 7,matt4     
xxvi4 #f-af7  ,,the ,,new ,,passover    
7,matt4 xxvi4 #ag-cj7  ',,is ,,it ,i8'  
7,matt4 xxvi4 #bb1 #be2 ,john xiii4 #be7
  ',,this ,,cup' 7,matt4 xxvi4 #bg1 #bh7
  ',,until ,,that ,,day' 7,matt4 xxvi4  
#bi7  ,,gethsemane1 ,,the ,,oil-,,press 
7,matt4 xxvi4 #cf-df7  ,,the ,,last     
,,pleading ,,of ,,love 7,matt4 xxvi4    
#ej7  ,,the ,,real ,,high ,,priest ,,and
 ,,his ,,counterfeit 7,matt4 xxvi4      
#eg-fh7  ,,jesus ,,charged ,,with       
,,blasphemy 7,matt4 xxvi4 #ce7  ',,see  
,,thou ,,to ,,that6' 7,matt4 xxvii4 #d1 
#bd7  ,,the ,,sentence ,,which          
,,condemned ,,the ,,judges 7,matt4      
xxvii4 #aa-bf7  ,,the ,,crucifixion     
7,matt4 xxvii4 #cc-ej7  ,,the ,,blind   
,,watchers ,,at ,,the ,,cross 7,,matt4  
xxvii4 #cf7  ,,taunts ,,turning ,,to    
,,testimonies 7,matt4 xxvii4 #da-dc7    
,,the ,,veil ,,rent 7,matt4 xxvii4 #ea7 
,,the ,,prince ,,of ,,life 7,matt4      
xxviii4 #a-ae7  ,,the ,,risen ,,lord',s 
,,greetings ,,and ,,gifts 7,matt4       

xxviii4 #i2 ,john xx4 #ai7  ,,on ,,the  
,,mountain 7,matt4 xxviii1 #af1 #ag2 #a 
,cor4 xv4 #f7     ,,the ,,law ,,of      
,,precedence ,,in ,,the ,,kingdom       
',at the same time came the disciples   
unto ,jesus1     saying1 ,who is the    
greatest in the kingdom of heaven8      
#b4 ,and ,jesus called a little child   
unto ,him1 and set     him in the midst 
of them1 #c4 ,and said1 ,verily ,i say  
unto you1 ,except ye be converted1 and  
become as little     children1 ye shall 
not enter into the kingdom of heaven4   
#d4 ,whosoever therefore shall humble   
himself as this     little child1 the   
same is greatest in the kingdom of      
heaven4 #e4 ,and whoso shall receive one
 such little     child in ,my name      
receiveth ,me4 #f4 ,but whoso shall     
offend one of these little ones which   
believe in ,me1     it were better for  
him that a millstone were hanged        
about his neck1 and that he were drowned
 in the depth     of the sea4 #g4 ,woe  
unto the world because of offences6     

for it must needs be that offences come2
 but woe to     that man by whom the    
offence cometh6 #h4 ,wherefore if       
thy hand or thy foot offend thee1 cut   
them off1 and     cast them from thee2  
it is better for thee to enter     into 
life halt or maimed1 rather than having 
two hands     or two feet to be cast    
into everlasting fire4 #i4 ,and     if  
thine eye offend thee1 pluck it out1 and
 cast it     from thee3 it is better for
 thee to enter into life     with one   
eye1 rather than having two eyes to be  
cast     into hell fire4 #aj4 ,take heed
 that ye despise not one     of these   
little ones2 for ,i say unto you1 ,that 
in     heaven their angels do always    
behold the face of ,my     ,father which
 is in heaven4 #aa4 ,for the ,son of    
,man is     come to save that which was 
lost4 #ab4 ,how think ye8 if     a man  
have an hundred sheep1 and one of them  
be gone     astray1 doth he not leave   
the ninety and nine1 and     goeth into 
the mountains1 and seeketh that which is

     gone astray8 #ac4 ,and if so be    
that he find it1 verily     ,i say unto 
you1 he rejoiceth more of that sheep1   
than     of the ninety and nine which   
went not astray4 #ad4 ,even     so it is
 not the will of your ,father which is  
in     heaven1 that one of these little 
ones should perish4'     --,,matt4      
xviii4 #a-ad4  ,mark tells us that the  
disciples1 as they journeyed1 had been  
squabbling about pre-eminence in the    
kingdom1 and that this conversation was 
brought on by our ,lord's question as to
 the subject of their dispute4 ,it seems
 at first sight to argue singular       
insensibility that the first effect of  
,his reiterated announcement of ,his    
sufferings should have been their       
quarrelling for the lead2 but their     
behaviour is intelligible if we suppose 
that they regarded the half-understood  
prophecies of ,his passion as indicating
 the commencement of the short conflict 
which was to end in ,his ,messianic     
reign4 ,so it was time for them to be   

getting ready and settling precedence4  
,the form of their question1 in         
,matthew1 connects it with the miracle  
of the coin in the fish's mouth1 in     
which there was a very plain assertion  
of ,christ's royal dignity1 and a       
distinguishing honour given to ,peter4  
,probably the 'then' of the question    
means1 ,since ,peter is thus selected1  
are we to look to him as foremost8      
,their conception of the kingdom and of 
rank in it is frankly and entirely      
earthly4 ,there are to be graded        
dignities1 and these are to depend on   
,his mere will4 ,our ,lord not only     
answers the letter of their question1   
but cuts at the root of the temper which
 inspired it4  ,i4 ,he shows the        
conditions of entrance into and eminence
 in ,his kingdom by a living example4   
,there were always children at hand     
round ,him1 when ,he wanted them4 ,their
 quick instinct for pure and loving     
souls drew them to ,him2 and this little
 one was not afraid to be taken by the  

hand1 and to be afterwards caught up in 
,his arms1 and pressed to ,his heart4   
,one does not wonder that the legend    
that he was ,ignatius the martyr should 
have been current2 for surely the       
remembrance of that tender clasping arm 
and gentle breast would not fade nor be 
fruitless4 ,the disciples had made very 
sure that they were to be in the        
kingdom1 and that the only question     
concerning them was how high up in it   
they were each to be4 ,christ's answer  
is like a dash of cold water to that    
confidence4 ,it is1 in effect1          
',greatest in the kingdom6 ,make sure   
that you go in at all1 first2 which you 
will never do1 so long as you keep your 
present ambitious minds4'  ,verse #c    
lays down the condition of entrance into
 the kingdom1 from which necessarily    
follows the condition of supremacy in   
it4 ,what a child is naturally1 and     
without effort or merit1 by reason of   
age and position1 we must become1 if we 
are to pass the narrow portal which     

admits into the large room4 ,that       
'becoming' is impossible without a      
revolution in us4 ',be converted' is    
corrected1 in the ,revised ,version1    
into 'turn1' and rightly2 for there is  
in the word a distinct reference to the 
temper of the disciples as displayed by 
their question4 ,as long as they        
cherished it they could not even get    
inside1 to say nothing of winning       
promotion to dignities in the kingdom4  
,their very question condemned them as  
incapable of entrance4 ,so there must be
 a radical change1 not unaccompanied1 of
 course1 with repentance1 but mainly    
consisting in the substitution of the   
child's temper for theirs4 ,what is the 
temper thus enjoined8 ,we are to see    
here neither the entirely modern and    
shallow sentimental way of looking at   
childhood1 in which popular writers     
indulge1 nor the doctrine of its        
innocence4 ,it is not ,christ's         
teaching1 either that children are      
innocent1 or that men enter the kingdom 

by making themselves so4 ,but the child 
is1 by its very position1 lowly and     
modest1 and makes no claims1 and lives  
by instinctive confidence1 and does not 
care about honours1 and has these       
qualities which in us are virtues1 and  
is not puffed up by possessing them4    
,that is the ideal which is realised    
more generally in the child than        
analogous ideals are in mature manhood4 
,such simplicity1 modesty1 humility1    
must be ours4 ,we must be made small ere
 we can enter that door4 ,and as is the 
requirement for entrance1 so is it for  
eminence4 ,the child does not humble    
himself1 but is humble by nature2 but we
 must humble ourselves if we would be   
great4  ,christ implies that there are  
degrees in the kingdom4 ,it has a       
nobility1 but of such a kind that there 
may be many greatest2 for the principle 
of rank there is lowliness4 ,we rise by 
sinking4 ,the deeper our consciousness  
of our own unworthiness and weakness1   
the more capable are we of receiving the

 divine gifts1 and therefore the more   
fully shall we receive them4 ,rivers run
 in the hollows2 the mountain-tops are  
dry4 ,god works with broken reeds1 and  
the princes in ,his realm are beggars   
taken from the dunghill4 ,a lowliness   
which made itself lowly for the sake of 
eminence would miss its aim1 for it     
would not be lowliness4 ,the desire to  
be foremost must be cast out1 in order  
that it may be fulfilled4  ,,ii4 ,the   
question has been answered1 and our     
,lord passes to other thoughts rising   
out of ,his answer4 ,verses #e and #f   
set forth antithetically our duties to  
,his little ones4 ,he is not now        
speaking of the child who served as a   
living parable to answer the question1  
but of men who have made themselves like
 the child1 as is plain from the        
emphatic 'one such child1' and from     
verse #f 7'which believe on ,me'74  ,the
 subject1 then1 of these verses is the  
blessedness of recognising and welcoming
 ,christlike lowly believers1 and the   

fatal effect of the opposite conduct4   
,to 'receive one such little child in   
,my name' is just to have a sympathetic 
appreciation of1 and to be ready to     
welcome to heart and home1 those who are
 lowly in their own and in the world's  
estimate1 but princes of ,christ's court
 and kingdom4 ,such welcome and         
furtherance will only be given by one   
who himself has the same type of        
character in some degree4 ,he who       
honours and admires a certain kind of   
excellence has the roots of it in       
himself4 ,a possible artist lies in him 
who thrills at the sight or hearing of  
fair things painted or sung4 ,our       
admiration is an index of our           
aspiration1 and our aspiration is a     
prophecy of our attainment4 ,so it will 
be a little one's heart which will      
welcome the little ones1 and a lover of 
,christ who receives them in ,his name4 
,the reception includes all forms of    
sympathy and aid4 ',in ,my name' is     
equivalent to 'for the sake of ,my      

revealed character1' and refers both to 
the receiver and to the received4 ,the  
blessedness of such reception1 so far as
 the receiver is concerned1 is not      
merely that he thereby comes into happy 
relations with ,christ's foremost       
servants1 but that he gets ,christ      
,himself into his heart4 ,if with true  
appreciation of the beauty of such a    
childlike disposition1 ,i open my heart 
or my hand to its possessor1 ,i do      
thereby enlarge my capacity for my own  
possession of ,christ1 who dwells in    
,his child1 and who comes with him where
 ,he is welcomed4 ,there is no surer way
 of securing ,him for our own than the  
loving reception of ,his children4      
,whoso lodges the ,king's favourites    
will not be left unvisited by the ,king4
 ,to recognise and reverence the        
greatest in the kingdom is to be oneself
 a member of their company1 and a sharer
 in their prerogatives4  ,on the other  
hand1 the antithesis of 'receiving' is  
'causing to stumble1' by which is meant 

giving occasion for moral fall4 ,that   
would be done by contests about         
pre-eminence1 by arrogance1 by          
non-recognition4 ,the atmosphere of     
carnality and selfishness in which the  
disciples were moving1 as their question
 showed1 would stifle the tender life of
 any lowly believer who found himself in
 it2 and they were not only injuring    
themselves1 but becoming                
stumbling-blocks to others1 by their    
ambition4 ,how much of the present life 
of average ,christians is condemned on  
the same ground6 ,it is a good test of  
our ,christian character to ask--would  
it help or hinder a lowly believer to   
live beside us8 ,how many professing    
,christians are really1 though          
unconsciously1 doing their utmost to    
pull down their more ,christlike        
brethren to their own low level6 ,the   
worldliness and selfish ambitions of the
 ,church are responsible for the        
stumbling of many who would else have   
been of ,christ's 'little ones4' ,but   

perhaps we are rather to think of       
deliberate and consciously laid         
stumbling-blocks4 ,knowingly to try to  
make a good man fall1 or to stain a more
 than usually pure ,christian character1
 is surely the very height of malice1   
and presupposes such a deadly hatred of 
goodness and of ,christ that no fate can
 be worse than the possession of such a 
temper4 ,to be flung into the sea1 like 
a dog1 with a stone round his neck1     
would be better for a man than to live  
to do such a thing4 ,the deed itself1   
apart from any other future retribution1
 is its own punishment2 yet our ,lord's 
solemn words not only point to such a   
future retribution1 which is infinitely 
more terrible than the miserable fate   
described would be for the body1 but to 
the consequences of the act1 as so bad  
in its blind hatred of the highest type 
of character1 and in its conscious      
preference of evil1 as well as so fatal 
in its consequences1 that it were better
 to die drowned than to live so4  ,,iii4

 ,verses #aj-ad set forth the honour and
 dignity of ,christ's 'little ones4'    
,clearly the application of the         
designation in these closing verses is  
exclusively to ,his lowly followers4    
,the warning not to despise them is     
needed at all times1 and1 perhaps1      
seldom more1 even by ,christians1 than  
now1 when so many causes induce a far   
too high estimate of the world's great  
ones1 and modest1 humble godliness looks
 as dull and sober as some russet-coated
 little bird among gorgeous cockatoos   
and birds of paradise4 ,the world's     
standard is only too current in the     
,church2 and it needs a spirit kept in  
harmony with ,christ's spirit1 and some 
degree of the child-nature in ourselves1
 to preserve us from overlooking the    
delicate hidden beauties and unworldly  
greatness of ,his truest disciples4     
,the exhortation is enforced by two     
considerations1--a glimpse into heaven1 
and a parable4 ,fair interpretation can 
scarcely deny that ,christ here teaches 

that ,his children are under            
angel-guardianship4 ,we should neither  
busy ourselves in curious inferences    
from ,his reticent words1 nor try to    
blink their plain meaning1 but rather   
mark their connection and purpose here4 
,he has been teaching that pre-eminence 
belongs to the childlike spirit4 ,he    
here opens a door into the court of the 
heavenly ,king1 and shows us that1 as   
the little ones are foremost in the     
kingdom of heaven1 so the angels who    
watch over them are nearest the throne  
in heaven itself4 ,the representation is
 moulded on the usages of ,eastern      
courts1 and similar language in the ,old
 ,testament describes the principal     
courtiers as 'the men who see the       
,king's face continually4' ,so high is  
the honour in which the little ones are 
held1 that the highest angels are set to
 guard them1 and whatever may be thought
 of them on earth1 the loftiest of      
creatures are glad to serve and keep    
them4  ,following the ,revised ,version 

we omit verse #aa4 ,if it were genuine1 
the connection would be that such       
despising contradicted the purpose of   
,christ's mission2 and the 'for' would  
refer back to the injunction1 not to the
 glimpse into heaven which enforced it4 
,the exhortation is further confirmed by
 the parable of the ninety and nine1    
which is found1 slightly modified in    
form and in another connection1 in ,luke
 xv4 ,its point here is to show the     
importance of the little ones as the    
objects of the seeking love of ,god1 and
 as so precious to ,him that their      
recovery rejoices ,his heart4 ,of       
course1 if verse #aa be genuine1 the    
,shepherd is ,christ2 but1 if we omit   
it1 the application of the parable in   
verse #ad as illustrating the loving    
will of ,god becomes more direct4 ,in   
that case ,god is the owner of the      
sheep4 ,christ does not emphasise ,his  
own love or share in the work1 reference
 to which was not relevant to ,his      
purpose1 but1 leaving that in shadow1   

casts all the light on the loving divine
 will1 which counts the little ones as  
so precious that1 if even one of them   
wanders1 all heaven's powers are sent   
forth to find and recover it4 ,the      
reference does not seem to be so much to
 the one great act by which1 in         
,christ's incarnation and sacrifice1 a  
sinful world has been sought and        
redeemed1 as to the numberless acts by  
which ,god1 in ,his providence and      
grace1 restores the souls of those      
humble ones if ever they go astray4 ,for
 the connection requires that the       
wandering sheep here should1 when it    
wanders1 be 'one of these little ones'2 
and the parable is introduced to        
illustrate the truth that1 because they 
belong to that number1 the least of them
 is too precious to ,god to be allowed  
to wander away and be lost4 ,they have  
for their keepers the angels of the     
presence2 they have ,god ,himself1 in   
,his yearning love and manifold methods 
of restoration1 to look for them1 if    

ever they are lost1 and to bring them   
back to the fold4 ,therefore1 'see that 
ye despise not one of these little      
ones1' each of whom is held by the      
divine will in the grasp of an          
individualising love which nothing can  
loosen4     ,,self-,,mutilation ,,for   
,,self-,,preservation       ',if thy    
hand or thy foot causeth thee to        
stumble1 cut     it off1 and  cast it   
from  thee4'-,,matt4 xviii4 #h1 ,r4,v4  
,no person or thing can do our          
characters as much harm as we ourselves 
can do4 ,indeed1 none can do them any   
harm but ourselves4 ,for men may put    
stumbling-blocks in our way1 but it is  
we who make them stumbling-blocks4 ,the 
obstacle in the path would do us no hurt
 if it were not for the erring foot1 nor
 the attractive prize if it were not for
 the hand that itched to lay hold of it1
 nor the glittering bauble if it were   
not for the eye that kindled at the     
sight of it4 ,so our ,lord here1 having 
been speaking of the men that put       

stumbling-blocks in the way of ,his     
little ones1 draws the net closer and   
bids us look at home4 ,a solemn woe of  
divine judgment is denounced on those   
who cause ,his followers to stumble2 let
 us leave ,god to execute that1 and be  
sure that we have no share in their     
guilt1 but let us ourselves be the      
executioners of the judgment upon the   
things in ourselves which alone give the
 stumbling-blocks1 which others put     
before us1 their fatal power4  ,there is
 extraordinary energy in these words4   
,solemnly they are repeated twice here1 
verbatim2 solemnly they are repeated    
verbatim three times in ,mark's edition4
 ,the urgent stringency of the command1 
the terrible plainness of the           
alternative put forth by the lips that  
could say nothing harsh1 and the fact   
that the very same injunction appears in
 a wholly different connection in the   
,sermon on the ,mount1 show us how      
profoundly important our ,lord felt the 
principle to be which ,he was here      

laying down4  ,we mark these three      
points4 ,first1 the case supposed1 ',if 
thy hand or thy foot cause thee to      
stumble4' ,then the sharp1 prompt remedy
 enjoined1 ',cut them off and cast them 
from thee4' ,then the solemn motive by  
which it is enforced1 ',it is better for
 thee to enter into life maimed than1   
being a whole man1 to be cast into      
hell-fire4'  ,i4 ,first1 then1 as to the
 case supposed4  ,hand and foot and eye 
are1 of course1 regarded as organs of   
the inward self1 and symbols of its     
tastes and capacities4 ,we may perhaps  
see in them the familiar distinction    
between the practical and the           
theoretical3--hand and foot being       
instruments of action1 and the eye the  
organ of perception4 ,our ,lord takes an
 extreme case4 ,if members of the body  
are to be amputated and plucked out     
should they cause us to stumble1 much   
more are associations to be abandoned   
and occupations to be relinquished and  
pleasures to be forsaken1 if these draw 

us away4 ,but it is to be noticed that  
the whole stringency of the commandment 
rests upon that if4 ',if they cause thee
 to stumble1' then1 and not else1       
amputate4 ,the powers are natural1 the  
operation of them is perfectly innocent1
 but a man may be ruined by innocent    
things4 ,and1 says ,christ1 if that     
process is begun1 then1 and only then1  
does ,my exhortation come into force4   
,now1 all that solemn thought of a      
possible injurious issue of innocent    
occupations1 rests upon the principles  
that our nature has an ideal order1 so  
as that some parts of it are to be      
suppressed and some are to rule1 and    
that there are degrees of importance in 
men's pursuits1 and that where the lower
 interfere and clog the operations of   
the higher1 there they are harmful4 ,and
 so the only wisdom is to excise and cut
 them off4  ,we see illustrations in    
abundance every day4 ,there are many    
people who are being ruined in regard to
 the highest purposes of their lives1   

simply by an over-indulgence in lower   
occupations which in themselves may be  
perfectly right4 ,here is a young woman 
that spends so much of her day in       
reading novels that she has no time to  
look after the house and help her       
mother4 ,here is a young man so given to
 athletics that his studies are         
neglected--and so you may go all round  
the circle1 and find instances of the   
way in which innocent things1 and the   
excessive or unwise exercise of natural 
faculties1 are destroying men4 ,and much
 more is that the case in regard to     
religion1 which is the highest object of
 pursuit1 and in regard to those        
capacities and powers by which we lay   
hold of ,god4 ,these are to be          
ministered to by the rest1 and if there 
be in my nature or in the order of my   
life something which is drawing away to 
itself the energy that ought to go in   
that other direction1 then1 howsoever   
innocent it may be1 per se1 it is       
harming me4 ,it is a wen that is sucking

 all the vital force into itself1 and   
turning it into poison4 ,and there is   
only one cure for it1 and that is the   
knife4  ,then there is another point to 
be observed in this case supposed1 and  
that is that the whole matter is left to
 the determination of personal          
experience4 ,no one else has the right  
to decide for you what it is safe and   
wise for you to do in regard to things  
which are not in themselves wrong4 ,if  
they are wrong in themselves1 of course 
the consideration of consequences is out
 of place altogether2 but if they be not
 wrong in themselves1 then it is you    
that must settle whether they are       
legitimate for you or not4 ,do not let  
your ,christian liberty be interfered   
with by other people's dictation in     
regard to this matter4 ,how often you   
hear people say1 ',i could not do it'2  
meaning thereby1 'therefore he ought not
 to do it6' ,but that inference is      
altogether illegitimate4 ,true1 there   
are limitations of our ,christian       

liberty in regard to things indifferent 
and innocent4 ,paul lays down the most  
important of these in three sentences4  
',all things are lawful for me1 but all 
things are not expedient4' ',all things 
are lawful for me1 but all things edify 
not'2--you must think of your brethren  
as well as of yourself4 ',all things are
 lawful for me1 yet will ,i not be      
brought under the power of any'2 keep   
master of them1 and rather abstain      
altogether than become their slave4 ,but
 these three limitations being observed1
 then1 in regard to all such matters1   
nobody else can prescribe for you or me4
 ',to his own ,master he standeth or    
falleth4'  ,but1 on the other hand1 do  
not you be led away into things that    
damage you1 because some other man does 
them1 as he supposes1 without injury4   
',happy is he that condemneth not       
himself in that thing which he          
alloweth4' ,there are some ,christian   
people who are simply very unscrupulous 
and think themselves very strong2 and   

whose consciences are not more          
enlightened1 but less sensitive1 than   
those of the 'narrow-minded brethren'   
upon whom they look askance4  ,and so1  
dear friend1 you ought to take the      
world--to inhale it1 if ,i may so say1  
as patients do chloroform2 only you must
 be your own doctor and keep your own   
fingers on your pulse1 and watch the    
first sign of failure there1 and take no
 more4 ,when the safety lamps begin to  
burn blue you may be quite sure there is
 choke-damp about2 and when ,christian  
men and women begin to find prayer      
wearisome1 and religious thoughts dull1 
and the remembrance of ,god an effort or
 a pain1 then1 whatever anybody else may
 do1 it is time for them to pull up4    
',if thy hand offend thee1' never mind  
though your brother's hand is not       
offending him1 do the necessary thing   
for your health1 'cut it off and cast it
 from you4'  ,but of course there must  
be caution and common-sense in the      
application of such a principle4 ,it    

does not mean that we are to abandon all
 things that are susceptible of abuse1  
for everything is so2 and if we are to  
regulate our conduct by such a rule1 it 
is not the amputation of a hand that    
will be sufficient4 ,we may as well cut 
off our heads at once1 and go out of the
 world altogether2 for everything is    
capable of being thus abused4  ,nor does
 the injunction mean that               
unconditionally we are to abandon all   
occupations in which there is danger4   
,it can never be a duty to shirk a duty 
because it is dangerous4 ,and sometimes 
it is as much a ,christian man's duty to
 go into1 and to stand in1 positions    
that are full of temptation and danger1 
as it is a fireman's business to go into
 a burning house at the risk of         
suffocation4 ,there were saints in      
,caesar's household1 flowers that grew  
on a dunghill1 and they were not bidden 
to abandon their place because it was   
full of possible danger to their souls4 
,sometimes ,christ sets ,his sentinels  

in places where the bullets fly very    
thick2 and if we are posted in such a   
place--and we all are so some time or   
other in our lives--the only course for 
us is to stand our ground until the     
relieving guard comes1 and to trust that
 ,he said a truth that was always to be 
true1 when ,he sent out ,his servants to
 their dangerous work1 with the         
assurance that if they drank any deadly 
thing it should not hurt them4  ,,ii4   
,so much1 then1 for the first of the    
points here4 ,now a word1 in the second 
place1 as to the sharp remedy enjoined4 
',cut it off and cast it from thee4'    
,entire excision is the only safety4 ,i 
myself am to be the operator in that    
surgery4 ,i am to lay my hand upon the  
block1 and with the other hand to grasp 
the axe and strike4 ,that is to say1 we 
are to suppress capacities1 to abandon  
pursuits1 to break with associates1 when
 we find that they are damaging our     
spiritual life and hindering our        
likeness to ,jesus ,christ4  ,that is   

plain common-sense4 ,in regard to       
physical intoxication1 it is a great    
deal easier to abstain altogether than  
to take a very little and then stop4    
,the very fumes of alcohol will         
sometimes drive a reclaimed drunkard    
into a bout of dissipation that will    
last for weeks2 therefore1 the only     
safety is in entire abstinence4 ,the    
rule holds in regard to everyday life4  
,every man has to give up a great many  
things if he means to succeed in one1   
and has to be a man of one pursuit if   
anything worth doing is to be done4     
,christian men especially have to adopt 
that principle1 and shear off a great   
deal that is perfectly legitimate1 in   
order that they may keep a reserve of   
strength for the highest things4  ,true1
 all forms of life are capable of being 
made ,christian service and ,christian  
discipline1 but in practice we shall    
find that if we are earnestly seeking   
the kingdom of ,god and ,his            
righteousness1 not only shall we lose   

our taste for a great deal that is      
innocent1 but we shall have1 whether we 
lose our taste for them or not--and more
 imperatively if we have not lost our   
taste for them than if we have--to give 
up allowable things in order that with  
all our heart1 and soul1 and strength1  
and mind1 we may love and serve our     
,master4 ,there are no half-measures to 
be kept2 the only thing to do with the  
viper is to shake it off into the fire  
and let it burn there4 ,we have to empty
 our hands of earth's trivialities if we
 would grasp ,christ with them4 ,we have
 to turn away our eyes from earth if we 
would behold the ,master1 and rigidly to
 apply this principle of excision in    
order that we may advance in the divine 
life4 ,it is the only way to ensure     
progress4 ,there is no such certain     
method of securing an adequate flow of  
sap up the trunk as to cut off all the  
suckers4 ,if you wish to have a current 
going down the main bed of the stream1  
sufficient to keep it clear1 you must   

dam up all the side channels4  ,but it  
is not to be forgotten that this        
commandment1 stringent and necessary as 
it is1 is second best4 ,the man is      
maimed1 although it was for ,christ's   
sake that he cut off his hand1 or put   
out his eye4 ,his hand was given him    
that with it he might serve ,god1 and   
the highest thing would have been that  
in hand and foot and eye he should have 
been anointed1 like the priests of old1 
for the service of his ,master4 ,but    
until he is strong enough to use the    
faculty for ,god1 the wisest thing is   
not to use it at all4 ,abandon the      
outworks to keep the citadel4 ,and just 
as men pull down the pretty houses on   
the outskirts of a fortified city when a
 siege is impending1 in order that they 
may afford no cover to the enemy1 so we 
have to sweep away a great deal in our  
lives that is innocent and fair1 in     
order that the foes of our spirit may   
find no lodgment there4 ,it is second   
best1 but for all that it is absolutely 

needful4 ,we must lay 'aside every      
weight1' as well as 'the sin which so   
easily besets us4' ,we must run lightly 
if we would run well4 ,we must cast     
aside all burdens1 even though they be  
burdens of treasure and delights1 if we 
would 'run with patience the race that  
is set before us4' ',if thy foot offend 
thee1' do not hesitate1 do not adopt    
half-measures1 do not try moderation1 do
 not seek to sanctify the use of the    
peccant member2 all these may be        
possible and right in time1 but for the 
present there is only one thing to      
do--down with it on the block1 and off  
with it6 ',cut it off and cast it from  
thee4'  ,,iii4 ,and now1 lastly1 a word 
as to the solemn exhortation by which   
this injunction is enforced4  ,christ   
rests ,his command of self-denial and   
self-mutilation upon the highest ground 
of self-interest4 ',it is better for    
thee4' ,we are told nowadays that this  
is a very low motive to appeal to1 that 
,christianity is a religion of          

selfishness1 because it says to men1    
',your life or your death depends upon  
your faith and your conduct4' ,well1 ,i 
think it will be time for us to listen  
to fantastic objections of this sort    
when the men that urge them refuse to   
turn down another street1 if they are   
warned that in the road on which they   
are going they will meet their death4   
,as long as they admit that it is a wise
 and a kind thing to say to a man1 ',do 
not go that way or your life will be    
endangered1' ,i think we may listen to  
our ,master saying to us1 ',do not do   
that lest thou perish2 do this1 that    
thou may'st enter into life4'  ,and     
then1 notice that a maimed man may enter
 into life1 and a complete man may      
perish4 ,the first may be a very poor   
creature1 very ignorant1 with a limited 
nature1 undeveloped capacities1         
intellect and the like all but dormant  
in him1 artistic sensibilities quite    
atrophied1 and yet he may have got hold 
of ,jesus ,christ and ,his love1 and be 

trying to love ,him back again and serve
 ,him1 and so be entering into life even
 here1 and be sure of a life more       
perfect yonder4 ,and the complete man1  
cultured all round1 with all his        
faculties polished and exercised to the 
full1 may have one side of his nature   
undeveloped--that which connects him    
with ,god in ,christ4 ,and so he may be 
like some fair tree that stands out     
there in the open1 on all sides         
extending its equal beauty1 with its    
stem symmetrical1 cylindrical1 perfect  
in its green cloud of foliage1 yet there
 may be a worm at the root of it1 and it
 may be given up to rottenness and      
destruction4 ,cultivated men may perish1
 and uncultured men may have the life4  
,the maimed man may touch ,christ with  
his stump1 and so receive life1 and the 
complete man may lay hold of the world  
and the flesh and the devil with his    
hands1 and so share in their            
destruction4  ,ay6 and in that case the 
maimed man has the best of it4 ,it is a 

very plain axiom of the rudest          
common-sense1 this of my text3 ',it is  
better for thee to enter into life      
maimed1 than to go into hell-fire with  
both thy hands4' ,that is to say1 it is 
better to live maimed than to die whole4
 ,a man comes into a hospital with      
gangrene in his leg2 the doctor says it 
must come off2 the man says1 ',it shall 
not1' and he is dead to-morrow4 ,who is 
the fool--the man that says1 ',here1    
then1 cut away2 better life than limb1' 
or the man that says1 ',i will keep it  
and ,i will die'8  ',better to enter    
into life maimed1' because you will not 
always be maimed4 ,the life will        
overcome the maiming4 ,there is a       
wonderful restoration of capacities and 
powers that have been sacrificed for    
,christ's sake1 a restoration even here4
 ,as crustaceans will develop a new claw
 in place of one that they have thrown  
off in their peril to save their lives1 
so we1 if we have for ,christ's sake    
maimed ourselves1 will find that in a   

large measure the suppression will be   
recompensed even here on earth4  ,and   
hereafter1 as the ,rabbis used to say1  
',no man will rise from the grave a     
cripple4' ,all the limitations which we 
have imposed upon ourselves1 for        
,christ's sake1 will be removed then4   
',then shall the eyes of the blind be   
opened1 and the ears of the deaf be     
unstopped2 then shall the lame man leap 
as a hart1 and the tongue of the dumb   
shall sing4' ',verily ,i say unto thee1 
there is no man that hath left any' of  
his possessions1 affections1 tastes1    
capacities1 'for ,my sake but he shall  
receive a hundredfold more in this life1
 and in the world to come1 life         
everlasting4' ,no man is a loser by     
giving up anything for ,jesus ,christ4  
,and1 on the other hand1 the complete   
man1 complete in everything except his  
spiritual nature1 is a fragment in all  
his completeness2 and yonder1 there will
 for him be a solemn process of         
stripping4 ',take it from him1 and give 

it to him that hath ten talents4' ,ah6  
how much of that for which some of you  
are flinging away ,jesus ,christ will   
fade from you when you go yonder4 ',his 
glory shall not descend after him'2 'as 
he came1 so shall he go4' ',tongues1    
they shall cease2 knowledge1 it shall   
vanish away'2 gifts will fail1          
capacities will disappear when the      
opportunities for the exercise of them  
in a material world are at an end1 and  
there will be little left to the man who
 would carry hands and feet and eyes all
 into the fire and forgot the 'one thing
 needful1' but a thin thread1 if ,i may 
so say1 of personality quivering with   
the sense of responsibility1 and preyed 
upon by the gnawing worm of a too-late  
remorse4  ,my brother1 the lips of      
,incarnate ,love spoke those solemn     
words of my text1 which it becomes not  
me to repeat to you as if they were     
mine2 but ,i ask you to weigh this1 ,his
 urgent commandment1 and to listen to   
,his solemn assurance1 by which ,he     

enforces the wisdom of the              
self-suppression3 ',it is better for    
thee to enter into life maimed1 than    
having two hands1 to be cast into       
hell-fire4'  ,give your hearts to ,jesus
 ,christ1 and set the following in ,his 
footsteps and the keeping of ,his       
commandments high above all other aims4 
,you will have to suppress much and give
 up much1 but such suppression is the   
shortest road to becoming perfect men1  
complete in ,him1 and such surrender is 
the surest way to possess all things4   
',he that loseth his life'--which is    
more than hand or eye--for ,christ's    
sake1' the same shall find it4'         
,,the ,,lost ,,sheep ,,and ,,the        
,,seeking ,,shepherd       ,if a man    
have an hundred sheep1 and one of them  
be gone     astray1 doth he not leave   
the ninety and nine1 and     goeth ,into
 the mountains1 and seeketh that which  
is     gone astray6--,,matt4 xviii4 #ab4
  ,we find this simple parable1 or germ 
of a parable1 in a somewhat more        

expanded form1 as the first of the      
incomparable three in the fifteenth     
chapter of ,luke's ,gospel4 ,perhaps our
 ,lord repeated the parable more than   
once4 ,it is an unveiling of ,his inmost
 heart1 and therein a revelation of the 
very heart of ,god4 ,it touches the     
deepest things in ,his relation to men1 
and sets forth thoughts of ,him1 such as
 man never dared to dream4 ,it does all 
this by the homeliest image and by an   
appeal to the simplest instincts4 ,the  
most prosaic shepherd looks for lost    
sheep1 and everybody has peculiar joy   
over lost things found4 ,they may not be
 nearly so valuable as things that were 
not lost4 ,the unstrayed may be many1   
and the strayed be but one4 ,still there
 is a keener joy in the recovery of the 
one than in the unbroken possession of  
the ninety-and-nine4 ,that feeling in a 
man may be only selfishness1 but homely 
as it is--when the loser is ,god1 and   
the lost are men1 it becomes the means  
of uttering and illustrating that truth 

concerning ,god which no religion but   
that of the ,cross has ever been bold   
enough to proclaim1 that ,he cares most 
for the wanderers1 and rejoices over the
 return of the one that went astray more
 than over the ninety-and-nine who never
 wandered4  ,there are some significant 
differences between this edition of the 
parable and the form which it assumes in
 the ,gospel according to ,luke4 ,there 
it is spoken in vindication of ,christ's
 consorting with publicans and sinners2 
here it is spoken in order to point the 
lesson of not despising the least and   
most insignificant of the sons of men4  
,there the seeking ,shepherd is         
obviously ,christ2 here the seeking     
,shepherd is rather the ,divine ,father2
 as appears by the words of the next    
verse3 ',for it is not the will of your 
,father which is in heaven1 that one of 
these little ones should perish4' ,there
 the sheep is lost2 here the sheep goes 
astray4 ,there the ,shepherd seeks till 
,he find1 here the ,shepherd1 perhaps1  

fails to find2 for our ,lord says1 ',if 
so be that he find it4'  ,but ,i am not 
about to venture on all the thoughts    
which this parable suggests1 nor even to
 deal with the main lesson which it     
teaches4 ,i wish merely to look at the  
two figures--the wanderer and the       
seeker4  ,i4 ,first1 then1 let us look  
at that figure of the one wanderer4  ,of
 course ,i need scarcely remind you that
 in the immediate application of the    
parable in ,luke's ,gospel1 the         
ninety-and-nine were the respectable    
people who thought the publicans and    
harlots altogether too dirty to touch1  
and regarded it as very doubtful conduct
 on the part of this young ,rabbi from  
,nazareth to be mixed up with persons   
whom no one with a proper regard for    
whited sepulchres would have anything to
 do with4 ,to them ,he answers1 in      
effect--,i am a shepherd2 that is my    
vindication4 ,of course a shepherd goes 
after and cares for the lost sheep4 ,he 
does not ask about its worth1 or        

anything else4 ,he simply follows the   
lost because it is lost4 ,it may be a   
poor little creature after all1 but it  
is lost1 and that is enough4 ,and so ,he
 vindicates ,himself to the             
ninety-and-nine3 ',you do not need ,me1 
you are found4 ,i take you on your own  
estimation of yourselves1 and tell you  
that ,my mission is to the wanderers4'  
,i do not suppose1 however1 that any of 
us have need to be reminded that upon a 
closer and deeper examination of the    
facts of the case1 every hoof of the    
ninety-and-nine belonged to a stray     
sheep too2 and that in the wider        
application of the parable all men are  
wanderers4 ,remembering1 then1 this     
universal application1 ,i would point   
out two or three things about the       
condition of these strayed sheep1 which 
include the whole race4 ,the            
ninety-and-nine may shadow for us a     
number of beings1 in unfallen worlds1   
immensely greater than even the         
multitudes of wandering souls that have 

lived here through weary ages of sin and
 tears1 but that does not concern us    
now4  ,the first thought ,i gather from 
the parable is that all men are         
,christ's sheep4 ,that sounds a strange 
thing to say4 ,what8 all these men and  
women who1 having run away from ,him1   
are plunged in sin1 like sheep mired in 
a black bog1 the scoundrels and the     
profligates1 the scum and the outcasts  
of great cities2 people with narrow     
foreheads1 and blighted1 blasted lives1 
the despair of our modern               
civilisation--are they all ,his8 ,and in
 those great wide-lying heathen lands   
where men know nothing of ,his name and 
of ,his love1 are they all ,his too8    
,let ,him answer1 ',other sheep ,i      
have'--though they look like goats      
to-day--'which are not of this fold1    
them also must ,i bring1 and they shall 
hear ,my voice4' ,all men are ,christ's1
 because ,he has been the ,agent of     
divine creation1 and the grand words of 
the hundredth ,psalm are true about     

,him4 ',it is ,he that hath made us1 and
 we are ,his4 ,we are ,his people and   
the sheep of ,his pasture4' ,they are   
,his1 because ,his sacrifice has bought 
them for ,his4 ,erring1 straying1 lost1 
they still belong to the ,shepherd4     
,notice next1 the picture of the sheep  
as wandering4 ,the word is1 literally1  
'which goeth astray1' not 'which is gone
 astray4' ,it pictures the process of   
wandering1 not the result as            
accomplished4 ,we see the sheep1 poor1  
silly creature1 not going anywhere in   
particular1 only there is a sweet tuft  
of grass here1 and it crops that2 and   
here is a bit of ground where there is  
soft walking1 and it goes there2 and so1
 step by step1 not meaning anything1 not
 knowing where it is going1 or that it  
is going anywhere2 it goes1 and goes1   
and goes1 and at last it finds out that 
it is away from its beat on the         
hillside--for sheep keep to one bit of  
hillside generally1 as any shepherd will
 tell you--and then it begins to bleat1 

and most helpless of creatures1         
fluttering and excited1 rushes about    
amongst the thorns and brambles1 or gets
 mired in some quag or other1 and it    
will never find its way back of itself  
until some one comes for it4  ',so1'    
says ,christ to us1 'there are a great  
many of you who do not mean to go wrong2
 you are not going anywhere in          
particular1 you do not start on your    
course with any intentions either way1  
of doing right or wrong1 of keeping near
 ,god1 or going away from ,him1 but you 
simply go where the grass is sweetest1  
or the walking easiest4 ,but look at the
 end of it2 where you have got to4 ,you 
have got away from ,him4'  ,now1 if you 
take that series of parables in ,luke   
xv41 and note the metaphors there1 you  
will see three different sides given of 
the process by which men's hearts stray 
away from ,god4 ,there is the sheep that
 wanders4 ,that is partly conscious1 and
 voluntary1 but in a large measure      
simply yielding to inclination and      

temptation4 ,then there is the coin that
 trundles away under some piece of      
furniture1 and is lost--that is a       
picture of the manner in which a man1   
without volition1 almost mechanically   
sometimes1 slides into sins and         
disappears as it were1 and gets covered 
over with the dust of evil4 ,and then   
there is the worst of all1 the lad that 
had full knowledge of what he was doing4
 ',i am going into a far-off country2 ,i
 cannot stand this any longer--all      
restraint and no liberty1 and no power  
of doing what ,i like with my own2 and  
always obliged to obey and be dependent 
on my father for my pocket-money6 ,give 
me what belongs to me1 for good and all1
 and let me go6' ,that is the picture of
 the worst kind of wandering1 when a man
 knows what he is about1 and looks at   
the merciful restraint of the law of    
,god1 and says3 ',no6 ,i had rather be  
far away2 and my own master1 and not    
always be cribbed1 cabined1 and confined
 with these limitations4'  ,the straying

 of the half-conscious sheep may seem   
more innocent1 but it carries the poor  
creature away from the shepherd as      
completely as if it had been wholly     
intelligent and voluntary4 ,let us learn
 the lesson4 ,in a world like this1 if a
 man does not know very clearly where he
 is going1 he is sure to go wrong4 ,if  
you do not exercise a distinct          
determination to do ,god's will1 and to 
follow in ,his footsteps who has set us 
an example2 and if your main purpose is 
to get succulent grass to eat and soft  
places to walk in1 you are certain      
before long to wander tragically from   
all that is right and noble and pure4   
,it is no excuse for you to say3 ',i    
never meant it'2 ',i did not intend any 
harm1 ,i only followed my own           
inclinations4' ',more mischief is       
wrought'--to the man himself1 as well as
 to other people--'from want of thought 
than is wrought by' an evil will4 ,and  
the sheep has strayed as effectually1   
though1 when it set out on its journey1 

it never thought of straying4 ,young men
 and women beginning life1 remember6 and
 take this lesson4  ,but then there is  
another point that ,i must touch for a  
moment4 ,in the ,revised ,version you   
will find a very tiny alteration in the 
words of my text1 which1 yet1 makes a   
large difference in the sense4 ,the last
 clause of my text1 as it stands in our 
,bible1 is1 ',and seeketh that which is 
gone astray'2 the ,revised ,version more
 correctly reads1 ',and seeketh that    
which is going astray4' ,now1 look at   
the difference in these two renderings4 
,in the former the process is           
represented as finished1 in the correct 
rendering it is represented as going on4
 ,and that is what ,i would press on    
you1 the awful1 solemn1 necessarily     
progressive character of our wanderings 
from ,god4 ,a man never gets to the end 
of the distance that separates between  
him and the ,father1 if his face is     
turned away from ,god4 ,every moment the
 separation is increasing4 ,two lines   

start from each other at the acutest    
angle and diverge more the further they 
are produced1 until at last the one may 
be away up by the side of ,god's throne1
 and the other away down in the deepest 
depths of hell4 ,so accordingly my text 
carries with solemn pathos1 in a        
syllable1 the tremendous lesson3 ',the  
sheep is not gone1 but going astray4'   
,ah6 there are some of my hearers who   
are daily and hourly increasing the     
distance between themselves and their   
merciful ,father4  ,now the last thing  
here in this picture is the contrast    
between the description given of the    
wandering sheep in our text1 and that in
 ,st4 ,luke4 ,here it is represented as 
wandering1 there it is represented as   
lost4 ,that is very beautiful and has a 
meaning often not noticed by hasty      
readers4 ,who is it that has lost it8   
,we talk about the lost soul and the    
lost man1 as if it were the man that had
 lost himself1 and that is true1 and a  
dreadful truth it is4 ,but that is not  

the truth that is taught in this        
parable1 and meant by us to be gathered 
from it4 ,who is it that has lost it8   
,he to whom it belonged4  ,that is to   
say1 wherever a heart gets ensnared and 
entangled with the love of the treasures
 and pleasures of this life1 and so     
departs in allegiance and confidence and
 friendship from the living ,god1 there 
,god the ,father regards ,himself as the
 poorer by the loss of one of ,his      
children1 by the loss of one of ,his    
sheep4 ,he does not care to possess you 
by the hold of mere creation and        
supremacy and rule4 ,he desires you to  
love ,him1 and then ,he deems that ,he  
has you4 ,and if you do not love ,him1  
,he deems that ,he has lost you4 ,there 
is something in the divine heart that   
goes out after ,his lost property4 ,we  
touch here upon deep things that we     
cannot speak of intelligently2 only     
remember this1 that what looks like     
self-regard in man is the purest love in
 ,god1 and that there is nothing in the 

whole revelation which ,christianity    
makes of the character of ,god more     
wonderful than this1 that ,he judges    
that ,he has lost ,his child when ,his  
child has forgotten to love ,him4  ,,ii4
 ,so much1 then1 for one of the great   
pictures in this text4 ,i can spare but 
a sentence or two for the other--the    
picture of the ,seeker4  ,i said that in
 the one form of the parable it was more
 distinctly the ,father1 and in the     
other more distinctly the ,son1 who is  
represented as seeking the sheep4 ,but  
these two do still coincide in          
substance1 inasmuch as ,god's chief way 
of seeking us poor wandering sheep is   
through the work of ,his dear ,son      
,jesus1 and the coming of ,christ is the
 ,father's searching for ,his sheep in  
the 'cloudy and dark day4'  ,according  
to my text ,god leaves the              
ninety-and-nine and goes into the       
mountains where the wanderer is1 and    
seeks him4 ,and this1 couched in veiled 
form1 is the great mystery of the divine

 love1 the incarnation and sacrifice of 
,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,here is the  
answer by anticipation to the sarcasm   
that is often levelled at evangelical   
,christianity3 ',you must think a good  
deal of human nature1 and must have a   
very arrogant notion of the inhabitant  
of this little speck that floats in the 
great sea of the heavens1 if you suppose
 that with all these millions of orbs he
 is so important that the divine ,nature
 came down upon this little tiny        
molehill1 and took his nature and died4'
  ',yes6' says ,christ1 'not because man
 was so great1 not because man was so   
valuable in comparison with the rest of 
creation--he was but one amongst        
ninety-nine unfallen and unsinful--but  
because he was so wretched1 because he  
was so small1 because he had gone so far
 away from ,god2 therefore1 the seeking 
love came after him1 and would draw him 
to itself4' ,that1 ,i think1 is answer  
enough to the cavil4  ,and then1 there  
is a difference between these two       

versions of the ,parable in respect to  
their representation of the end of the  
seeking4 ,the one says 'seeks until ,he 
finds4' ,oh6 the patient1 incredible    
inexhaustibleness of the divine love4   
,god's long-suffering1 if ,i may take   
such a metaphor1 like a sleuth-hound1   
will follow the object of its search    
through all its windings and doublings1 
until it comes up to it4 ,so that great 
seeking ,shepherd follows us through all
 the devious courses of our wayward1    
wandering footsteps doubling back upon  
themselves1 until ,he finds us4 ,though 
the sheep may increase its distance1 the
 ,shepherd follows4 ,the further away we
 get the more tender ,his appeal2 the   
more we stop our ears the louder the    
voice with which ,he calls4 ,you cannot 
wear out ,jesus ,christ1 you cannot     
exhaust the resources of ,his           
bounteousness1 of ,his tenderness4      
,however we may have been going wrong1  
however far we may have been wandering1 
however vehemently we may be increasing1

 at every moment1 our distance from     
,him1 ,he is coming after us1 serene1   
loving1 long-suffering1 and will not be 
put away4  ,dear friend6 would you only 
believe that a loving1 living ,person is
 really seeking you1 seeking you by my  
poor words now1 seeking you by many a   
providence1 seeking you by ,his ,gospel1
 by ,his ,spirit2 and will never be     
satisfied till ,he has found you in your
 finding ,him and turning your soul to  
,him6  ,but1 ,i beseech you1 do not     
forget the solemn lesson drawn from the 
other form of the parable which is given
 in my text3 ,if so be that ,he find it4
 ,there is a possibility of failure4    
,what an awful power you have of burying
 yourself in the sepulchre1 as it were1 
of your own self-will1 and hiding       
yourself in the darkness of your own    
unbelief6 ,you can frustrate the seeking
 love of ,god4 ,some of you have done   
so--some of you have done so all your   
lives4 ,some of you1 perhaps at this    
moment1 are trying to do so1 and        

consciously endeavouring to steel your  
hearts against some softening that may  
have been creeping over them whilst ,i  
have been speaking4 ,are you yielding to
 ,his seeking love1 or wandering further
 and further from ,him8 ,he has come to 
find you4 ,let ,him not seek in vain1   
but let the ,good ,shepherd draw you to 
,himself1 where1 lifted on the ,cross1  
,he 'giveth ,his life for the sheep4'   
,he will restore your soul and carry you
 back on ,his strong shoulder1 or in    
,his bosom near ,his loving heart1 to   
the green pastures and the safe fold4   
,there will be joy in ,his heart1 more  
than over those who have never wandered2
 and there will be joy in the heart of  
the returning wanderer1 such as they who
 had not strayed and learned the misery 
could never know1 for1 as the profound  
,jewish saying has it1 ',in the place   
where the penitents stand1 the perfectly
 righteous cannot stand4'               
,,persistence ,,of ,,thwarted ,,love    
',if so be that he find it4'--,,matt4   

xviii4 #ac4      ',until he find        
it4'--,,luke xv4 #d4  ,like other       
teachers1 ,jesus seems to have had      
favourite points of view and utterances 
which came naturally to ,his lips4      
,there are several instances in the     
gospels of ,his repeating the same      
sayings in entirely different           
connections and with different          
applications4 ,one of these habitual    
points of view seems to have been the   
thought of men as wandering sheep1 and  
of ,himself as the ,shepherd4 ,the      
metaphor has become so familiar that we 
need a moment's reflection to grasp the 
mingled tenderness1 sadness1 and majesty
 of it4 ,he thought habitually of all   
humanity as a flock of lost sheep1 and  
of ,himself as high above them1         
unparticipant of their evil1 and having 
one errand--to bring them back4  ,and   
not only does ,he frequently refer to   
this symbol1 but we have the two        
editions1 from which my texts are       
respectively taken1 of the ,parable of  

the ,lost ,sheep4 ,i say two editions1  
because it seems to me a great deal more
 probable that ,jesus should have       
repeated ,himself than that either of   
the ,evangelists should have ventured to
 take this gem and set it in an alien   
setting4 ,the two versions differ       
slightly in some unimportant            
expressions1 and ,matthew's is the more 
condensed of the two4 ,but the most     
important variation is the one which is 
brought to light by the two fragments   
which ,i have ventured to isolate as    
texts4 ',if ,he find' implies the       
possible failure of the ,shepherd's     
search2 'till ,he find' implies ,his    
unwearied persistence in the teeth of   
all failure4 ,and1 taken in conjunction1
 they suggest some very blessed and     
solemn considerations1 which ,i pray for
 strength to lay upon your minds and    
hearts now4  ,i4 ,but first let me say a
 word or two upon the more general      
thought brought out in both these       
clauses--of the ,shepherd's search4     

,now1 beautiful and heart-touching as   
that picture is1 of the ,shepherd away  
amongst the barren mountains searching  
minutely in every ravine and thicket1 it
 wants a little explanation in order to 
be brought into correspondence with the 
fact which it expresses4 ,for ,his      
search for ,his lost property is not in 
ignorance of where it is1 and ,his      
finding of it is not ,his discovery of  
,his sheep1 but its discovery of its    
,shepherd4 ,we have to remember wherein 
consists the loss before we can         
understand wherein consists the search4 
,now1 if we ask ourselves that question 
first1 we get a flood of light on the   
whole matter4 ,the great hundredth      
,psalm1 according to its true rendering1
 says1 ',it is ,he that hath made us1   
and we are ,his2  444 we are 444 the    
sheep of ,his pasture4' ,but ,god's true
 possession of man is not simply the    
possession inherent in the act of       
creation4 ,for there is only one way in 
which spirit can own spirit1 or heart   

can possess heart1 and that is through  
the voluntary yielding and love of the  
one to the other4 ,so ,jesus ,christ1   
who1 in all ,his seeking after us men1  
is the voice and hand of ,almighty      
,love1 does not count that ,he has found
 a man until the man has learned to love
 ,him4 ,for ,he loses us when we are    
alienated from ,him1 when we cease to   
trust ,him1 when we refuse to obey ,him1
 when we will not yield to ,him1 but put
 ,him far away from us4 ,therefore the  
search which1 as being ,christ's is     
,god's in ,christ1 is for our love1 our 
trust1 our obedience2 and in reality it 
consists of all the energies by which   
,jesus ,christ1 as ,god's embodiment and
 representative1 seeks to woo and win   
you and me back to ,himself1 that ,he   
may truly possess us4  ,if the          
,shepherd's seeking is but a tender     
metaphor for the whole aggregate of the 
ways by which the love that is divine   
and human in ,jesus ,christ moves round 
about our closed hearts1 as water may   

feel round some hermetically sealed     
vessel1 seeking for an entrance1 then   
surely the first and chiefest of them1  
which makes its appeal to each of us as 
directly as to any man that ever lived1 
is that great mystery that ,jesus       
,christ1 the eternal ,word of ,god1 left
 the ninety-and-nine that were safe on  
the high pastures of the mountains of   
,god1 and came down among us1 out into  
the wilderness1 'to seek and to save    
that which was lost4'  ,and1 brother1   
that method of winning--,i was going to 
say1 of earning--our love comes straight
 in its appeal to every single soul on  
the face of the earth4 ,do not say that 
thou wert not in ,christ's heart and    
mind when ,he willed to be born and     
willed to die4 ,thou1 and thou1 and     
thou1 and every single unit of humanity 
were there clear before ,him in their   
individuality2 and ,he died for thee1   
and for me1 and for every man4 ,and1 in 
one aspect1 that is more than to say    
that ,he died for all men4 ,there was a 

specific intention in regard to each of 
us in the mission of ,jesus ,christ2 and
 when ,he went to the ,cross the        
,shepherd was not giving ,his life for a
 confused flock of which ,he knew not   
the units1 but for sheep the face of    
each of whom ,he knows1 and each of whom
 ,he loves4 ,there was ,his first       
seeking2 there is ,his chief seeking4   
,there is the seeking which ought to    
appeal to every soul of man1 and which1 
ever since you were children1 has been  
making its appeal to you4 ,has it done  
so in vain8 ,dear friend1 let not your  
heart still be hard4  ,he seeks us by   
every record of that mighty love that   
died for us1 even when it is being      
spoken as poorly1 and with as many      
limitations and imperfections1 as ,i am 
speaking it now4 ',as though ,god did   
beseech you by us1 pray you in ,christ's
 stead4' ,it is not arrogance1 ,god     
forbid6 it is simple truth when ,i say1 
,never mind about me2 but my word1 in so
 far as it is true and tender1 is       

,christ's word to you4 ,and here1 in our
 midst1 that unseen ,form is passing    
along these pews and speaking to these  
hearts1 and the ,shepherd is seeking    
,his sheep4  ,he seeks each of us by the
 inner voices and emotions in our hearts
 and minds1 by those strange whisperings
 which sometimes we hear1 by the        
suddenly upstarting convictions of duty 
and truth which sometimes1 without      
manifest occasion1 flash across our     
hearts4 ,these voices are ,christ's     
voice1 for1 in a far deeper sense than  
most men superficially believe1 ',he is 
the true ,light that lighteth every man 
coming into the world4'  ,he is seeking 
us by our unrest1 by our yearnings after
 we know not what1 by our dim           
dissatisfaction which insists upon      
making itself felt in the midst of joys 
and delights1 and which the world fails 
to satisfy as much as it fails to       
interpret4 ,there is a cry in every     
heart1 little as the bearer of the heart
 translates it into its true meaning--a 

cry after ,god1 even the living ,god4   
,and by all your unrests1 your          
disappointments1 your hopes unfulfilled1
 your hopes fulfilled and blasted in the
 fulfilment1 your desires that perish   
unfruited2 by all the mystic movements  
of the spirit that yearns for something 
beyond the material and the visible1    
,jesus ,christ is seeking ,his sheep4   
,he seeks us by the discipline of life1 
for ,i believe that ,christ is the      
active ,providence of ,god1 and that the
 hands that were pierced on the ,cross  
do move the wheels of the history of the
 world1 and mould the destinies of      
individual spirits4  ,the deepest       
meaning of all life is that we should be
 won to seek ,him who in it all is      
seeking us1 and led to venture our      
hopes1 and fling the anchor of our faith
 beyond the bounds of the visible1 that 
it may fasten in the ,eternal1 even in  
,christ ,himself1 'the same yesterday   
and to-day and for ever' when earth and 
its training are done with4 ,brethren1  

it is a blessed thing to live1 when we  
interpret life's smallnesses aright as  
the voice of the ,master1 who1 by them  
all--our sadness and our gladness1 the  
unrest of our hearts and the yearnings  
and longings of our spirits1 by the     
ministry of ,his word1 by the record of 
,his sufferings--is echoing the         
invitation of the ,cross itself1 ',come 
unto ,me1 all ye 444 and ,i will give   
you rest6' ,so much for the ,shepherd's 
search4  ,,ii4 ,and now1 in the second  
place1 a word as to the possible        
thwarting of the search4  ',if so be    
that ,he find4' ,that is an awful if1   
when we think of what lies below it4    
,the thing seems an absurdity when it is
 spoken1 and yet it is a grim fact in   
many a life--viz4 that ,christ's effort 
can fail and be thwarted4 ,not that ,his
 search is perfunctory or careless1 but 
that we shroud ourselves in darkness    
through which that love can find no way4
 ,it is we1 not ,he1 that are at fault  
when ,he fails to find that which ,he   

seeks4 ,there is nothing more certain   
than that ,god1 and ,christ the image of
 ,god1 desire the rescue of every man1  
woman1 and child of the human race4 ,let
 no teaching blur that sunlight fact4   
,there is nothing more certain than that
 ,jesus ,christ has done1 and is doing1 
all that ,he can do to secure that      
purpose4 ,if ,he could make every man   
love ,him1 and so find every man1 be    
sure that ,he would do it4 ,but ,he     
cannot4 ,for here is the central mystery
 of creation1 which if we could solve   
there would be few knots that would     
resist our fingers1 that a finite will  
like yours or mine can lift itself up   
against ,god1 and that1 having the      
capacity1 it has the desire4 ,he says1  
',come6' ,we say1 ',i will not4' ,that  
door of the heart opens from within1 and
 ,he never breaks it open4 ,he stands at
 the door and knocks4 ,and then the same
 solemn if comes--',if any man opens1 ,i
 will come in'2 if any man keeps it     
shut1 and holds on to prevent its being 

opened1 ,i will stop out4  ,brethren1 ,i
 seek to press upon you now the one     
plain truth1 that if you are not saved  
men and women1 there is no person in    
heaven or earth or hell that has any    
blame in the matter but yourself alone4 
,god appeals to us1 and says1 ',what    
more could have been done to ,my        
vineyard that ,i have not done unto it8'
 ,his hands are clean1 and the infinite 
love of ,christ is free from all blame1 
and all the blame lies at our own doors4
  ,i must not dwell upon the various    
reasons which lead so many men among    
us--as1 alas6 the utmost charity cannot 
but see that there are--to turn away    
from ,christ's appeals1 and to be       
unwilling to 'have this ,man' either 'to
 reign over' them or to save them4      
,there are many such1 ,i am sure1 in my 
audience now2 and ,i would fain1 if ,i  
could1 draw them to that ,lord in whom  
alone they have life1 and rest1 and     
holiness1 and heaven4  ,one great reason
 is because you do not believe that you 

need ,him4 ,there is an awful inadequacy
 in most men's conceptions--and still   
more in their feelings--as to their sin4
 ,oh dear friends1 if you would only    
submit your consciences for one         
meditative half-hour to the light of    
,god's highest law1 ,i think you would  
find out something more than many of you
 know1 as to what you are and what your 
sin is4 ,many of us do not much believe 
that we are in any danger4 ,i have seen 
a sheep comfortably cropping the short  
grass on a down over the sea1 with one  
foot out in the air1 and a precipice of 
five hundred feet below it1 and at the  
bottom the crawling water4 ,it did not  
know that there was any danger of going 
over4 ,that is like some of us4 ,if you 
believed what is true--that 'sin when it
 is finished1 bringeth forth death1' and
 understood what 'death' meant1 you     
would feel the mercy of the ,shepherd   
seeking you4 ,some of us think we are in
 the flock when we are not4 ,some of us 
do not like submission4 ,some of us have

 no inclination for the sweet pastures  
that ,he provides1 and would rather stay
 where we are1 and have the fare that is
 going there4  ,we do not need to do    
anything to put ,him away4 ,i have no   
doubt that some of us1 as soon as my    
voice ceases1 will plunge again into    
worldly talk and thoughts before they   
are down the chapel steps1 and so blot  
out1 as well as they can1 any vagrant   
and superficial impression that may have
 been made4 ,dear brethren1 it is a very
 easy matter to turn away from the      
,shepherd's voice4 ',i called1 and ye   
refused4 ,i stretched out ,my hands1 and
 no man regarded4' ,that is all6 ,that  
is what you do1 and that is enough4     
,,iii4 ,so1 lastly1 the thwarted search 
prolonged4  ',till ,he find'--that is a 
wonderful and a merciful word4 ,it      
indicates the infinitude of ,christ's   
patient forgiveness and perseverance4   
,we tire of searching4 ',can a mother   
forget' or abandon her seeking after a  
lost child8 ,yes6 if it has gone on for 

so long as to show that further search  
is hopeless1 she will go home and nurse 
her sorrow in her heart4 ,or1 perhaps1  
like some poor mothers and wives1 it    
will turn her brain1 and one sign of her
 madness will be that1 long years after 
grief should have been calm because hope
 was dead1 she will still be looking for
 the little one so long lost4 ,but      
,jesus ,christ stands at the closed     
door1 as a great modern picture shows1  
though it has been so long undisturbedly
 closed that the hinges are brown with  
rust1 and weeds grow high against it4   
,he stands there in the night1 with the 
dew on ,his hair1 unheeded or repelled1 
like some stranger in a hostile village 
seeking for a night's shelter4 ,he will 
not be put away2 but1 after all         
refusals1 still with gracious finger1   
knocks upon the door1 and speaks into   
the heart4 ,some of you have refused    
,him all your lives1 and perhaps you    
have grey hairs upon you now4 ,and ,he  
is speaking to you still4 ,he 'suffereth

 long1 is not easily provoked1 is not   
soon angry2 hopeth all things1' even of 
the obstinate rejecters4  ,for that is  
another truth that this word 'till'     
preaches to us--viz4 the possibility of 
bringing back those that have gone      
furthest away and have been longest     
away4 ,the world has a great deal to say
 about incurable cases of moral         
obliquity and deformity4 ,christ knows  
nothing about 'incurable cases4' ,if    
there is a worst man in the world--and  
perhaps there is--there is nothing but  
his own disinclination to prevent his   
being brought back1 and made as pure as 
an angel4  ,but do not let us deal with 
generalities2 let us bring the truths to
 ourselves4 ,dear brethren1 ,i know     
nothing about the most of you4 ,i should
 not know you again if ,i met you five  
minutes after we part now4 ,i have never
 spoken to many of you1 and probably    
never shall1 except in this public way2 
but ,i know that you need ,christ1 and  
that ,christ wants you4 ,and ,i know    

that1 however far you have gone1 you    
have not gone so far but that ,his love 
feels out through the remoteness to     
grasp you1 and would fain draw you to   
itself4  ,i dare say you have seen upon 
some dreary moor1 or at the foot of some
 'scaur' on the hillside1 the bleached  
bones of a sheep1 lying white and grim  
among the purple heather4 ,it strayed1  
unthinking of danger1 tempted by the    
sweet herbage2 it fell2 it vainly       
bleated2 it died4 ,but what if it had   
heard the shepherd's call1 and had      
preferred to lie where it fell1 and to  
die where it lay8 ,we talk about 'silly 
sheep4' ,are there any of them so       
foolish as men and women listening to me
 now1 who will not answer the           
,shepherd's voice when they hear it1    
with1 ',lord1 here am ,i1 come and help 
me out of this miry clay1 and bring me  
back4' ,he is saying to each of you1    
',turn ye1 turn ye1 why will ye die8'   
,may ,he not have to say at last of any 
of us1 ',ye would not come to ,me1 that 

ye might have life6'     ,,forgiven     
,,and ,,unforgiving       ',jesus saith 
unto him1 ,i say not unto thee1 ,until  
seven times2 but1 ,until seventy times  
seven4'      --,,matt4 xviii4 #bb4  ,the
 disciples had been squabbling about    
pre-eminence in the kingdom which they  
thought was presently to appear4 ,they  
had ventured to refer their selfish and 
ambitious dispute to ,christ's          
arbitrament4 ,he answered by telling    
them the qualifications of 'the greatest
 in the kingdom'--that they are to be   
humble like little children2 that they  
are to be placable2 that they are to use
 all means to reclaim offenders2 and    
that1 even if the offence is against    
themselves1 they are to ignore the      
personal element1 and to regard the     
offender1 not so much as having done    
them harm1 as having harmed himself by  
his evil-doing4  ,peter evidently feels 
that that is a very hard commandment for
 a man of his temperament1 and so he    
goes to ,jesus ,christ for a little     

further direction1 and proposes a       
question as to the limits of this       
disposition3 ',how often shall my       
brother sin8' ,the very question betrays
 that he does not understand what       
forgiveness means2 for it is not real1  
if the 'forgiven' sin is stowed away    
safely in the memory4 ',i can forgive1  
but ,i cannot forget1' generally means1 
',i do not quite forgive4' ,we are not  
to take the pardoned offence1 and carry 
it to a kind of 'suspense account1' to  
be revived if another is committed1 but 
we are to blot it out altogether4 ,peter
 thought that he had given a very wide  
allowance when he said 'seven times4'   
,christ's answer lifts the whole subject
 out of the realm of hard and fast lines
 and limits1 for ,he takes the two      
perfect numbers 'ten' and 'seven1' and  
multiplies them together1 and then ,he  
multiplies that by 'seven' once more2   
and the product is not four hundred and 
ninety1 but is innumerableness4 ,he does
 not mean that the four hundred and     

ninety-first offence is outside the     
pale1 but ,he suggests indefiniteness1  
endlessness4 ,so1 as ,i say1 ,he lifts  
the question out of the region in which 
,peter was keeping it1 thereby betraying
 that he did not understand what he was 
talking about1 and tells us that there  
are no limits to the obligation4  ,the  
parable which follows1 and follows with 
a 'therefore1' does not deal so much    
with ,peter's question as to the limits 
of the disposition1 but sets forth its  
grounds and the nature of its           
manifestations4 ,if we understand why we
 ought to forgive1 and what forgiveness 
is1 we shall not say1 ',how often8' ,the
 question will have answered itself4  ,i
 turn to the parable rather than the    
words which ,i have read as our         
starting-point1 to seek to bring out the
 lessons which it contains in regard to 
our relations to ,god1 and to one       
another4 ,there are three sections in   
it3 the king and his debtor2 the        
forgiven debtor and his debtor2 and the 

forgiven debtor unforgiven because      
unforgiving4 ,and if we look at these   
three points ,i think we shall get the  
lessons intended4  ,i4 ,the king and his
 debtor4  ,a certain king has servants1 
whom he gathers together to give in     
their reckoning4 ,and one of them is    
brought that owes him ten thousand      
talents4 ,now1 it is to be noticed at   
the very outset that the analogy between
 debt and sin1 though real1 is extremely
 imperfect4 ,no metaphor of that sort   
goes on all fours1 and there has been a 
great deal of harm done to theology and 
to evangelical religion by carrying out 
too completely the analogy between money
 debts and our sins against ,god4 ,but  
although the analogy is imperfect1 it is
 very real4 ,the first point that is to 
be brought out in this first part of the
 parable is the immense magnitude of    
every man's transgressions against ,god4
 ,numismatists and arithmeticians may   
jangle about the precise amount         
represented by the thousand talents4 ,it

 differs according to the talent which  
is taken as the basis of the            
calculation4 ,there were several talents
 in use in the currency of ancient days4
 ,but the very point of the expression  
is not the specification of an exact    
amount1 but the use of a round number   
which is to suggest an undefined        
magnitude4 ',ten thousand talents1'     
according to one estimate1 is some two  
millions and a quarter of pounds        
sterling4  ,but ,i would point out that 
the amount is stated in terms of        
talents1 and any talent is a large sum2 
and there are ten thousand of these2 and
 the reason why the account is made out 
in terms of talents1 the largest        
denomination in the currency of the     
period1 is because every sin against    
,god is a great sin4 ,he being what ,he 
is1 and we being what we are1 and sin   
being what it is1 every sin is large1   
although the deed which embodies it may 
be1 when measured by the world's        
foot-rule1 very small4 ,for the essence 

of sin is rebellion against ,god and the
 enthroning of self as ,his victorious  
rival2 and all rebellion is rebellion1  
whether it is found in arms in the      
field1 or whether it is simply sulkily  
refusing obedience and cherishing       
thoughts of treason4 ,we are always apt 
to go wrong in our estimate of the great
 and small in human actions1 and1       
although the terms of magnitude do not  
apply properly to moral questions at    
all1 there is no more conspicuous misuse
 of language than when we speak of      
anything which has in it the virus of   
rebellion against ,god1 and the breach  
of ,his law1 as being a small sin4 ,it  
may be a small act2 it is a great sin4  
,little rattlesnakes are snakes2 they   
have rattles and poison fangs as really 
as the most monstrous of the brood that 
coils and hisses in some cave4 ,so the  
account is made out in terms of talents1
 because every sin is a great one4 ,i   
need not dwell upon the numerousness    
that is suggested4 ',ten thousand' is   

the natural current expression for a    
number that is not innumerable1 but is  
only known to be very great4 ,the       
psalmist says3 ',they are more than the 
hairs of my head4' ,how many hairs had  
you in your head1 ,david8 ,do you know8 
',no6' ,and how many sins have you      
committed8 ,do you know8 ',no6' ,the    
number is beyond count by us1 though it 
may be counted by ,him against whom they
 are done4 ,do you believe that about   
yourself1 my friend1 that the debit side
 of your account has filled all the page
 and has to be carried forward on to    
another8 ,do we any of us realise1 as we
 all of us ought to do1 the infinite    
number1 and the transcendent greatness1 
of our transgressions against the       
,father8  ,but the next point to be     
noticed is the stern legal right of the 
creditor4 ,it sounds harsh1 cruel1      
almost brutal1 that the man and his wife
 and his children should be sold into   
slavery1 and all that he had should be  
taken from him1 in order to go some     

little way towards the reduction of the 
enormous debt that he owed4 ,christ puts
 in that harsh and apparently cruel     
conduct in the story1 not to suggest    
that it was harsh and cruel1 but because
 it was according to the law of the     
time4 ,a recognised legal right was     
exercised by the creditor when he said1 
',take him2 sell him for a slave1 and   
bring me what he fetches in the open    
markets4' ,so that we have here         
suggested the solemn thought of the     
right that divine justice1 acting       
according to strict retributive law1 has
 over each of us4 ,our own consciences  
attest it as perfectly within the scope 
of the divine retributive justice that  
our enormous sin should bring down a    
tremendous punishment4  ,i said that the
 analogy between sin and debt was a very
 imperfect one4 ,it is imperfect in     
regard to one point--viz4 the           
implication of other people in the      
consequences of the man's evil2 for     
although it is quite true that 'the evil

 that men do lives after them1 and      
spreads far beyond their sight1 and     
involves many people1 no other is       
amenable to divine justice for the      
sinner's debt4 ,it is quite true that1  
when we do an evil action1 we never can 
tell how far its wind-borne seeds may be
 carried1 or where they may alight1 or  
what sort of unwholesome fruit they may 
bear1 or who may be poisoned by them2   
but1 on the other hand1 we1 and we only1
 are responsible for our individual     
transgressions against ,god4 ',if thou  
be wise1 thou shalt be wise for thyself2
 and if thou scornest1 thou alone shalt 
bear it4'  ,the same imperfection in the
 analogy applies to the next point in   
the parable--viz4 the bankrupt debtor's 
prayer1 ',have patience with me1 and ,i 
will pay thee all4' ,easy to promise6 ,i
 wonder how long it would have taken a  
penniless bankrupt to scrape together   
two and a quarter millions of pounds8   
,he said a great deal more than he could
 make good4 ,but the language of his    

prayer is by no means the language that 
becomes a penitent at ,god's throne4 ,we
 have not to offer to make future       
satisfaction4 ,no6 that is impossible4  
',what ,i have written ,i have written1'
 and the page1 with all its smudges and 
blots and misshapen letters1 cannot be  
made other than it is by any future     
pages fairly written4 ,no future        
righteousness has any power to affect   
the guilt of past sin4 ,there is one    
thing that does discharge the writing   
from the page4 ,do you remember ,paul's 
words1 'blotting out the handwriting    
that was against us--nailing it to ,his 
,cross'8 ,you sometimes dip your pens   
into red ink1 and run a couple of lines 
across the page of an account that is   
done with4 ,jesus ,christ does the same 
across our account1 and the debt is     
non-existent1 because ,he has died4     
,but the prayer is the expression1 if   
not of penitence yet of petition1 and   
all the stern rigour of the law's       
requirement at once melts away1 and the 

king who1 in the former words1 seemed so
 harsh1 now is almost incredibly        
merciful4 ,for he not only cancels the  
debt1 but sets the man free4 ',thy ways 
are not as our ways2 444 as the heavens 
are higher than the earth1 so great is  
,his mercy toward' the sinful soul4     
,,ii4 ,so much1 then1 for the first part
 of this parable4 ,now a word as to the 
second1 the forgiven debtor and his     
debt4  ,our ,lord uses in the #bgth and 
#bhth verses of our text the same       
expression very significantly and       
emphatically4 ',the lord of that servant
 was moved with compassion4' ,and then  
again1 in the #bhth verse1 ',but that   
servant went out and found one of his   
fellow-servants4' ,the repetition of the
 same phrase hooks the two halves       
together1 emphasises the identity of the
 man1 and the difference of his         
demeanour1 on the two occasions4  ,the  
conduct described is almost impossibly  
disgusting and truculent4 ',he found his
 fellow-servant1 who owed him a hundred 

pence'--some three pounds1 ten          
shillings--and with the hands that a    
minute before had been wrung in agony1  
and extended in entreaty1 he throttled  
him2 and with the voice that had been   
plaintively pleading for mercy a minute 
before1 he gruffly growled1 ',pay me    
that thou owest4' ,he had just come     
through an agony of experience that     
might have made him tender4 ,he had just
 received a blessing that might have    
made his heart glow4 ,but even the      
repetition of his own petition does not 
touch him1 and when the poor            
fellow-servant1 with his paltry debt1   
says1 ',have patience with me1 and ,i   
will pay thee all1' it avails nothing4  
,he durst not sell his fellow-servant4  
,god's rights over a man are more than  
any man's over another4 ,but he does    
what he can4 ,he will not do much       
towards recouping himself of his loan by
 flinging the poor debtor into prison1  
but if he cannot get his ducats he will 
gloat over his 'pound of flesh4' ,so he 

hurries him off to gaol4  ,could a man  
have done like that8 ,ah6 brethren1 the 
things that would be monstrous in our   
relations to one another are common in  
our relations to ,god4 ,every day we    
see1 and1 alas6 do1 the very same thing1
 in our measure and degree4 ,do you     
never treasure up somebody's slights8   
,do you never put away in a pigeon-hole 
for safe-keeping1 endorsed with the     
doer's name on the back of it1 the      
record of some trivial offence against  
you8 ,it is but as a penny against a    
talent1 for the worst that any of us can
 do to another is nothing as compared   
with what many of us have been doing all
 our lives toward ,god4 ,i dare say that
 some of us will go out from this place1
 and the next man that we meet that     
'rubs us the wrong way1' or does us any 
harm1 we shall score down his act       
against him with as implacable and      
unmerciful an unforgivingness as that of
 this servant in the parable4 ,do not   
believe that he was a monster of        

iniquity4 ,he was just like us4 ,we all 
of us have one human heart1 and this    
man's crime is but too natural to us    
all4 ,the essence of it was that having 
been forgiven1 he did not forgive4  ,so1
 then1 our ,lord here implies the       
principle that ,god's mercy to us is to 
set the example to which our dealings   
with others is to be conformed4 ',even  
as ,i had mercy on thee' plainly        
proposes that miracle of divine         
forgiveness as our pattern as well as   
our hope4 ,the world's morality         
recognises the duty of forgiveness4     
,christ shows us ,god's forgiveness as  
at once the model which is the perfect  
realisation of the idea in its          
completeness and inexhaustibleness1 and 
also the motive which1 brought into our 
experience1 inclines and enables us to  
forgive4  ,,iii4 ,and now ,i come to the
 last point of the text--the debtor who 
had been forgiven falling back into the 
ranks of the unforgiven1 because he does
 not forgive4  ,the fellow-servants were

 very much disgusted1 no doubt4 ,our    
consciences work a great deal more      
rapidly1 and rigidly1 about other       
people's faults than they do about our  
own4 ,and nine out of ten of these      
fellow-servants that were very sorry1   
and ran and told the king1 would have   
done exactly the same thing themselves4 
,the king1 for the first time1 is wroth4
 ,we do not read that he was so before1 
when the debt only was in question2 but 
such unforgiving harshness1 after the   
experience of such merciful forgiveness1
 rouses his righteous indignation4 ,the 
unmercifulness of ,christian people is a
 worse sin than many a deed that goes by
 very ugly names amongst men4 ,and so   
the judgment that falls upon this       
evil-doer1 who1 by his truculence to his
 fellow-servant1 had betrayed the       
baseness of his nature and the          
ingratitude of his heart1 is1 ',put him 
back where he was6 ,tie the two and a   
quarter millions round his neck again6  
,let us see what he will do by way of   

discharging it now6'  ,now1 do not let  
any theological systems prevent you from
 recognising the solemn truth that      
underlies that representation1 that     
there may be things in the hearts and   
conduct of forgiven ,christians which   
may cancel the cancelling of their debt1
 and bring it all back again4 ,no man   
can cherish the malicious disposition   
that treasures up offences against      
himself1 and at the same moment feel    
that the divine love is wrapping him    
round in its warm folds4 ,if we are to  
retain our consciousness of having been 
forgiven by ,god1 and received into the 
amplitude of ,his heart1 we must1 in our
 measure and degree1 imitate that on    
which we trust1 and be mirrors of the   
divine mercy which we say has saved us4 
,our parable lays equal stress on two   
things4 ,first1 that the foundation of  
all real mercifulness in men is the     
reception of forgiving mercy from ,god4 
,we must have experienced it before we  
can exercise it4 ,and1 second1 we must  

exercise it1 if we desire to continue to
 experience it4 ',blessed are the       
merciful1 for they shall obtain mercy4' 
,that applies to ,christian people4 ,but
 behind that there lies the other truth1
 that in order to be merciful we must   
first of all have received the initial  
mercy of cancelled transgression4  ,so1 
dear friends1 here are the two lessons  
for every one of us4 ,first1 to         
recognise our debt1 and go to ,him in   
whom ,god is well pleased1 for its      
abolishment and forgiveness2 and then to
 go out into the world1 and live like   
,him1 and show to others love kindled by
 and kindred to that to which we trust  
for our own salvation4 ',be ye therefore
 imitators of ,god1 as beloved children1
 and walk in love1 as ,god also hath    
loved us4'     ,,the ,,requirements ,,of
 ,,the ,,king       ',and1 behold1 one  
came and said unto ,him1 ,good ,master1 
what good thing shall ,i do1 that ,i may
 have eternal     life8 #ag4 ,and ,he   
said unto him1 ,why callest thou ,me    

good8 there is none good but ,one1 that 
is1 ,god3 but     if thou wilt enter    
into life1 keep the commandments4       
#ah4 ,he saith unto ,him1 ,which8 ,jesus
 said1 ,thou shalt     do no murder1    
,thou shalt not commit adultery1 ,thou  
shalt not steal1 ,thou shalt not bear   
false witness1     #ai4 ,honour thy     
father and thy mother3 and1 ,thou shalt 
love thy neighbour as thyself4 #bj4 ,the
 young man saith     unto ,him1 ,all    
these things have ,i kept from my youth 
up3 what lack ,i yet8 #ba4 ,jesus said  
unto him1 ,if thou     wilt be perfect1 
go and sell that thou hast1 and give    
to the poor1 and thou shalt have        
treasure in heaven3     and come and    
follow ,me4 #bb4 ,but when the young man
     heard that saying1 he went away    
sorrowful3 for he had     great         
possessions4 #bc4 ,then said ,jesus unto
 ,his     disciples1 ,verily ,i say unto
 you1 ,that a rich man shall     hardly 
enter into the kingdom of heaven4 #bd4  
,and again     ,i say unto you1 ,it is  

easier for a camel to go through     the
 eye of a needle1 than for a rich man to
 enter into     the kingdom of ,god4    
#be4 ,when ,his disciples heard it1     
they were exceedingly amazed1 saying1   
,who then can be     saved8 #bf4 ,but   
,jesus beheld them1 and said unto them1 
,with men this is impossible2 but with  
,god all things     are                 
possible4'--,,matt4 xix4 #af-bf4  ,we   
have here one of the saddest stories in 
the gospels4 ,it is a true soul's       
tragedy4 ,the young man is in earnest1  
but his earnestness has not volume and  
force enough to float him over the bar4 
,he wishes to have some great thing     
bidden him to do1 but he recoils from   
the sharp test which ,christ imposes4   
,he truly wants the prize1 but the cost 
is too great2 and yet he wishes it so   
much that he goes away without it in    
deep sorrow1 which perhaps1 at another  
day1 ripened into the resolve which then
 was too high for him4 ,there is a      
certain severity in our ,lord's tone1 an

 absence of recognition of the much good
 in the young man1 and a naked          
stringency in ,his demand from him1     
which sound almost harsh1 but which are 
set in their true light by ,mark's note1
 that ,jesus 'loved him1' and therefore 
treated him thus4 ,the truest way to    
draw ingenuous souls is not to flatter1 
nor to make entrance easy by dropping   
the standard or hiding the requirements1
 but to call out all their energy by    
setting before them the lofty ideal4    
,easy-going disciples are easily        
made--and lost4 ,thorough-going ones are
 most surely won by calling for entire  
surrender4  ,i4 ,we may gather together 
the earlier part of the conversation1 as
 introductory to the ,lord's requirement
 7vs4 #af-bj71 in which we have the     
picture of a real though imperfect moral
 earnestness1 and may note how ,christ  
deals with it4 ,matthew tells us that   
the questioner was young and rich4 ,luke
 adds that he was a 'ruler'--a synagogue
 official1 that is--which was unusual   

for a young man1 and indicates that his 
legal blamelessness was recognised4     
,mark adds one of his touches1 which are
 not only picturesque1 but              
character-revealing1 by the information 
that he came 'running' to ,jesus in the 
way1 so eager was he1 and fell at ,his  
feet1 so reverential was he4 ,his first 
question is singularly compacted of good
 and error4 ,the fact that he came to   
,christ for a purely religious purpose1 
not seeking personal advantage for      
himself or for others1 like the crowds  
who followed for loaves and cures1 nor  
laying traps for ,him with puzzles which
 might entangle ,him with the           
authorities1 nor asking theological     
questions for curiosity1 but honestly   
and earnestly desiring to be helped to  
lay hold of eternal life1 is to be put  
down to his credit4 ,he is right in     
counting it the highest blessing4       
,where had he got hold of the thought of
 'eternal life'8 ,it was miles above the
 dusty speculations and casuistries of  

the rabbis4 ,probably from ,christ      
,himself4 ,he was right in recognising  
that the conditions of possessing it    
were moral1 but his conception of 'good'
 was superficial1 and he thought more of
 doing good than of being good1 and of  
the desired life as payment for         
meritorious actions4 ,in a word1 he     
stood at the point of view of the old   
dispensation4 ',this do1 and thou shalt 
live1' was his belief2 and what he      
wished was further instruction as to    
what 'this' was4 ,he was to be praised  
in that he docilely brought his question
 to ,jesus1 even though1 as ,christ's   
answer shows1 there was error mingling  
in his docility4 ,such is the           
character--a young man1 rich1           
influential1 touched with real longings 
for the highest life1 ready1 so far as  
he knows himself1 to do whatever he is  
bidden1 in order to secure it4  ,we     
might have expected ,christ1 who opened 
,his arms wide for publicans and        
harlots1 to have welcomed this fair1    

ingenuous seeker with some kindly word4 
,but ,he has none for him4 ,we adopt the
 reading of the ,revised ,version1 in   
which our ,lord's first word is         
repellent4 ,it is in effect--',there is 
no need for your question1 which answers
 itself4 ,there is one good ,being1 the 
source and type of every good thing1 and
 therefore the good1 which you ask      
about1 can only be conformity to ,his   
will4 ,you need not come to ,me to know 
what you are to do4' ,he relegates the  
questioner1 not to his own conscience1  
but to the authoritative revealed will  
of ,god in the law4 ,modern views of    
,christ's work1 which put all its stress
 on the perfection of ,his moral        
character1 and ,his office as a pattern 
of righteousness1 may well be rebuked by
 the fact that ,he expressly disclaimed 
this character1 and declared that1 if   
,he was only to be regarded as          
republishing the law of human conduct1  
,his work was needless4 ,men have enough
 knowledge of what they must do to enter

 into life1 without ,jesus ,christ4 ,no 
doubt1 ,christ's moral teaching         
transcends that given of old2 but ,his  
special work was not to tell men what to
 do1 but to make it possible for them to
 do it2 to give1 not the law1 but the   
power1 both the motive and the impulse1 
which will fulfil the law4 ,on another  
occasion ,he answered a similar question
 in a different manner4 ,when the ,jews 
asked ,him1 ',what must we do1 that we  
may work the works of ,god8' ,he replied
 by the plain evangelical statement3    
',this is the work of ,god1 that ye     
believe on ,him whom ,he hath sent4'    
,why did ,he not answer the young ruler 
thus8 ,only because ,he knew that he    
needed to be led to that thought by     
having his own self-complacency         
shattered1 and the clinging of his soul 
to earth laid bare4 ,the whole treatment
 of him here is meant to bring him to   
the apprehension of faith as preceding  
all truly good work4  ,the young man's  
second question says a great deal in its

 one word4 ,it indicates astonishment at
 being remanded to these old1 well-worn 
precepts1 and might be rendered1 ',what 
sort of commandments8' as if taking it  
for granted that they must be new and   
peculiar4 ,it is the same spirit as that
 which in all ages has led men who with 
partial insight longed after eternal    
life1 to seek it by fantastic and       
unusual roads of extraordinary          
sacrifices or services--the spirit which
 filled monasteries1 and invented hair  
shirts1 and fastings1 and swinging with 
hooks in your back at ,hindoo festivals4
 ,the craving for more than ordinary    
'good works' shows a profound mistake in
 the estimate of the ordinary1 and a    
fatal blunder as to the relation between
 'goodness' and 'eternal life4'  ,so    
,christ answers the question by quoting 
the second half of the ,decalogue1 which
 deals with the homeliest duties1 and   
appending to it the summary of the law1 
which requires love to our neighbour as 
to ourselves4 ,why does ,he omit the    

earlier half8 ,probably because ,he     
would meet the error of the question1 by
 presenting only the plainest1 most     
familiar commandments1 and because ,he  
desired to excite the consciousness of  
deficiency1 which could be most easily  
done in connection with these4  ,there  
is a touch of impatience in the         
rejoinder1 ',all these have ,i kept1'   
and more than a touch of                
self-satisfaction4 ,the law has failed  
to accomplish one of its chief purposes 
in the young man1 in that it has not    
taught him his sinfulness4 ,no doubt he 
had a right to say that his outward life
 had been free from breaches of such    
very elementary morality which any old  
woman could have taught him4 ,he had    
never gone below the surface of the     
commandments1 nor below the surface of  
his acts1 or he would not have answered 
so jauntily4 ,he had yet to learn that  
the height of 'goodness' is reached1 not
 by adding some strange new performances
 to the threadbare precepts of everyday 

duty1 but by digging deep into these1   
and bottoming the fabric of our lives on
 their inmost spirit4 ,he had yet to    
learn that whoever says1 ',all these    
have ,i kept1' thereby convicts himself 
of understanding neither them nor       
himself4  ,still he was not at rest1    
although he had1 as he fancied1 kept    
them all4 ,his last question is a       
plaintive1 honest acknowledgment of the 
hungry void within1 which no round of   
outward obediences can ever fill4 ,he   
knows that he has not the inner fountain
 springing up into eternal life4 ,he is 
dimly aware of something wanting1       
whether in his obedience or no1 at all  
events in his peace2 and he is right in 
believing that the reason for that      
conscious void is something wanting in  
his conduct4 ,but he will not learn what
 ,christ has been trying to teach him1  
that he needs no new commandment1 but a 
deeper understanding and keeping of the 
old4 ,hence his question1 half a wail of
 a hungry heart1 half petulant          

impatience with ,christ's reiteration of
 obvious duties4 ,there are multitudes  
of this kind in all ages1 honestly      
wishing to lay hold of eternal life1    
able to point to virtuous conduct1      
anxious to know and do anything lacking1
 and yet painfully certain that         
something is wanting somewhere4  ,,ii4  
,now comes the sharp-pointed test1 which
 pricks the brilliant bubble4 ,mark     
tells us that ,jesus accompanied ,his   
word with one of those looks which      
searched a soul1 and bore ,his love into
 it4 ',if thou wouldest be perfect1'    
takes up the confession of something    
'lacking1' and shows what that is4 ,it  
is unnecessary to remark that this      
commandment to sell all and give to the 
poor is intended only for the individual
 case4 ,no other would-be disciple was  
called upon to do so4 ,it cannot be     
meant for others2 for1 if all were      
sellers1 where would the buyers be8 ,nor
 need we do more than point out that the
 command of renunciation is only half of

 ,christ's answer1 the other being1     
',come1 follow ,me4' ,but we are not to 
slide easily over the precept with the  
comfortable thought that it was special 
treatment for a special case4 ,the      
principle involved in it is medicine for
 all1 and the only way of healing for   
any4 ,this man was tied to earth by the 
cords of his wealth4 ,they did not      
hinder him from keeping the             
commandments1 for he had no temptations 
to murder1 or adultery1 or theft1 or    
neglect of parents4 ,but they did hinder
 him from giving his whole self up1 and 
from regarding eternal life as the most 
precious of all things4 ,therefore for  
him there was no safety short of entire 
outward denuding himself of them2 and1  
if he was in earnest out and out in his 
questions1 here was a new thing for him 
to do4 ,others are hindered by other    
things1 and they are called to abandon  
these4 ,the one thing needful for       
entrance into life is at bottom         
self-surrender1 and the casting away of 

all else for its sovereign sake4 ',i do 
count them but dung' must be the        
language of every one who will win      
,christ4 ,the hands must be emptied of  
treasures1 and the heart swept clear of 
lesser loves1 if ,he is to be grasped by
 our hands1 and to dwell in our hearts4 
,more of us than we are willing to      
believe are kept from entire surrender  
to ,jesus ,christ1 by money and worldly 
possessions2 and many professing        
,christians are kept shrivelled and weak
 and joyless because they love their    
wealth more than their ,lord1 and would 
think it madness to do as this man was  
bidden to do4 ,when ballast is thrown   
out1 the balloon shoots up4 ,a general  
unlading of the 'thick clay' which      
weighs down the ,christian life of      
,england1 would let thousands soar to   
heights which they will never reach as  
long as they love money and what it buys
 as much as they do4 ,the letter of this
 commandment may be only applicable in a
 special case 7though1 perhaps1 this one

 young man was not the only human being 
that ever needed this treatment71 but   
the spirit is of universal application4 
,no man enters into life who does not   
count all things but loss1 and does not 
die to them all1 that he may follow     
,christ4  ,,iii4 ,then comes the        
collapse of all the enthusiasm4 ,the    
questioner's earnestness chills at the  
touch of the test4 ,what has become of  
the eagerness which brought him running 
to ,jesus1 and of the willingness to do 
any hard task to which he was set8 ,it  
was real1 but shallow4 ,it deceived     
himself4 ,but ,christ's words cut down  
to the inner man1 and laid bare for his 
own inspection the hard core of selfish 
worldliness which lay beneath4 ,how many
 radiant enthusiasms1 which cheat their 
subjects quite as much as their         
beholders1 disappear like tinted mist   
when the hard facts of self-sacrifice   
strike against them6 ,how much sheer    
worldliness disguises itself from itself
 and from others in glistering garments 

of noble sentiments1 which fall at a    
touch when real giving up is called for1
 and show the ugly thing below6 ,how    
much 'religion' goes about the world1   
and gets made 'a ruler' of the synagogue
 in recognition of its excellence1 which
 needs but this ,ithuriel's spear to    
start up in its own shape6 ,the         
completeness  and immediateness of the  
collapse are noticeable4 ,the young man 
seems to speak no word1 and to take no  
time for reflection4 ,he stands for a   
moment as if stunned1 and then silently 
turns away4 ,what a moment6 his fate    
hung on it4 ,once more we see the awful 
mystery enacted before our eyes1 of a   
soul gathering up its power to put away 
life4 ,who will say that the decision of
 a moment1 which is the outcome of all  
the past1 may not fix the whole future8 
,this man had never before been         
consciously brought to the fork in the  
road2 but now the two ways are before   
him1 and1 knowingly1 he chooses the     
worse4 ,christ did not desire him to do 

so2 but ,he did desire that he should   
choose1 and should know that he did4 ,it
 was the truest kindness to tear away   
the veil of surface goodness which hid  
him from himself1 and to force him to a 
conscious decision4  ,one sign of grace 
he does give1 in that he went away      
'sorrowful4' ,he is not angry nor       
careless4 ,he cannot see the fair       
prospect of the eternal life1 which he  
had in some real fashion desired1 fade  
away1 without a pang4 ,if he goes back  
to the world1 he goes back feeling more 
acutely than ever that it cannot satisfy
 him4 ,he loves it too well to give it  
up1 but not enough to feel that it is   
enough4 ,surely1 in coming days1 that   
godly sorrow would work a change of the 
foolish choice1 and we may hope that he 
found no rest till he cast away all else
 to make ,christ his own4 ,a soul which 
has travelled as far on the road to life
 eternal as this man had done1 can      
scarcely thereafter walk the broad road 
of selfishness and death with entire    

satisfaction4  ,,iv4 ,the section closes
 with ,christ's comment on the sad      
incident4 ,he speaks no word of         
condemnation1 but passes at once from   
the individual to the general lesson of 
the difficulty which rich men 7or1 as   
,he explains it in ,mark1 men who 'trust
 in riches'7 have in entering the       
kingdom4 ,the reflection breathes a tone
 of pity1 and is not so much blame as a 
merciful recognition of special         
temptations which affect ,his judgment1 
and should modify ours4 ,a camel with   
its great body1 long neck1 and hump1    
struggling to get through a needle's    
eye1 is their emblem4 ,it is a new thing
 to pity rich men1 or to think of their 
wealth as disqualifying them for        
anything4 ,the disciples1 with childish 
navet1 wonder4 ,we may wonder that they 
wondered4 ,they could not understand    
what sort of a kingdom it was into which
 capitalists would find entrance        
difficult4 ,all doors fly open for them 
to-day1 as then4 ,they do not find much 

difficulty in getting into the church1  
however hard it may be to get into the  
kingdom4 ,but it still remains true that
 the man who has wealth has a hindrance 
to his religious character1 which1 like 
all hindrances1 may be made a help by   
the use he makes of it2 and that the man
 who trusts in riches1 which he who     
possesses them is wofully likely to do1 
has made the hindrance into a barrier   
which he cannot pass4  ,that is a lesson
 which commercial nations1 like         
,england1 have need to lay to heart1 not
 as a worn-out saying of the ,bible1    
which means very little for us1 but as  
heavy with significance1 and pointing to
 the special dangers which beset        
,christian perfection4  ,so real is the 
peril of riches1 that ,christ would have
 ,his disciples regard the victory over 
it as beyond our human power1 and       
beckons us away from the effort to      
overcome the love of the world in our   
strength1 pointing us to ,god1 in whose 
mighty grace1 breathed into our feeble  

wills and treacherous hearts1 is the    
only force which can overcome the       
attraction of perishable riches1 and    
make any of us willing or able to       
renounce them all that we may win       
,christ4 ,the young ruler had just shown
 that 'with men this is impossible4'    
,perhaps he still lingered near enough  
to catch the assurance that the         
surrender1 which had been too much for  
him to achieve1 might yet be joyfully   
made1 since 'with ,god all things are   
possible4'     ,,nearest ,,to ,,christ  
',to sit on ,my right hand1 and on ,my  
left1 is not ,mine     to give1 but it  
shall be given to them for whom it is   
prepared of ,my ,father4'--,,matt4 xx4  
#bc4  ,you will observe that an         
unusually long supplement is inserted by
 our translators in this verse4 ,that   
supplement is quite unnecessary1 and1 as
 is sometimes the case1 is even worse   
than unnecessary4 ,it positively        
obscures the true meaning of the words  
before us4  ,as they stand in our       

,bibles1 the impression that they leave 
upon one's mind is that ,christ in them 
abjures the power of giving to ,his     
disciples their places in the kingdom of
 heaven1 and declares that it belongs   
not to ,his function1 but relegates it1 
to ,his own exclusion1 to the ,father2  
whereas what ,he says is the very       
opposite of this4 ,he does not put aside
 the granting of places at ,his right   
hand or ,his left as not being within   
,his province1 but ,he states the       
principles and conditions on which ,he  
does make such a grant1 and so is really
 claiming it as in ,his province4 ,all  
that would have been a great deal       
clearer if our translators had been     
contented to render the words that they 
found before them in the ,book1 without 
addition1 and to read1 ',to sit on ,my  
right hand1 and on ,my left1 is not     
,mine to give1 but to them for whom it  
is prepared of ,my ,father4'  ,another  
introductory remark may be made1 to the 
effect that our ,lord does not put aside

 this prayer of ,his apostles as if they
 were seeking an impossible thing4 ,it  
is never safe1 ,i know1 to argue from   
the silence of ,scripture4 ,there may be
 many reasons for that silence beyond   
our ken in any given case2 but still it 
does strike one as noteworthy that1 when
 this fond mother and her ambitious sons
 came with their prayer for pre-eminence
 in ,his kingdom1 our ,lord did not     
answer what would have been so obvious  
to answer if it had been true1 ',you are
 asking a thing which cannot be granted 
to anybody1 for they are all upon one   
level in that kingdom of the heavens4'  
,he says by implication the very        
opposite4 ,not only does ,his silence   
confirm their belief that when ,he came 
in ,his glory1 some would be closer to  
,his side than others2 but the plain    
statement of the text is that1 in the   
depth of the eternal counsels1 and by   
the preparation of divine grace1 there  
were thrones nearest to ,his own which  
some men should fill4 ,he does not say1 

',you are asking what cannot be4' ,he   
does say1 ',there are men for whom it is
 prepared of ,my ,father4'  ,and then1  
still further1 ,jesus does not condemn  
the prayer as indicating a wrong state  
of mind on the part of ,james and ,john1
 though good and bad were strangely     
mingled in it4 ,we are told nowadays    
that it is a very selfish thing1 far    
below the lofty height to which our     
transcendental teachers have attained1  
to be heartened and encouraged1         
strengthened and quickened1 by the      
prospect of the crown and the rest that 
remain for the people of ,god4 ,if so1  
,christ ought to have turned round to   
these men1 and have rebuked the passion 
for reward1 which1 according to this new
 light1 is so unworthy and so low4 ,but1
 instead of that1 ,he confines ,himself 
to explaining the conditions on which   
the fulfilment of the desire is         
possible1 and by implication permits and
 approves the desire4 ',you want to sit 
on ,my right hand and on ,my left1 do   

you8 ,then be it so4 ,you may do so if  
you like4 ,are you ready to accept the  
conditions8 ,it is well that you should 
want it1--not for the sake of being     
above your brethren1 but for the sake of
 being nearest to ,me4 ,hearken6 ,are ye
 able to drink of the cup that ,i shall 
drink of8' ,they say unto ,him 7and ,i  
do not know that there are anywhere     
grander words than the calm1 swift1     
unhesitating1 modest1 and yet confident 
answer of these two men71 ',we are      
able4' ',you shall have your desire if  
you fulfil the conditions4 ,it is given 
to them for whom it is prepared of ,my  
,father4'  ,i4 ,so1 then1 if we rightly 
understand these words1 and take them   
without the unfortunate comment which   
our translators have inserted1 they     
contain1 first1 the principle that some 
will be nearer ,christ than others in   
that heavenly kingdom4  ,as ,i have     
said1 the words of our ,lord do not     
merely imply1 by the absence of all hint
 that these disciples' petition was     

impossible1 the existence of degrees    
among the subjects of ,his heavenly     
kingdom1 but articulately affirm that   
such variety is provided for by the     
preparation of the ,father4 ,probably   
the two brothers thought that they were 
only asking for preeminence in an       
earthly kingdom1 and had no idea that   
their prayer pointed beyond the grave2  
but that confusion of thought could not 
be cured in their then stage of growth1 
and our ,lord therefore leaves it       
untouched4 ,but the other error1 if it  
were an error1 was of a different kind1 
and might1 for aught that one sees1 have
 been set right in a moment4 ,instead of
 which the answer adopts it1 and seems  
to set ,christ's own confirmation on it1
 as being no ,jewish dream1 but a truth4
  ,they were asking for earth4 ,he      
answers--for heaven4 ,he leaves them to 
learn in after days--when the one was   
slain with the sword1 first martyr among
 the apostles1 and the other lived to   
see them all pass to their thrones1     

while he remained the 'companion in     
tribulation' of the second generation of
 the ,church--how far off was the       
fulfilment which they fancied so near4  
,we need not be surprised that so large 
a truth should be spoken by ,christ so  
quietly1 and as it were incidentally4   
,for that is in keeping with ,his whole 
tone when speaking of the unseen world4 
,one knows not whether to wonder more at
 the decisive authority with which ,he  
tells us of that mysterious region1 or  
at the small space which such           
revelations occupy in ,his words4 ,there
 is an air of simplicity and            
unconsciousness1 and withal of          
authority1 and withal of divine         
reticence about them all1 which are in  
full harmony with the belief that       
,christ speaking of heaven speaks of    
that ,he knows1 and testifies that ,he  
hath seen4  ,that truth to which1 as we 
think1 our ,lord's words here inevitably
 lead1 is distinctly taught in many     
other places of ,scripture4 ,we should  

have had less difficulty about it1 and  
should have felt more what a solemn and 
stimulating thought it is1 if we had    
tried a little more than most of us do  
to keep clear before us what really is  
the essential of that future life1 what 
is the lustre of its light1 the heaven  
of heaven1 the glory of the glory4 ,men 
talk about physical theories of another 
life4 ,i suppose they are possible4     
,they seem to me infinitely unimportant4
 ,warm imaginations1 working by sense1  
write books about a future state which  
wonderfully succeed in making it real by
 making it earthly4 ,some of them read  
more like a book of travels in this     
world than forecastings of the next4    
,they may be true or not4 ,it does not  
matter one whit4 ,i believe that heaven 
is a place4 ,i believe that the         
corporeity of our future life is        
essential to the perfection of it4 ,i   
believe that ,christ wears1 and will    
wear for ever1 a glorified human body4  
,i believe that that involves locality1 

circumstance1 external occupations2 and 
,i say1 all that being so1 and in its   
own place very important1 yet if we stop
 there1 we have no vision of the real   
light that makes the lustre1 no true    
idea of the glory that makes the        
blessedness4  ,for what is heaven8      
,likeness to ,god1 love1 purity1        
fellowship with ,him2 the condition of  
the spirit and the relation of the soul 
to ,him4 ,the noblest truth about the   
future world flows from the words of our
 ,master--',this is life eternal1 to    
know ,thee1 the only true ,god1 and     
,jesus ,christ whom ,thou hast sent4'   
,not 'this brings'2 not 'this will lead 
up to'2 not 'this will draw after it'2  
but 'this is'2 and whosoever possesses  
that eternal life hath already in him   
the germ of all the glories that are    
round the throne1 and the blessedness   
that fills the hearts of perfected      
spirits4  ,if so1 if already eternal    
life in the bud standeth in the         
knowledge of ,god in ,christ1 what makes

 its fruitage and completeness8 ,surely1
 not physical changes or the            
circumstances of heaven1 at least not   
these primarily1 however much such      
changes and circumstances may subserve  
our blessedness there1 and the          
anticipation of them may help our       
sense-bound hopes here4 ,but the        
completeness of heaven is the completion
 of our knowledge of ,god and ,christ1  
with all the perfecting of spirit which 
that implies and produces4 ,the faith1  
and love1 and happy obedience1 and      
consecration which is calm1 that        
partially occupied and ruled the soul   
here1 are to be thought of as enlarged1 
perfected1 delivered from the           
interruption of opposing thoughts1 of   
sensuous desires1 of selfish purposes1  
of earthly and sinful occupations4 ,and 
that perfect knowledge and perfect union
 and perfect likeness are perfect bliss4
 ,and that bliss is heaven4 ,and if1    
whilst heaven is a place1 the heaven of 
heaven be a state1 then no more words   

are needed to show that1 then1 heaven   
can be no dead level1 nor can all stand 
at the same stage of attainments1 though
 all be perfect2 but that in that solemn
 company of the blessed1 'the spirits of
 just men made perfect1' there are      
indefinitely numerous degrees of        
approximation to the unattainable       
,perfection1 which stretches above them 
all1 and draws them all to itself4 ,we  
have not to think of that future life as
 oppressed1 if ,i may so say1 with the  
unbroken monotony of perfect identity in
 character and attainments4 ,all indeed 
are like one another1 because all are   
like ,jesus1 but that basis of          
similarity does not exclude infinite    
variety4 ,the same glory belongs to     
each1 but it is reflected at differing  
angles and received in divers measures4 
,perfect blessedness will belong to     
each1 but the capacity to receive it    
will differ4 ,there will be the same    
crown on each head1 the same song on    
each lip1 the same fulness of joy       

filling each heart2 but star differeth  
from star1 and the great condition of   
happy intercourse on earth will not be  
wanting in heaven--a deep-seated        
similarity and a superficial diversity4 
,does not the very idea of an endless   
progress in that kingdom involve such   
variety8 ,we do not think of men passing
 into the heavens1 and being perfected  
by a bound so as that there shall be no 
growth4 ,we think of them indeed as     
being perfected up to the height of     
their then capacity1 from the beginning 
of that celestial life1 so as that there
 shall be no sin1 nor any conscious     
incompleteness1 but not so as that there
 shall be no progress4 ,and1 if they    
each grow through all the ages1 and are 
ever coming nearer and nearer to        
,christ1 that seems necessarily to lead 
to the thought that this endless        
progress1 carried on in every spirit1   
will place them at different points of  
approximation to the one centre4 ,as in 
the heavens there are planets that roll 

nearer the central sun1 and others that 
circle farther out from its rays1 yet   
each keeps its course1 and makes music  
as it moves1 as well as planets whose   
broader disc can receive and reflect    
more of the light than smaller sister   
spheres1 and yet each blazes over its   
whole surface and is full to its very   
rim with white light2 so round that     
throne the spirits of the just made     
perfect shall move in order and         
peace--every one blessed1 every one     
perfect1 every one like ,christ at      
first1 and becoming liker through every 
moment of the eternities4 ,each         
perfected soul looking on his brother   
shall see there another phase of the one
 perfectness that blesses and adorns him
 too1 and all taken together shall make 
up1 in so far as finite creatures can   
make up1 the reflection and             
manifestation of the fulness of ,christ4
 ',having then gifts differing according
 to the grace that is given to us' is   
the law for the incompleteness of earth4

 ',having then gifts differing according
 to the glory that is given to us' will 
be the law for the perfection of the    
heavens4 ,there are those for whom it is
 prepared of ,his ,father1 that they    
shall sit in special nearness to ,him4  
,,ii4 ,still further1 these words       
rightly understood assert that truth    
which1 at first sight1 our ,authorised  
,version's rendering seems to make them 
contradict1 viz4 that ,christ is the    
giver to each of these various degrees  
of glory and blessedness4 ',it is not   
,mine to give1 save to them for whom it 
is prepared4' ,then it is ,thine to give
 it to them4 ,to deny or to doubt that  
,christ is the giver of the blessedness1
 whatsoever the blessedness may be1 that
 fills the hearts and souls of the      
redeemed1 is to destroy ,his whole work1
 to destroy all the relations upon which
 our hopes rest1 and to introduce       
confusion and contradiction into the    
whole matter4  ,for ,scripture teaches  
us that ,he is ,god's unspeakable gift2 

that in ,him is given to us everything2 
that ,he is the bestower of all which we
 need2 that 'out of ,his fulness1' as   
one of those two disciples long         
afterwards said1 'all we have received1 
and grace for grace4' ,there is nothing 
within the compass of ,god's love to    
bestow of which ,christ is not the      
giver4 ,there is nothing divine that is 
done in the heavens and the earth1 as ,i
 believe1 of which ,christ is not the   
doer4 ,the representation of ,scripture 
is uniformly that ,he is the medium of  
the activity of the divine nature2 that 
he is the energy of the divine will2    
that ,he is1 to use the metaphor of the 
,old ,testament1 'the arm of the        
,lord'--the forthputting of ,god's      
power2 that ,he is1 to use the profound 
expression of the ,new ,testament1 the  
,word of the ,lord1 cognate with1 and   
the utterance of1 the eternal nature1   
the light that streams from the central 
brightness1 the river that flows from   
the else sealed fountain4 ,as the arm is

 to the body1 and as is the word to the 
soul1 so is ,christ to ,god--the eternal
 divine utterance and manifestation of  
the divine nature4 ,and1 therefore1 to  
speak of anything that a man can need   
and anything that ,god can give as not  
being given by ,christ1 is to strike at 
the very foundation1 not only of our    
hopes1 but at the whole scheme of       
revealed truth4 ,he is the giver of     
heaven and everything else which the    
soul requires4  ,and then1 again1 let me
 remind you that on this matter we are  
not left to such general considerations 
as those that ,i have been suggesting1  
but that the plain statements of        
,scripture do confirm the assertion that
 ,christ is the determiner and the      
bestower of all the differing grades of 
glory and blessedness yonder4 ,for do we
 not read of ,him that ,he is the ,judge
 of the whole earth8 ,do we not read of 
,him that ,his word is acquittal and    
,his frown condemnation--that to 'be    
accepted of ,him' is the highest aim and

 end of the ,christian life8 ,do we not 
read that it is ,he who says1 ',come1 ye
 blessed of ,my ,father1 enter into the 
kingdom prepared for you'8 ,do we not   
read that the apostle1 dying1 solaced   
himself with the thought that 'there was
 laid up for him a crown of glory1 which
 the ,lord1 the righteous ,judge1 would 
give him at that day'8 ,and do we not   
read in the very last book of           
,scripture1 written by one of those two 
brothers1 and containing almost verbal  
reference to the words of my text1 the  
promise seven times spoken from the     
immortal lips of the glorified ,son of  
,man1 walking in the midst of the       
candlesticks1 ',to him that overcometh  
will ,i give'8 ,the fruit of the tree of
 life is plucked by ,his hands for the  
wearied conquerors4 ,the crown of life  
is set by ,him on the faithful          
witnesses' brows4 ,the hidden manna and 
the new name are bestowed by ,him on    
those who hold fast ,his name4 ,it is   
,he who gives the victors kingly power  

over the nations4 ,he clothes in white  
garments those who have not defiled     
their robes4 ,his hand writes upon the  
triumphant foreheads the name of ,god4  
,and highest of all1 beyond which there 
is no bliss conceivable1 ',to him that  
overcometh will ,i grant to sit with ,me
 in ,my throne4'  ,christ is the        
bestower of the royalties of the heavens
 as of the redemptions of earth1 and it 
is ,his to give that which we crave at  
,his hands1 when we ask pardon here and 
glory hereafter4 ',to him that is       
athirst will ,he give of the water of   
life freely1' and to him that overcometh
 will ,he give the crown of glory4      
,,iii4 ,these words lead us1 in the     
third place1 to the further thought1    
that these glorious places are not given
 to mere wishing1 nor by mere arbitrary 
will4  ',you would sit on ,my right hand
 and on ,my left8 ,you think of that    
pre-eminence as conferred because you   
chose to ask it--as given by a piece of 
favouritism4 ,not so4 ,i cannot make a  

man foremost in my kingdom in that      
fashion4 ,there are conditions which    
must precede such an elevation4'  ,and  
there are people who think thus still1  
as if the mere desire1 without anything 
more1 were enough--or as if the         
felicities of the heavenly world were   
dependent solely on ,christ's arbitrary 
will1 and could be bestowed by an       
exercise of mere power1 as an ,eastern  
prince may make this man his vizier and 
that other one his water-carrier4 ,the  
same principles which we have already   
applied to the elucidation of the idea  
of varieties and stages of nearness to  
,christ in ,his heavenly kingdom have a 
bearing on this matter4 ,if we rightly  
understand that the essential           
blessedness of heaven is likeness to    
,christ1 we shall feel that mere wishing
 carries no man thither1 and that mere  
sovereign will and power do not avail to
 set us there4 ,there are conditions    
indispensable1 from the very nature of  
the case1 and unless they are realised  

it is as impossible for us to receive1  
as for ,him to give1 a place at ,his    
side4 ,if1 indeed1 the future           
blessedness consisted in mere external  
circumstances and happier conditions of 
life1 it might be so bestowed4 ,but if  
place and surroundings1 and a more      
exquisite and ethereal frame1 are but   
subordinate sources of it1 and its real 
fountain is union with ,jesus and       
assimilation to ,him1 then something    
else than idle desires must wing the    
soul that soars thither1 and ,his       
transforming grace1 not ,his arbitrary  
will1 must set us at ,his own right hand
 'in the heavenly places4'  ,of all the 
profitless occupations with which men   
waste their lives1 none are more utterly
 useless than wishing without acting4   
,our wishes are meant to impel us to the
 appropriate forms of energy by which   
they can be realised4 ,when a pauper    
becomes a millionaire by sitting and    
vehemently wishing that he were rich1   
when ignorance becomes learning by      

standing in a library and wishing that  
the contents of all these books were in 
its head1 there will be some hope that  
the gates of heaven will fly open to    
your desire4 ,but till then1 'many1 ,i  
say unto you1 shall seek to enter in and
 not be able4' ,many shall seek2 you    
must strive4 ,for wishing is one thing1 
and willing is another1 and doing is yet
 another4 ,and in regard to entrance    
into ,christ's kingdom1 our 'doing' is  
trusting in ,him who has done all for   
us4 ',this is the work of ,god1 that ye 
should believe on ,him whom ,he hath    
sent4' ,does our wish lead us to the    
acceptance of the condition8 ,then it   
will be fulfilled4 ,if not1 it will     
remain fruitless1 will die into apathy1 
or will live as a pang and a curse4     
,you wish1 or fancy you wish1 to pass   
into heaven when you die1 ,i suppose4   
,some of its characteristics attract    
you4 ,you believe in punishment for sin1
 and you would willingly escape that4   
,you believe in a place of rest after   

toil1 of happiness after sorrow1 where  
nipping frosts of disappointment1 and   
wild blasts of calamity1 and slow1      
gnawing decay no more harm and kill your
 joys--and you would like that4 ,but do 
you wish to be pure and stainless1 to   
have your hearts fixed on ,god alone1 to
 have your whole being filled with ,him1
 and emptied of self and sense and sin8 
,the peace of heaven attracts you--but  
its praise repels1 does it not8 ,its    
happiness draws your wishes--does its   
holiness seem inviting8 ,it would be    
joyful to be far away from              
punishment--would it be as joyful to be 
near ,christ8 ,ah6 no2 the wishes lead  
to no resolve1 and therefore to no      
result1 for this among other reasons1   
because they are only kindled by a part 
of the whole1 and are exchanged for     
positive aversion when the real heaven  
of heaven is presented to your thoughts4
 ,many a man who1 by the set of his     
whole life1 is drifting daily nearer and
 nearer to that region of outer         

darkness1 is conscious of an idle wish  
for peace and joy beyond the grave4 ,in 
common matters a man may be devoured by 
vain desires all his lifetime1 because  
he will not pass beyond wishing to      
acting accordingly4 ',the desire of the 
slothful killeth him2 because his hands 
refused to labour1 he coveteth greedily 
all the day long4' ,and with like but   
infinitely more tragical issues do these
 vain wishes for a place in that calm   
world1 where nothing but holiness       
enters1 gnaw at many a soul4 ',let me   
die the death of the righteous1 and let 
my last end be like his1' was the       
aspiration of that ,gentile prophet1    
whose love of the world obscured even   
the prophetic illumination which he     
possessed--and his epitaph is a stern   
comment on the uselessness of such empty
 wishes1 ',balaam1 the son of ,beor1    
they slew with the sword4' ,it needs    
more than a wish to set us at ,christ's 
right hand in ,his kingdom4  ,nor can   
such a place be given by mere arbitrary 

will4 ,christ could not1 if ,he would1  
set a man at ,his right hand whose heart
 was not the home of simple trust and   
thankful love1 whose nature and desires 
were unprepared for that blessed world4 
,it would be like taking one of those   
creatures--if there be such--that live  
on the planet whose orbit is farthest   
from the sun1 accustomed to cold1       
organised for darkness1 and carrying it 
to that great central blaze1 with all   
its fierce flames and tongues of fiery  
gas that shoot up a thousand miles in a 
moment4 ,it would crumble and disappear 
before its blackness could be seen      
against the blaze4  ,his loving will    
embraces us all1 and is the foundation  
of all our hopes4 ,but it had to reach  
its purpose by a bitter road which ,he  
did not shrink from travelling4 ,he     
desires to save us1 and to realise the  
desire ,he had to die4 ',it became ,him 
for whom are all things1 in bringing    
many sons unto glory1 to make the       
,captain of their salvation perfect     

through suffering4' ,what ,he had to do1
 we have to accept4 ,unless we accept   
the mercy of ,god in ,christ1 no wish on
 our parts1 nor any exercise of power on
 ,his1 will carry us to the heaven which
 ,he has died to open1 and of which ,he 
is at once the giver and the gift4      
,,iv4 ,these glorious places are given  
as the result of a divine preparation4  
',to them for whom it is prepared of ,my
 ,father4' ,we have seen that ,christ is
 not to be regarded as abjuring the     
office1 with which ,his disciples'      
confidence led them to invest ,him--that
 of allotting to ,his servants their    
place in ,his kingdom4 ,he neither      
refers it to the ,father without        
,himself1 nor claims it for ,himself    
without the ,father4 ,the living unity  
of will and work which subsists between 
the ,father and the ,son forbids such a 
separation and distribution of office4  
,and that unity is set forth on both its
 sides in ,his own deep words1 ',the    
,son can do nothing of ,himself1 but    

what ,he seeth the ,father do3 for      
whatsoever things ,he doeth1 these also 
doeth the ,son likewise4'  ,so1 then1   
while the gift of thrones at ,his side  
is ,his act and the ,father's1 in like  
manner the preparation of the royal     
seats for their occupants1 and of the   
kings for their thrones1 is the         
,father's act and ,his4  ,our text does 
not tell us directly what that          
preparation is1 any more than it tells  
us directly what the principles are on  
which entrance into and pre-eminence in 
the kingdom are granted4 ,but we know   
enough in regard to both1 for our       
practical guidance1 for the vigour of   
our hope1 and the grasp of our faith4   
,there is a twofold divine preparation  
of the heavens for men4 ,one is from of 
old4 ,the kingdom is 'prepared for you  
before the foundation of the world4'    
,that preparation is in the eternal     
counsel of the divine love1 which       
calleth the things that are not as      
though they were1 and before which all  

that is evolved in the generations of   
men and the epochs of time1 lies on one 
plane1 equally near to dim from whose   
throne diverge far beneath the triple   
streams of past1 present1 and future4   
,and beside that preparation1 the       
counsel of pardoning mercy and redeeming
 grace1 there is the other              
preparation--the realisation of that    
eternal purpose in time through the work
 of ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,his      
consolation to ,his disciples in the    
parting hour was1 ',i go to prepare a   
place for you4' ,how much was included  
in these words we shall never know till 
we1 like ,him1 see of the travail of    
,his soul1 and like ,him are satisfied4 
,but we can dimly see that on the one   
hand ,his death1 and on the other hand  
,his entrance into that holiest of all1 
make ready for us the many mansions of  
the ,father's house4 ,he was crucified  
for our offences1 ,he was raised again  
for our justification1 ,he is passed    
through the heavens to stand our        

,forerunner in the presence of ,god--and
 by all these mighty acts ,he prepares  
the heavenly places for us4 ,as the sun 
behind a cloud1 which hides it from us1 
is still pouring out its rays on far-off
 lands1 so ,he1 veiled in dark1 sunset  
clouds of ,calvary1 sent the energy of  
,his passion and cross into the unseen  
world and made it possible that we      
should enter there4 ',when ,thou didst  
overcome the sharpness of death1 ,thou  
didst open the gates of the kingdom of  
heaven to all believers4' ,as one who   
precedes a mighty host provides and     
prepares rest for their weariness1 and  
food for their hunger1 in some city on  
their line of march1 and having made all
 things ready1 is at the gates to       
welcome their travel-stained ranks when 
they arrive1 and guide them to their    
repose2 so ,he has gone before1 our     
,forerunner1 to order all things for us 
there4 ,it may be that unless ,christ   
were in heaven1 our brother as well as  
our ,lord1 it were no place for mortals4

 ,it may be that we need to have ,his   
glorified bodily presence in order that 
it should be possible for human spirits 
to bear the light1 and be at home with  
,god4 ,be that as it may1 this we know1 
that the ,father prepares a place for us
 by the eternal counsel of ,his love1   
and by the all-sufficient work of       
,christ1 by whom we have access to the  
,father4  ,and as ,his work is the      
,father's preparation of the place for  
us by the ,son1 the issue of ,his work  
is the ,father's preparation of us for  
the place1 through the ,son1 by the     
,spirit4 ',he that hath wrought us for  
the self-same thing is ,god4'  ,if so1  
then what follows8 ,this1 among other   
things1 that wishes are vain1 for heaven
 is no gift of arbitrary favouritism1   
but that faith in ,christ1 and faith    
alone1 leads us to ,his right hand--and 
the measure of our faith and growing    
,christlikeness here1 will be the       
measure of our glory hereafter1 and of  
our nearness to ,him4 ,it is possible to

 be 'saved1 yet so as by fire4' ,it is  
possible to have 'an entrance ministered
 unto us abundantly into the everlasting
 kingdom of our ,lord and ,saviour      
,jesus ,christ4' ,if we would be near   
,him then1 we must be near ,him now4 ,if
 we would share ,his throne1 we must    
bear ,his cross4 ,if we would be found  
in the likeness of ,his resurrection1 we
 must be 'conformable unto ,his death4' 
,then such desires as these             
true-hearted1 and yet mistaken1         
disciples expressed will not be the     
voice of selfish ambition1 but of       
dependent love4 ,they will not be vain  
wishes1 but be fulfilled by ,him1 who1  
stooping from amid the royalties of     
heaven1 with love upon ,his face and    
pity in ,his heart1 will give more than 
we ask4 ',seekest thou a place at ,my   
right hand8 ,nay1 ,i give thee a more   
wondrous dignity4 ,to him that          
overcometh will ,i grant to sit with ,me
 in ,my throne4'     ,,the              
,,servant-,,lord ,,and ,,his ,,servants 

',even as the ,son of ,man came not to  
be ministered unto1     but to          
minister4'--,,matt4 xx4 #bh4  ,it seems 
at first sight strangely unsympathetic  
and irrelevant that the ambitious       
request of ,james and ,john and their   
foolish mother1 that they should sit at 
,christ's right hand and ,his left in   
,his kingdom1 should have been          
occasioned by1 and have followed        
immediately upon1 our ,lord's solemn and
 pathetic announcement of ,his          
sufferings4 ,but the connection is not  
difficult to trace4 ,the disciples      
believed that1 in some inexplicable way1
 the sufferings which our ,lord was     
shadowing forth were to be the immediate
 precursors of ,his assuming ,his regal 
dignity4 ,and so they took time by the  
forelock1 as they thought1 and made     
haste to ensure their places in the     
kingdom1 which they believed was now    
ready to burst upon them4 ,other        
occasions in the ,gospels in which we   
find similar quarrelling among the      

disciples as to pre-eminence are        
similarly associated with references    
made by our ,lord to ,his approaching   
crucifixion4 ,on a former occasion ,he  
cured these misplaced ambitions by      
setting a child in the midst of them4   
,on this ,he cures them by a still more 
pathetic and wonderful example1 ,his    
own2 and ,he says1 ',i1 in ,my lowliness
 and service1 am to be your ,pattern4   
,in ,me see the basis of all true       
greatness1 and the right use of all     
influence and authority4 ,the ,son of   
,man came not to be ministered unto1 but
 to minister4'  ,i4 ,so1 then1 let us   
look first at the perfect life of       
service of the ,servant-,lord4  ,now1 in
 order to appreciate the significance of
 that life of service1 we must take into
 account the introductory words1 ',the  
,son of ,man came4' ,they declare ,his  
pre-existence1 ,his voluntary entrance  
into the conditions of humanity1 and    
,his denuding ,himself of 'the glory    
which ,he had with the ,father before   

the world was4' ,we shall never         
understand the ,servant-,christ until we
 understand that ,he is the ,eternal    
,son of the ,father4 ,his service began 
long before any of ,his acts of         
sympathetic and self-forgetting         
lowliness rendered help to the miserable
 here upon earth4 ,his service began    
when ,he laid aside1 not the garments of
 earth1 but the vesture of the heavens1 
and girded ,himself1 not with the       
cincture woven in man's looms1 but with 
the flesh of our humanity1 'and being   
found in fashion as a man1' bowed       
,himself to enter into the conditions of
 earth4 ,this was the first1 the        
chiefest of all ,his acts of service1   
and the sanctity and awfulness of it run
 through the list of all ,his deeds and 
make them unspeakably great4 ,it was    
much that ,his hands should heal1 that  
,his lips should comfort1 that ,his     
heart should bleed with sympathy for    
sorrow4 ,but1 oh6 it was more that ,he  
had hands to touch1 lips to speak to    

human hearts1 and the heart of a man and
 a brother to feel with as well as for  
us4 ',the ,son of ,man came'--there is  
the transcendent example of the true use
 of greatness2 there is the conspicuous 
instance of the true basis of authority 
and rule4 ,for it was because ,he was   
'found in fashion as a ,man' that ,he   
has won a 'name that is above every     
name1' and that there have accrued to   
,him the 'many crowns' which ,he wears  
at the ,father's side4  ,but then1      
passing beyond this1 we may dwell1      
though all imperfectly1 upon the        
features1 familiar as they are1 of that 
wonderful life of self-oblivious and    
self-sacrificing ministration to others4
 ,think of the purity of the source from
 all which these wonders and            
blessednesses of service for man flowed4
 ,the life of ,jesus ,christ is         
self-forgetting love made visible4      
,scientists tell us that1 by the        
arrangement of particles of sand upon   
plates of glass1 there can be made1 as  

it were1 perceptible to the eye1 the    
sweetness of musical sounds2 and each   
note when struck will fling the         
particles into varying forms of beauty4 
,the life of ,jesus ,christ presents in 
shapes of loveliness and symmetry the   
else invisible music of a divine love4  
,he lets us see the rhythm of the       
,father's heart4 ,the source from which 
,his ministrations have flowed is the   
pure source of a perfect love4 ,ancient 
legends consolidated the sunbeams into  
the bright figure of the far-darting god
 of light4 ,and so the sunbeams of the  
divine love have1 as it were1 drawn     
themselves together and shaped          
themselves into the human form of the   
,son of ,man who 'came not to be        
ministered unto1 but to minister4'  ,no 
taint of bye-ends was in that service2  
no sidelong glances at possible         
advantages of influence or reputation or
 the like1 which so often deform men's  
philanthropies and services to one      
another4 ,no more than the sunbeam      

shines for the sake of collateral issues
 which may benefit itself1 did ,jesus   
,christ seek ,his own advantage in      
ministering to men4 ,there was no speck 
of black in that lustrous white robe1   
but all was perfectly unselfish love4   
,like the clear sea1 weedless and       
stainless1 that laves the marble steps  
of the palaces of ,venice1 the deep     
ocean of ,christ's service to man was   
pure to the depths throughout4  ,that   
perfect ministry of the ,servant-,lord  
was rendered with strange spontaneity   
and cheerfulness4 ,one of the           
evangelists says1 in a very striking and
 beautiful phrase1 that ',he healed them
 that had need of healing1' as if the   
presence of the necessity evoked the    
supply1 by the instinctive action of a  
perfect love4 ,there was never in ,him  
one trace of reluctance to have leisure 
broken in upon1 repose disturbed1 or    
even communion with ,god abbreviated4   
,all men could come always2 they never  
came inopportunely4 ,we often cheerfully

 take up a burden of service1 but find  
it very hard to continue bearing it4    
,but ,he was willing to come down from  
the mountain of ,transfiguration because
 there was a demoniac boy in the plain2 
and therefore ,he put aside the         
temptation--',let us build here three   
tabernacles4' ,he was willing to abandon
 ,his desert seclusion because the      
multitude sought ,him4 ,interrupted in  
,his communion with the ,father by ,his 
disciples1 ,he had no impatient word to 
say1 but ',let us go into other cities  
also1 for therefore am ,i sent4' ,when  
,he stepped from the fishing-boat on the
 other side of the lake to which ,he had
 fled for a moment of repose1 ,he was   
glad when ,he saw the multitude who had 
pertinaciously outrun ,him1 and were    
waiting for ,him on the beach4 ,on ,his 
,cross ,he had leisure to turn from ,his
 own physical sufferings and the weight 
of a world's sin1 which lay upon ,him1  
to look at that penitent by ,his side1  
and ,he ended ,his life in the ministry 

of mercy to a brigand4 ,and thus        
cheerfully1 and always without a thought
 of self1 ',he came to minister4'       
,think1 too1 of the sweep of ,his       
ministrations4 ,they took in all men2   
they were equally open to enemies and to
 friends1 to mockers and to             
sympathisers4 ,think of the variety of  
the gifts which ,he brought in ,his     
ministry--caring for body and for soul2 
alleviating sorrow1 binding up wounds1  
purifying hearts2 dealing with sin1 the 
fountain1 and with miseries1 its waters1
 with equal helpfulness and equal love4 
,and think of how that ministering was  
always ministration by 'the ,,lord4'    
,for there is nothing to me more        
remarkable in the ,gospel narrative than
 the way in which1 side by side1 there  
lie in ,christ's life the two elements1 
so difficult to harmonise in fact1 and  
so impossible to have been harmonised in
 a legend1 the consciousness of         
authority and the humility of a servant4
 ,the paradox with which ,john          

introduces his sweet pathetic story of  
our ,lord's washing the disciples' feet 
is true of1 and is illustrated by1 every
 instance of more than ordinary         
lowliness and self-oblivion which the   
,gospel contains4 ',jesus1 knowing that 
,he had come from ,god1 and went to     
,god1 and that the ,father had given all
 things into ,his hand'--did what8      
',laid aside ,his garments and took a   
towel and girded ,himself4' ,the two    
things ever go together4 ,and thus1 in  
,his lowliest abasement1 as in a star   
entangled in a cloud1 there shine out1  
all the more broad and conspicuous for  
the environment which wraps them1 the   
beams of ,his uncreated lustre4  ,that  
ministration was a service that never   
shrank from stern rebuke4 ,his service  
was no mere soft and pliant1 sympathetic
 helpfulness1 but it could smite and    
stab1 and be severe1 and knit its brow1 
and speak stern words1 as all true      
service must4 ,for it is not service but
 cruelty to sympathise with the sinner1 

and say nothing in condemnation of his  
sin4 ,and yet no sternness is blessed   
which is not plainly prompted by desire 
to help4  ,now1 ,i know far better than 
you do how wretchedly inadequate all    
these poor words of mine have been to   
the great theme that ,i have been trying
 to speak of1 but they may at           
least--like a little water poured into a
 pump--have set your minds working upon 
the theme1 and1 ,i hope1 to better      
purpose4 ',the ,son of ,man came 444 to 
minister4'  ,,ii4 ,now1 secondly1 note  
the service that should be modelled on  
,his4  ,oh6 brethren1 if we1 however    
imperfectly1 have taken into mind and   
heart that picture of ,him who was and  
is amongst us as ',one that serveth1'   
how sharp a test1 and how stringent1    
and1 as it seems to us sometimes1       
impossible1 a commandment are involved  
in the 'even as' of my text4 ,when we   
think of our grudging services2 when we 
think of how much more apt we are to    
insist upon what men owe to us than of  

what we owe to them2 how ready we are to
 demand1 how slow we are to give2 how we
 flame up in what we think is warranted 
indignation if we do not get the        
observance1 or the sympathy1 or the     
attention that we require1 and yet how  
little we give of these1 we may well    
say1 ',thou hast set a pattern that can 
only drive us to despair4' ,if we would 
read our ,gospels more than we do with  
the feeling1 as we trace that ,master   
through each of ,his phases of sympathy 
and self-oblivion and self-sacrifice and
 service1 'that is what ,i should be1'  
what a different book the ,new          
,testament would be to us1 and what     
different people you and ,i would be6   
,there is no ground on which we can rest
 greatness or superiority in ,christ's  
kingdom except this ground of service4  
,and there is no use that we can make   
either of money or of talents1 of       
acquirements or opportunities1 except   
the use of helping our fellows with     
them1 which will stand the test of this 

model and example4 ',it is more blessed 
to give than to receive4' ,the servant  
who serves for love is highest in the   
hierarchy of ,heaven4 ,god1 who is      
supreme1 has stooped lower than any that
 are beneath ,him1 and ,his true rule   
follows1 not because ,he is infinite1   
omnipotent1 omniscient1 omnipresent1 or 
any of those other pompous ,latin words 
which describe what men call ,his       
attributes1 but because ,he loves best1 
and does most for the most4 ,and that is
 what you and ,i ought to be4 ,we may   
well take the lesson to ourselves4 ,i   
have no space1 and1 ,i hope1 no need to 
enlarge upon it2 but be sure of this1   
that if we are ever to be near the right
 and the left of the ,master in ,his    
kingdom1 there is one way1 and only one 
way1 to come thither1 and that is to    
make self abdicate its authority as the 
centre of our lives1 and to enthrone    
there ,christ1 and for ,his sake all our
 brethren4 ,be ambitious to be first1   
but remember1 ,noblesse oblige4 ,he that

 is first must become last4 ,he that is 
,servant of all is ,master of all4 ,that
 is the only mastery that is worth      
anything1 the devotion of hearts that   
circle round the source from which they 
draw light and warmth4 ,what is it that 
makes a mother the queen of her         
children8 ,simply that all her life she 
has been their servant1 and never       
thought about herself1 but always about 
them4  ,now much might be said as to the
 application of these threadbare        
principles in the ,church and in        
society1 but ,i do not enlarge on that2 
only let me say in a word--that here is 
the one law on which preeminence in the 
,church is to be allocated4  ,what      
becomes of sacerdotal hierarchies1 what 
becomes of the 'lords over ,god's       
heritage1' if the one ground of         
pre-eminence is service8 ,i know1 of    
course1 that there may be different     
forms embodying one principle1 but it   
seems to me that that form of ,church   
polity is nearest the mind of ,christ in

 which the only dignity is dignity of   
service1 and the only use of place is   
the privilege of stooping and helping4  
,this fruitful principle will one day   
shape civil as well as ecclesiastical   
societies4 ,for the present1 our ,lord  
draws a contrast between the worldly and
 the ,christian notions of rank and     
dignity4 ',it shall not be so among     
you1' says ,he4 ,and the nobler         
conception of eminence and service set  
forth in ,his disciples1 if they are    
true to their ,lord and their duty1 will
 leaven1 and we may hope finally        
transform society1 sweeping away all    
vulgar notions of greatness as depending
 on birth1 or wealth1 or ruder forms of 
powers1 and marshalling men according to
 ,christ's order of precedence1 in which
 helpfulness is preeminence and service 
is supremacy1 while conversely          
pre-eminence is used to help and        
superiority stoops to serve4  ,one      
remark will close my sermon4 ,you have  
to take the last words of this verse if 

you are ever going to put in practice   
its first words4 ',even as the ,son of  
,man came1 not to be ministered unto1   
but to minister1'--if ,jesus ,christ had
 stopped there ,he would only have been 
one more of the long roll of ineffectual
 preachers and prophets who show men the
 better way1 and leave them struggling  
in the mire4 ,but ,he did not stop      
there3 ',even as the ,son of ,man came  
444 to give ,his life a ransom for      
many4'  ,ah6 the ,cross1 with its burden
 of the sacrifice for the world's sin1  
is the only power which will supply us  
with a sufficient motive for the        
loftiness of ,christlike service4 ,i    
know that there is plenty of entirely   
irreligious and ,christless beneficence 
in the world4 ,and ,god forbid that ,i  
should say a word to seem to depreciate 
that4 ,but sure ,i am that for the      
noblest1 purest1 most widely diffused   
and blessedly operative kinds of service
 of man1 there is no motive and spring  
anywhere except ',he loved me1 and gave 

,himself for me4' ,and1 bought by that  
service and that blood1 it will be      
possible1 and it is obligatory upon all 
of us1 to 'do unto others1' as ,he      
,himself said1 'as ,i have done to you4'
 ',the servant is not greater than his  
,lord4'     ,,what ,,the ,,historic     
,,christ ,,taught ,,about ,,his ,,death 
',the ,son of ,man came444 to give ,his 
life a ransom for     many4'--,matt4 xx4
 #bh4  ,we hear a great deal at present 
about going back to 'the ,christ of the 
,gospels4' ,in so far as that phrase and
 the movement of thought which it       
describes are a protest against the     
substitution of doctrines for the       
,person whom the doctrines represent1   
,i1 for one1 rejoice in it4 ,but ,i     
believe that the antithesis suggested by
 the phrase1 and by some of its         
advocates avowed1 between the ,christ of
 the ,gospels and the ,christ of the    
,epistles1 is false4 ,the ,christ of the
 ,gospels is the ,christ of the         
,epistles1 as ,i humbly venture to      

believe4 ,and ,i cannot but see that    
there is a possibility of a movement    
which1 carried out legitimately1 should 
command the fullest sympathy of every   
,christian heart1 degenerating into the 
rejection of all the supernatural       
elements in the nature and work of our  
,lord1 and leaving us with a meagre     
human ,christ1 shrunken and impotent4   
,the ,christ of the ,gospels1 by all    
means2 but let it be the whole ,christ  
of all the ,gospels1 the ,christ over   
whose cradle angels sang1 by whose empty
 grave angels watched1 whose ascending  
form angels beheld and proclaimed that  
,he should come again to be our ,judge4 
,go back to that ,christ1 and all will  
be well4  ,now it seems to me that one  
direction in which there is a           
possibility of such movement as ,i have 
referred to being one-sided and harmful 
is in reference to the conception which 
we form of the death of ,jesus ,christ4 
,and therefore ,i ask you to listen for 
a few moments to me at this time whilst 

,i try to bring out what is plain in the
 words before us2 and is1 as ,i humbly  
believe1 interwoven in the whole texture
 of all the ,gospels--viz41 the         
conception which ,jesus ,christ ,himself
 formed of the meaning of ,his death4   
,i4 ,the first thing that ,i notice is  
that the ,christ of the ,gospels thought
 and taught that ,his death was to be   
,his own act4  ,i do not think that it  
is an undue or pedantic pressing of the 
significance of the words before us1 if 
,i ask you to notice two of the         
significant expressions in this text4   
',the ,son of ,man came1' and came 'to  
give ,his life4' ,the one word refers to
 the act of entrance into1 the other to 
the act of departure from1 this earthly 
life4 ,they correspond in so far as that
 both bring into prominence ,christ's   
own consent1 volition1 and action in the
 very two things about which men are    
least consulted1 their being born and   
their dying4  ',the ,son of ,man came4' 
,now if that expression occurred but    

once it might be minimised as being only
 a synonym for birth1 having no special 
force4 ,but if you will notice that it  
is our ,lord's habitual word about      
,himself1 only varied occasionally by   
another one equally significant when he 
says that ,he 'was sent'2 and if you    
will further notice that all through the
 ,gospels ,he never but once speaks of  
,himself as being 'born1' ,i think you  
will admit that ,i am not making too    
much of a word when ,i say that when    
,christ1 out of the depths of ,his      
consciousness1 said 'the ,son of ,man   
came1' ,he was teaching us that ,he     
lived before ,he was born1 and that     
behind the natural fact of birth there  
lay the supernatural fact of ,his       
choosing to be incarnated for man's     
redemption4  ,the one instance in which 
,he does speak of ,himself as 'being    
born' is most instructive in this       
connection4 ,for it was before the      
,roman governor2 and ,he accompanied the
 clause in which ,he said1 ',to this end

 was ,i born'--which was adapted to     
,pilate's level of intelligence--with   
another one which seemed to be inserted 
to satisfy ,his own sense of fitness1   
rather than for any light that it would 
give to its first hearer1 ',and for this
 cause came ,i into the world4' ,the two
 things were not synonymous2 but before 
the birth there was the coming1 and     
,jesus was born because the ,eternal    
,word willed to come4 ,so says the      
,christ of the ,gospels2 and the ,christ
 of the ,epistles is represented as     
'taking upon ,him the form of a servant1
 and being found in fashion as a man4'  
,do you accept that as true of 'the     
historic ,christ'8  ,with precise       
correspondence1 if we turn to the other 
end of ,his life1 we find the equally   
significant expression in my text which 
asserts for it1 too1 that the other     
necessity to which men necessarily and  
without their own volition bow was to   
,christ a matter of choice4 ',the ,son  
of ,man came to give4' ',no man taketh  

it from ,me1' as ,he said on another    
occasion4 ',i lay it down of ,myself4'  
',the ,good ,shepherd giveth ,his life  
for the sheep4' ',my flesh 444 ,i give  
for the world's life4' ,now1 brethren1  
we are not to regard these words as mere
 vague expressions for a willing        
surrender to the necessity of death1 but
 as expressing what ,i believe is taught
 us all through ,scripture1 and is      
fundamental to any real grasp of the    
real ,christ1 that ,he died because ,he 
chose1 and chose because ,he loved4     
,what meant that 'loud voice' with which
 ,he said ',it is finished1' but that   
there was no physical exhaustion1 such  
as was usually the immediate occasion of
 death by crucifixion8 ,what meant that 
surprising rapidity with which the last 
moment came in ,his case1 to the        
astonishment of the stolid bystanders8  
,they meant the same thing as ,i believe
 that the ,evangelists meant when they1 
with one consent1 employed expressions  
to describe ,christ's death1 which may  

indeed be only euphemisms1 but are      
apparently declarations of its voluntary
 character4 ',he gave up the ghost4'    
',he yielded ,his ,spirit4' ,he breathed
 forth ,his life1 and so ,he died4  ,as 
one of the old fathers said1 ',who is   
this that thus falls asleep when ,he    
wills8 ,to die is weakness1 but thus to 
die is power4' ',the weakness of ,god is
 stronger than man4' ,the desperate king
 of ,israel bade his slave kill him1 and
 when the menial shrunk from such       
sacrilege he fell upon his own sword4   
,christ bade ,his servant ,death1 ',do  
this1' and he did it2 and dying1 our    
,lord and ,master declared ,himself the 
,lord and ,master of ,death4 ,this is a 
part of the history of the historic     
,christ4 ,do you believe it8  ,,ii4     
,then1 secondly1 the ,christ of the     
,gospels thought and taught that ,his   
death was one chief aim of ,his coming4 
,i have omitted words from my text which
 intervene between its first and its    
last ones2 not because ,i regard them as

 unimportant1 but because they would    
lead us into too wide a field to cover  
in one sermon4 ,but ,i would pray you to
 observe how the re-insertion of them   
throws immense light upon the           
significance of the words which ,i have 
chosen4 ',the ,son of ,man came not to  
be ministered unto1 but to minister4'   
,that covers the whole ground of ,his   
gracious and gentle dealings here on    
earth1 ,his tenderness1 self-abnegation1
 sympathy1 healing1 and helpfulness4    
,then1 side by side with that1 and as   
the crowning manifestation of ,his work 
of service1 without which ,his          
life--gracious1 radiant1 sweet as it    
is--would still want something of its   
power1 ,he sets ,his death4  ,surely    
that is an altogether unexampled        
phenomenon2 altogether a unique and     
unparalleled thing1 that a man should   
regard that which for all workers1      
thinkers1 speakers1 poets1              
philanthropists1 is the sad term of     
their activity1 as being a part of ,his 

work2 and not only a part1 but so       
conspicuous a part that it was a purpose
 which ,he had in view from the very    
beginning1 and before the beginning1 of 
,his earthly life4 ,so ,calvary was to  
,jesus ,christ no interruption1 tragic  
and premature1 of ,his life's           
activities4 ,his death was no mere      
alternative set before ,him1 which ,he  
chose rather than be unfaithful or dumb4
 ,he did not die because ,he was hounded
 by hostile priests1 but ,he came on    
purpose that ,he might so end ,his      
career4  ,i need not remind you of1 and 
space would not permit me to dwell upon1
 other instances in the ,gospels in     
which our ,lord speaks the same         
language4 ,at the very beginning of ,his
 public ministry ,he told the inquiring 
rabbi1 who came to ,him with the notion 
that ,he would be somewhat flattered by 
,his recognition by one of the          
authoritative and wise pundits of the   
nation1 that 'the ,son of ,man must be  
lifted up4' ,the necessity was before   

,him1 but it was no unwelcome necessity1
 for it sprung from ,his own love4 ,it  
was the very aim of ,his coming1 to live
 a ,servant and to die a ,ransom4  ,dear
 brethren1 let me press upon you this   
plain truth1 that no conception of      
,christ's death which looks upon it     
merely as the close1 by pathetic        
sufferings1 of a life to the activities 
of which it adds nothing but pathos1    
approaches the signification of it which
 inheres in the thought that this was   
the aim and purpose with which ,jesus   
,christ was incarnate1 that ,he should  
live indeed the pure and sweet life     
which ,he lived1 but equally that ,he   
should die the painful and bitter death 
which ,he died4 ,he was not merely a    
martyr1 though the first of them1 but   
something far more1 as we shall see     
presently4 ,if to you the death of      
,jesus ,christ is the same in kind1     
however superior in degree1 as those of 
patriots and reformers and witnesses for
 the truth and martyrs for              

righteousness1 then ,i humbly venture to
 represent that1 instead of going back  
to1 you have gone away from1 the ,christ
 of the ,gospels1 who said1 ',the ,son  
of ,man came 444 to give ,his life'2 and
 that such a ,christ is not a historic  
but an imaginary one4  ,,iii4 ,so1      
thirdly1 notice that the ,christ of the 
,gospels thought and taught that ,his   
death was a ransom4  ,a ransom is a     
price paid in exchange for captives that
 they may be liberated2 or for culprits 
that they may be set free4 ,and that was
 ,christ's thought of what ,he had to   
die for4 ,there lay the 'must4'  ,i do  
not dwell upon the conception of our    
condition involved in that word4 ,we are
 all bound and held by the chain of our 
sins4 ,we all stand guilty before ,god1 
and1 as ,i believe1 there is a necessity
 in that loving divine nature whereby it
 is impossible that without a ransom    
there can be1 in the interests of       
mankind and in the interests of         
righteousness1 forgiveness of sins4 ,i  

do not mean that in the words before us 
there is a developed theory of          
atonement1 but ,i do mean that no man1  
dealing with them fairly1 can strike out
 of them the notion of vicarious        
suffering in exchange for1 or instead   
of1 'the many4' ,this is no occasion for
 theological discussion1 nor am ,i      
careful now to set forth a fully        
developed doctrine2 but ,i am declaring1
 as ,god helps me1 what is to me1 and ,i
 pray may be to you1 the central thought
 about that ,cross of ,calvary1 that on 
it there is made the sacrifice for the  
world's sins4  ,and1 dear brethren1 ,i  
beseech you to consider1 how can we save
 the character of ,jesus ,christ1       
accepting these ,gospels1 which on the  
hypothesis about which ,i am now        
speaking are valid sources of knowledge1
 without recognising that ,he           
deliberately led ,his disciples to      
believe that ,he died for--that is1     
instead of--them that put their trust in
 ,him8 ,for remember that not only such 

words as these of my text are to be     
taken into account4 ,remember that it   
was the ,christ of the ,gospels who     
established that last rite of the       
,lord's ,supper1 in which the broken    
bread1 and the separation between the   
bread and the wine1 both indicated a    
violent death1 and who said about both  
the one and the other of the double     
symbols1 ',for you4' ,i do not          
understand how any body of professing   
believers1 rejecting ,christ's death as 
the sacrifice for sin1 can find a place 
in their beliefs or in their practice   
for that institution of the ,lord's     
,supper1 or can rightly interpret the   
sacred words then spoken4 ,this is why  
the ,cross was ,christ's aim4 ,this is  
why ,he said1 with ,his dying breath1   
',it is finished4' ,this truth is the   
explanation of ,his words1 ',the ,good  
,shepherd giveth ,his life for the      
sheep4'  ,and this truth of a           
ransom-price lies at the basis of all   
vigorous ,christianity4 ,a ,christianity

 without a dying ,christ is a dying     
,christianity4 ,and history shows us    
that the expansiveness and elevating    
power of the ,gospel depend on the      
prominence given to the sacrifice on the
 ,cross4 ,an old fable says that the    
only thing that melts adamant is the    
blood of a lamb4 ,the ,gospel reveals   
the precious blood of ,jesus ,christ1   
,his death for us as a ransom1 as the   
one power which subdues hostility and   
binds hearts to ,him4 ,the ,christ of   
the ,gospels is the ,christ who taught  
that ,he died for us4  ,,iv4 ,lastly1   
the ,christ of the ,gospels thought and 
taught that ,his death had world-wide   
power4  ,he says here1 ',a ransom for   
many4' ,now that word is not used in    
this instance in contradistinction to   
'all1' nor in contradistinction to      
'few4' ,it is distinctly employed as    
emphasising the contrast between the    
single death and the wide extent of its 
benefits2 and in terms which1 rigidly   
taken1 simply express indefiniteness1 it

 expresses universality4 ,that that is  
so seems to me to be plain enough1 if we
 notice other places of ,scripture to   
which1 at this stage of my sermon1 ,i   
can but allude4 ,for instance1 in       
,romans v4 the two expressions1 'the    
many' and the 'all1' alternate in       
reference to the extent of the power of 
,christ's sacrifice for men4 ,and the   
,apostle in another place1 where        
probably there may be an allusion to the
 words of the text1 so varies them as   
that he declares that ,jesus ,christ in 
,his death was the ransom 'instead of   
all4' ,but ,i do not need to dwell upon 
these4 ',many' is a vague word1 and in  
it we see dim crowds stretching away    
beyond our vision1 for whom that death  
was to be the means of salvation4 ,i    
take it that the words of our text have 
an allusion to those in the great       
prophecy in the fifty-third chapter of  
,isaiah1 in which we read1 ',by ,his    
knowledge shall ,my righteous ,servant' 
7mark the allusion in our text1 ',who   

came to minister'7 'justify many1 for   
,he shall bear their iniquities4'  ,so1 
brethren1 ,i believe that ,i am not     
guilty of unduly widening out our       
,lord's thought when ,i say that the    
indefinite 'many' is practically 'all4' 
,and1 brother1 if 'all1' then you2 if   
all1 then me2 if all1 then each4 ,think 
of a man1 nineteen centuries ago1 away  
in a little insignificant corner of the 
world1 standing up and saying1 ',my     
death is the price paid in exchange for 
the world6' ,that is meekness and       
lowliness of heart1 is it8 ,that is     
humility1 so beautiful in a teacher1 is 
it8 ,how any man can accept the veracity
 of these narratives1 believe that      
,jesus ,christ said anything the least  
like this1 not believe that ,he was the 
,divine ,son of the ,father1 the        
,sacrifice for the world's sin1 and yet 
profess--and honestly profess1 ,i doubt 
not1 in many cases--to retain reverence 
and admiration1 all but adoration1 for  
,him1 ,i confess that ,i1 for my poor   

part1 cannot understand4  ,but ,i ask   
you1 what you are going to do with these
 thoughts and teachings of the ,christ  
of the ,gospels4 ,are you going to take 
them for true8 ,are1 you going to trust 
your salvation to ,him8 ,are you going  
to accept the ransom and say1 ',o ,lord1
 truly ,i am ,thy servant2 ,thou hast   
loosed my bonds'8 ,brethren1 the ,christ
 of the ,gospels1 by all means2 but the 
,christ that said1 ',the ,son of ,man   
came to 444 give ,his life a ransom for 
many4' ,my ,christ1 and your ,christ1   
and the world's ,christ is 'the ,christ 
that died2 yea1 rather1 that is risen   
again2 who is even at the right hand of 
,god1 who also maketh intercession for  
us4'     ,,the ,,coming ,,of ,,the      
,,king ,,to ,,his ,,palace       ',and  
when they drew nigh unto ,jerusalem1 and
 were come     to ,bethphage1 unto the  
mount of ,olives1 then sent ,jesus      
two disciples1 #b4 ,saying unto them1   
,go into the village     over against   
you1 and straightway ye shall find an   

ass     tied1 and a colt with her3 loose
 them1 and bring them     unto ,me4 #c4 
,and if any man say ought unto you1 ye  
shall     say1 ,the ,lord hath need of  
them2 and straightway he     will send  
them4 #d4 ,all this was done1 that it   
might be     fulfilled which was spoken 
by the prophet1 saying1     #e4 ,tell ye
 the daughter of ,sion1 ,behold1 thy    
,king     cometh unto thee1 meek1 and   
sitting upon an ass1 and a     colt the 
foal of an ass4 #f4 ,and the disciples  
went1 and     did as ,jesus commanded   
them1 #g4 ,and brought the ass1     and 
the colt1 and put on them their clothes1
 and they     set ,him thereon4 #h4 ,and
 a very great multitude spread     their
 garments in the way2 others cut down   
branches     from the trees1 and strawed
 them in the way4 #i4 ,and the          
multitudes that went before1 and that   
followed1 cried1     saying1 ,hosanna to
 the ,son of ,david3 ,blessed is ,he    
that     cometh in the name of the      
,lord2 ,hosanna in the highest4     #aj4

 ,and when ,he was come into ,jerusalem1
 all the city     was moved1 saying1    
,who is this8 #aa4 ,and the multitude   
said1 ,this is ,jesus the prophet of    
,nazareth of ,galilee4     #ab4 ,and    
,jesus went into the temple of ,god1 and
 cast out     all them that sold and    
bought in the temple1 and     overthrew 
the tables of the moneychangers1 and the
     seats of them that sold doves1 #ac4
 ,and said unto them1     ,it is        
written1 ,my house shall be called the  
house of     prayer2 but ye have made it
 a den of thieves4 #ad4 ,and     the    
blind and the lame came to ,him in the  
temple2 and     ,he healed them4 #ae4   
,and when the chief priests and         
scribes saw the wonderful things that   
,he did1 and the     children crying in 
the temple1 and saying1 ,hosanna to     
the ,son of ,david1 they were sore      
displeased1 #af4 ,and     said unto     
,him1 ,hearest ,thou what these say8    
,and ,jesus     saith unto them1 ,yea2  
have ye never read1 ,out of the         

mouth of babes and sucklings ,thou hast 
perfected praise8'     --,,matt4 xxi4   
#a-af4  ,jesus spent ,his last ,sabbath 
in the quiet home at ,bethany with      
,lazarus and his sisters4 ,some sense of
 ,his approaching death tinged the      
modest festivities of that evening with 
sadness1 and spoke in ,mary's 'anointing
 of ,his body for the burying4' ,the    
pause was brief1 and1 with the dawn of  
,sunday1 ,he set ,himself again to tread
 the road to the cross4 ,who can doubt  
that ,he felt the relief of that        
momentary relaxation of the strain on   
,his spirit1 and the corresponding      
pressure of its renewed tightening8     
,this passage shows ,him putting out    
from the quiet haven and facing the     
storm again4 ,it is in two main         
sections1 dealing respectively with the 
royal procession1 and the acts of the   
,king in the temple4  ,i4 ,the          
procession of the ,king4 ,the first     
noteworthy point is that our ,lord      
initiates the whole incident1 and       

deliberately sets ,himself to evoke the 
popular enthusiasm1 by a distinct       
voluntary fulfilment of a ,messianic    
prophecy4 ,the allusion to the prophecy1
 in ,his sending for the colt and       
mounting it1 may have escaped the       
disciples and the crowds of pilgrims2   
but they rightly caught ,his intention  
to make a solemn triumphal entry into   
the city1 and responded with a burst of 
enthusiasm1 which ,he expected and      
wished4 ,the poor garments flung hastily
 on the animals1 the travel-stained     
cloaks cast on the rocky path1 the      
branches of olive and palm waved in the 
hands1 and the tumult of acclaim1 which 
shrilly echoed the words of the psalm1  
and proclaimed ,him to be the ,son of   
,david1 are all tokens that the crowds  
hailed ,him as their ,king1 and were all
 permitted and welcomed by ,him4 ,all   
this is in absolute opposition to ,his  
usual action1 which had been one long   
effort to damp down inflammable and     
unspiritual ,messianic hopes1 and to    

avoid the very enthusiasm which now     
surges round ,him unchecked4 ,certainly 
that calm figure1 sitting on the        
slow-pacing ass1 with the noisy         
multitude pressing round ,him1 is       
strangely unlike ,him1 who hid ,himself 
among the hills when they sought to make
 ,him a ,king4 ,his action is the more  
remarkable1 if it be remembered that the
 roads were alive with pilgrims1 most of
 whom passing through ,bethany would be 
,galileans2 that they had seen ,lazarus 
walking about the village1 and knew who 
had raised him2 that the ,passover      
festival was the time in all the year   
when popular tumults were to be         
expected2 and that the crowds going to  
,jerusalem were met by a crowd coming   
from it1 bent on seeing the doer and the
 subject of the great miracle4 ,into    
this heap of combustibles our ,lord puts
 a light4 ,he must have meant that it   
should blaze as it did4  ,what is the   
reason for this contrast8 ,the need for 
the former reticence no longer existed4 

,there was no fear now of ,his teaching 
and ministry being interrupted by       
popular outburst4 ,he knew that it was  
finished1 and that ,his hour had come4  
,therefore1 the same motive of filial   
obedience which had led ,him to avoid   
what would prevent ,his discharging ,his
 ,father's commission1 now impelled ,him
 to draw the attention of the nation and
 its rulers to the full extent of ,his  
claims1 and to put the plain issue of   
their acceptance or rejection in the    
most unmistakable manner4 ,a certain    
divine decorum1 if we may so call it1   
required that once ,he should enter the 
city as its ,king4 ,some among the      
shouting crowds might have their        
enthusiasm purified and spiritualised1  
if once it were directed to ,him4 ,it   
was for us1 no less than for them1 that 
this one interruption of ,his ordinary  
method was adopted by ,him1 that we too 
might ponder the fact that ,he laid ,his
 hand on that magnificent prophecy1 and 
said1 ',it is mine4 ,i am the ,king4'   

,the royal procession is also a         
revelation of the character of the ,king
 and the nature of ,his kingdom4 ,a     
strange ,king this1 indeed1 who has not 
even an ass of ,his own1 and for        
followers1 peasants with palm branches  
instead of swords6 ,what would a ,roman 
soldier or one of ,herod's men have     
thought of that rustic procession of a  
pauper prince on an ass1 and a hundred  
or two of weaponless1 penniless men8    
,christ's one moment of royal pomp is as
 eloquent of ,his humiliation as the    
long stretch of ,his lowly life is4 ,and
 yet1 as is always the case1 side by    
side with the lowliness there gleams the
 veiled splendour4 ,he had to borrow the
 colt1 and the message in which ,he asks
 for it is a strange paradox4 ',the     
,lord hath need of him'--so great was   
the poverty of so great a ,king4 ,but it
 spoke1 too1 of a more than human       
knowledge1 and of an authority which had
 only to require in order to receive4   
,some farming villager1 no doubt1 who   

was a disciple but secretly1 gladly     
yielded his beasts4 ,the prophecy which 
,matthew quotes1 with the omission of   
some words1 from ,zechariah1 and the    
addition of the first clause from       
,isaiah1 is symbolic1 and would have    
been amply fulfilled in the mission and 
character of ,christ1 though this event 
had never taken place4 ,but just as it  
is symbolic1 so this external           
fulfilment1 which is intended to point  
to the real fulfilment1 is also         
symbolic4 ,the chariot and the horse are
 the emblems of conquerors4 ,it is      
fitting that the ,prince of ,peace      
should make ,his state entry on a colt1 
unridden before1 and saddled only with a
 garment4 ,zechariah meant that ,zion's 
,king should not reign by the right of  
the strongest1 and that all ,his        
triumphs should be won by lowly         
meekness4 ,christ meant the same by ,his
 remarkable act4 ,and has not the       
picture of ,him1 throned thus1 stamped  
for ever on the imagination of the world

 a profounder sense of the inmost nature
 of ,his kingdom than many words would  
have done8 ,have we learned the lesson  
of the gentleness which belongs to ,his 
kingdom1 and of the unchristian         
character of war and violence8 ,do we   
understand what the ,psalmist meant when
 he sang1 ',in thy majesty ride on      
prosperously1 because of 444 meekness'8 
,let us not forget the other picture1   
',behold1 a white horse1 and ,he that   
sat thereon1 called ,faithful and ,true2
 and in righteousness ,he doth judge and
 make war4'  ,the entry may remind us   
also of the worthlessness of mere       
enthusiastic feeling in reference to    
,jesus ,christ4 ,the day was the        
,sunday4 ,how many of that crowd were   
shouting as loudly1 ',crucify ,him6' and
 ',not this man1 but ,barabbas6' on the 
,friday8 ,the palm-branches had not     
faded1 where they had been tossed1      
before the fickle crowd had swung round 
to the opposite mood4 ,perhaps the very 
exuberance of feeling at the beginning1 

had something to do with the bitterness 
of the execrations at the end1 of the   
week4 ,he had not answered their        
expectations1 but1 instead of heading a 
revolt1 had simply taught in the temple1
 and meekly let ,himself be laid hold   
of4 ,nothing succeeds like success1 and 
no idol is so quickly forsaken as the   
idol of a popular rising4 ,all were     
eager to disclaim connection with ,him1 
and to efface the remembrance of their  
,sunday's hosannas by their groans round
 ,his gibbet4 ,but there is a wider     
lesson here4 ,no enthusiasm can be too  
intense which is based upon a true sense
 of our need of ,christ1 and of ,his    
work for us2 but it is easy to excite   
apparently religious emotion by partial 
presentations of ,him1 and such         
excitement foams itself away by its very
 violence1 like some ,eastern river that
 in winter time dashes down the wady    
with irresistible force1 and in summer  
is bone dry4 ,unless we know ,christ to 
be the ,saviour of our souls and the    

,lamb of ,god1 we shall soon tire of    
singing hosannas in ,his train1 and want
 a king with more pretensions2 but if we
 have learned who and what ,he is to us1
 then let us open our mouths wide1 and  
not be afraid of letting the world hear 
our shout of praise4  ,,ii4 ,the coming 
of the ,king in the temple4 ,the        
discussion of the accuracy of ,matthew's
 arrangement of events here is          
unnecessary4 ,he has evidently grouped1 
as usual1 incidents which have a common 
bearing1 and wishes to put these three1 
of the cleansing1 the healing1 and the  
pleasure in the children's praise1 as   
the characteristic acts of the ,king in 
the temple4 ,we can scarcely avoid      
seeing in the first of the three a      
reference to ,malachi's prophecy1 ',the 
,lord1 whom ye seek1 shall suddenly come
 to ,his temple 444 ,and ,he shall      
purify the sons of ,levi4' ,his first   
act1 when in manhood ,he visited the    
temple1 had been to cleanse4 ,his first 
act when ,he enters it as its ,lord is  

the same4 ,the abuse had grown again    
apace4 ,much could be said in its       
vindication1 as convenient and harmless1
 and it was too profitable to be lightly
 abandoned4 ,but the altar of ,mammon so
 near the altar of ,god was sacrilege in
 ,his eyes1 and though ,he had passed   
the traders unmolested many times since 
that first driving out1 now that ,he    
solemnly comes to claim ,his rights1 ,he
 cannot but repeat it4 ,it is perhaps   
significant that ,his words now have    
both a more sovereign and a more severe 
tone than before4 ,then ,he had spoken  
of ',my ,father's house1' now it is ',my
 house1' which are a part of ,his       
quotation indeed1 but not therefore     
necessarily void of reference to        
,himself4 ,he is exercising the         
authority of a son over ,his own house1 
and bears ,himself as ,lord of the      
temple4 ,before1 ,he charged them with  
making it a 'house of merchandise'2 now1
 with turning it into a robber's cave4  
,evil rebuked and done again is worse   

than before4 ,trafficking in things     
pertaining to the altar is even more    
likely than other trading to cross the  
not always very well defined line which 
separates trade from trickery and       
commerce from theft4 ,that lesson needs 
to be laid to heart in many quarters    
now4 ,there is always a fringe of       
moneyed interests round ,christ's       
,church1 seeking gain out of religious  
institutions2 and their stands have a   
wonderful tendency to creep inwards from
 the court of the ,gentiles to holier   
places4 ,the parasite grows very        
quickly1 and ,christ had to deal with it
 more than once to keep down its growth4
 ,the sellers of doves and changers of  
money into the sacred shekel were venial
 offenders compared with many in the    
,church1 and the race is not extinct4   
,if ,christ were to come to ,his house  
to-day1 in bodily form1 who doubts that 
,he would begin1 as ,he did before1 by  
driving the traders out of ,his temple8 
,how many 'most respectable' usages and 

people would have to go1 if ,he did6    
,the second characteristic1 or we might 
say symbolical1 act is the healing of   
the blind and lame4 ,royal state and    
cleansing severity are wonderfully      
blended with tender pity and the gentle 
hand of sovereign virtue to heal4 ,the  
very manifestation of the former drew   
the needy to ,him2 and the blind1 though
 they could not see1 and the lame1      
though they could not walk1 managed to  
grope and hobble their way to ,him1 not 
afraid of ,his severity1 nor daunted by 
,his royalty4 ,no doubt they haunted the
 temple precincts as beggars1 with      
perhaps as little sense of its          
sacredness as the money-changers2 but   
their misery kindled a flicker of       
confidence and desire1 to which ,he who 
tends the dimmest wick till it breaks   
into clear flame could not but respond4 
,though in ,his house ,he casts out the 
traders1 ,he will heal the cripples and 
the blind1 who know their need1 and     
faintly trust ,his heart and power4     

,such a trait could not be wanting in   
this typical representation of the acts 
of the ,king4  ,finally1 ,he encourages 
and casts the shield of ,his approval   
round the children's praises4 ,how      
natural it is that the children1 pleased
 with the stir and not yet drilled into 
conventionalism1 should have kept up    
their glad shouts1 even inside the      
temple enclosure6 ,how their fresh      
treble voices ring yet through all these
 centuries6 ,the priests had1 no doubt1 
been nursing their wrath at all that had
 been going on1 but they had not dared  
to interfere with the cleansing1 nor1   
for very shame1 with the healings2 but  
now they see their opportunity4 ,this is
 a clear breach of all propriety1 and   
that is the crime of crimes in the eyes 
of such people4 ,they had kept quite    
cool and serenely contemptuous1 amid the
 stir of the glad procession1 and they  
did not much care though ,he healed some
 beggars2 but to have this unseemly     
noise1 though it was praise1 was more   

than they could stand4 ,ecclesiastical  
martinets1 and men whose religion is    
mostly ceremony1 are1 of course1 more   
'moved with indignation' at any breach  
of ceremonial regulations than at holes 
made in graver laws4 ,nothing makes men 
more insensitive to the ring of real    
worship than being accustomed to the    
dull decorum of formal worship4 ,christ 
answers their 'hearest thou8' with a    
'did ye never read8' and shuts their    
mouths with words so apposite in their  
plainest meaning that even they are     
silenced4 ,to ,him these young ringing  
hosannas are 'perfect praise1' and worth
 any quantity of rabbis' preachments4   
,in their deeper sense1 ,his words      
declare that the ears of ,god and of    
,his ,son1 the ,lord of the temple1 are 
more gladly filled with the praises of  
the 'little ones1' who know their       
weakness1 and hymn ,his goodness with   
simple tongue1 than with heartless      
eloquence of words or pomp of worship4  
,the psalm from which the words are     

taken declares man's superiority over   
the highest works of ,god's hands1 and  
the perfecting of the divine praise from
 his lips4 ,we are but as the little    
children of creation1 but because we    
know sin and redemption1 we lead the    
chorus of heaven4 ,as ,st4 ,bernard     
says1 ',something is wanting to the     
praise of heaven1 if those be wanting   
who can say1 ,we went through fire and  
through water2 and ,thou broughtest us  
out into a wealthy place4' ,in like     
manner1 those praise ,him most          
acceptably among men who know their     
feebleness1 and with stammering lips    
humbly try to breathe their love1 their 
need1 and their trust4     ,a ,,new     
,,kind ,,of ,,king       ',all this was 
done1 that it might be fulfilled which  
was spoken by the prophet1 saying1 ,tell
 ye the daughter     of ,zion1 ,behold1 
thy ,king cometh unto thee1 meek1 and   
sitting upon an ass4'--,,matt4 xxi4 #d1 
#e4  ,our ,lord's entrance into         
,jerusalem is one of the comparatively  

few events which are recorded in all the
 four ,gospels4 ,its singular unlikeness
 to the rest of ,his life1 and its      
powerful influence in bringing about the
 ,crucifixion1 may account for its      
prominence in the narratives4 ,it took  
place probably on the ,sunday of        
,passion ,week4 ,before the palm        
branches were withered the enthusiasm   
had died away1 and the shouting crowd   
had found out that this was not the sort
 of king that they wanted4 ,they might  
have found that out1 even by the very   
circumstances of the entrance1 for they 
were profoundly significant2 though     
their meaning1 like so much of the rest 
of ,christ's life1 was less clear to the
 partakers and spectators than it is to 
us4 ',these things understood not the   
disciples at the first1' says ,john in  
closing his narrative of the entrance1  
'but when ,jesus was glorified1 then    
they remembered that they had done these
 things unto ,him4'  ,my object in this 
sermon is not at all to attempt a       

pictorial treatment of this narrative1  
for these ,gospels tell it us a great   
deal better than any of us can tell it  
after them2 but to seek to bring out1 if
 it may be1 two or three aspects of its 
significance4  ,i4 ,first1 then1 ,i ask 
you to consider its significance as an  
altogether exceptional fact in ,christ's
 life4  ,throughout the whole of the    
preceding period1 ,he had had two aims  
distinctly in view4 ,one was to shun    
publicity2 and the other was to damp    
down the heated1 vulgar anticipations of
 the multitude1 who expected a temporal 
king4 ,and now here ,he deliberately1   
and of set purpose1 takes a step which  
is like flinging a spark into a powder  
barrel4 ,the nation was assembled in    
crowds1 full of the unwholesome         
excitement which attended their meeting 
for the annual feast4 ,all were in a    
quiver of expectation2 and knowing that1
 ,jesus ,christ originates this scene by
 ,his act of sending the two disciples  
into the village over against them1 to  

'bring the ass1 and the colt the foal of
 an ass4' ,the reasons for a course so  
entirely opposed to all the preceding   
must have been strong4 ,let us try to   
see what they were4  ,first1 ,he did it 
in order to precipitate the conflict    
which was to end in ,his death4 ,now1   
had ,he any right to do that8 ,knowing  
as ,he did the ferment of expectation   
into which ,he was thrusting this new   
element of disturbance1 and foreseeing1 
as ,he must have done1 that it would    
sharpen the hostility of the rulers of  
the people to a murderous degree1 how   
can ,he be acquitted of one of two      
things--either singular shortsightedness
 or rash foolhardiness in taking such a 
step8 ,was ,he justified1 or was ,he    
not8  ,if we are to look at ,his conduct
 from ordinary points of view1 the      
answer must certainly be that ,he was   
not4 ,and we can only understand this1  
and all the rest of ,his actions during 
the fateful three or four days that     
followed it1 if we recognise in them the

 fixed resolve of ,one who knew that    
,his mission was not only to live and to
 teach by word and life1 but to die1 and
 by death to deliver the world4 ,i take 
it that it is very hard to save the     
character of ,jesus ,christ for our     
reverence if we refuse to regard ,his   
death as for our redemption4 ,but if ,he
 came1 and knew that ,he came1 not only 
'to minister' but 'to give ,his life a  
ransom for many1' then we can understand
 how ,he hastened to the ,cross1 and    
deliberately set a light to the train   
which was to end in that great          
explosion4 ,on any other hypothesis it  
seems to me immensely hard to account   
for ,his act here4  ,then1 still        
further1 looking at this distinctly     
exceptional fact in our ,lord's life1 we
 see in it a very emphatic claim to very
 singular prerogative and position4 ,he 
not only thereby presented ,himself     
before the nation in their collective   
capacity as being the ,king of ,israel1 
but ,he also did a very strange thing4  

,he dressed ,himself1 so to speak1 in   
order to fulfil a prophecy4 ,he posed   
before the world as being the ,person   
who was meant by sacred old words4 ,and 
,his ,entrance upon the slow-pacing colt
 was ,his voluntary and solemn assertion
 that ,he was the ,person of whom the   
whole stream and current of divinely    
sent premonitions and forecasts had been
 witnessing from the beginning4 ,he     
claimed thereby to be the ,king of      
,israel and the ,fulfiller of the divine
 promises that were of old4  ,now again1
 ,i have to ask the question1 ,was ,he  
right1 or was ,he wrong8 ,if ,he was    
right1 then ,he is a great deal more    
than a wise ,teacher1 and a perfect     
,example of excellence4 ,if ,he was     
wrong1 ,he is a great deal less4 ,there 
is no escape from that alternative1 as  
it seems to me1 but by the desperate    
expedient of denying that ,he ever did  
this thing which this narrative tells us
 that ,he did4 ,at all events ,i beseech
 you all1 dear friends1 to take fairly  

into your account of the character of   
,jesus ,christ1 this fact1 that ,he1 the
 meek1 the gentle1 said that ,he was    
meek1 and everybody has believed ,him2  
and that once1 in the very crisis of    
,his life1 and in circumstances which   
make the act most conspicuous1 ,he who  
always shunned publicity1 nor 'caused   
,his voice to be heard in the streets1' 
and steadfastly put away from ,himself  
the vulgar homage that would have       
degraded ,him into a mere temporal      
monarch1 did assert that ,he was the    
,king of ,israel and the ,fulfiller of  
prophecy4 ,ask yourselves1 ,what does   
that fact mean8  ,and then1 still       
further1 looking at the act as          
exceptional in our ,lord's life1 note   
that it was done in order to make one   
final1 solemn appeal and offer to the   
men who beheld ,him4 ,it was the last   
bolt in ,his quiver4 ,all else had      
failed1 perhaps this might succeed4 ,we 
know not the depths of the mysteries of 
that divine foreknowledge which1 even   

though it foresees failure1 ceases not  
to plead and to woo obstinate hearts4   
,but this we may thankfully learn1 that1
 just as with despairing hope1 but with 
unremitting energy1 ,jesus ,christ1     
often rejected1 offered ,himself once   
more if perchance ,he might win men to  
repentance1 so the loving patience and  
long-suffering of our ,god cease not to 
plead ever with us4 ',last of all ,he   
sent unto them ,his ,son1 saying1 ,they 
will reverence ,my ,son when they see   
,him'2 and yet the expectation was      
disappointed1 and the ,son was slain4   
,we touch deep mysteries1 but the       
persistence of the pleading and rejected
 love and pity of our ,god shine through
 this  strange fact4  ,,ii4 ,and now1   
secondly1 let me ask you to note its    
significance as a symbol4  ,the prophecy
 which two out of the four              
evangelists--viz41 ,matthew and         
,john--regard as having been1 in some   
sense1 fulfilled by the ,entrance into  
,jerusalem1 would have been fulfilled   

quite as truly if there had been no     
,entrance4 ,for the mere detail of the  
prophecy is but a picturesque way of    
setting forth its central and essential 
point--viz41 the meekness of the ,king4 
,so our ,lord's fulfilment is only an   
external1 altogether subsidiary1        
accomplishment of the prophecy2 and in  
fact1 like some other of the external   
correspondences between ,his life and   
the outward details of ,old ,testament  
prophecy1 is intended for little more   
than a picture or a signpost which may  
direct our thoughts to the inward       
correspondence1 which is the true       
fulfilment4  ,so then1 the deed1 like   
the prophecy after which it is moulded1 
is wholly and entirely of importance in 
its symbolical aspect4  ,the symbolism  
is clear enough4 ,this is a new kind of 
,king4 ,he comes1 not mounted on a      
warhorse1 or thundering across the      
battlefield in a scythe-armed chariot1  
like the ,pharaohs and the ,assyrian    
monarchs1 who have left us their        

vainglorious monuments1 but mounted on  
the emblem of meekness1 patience1       
gentleness1 and peace4 ,and ,he is a    
pauper ,king1 for ,he has to borrow the 
beast on which ,he rides1 and ,his      
throne is draped with the poor1 perhaps 
ragged1 robes of a handful of fishermen4
 ,and ,his attendants are not warriors  
bearing spears1 but peasants with palm  
branches4 ,and the salutation of ,his   
royalty is not the blare of trumpets1   
but the ',hosanna6' from a thousand     
throats4 ,that is not the sort of ,king 
that the world calls a ,king4 ,the      
,roman soldiers might well have thought 
they were perpetrating an exquisite jest
 when they thrust the reed into ,his    
unresisting hand1 and crushed down the  
crown of thorns on ,his bleeding brows4 
,but the symbol discloses the very      
secret of ,his ,kingdom1 the innermost  
mysteries of ,his own character and of  
the forces to which ,he intrusts the    
further progress of ,his word4          
,gentleness is royal and omnipotent2    

force and violence are feeble4 ,the     
,lord is in the still1 small voice1 not 
in the earthquake1 nor the fire1 nor the
 mighty wind4 ,the dove's light pinion  
will fly further than the wings of      
,rome's eagles1 with their strong talons
 and blood-dyed beaks4 ,and the kingdom 
that is established in meekness1 and    
rules by gentleness and for gentleness1 
and has for its only weapons the power  
of love and the omnipotence of patience1
 that is the kingdom which shall be     
eternal and universal4  ,now all that is
 a great deal more than pretty          
sentiment2 it has the closest practical 
bearing upon our lives4 ,how slow ,god's
 ,church has been to believe that the   
strength of ,christ's kingdom is        
meekness6 ,professing ,christian men    
have sought to win the world to their   
side1 and by wealth or force or         
persecution1 or this1 that1 or the other
 of the weapons out of the world's      
armoury1 to promote the kingdom of      
,christ4 ,but it has all been in vain4  

,there is only one power that conquers  
hate1 and that is meek love4 ,there is  
only one way by which ,christ's kingdom 
can stand firm1 and that is its         
unworldly contrast to all the manner of 
human dominion4 ,wheresoever ,god's     
,church has allied itself with secular  
sovereignties1 and trusted in the arm of
 flesh1 there has the fine gold become  
dimmed4 ,endurance wears out            
persecution1 patient submission         
paralyses hostile violence1 for you     
cannot keep on striking down unresisting
 crowds with the sword4 ,the ,church of 
,christ is an anvil that has been beaten
 upon by many hammers1 and it has worn  
them all out4 ,meekness is victorious1  
and the kingdom of ,christ can only be  
advanced by the faithful proclamation of
 ,his gentle love1 from lips that are   
moved by hearts which themselves are    
conformed to ,his patient image4  ,then1
 still further1 let me remind you that  
this symbol carries in it1 as it seems  
to me1 the lesson of the radical        

incompatibility of war with ,christ's   
kingdom and dominion4 ,it has taken the 
world all these centuries to begin to   
learn that lesson4 ,but slowly men are  
coming to it1 and the day will dawn when
 all the pomp of warfare1 and the hell  
of evil passions from which it comes1   
and which it stimulates1 will be felt to
 be as utterly incompatible with the    
spirit of ,christianity as slavery is   
felt to-day4 ,the prophecy which        
underlies our symbol is very significant
 in this respect4 ,immediately upon that
 vision of the meek ,king throned on the
 colt the foal of an ass1 follows this3 
',and ,i will cut off the chariot from  
,ephraim1 and the horses from           
,jerusalem2 and the battle bow shall be 
cut off1 and ,he shall speak peace unto 
the heathen4'  ,let me beseech you1     
,christian men and women1 to lay to     
heart the duty of ,christ's followers in
 reference to the influence and         
leavening of public opinion upon this   
matter1 and to see to it that1 in so far

 as we can help1 we set ourselves       
steadfastly against that devilish spirit
 which still oppresses with an incubus  
almost intolerable1 the nations of      
so-called ,christendom4 ,lift up your   
voices be not afraid1 but cry1 ',we are 
the followers of the ,prince of ,peace1 
and we war against the war that is      
blasphemy against ,his dominion4'  ,and 
so1 still further1 note the practical   
force of this symbol as influencing our 
own conduct4 ,we are the followers of   
the meek ,christ4 ,it becomes us to walk
 in all meekness and gentleness4        
',spirited conduct' is the world's      
euphemism for unchristian conduct1 in   
ninety-nine cases out of the hundred4   
,the perspective of virtue has altered  
since ,jesus ,christ taught us how to   
love4 ,the old heathen virtues of       
magnanimity1 fortitude1 and the like    
have 'with shame to take a lower room4' 
,there is something better than these4  
,the saint has all the virtues of the   
old heathen hero1 and some more besides1

 which are higher than these1 and those 
which he has in common1 he has in       
different proportion4 ,the flaunting    
tulips and peonies of the garden of the 
world seem to outshine the white        
snowdrops and the glowing1 modest little
 violets below their leaves1 but the    
former are vulgar1 and they drop very   
soon1 and the latter1 if paler and more 
delicate1 are refined in their celestial
 beauty4 ,the slow-pacing steed on which
 ,jesus ,christ rides will out-travel   
the fiery warhorse1 and will pursue its 
patient1 steadfast path till ,he 'bring 
forth righteousness unto judgment1' and 
'all the upright in heart shall follow  
,him4'  ,,iii4 ,lastly1 notice the      
significance of this fact as a prophecy4
 ,it was1 as ,i have pointed out1 the   
last solemn appeal to the nation1 and in
 a very real sense it was ,christ's     
coming to judgment4 ,it is impossible to
 look at it without seeing1 besides all 
its other meanings1 gleaming dimly      
through it1 the anticipations of that   

other coming1 when the ,lord ,himself   
'shall descend with a shout1 with the   
voice of the ,archangel1 and the trump  
of ,god4'  ,let me bring into connection
 with the scene of my text three others1
 gathered from various parts of         
,scripture4 ,in the forty-fifth ,psalm  
we find1 side by side with the great    
words1 ',ride on prosperously because of
 truth and meekness and righteousness1' 
the others1 ',thine arrows are sharp in 
the hearts of the king's enemies2 the   
people shall fall under ,thee4' ,now1   
though it is possible that that later   
warlike figure may be merely the        
carrying out of the thought which is    
more gently put before us in the former 
words1 still it looks as if there were  
two sides to the conquering             
manifestation of the king--one being in 
'meekness and truth and righteousness1' 
and the other in some sense destructive 
and punitive4  ,but1 however that may   
be1 my second scene is drawn from the   
last book of ,scripture1 where we read  

that1 when the first seal was opened1   
there rode forth a ,figure1 crowned1    
mounted upon a white steed1 bearing bow 
and arrow1 'conquering and to conquer4' 
,and1 though that again may be but an   
image of the victorious progress of the 
gentle ,gospel of ,jesus ,christ        
throughout the whole earth1 still it    
comes as one in a series of judgments1  
and may rather be taken to express the  
punitive effects which follow its       
proclamation even here and now4  ,but   
there can be no doubt with regard to the
 third of the scenes which ,i connect   
with the incident of which we are       
discoursing3 ',and ,i saw heaven opened1
 and beheld a white horse2 and ,he that 
sat upon ,him was called ,faithful and  
,true1 and in righteousness doth ,he    
judge and make war4444 ,and out of ,his 
mouth goeth a sharp sword1 that with it 
,he should smite the nations2 and ,he   
shall rule them with a rod of iron2 and 
,he treadeth the winepress of the       
fierceness and wrath of ,almighty ,god4'

 ,that is the ,christ who came into     
,jerusalem on the colt the foal of an   
ass4 ,that is the ,christ who is meek   
and long-suffering4 ,there is a reserve 
of punitive and destructive power in the
 meek ,king4 ,and oh ,i what can be so  
terrible as the anger of meekness1 the  
wrath of infinite gentleness8 ,in the   
triumphal entry1 we find that1 when the 
procession turned the rocky shoulder of 
,olivet1 and the long line of the white 
city walls1 with the gilding of the     
,temple glittering in the sunshine1     
burst upon their view1 the multitude    
lifted up their voices in gladness4 ,but
 ,christ sat there1 and as ,he looked   
across the valley1 and beheld1 with ,his
 divine prescience1 the city1 now so    
joyous and full of stir1 sitting        
solitary and desolate1 ,he lifted up    
,his voice in loud wailing4 ,the ,christ
 wept because ,he must punish1 but ,he  
punished though ,he wept4  ,our ,judge  
is the gentle ,jesus1 therefore we can  
hope4 ,the gentle ,jesus is our ,judge1 

therefore let us not presume4 ,i beseech
 you1 brethren1 lay1 as these poor      
people did their garments1 your lusts   
and proud wills in ,his way1 and join   
the welcoming shout that hails the      
,king1 'meek and having salvation4' ,and
 then1 when ,he comes forth to judge and
 to destroy1 you will not be amongst the
 ranks of the enemies1 whom ,he will    
ride down and scatter1 but amongst 'the 
armies that follow ,him1 444 clothed in 
fine linen1 clean and pure4'  ',kiss the
 ,son lest ,he be angry1 and ye perish  
from the way when ,his wrath is kindled 
but a little4 ,blessed are all they that
 put their trust in ,him4'     ,,the    
,,vineyard ,,and ,,its ,,keepers        
',hear another parable3 ,there was a    
certain householder1     which planted a
 vineyard1 and hedged it round about1   
and digged a winepress in it1 and built 
a tower1 and     let it out to          
husbandmen1 and went into a far country3
     #cd4 ,and when the time of the     
fruit drew near1 he sent     his        

servants to the husbandmen1 that they   
might receive     the fruits of it4 #ce4
 ,and the husbandmen took his           
servants1 and beat one1 and killed      
another1 and stoned     another4 #cf4   
,again1 he sent other servants more than
     the first3 and they did unto them  
likewise4 #cg4 ,but     last of all he  
sent unto them his son1 saying1 ,they   
will reverence my son4 #ch4 ,but when   
the husbandmen saw     the son1 they    
said among themselves1 ,this is the     
heir2     come1 let us kill him1 and let
 us seize on his     inheritance4 #ci4  
,and they caught him1 and cast him out  
of the vineyard1 and slew him4 #dj4     
,when the lord     therefore of the     
vineyard cometh what will he do unto    
those husbandmen8 #da4 ,they say unto   
him1 ,he will     miserably destroy     
those wicked men1 and will let out      
his vineyard unto other husbandmen1     
which shall render     him the fruits in
 their seasons4 #db4 ,jesus saith unto  
them1 ,did ye never read in the         

scriptures1 ,the stone     which the    
builders rejected1 the same is become   
the     head of the corner3 this is the 
,lord's doing1 and it is     marvellous 
in our eyes8 #dc4 ,therefore say ,i unto
 you1     ,the kingdom of ,god shall be 
taken from you1 and given     to a      
nation bringing forth the fruits        
thereof4 #dd4 ,and     whosoever shall  
fall on this stone shall be broken3 but 
on whomsoever it shall fall1 it will    
grind him to     powder4 #de4 ,and when 
the chief priests and ,pharisees     had
 heard ,his parables1 they perceived    
that ,he spake of     them4 #df4 ,but   
when they sought to lay hands on ,him1  
they feared the multitude1 because they 
took ,him for a     prophet4'--,,matt4  
xxi4 #cc-df4  ,this parable was         
apparently spoken on the ,tuesday of the
 ,passion ,week4 ,it was a day of       
hand-to-hand conflict with the ,jewish  
authorities and of exhausting toil1 as  
the bare enumeration of its incidents   
shows4 ,it included all that ,matthew   

records between verse #bj of this       
chapter and the end of the twenty-fifth 
chapter--the answer to the deputation   
from the ,sanhedrin2 the three parables 
occasioned by it1 namely1 those of the  
two sons1 this one1 and that of the     
marriage of the king's son2 the three   
answers to the traps of the ,pharisees  
and ,herodians about the tribute1 of the
 ,sadducees about the resurrection1 and 
of the ruler about the chief            
commandment2 ,christ's question to ,his 
questioners about the ,son and ,lord of 
,david2 the stern woes hurled at the    
unmasked hypocrites2 to which must be   
added1 from other gospels1 the sweet    
eulogium on the widow's mite1 and the   
deep saying to the ,greeks about the    
corn of wheat1 with1 possibly1 the      
incident of the woman taken in adultery2
 and then1 following all these1 the     
solemn prophecies of the end contained  
in ,matthew xxiv4 and xxv41 spoken on   
the way to ,bethany1 as the evening     
shadows were falling4 ,what a day6 ,what

 a fountain of wisdom and love which    
poured out such streams6 ,the pungent   
severity of this parable1 with its      
transparent veil of narrative1 is only  
appreciated by keeping clearly in view  
the circumstances and the listeners4    
,they had struck at ,jesus with their   
question as to ,his authority1 and ,he  
parries the blow4 ,now it is ,his turn1 
and the sharp point goes home4  ,i4 ,the
 first stage is the preparation of the  
vineyard1 in which three steps are      
marked4 ,it is planted and furnished    
with all appliances needful for making  
wine1 which is its great end4 ,the      
direct divine origin of the religious   
ideas and observances of ',judaism' is  
thus asserted by ,christ4 ,the only     
explanation of them is that ,god        
enclosed that bit of the wilderness1 and
 with ,his own hands set growing there  
these exotics4 ,neither the theology nor
 the ritual is of man's establishing4   
,we need not seek for special meanings  
for wall1 wine-press1 and tower4 ,they  

simply express the completeness of the  
equipment of the vineyard1 as in        
,isaiah's song1 which lies at the       
foundation of the parable1 and suggest  
his question1 ',what could have been    
done more8'  ,thus furnished1 the       
vineyard is next handed over to the     
husbandmen1 who1 in ,matthew1 are       
exclusively the rulers1 while in ,luke  
they are the people4 ,no doubt it was   
'like people1 like priest4' ,the strange
 dominion of the ,pharisees rested      
entirely on popular consent1 and their  
temper accurately indexed that of the   
nation4 ,the ,sanhedrin was the chief   
object at which ,christ aimed the       
parable4 ,but it only gave form and     
voice to the national spirit1 and 'the  
people loved to have it so4' ,national  
responsibilities are not to be slipped  
out of by being shifted on to the broad 
shoulders of governments or influential 
men4 ,who lets them be governments and  
influential8    ',guv'ment ain't to     
answer for it1    ,god will send the    

bill to you4'  ,christ here teaches both
 rulers and ruled the ground and purpose
 of their privileges4 ,they prided      
themselves on these as their own1 but   
they were only tenants4 ,they made their
 'boast of the law'2 but they forgot    
that fruit was the end of the divine    
planting and equipment4 ,holiness and   
glad obedience were what ,god sought1   
and when ,he found them1 ,he was        
refreshed as with 'grapes in the        
wilderness4'  ,having installed the     
husbandmen1 the owner goes into another 
country4 ,the cluster of miracles which 
inaugurate an epoch of revelation are   
not continued beyond its beginning4     
,centuries of comparative divine silence
 followed the planting of the vineyard4 
,having given us our charge1 ,god1 as it
 were1 steps aside to leave us room to  
work as we will1 and so to display what 
we are made of4 ,he is absent in so far 
as conspicuous oversight and retribution
 are concerned4 ,he is present to help1 
love1 and bless4 ,the faithful          

husbandman has ,him always near1 a joy  
and a strength1 else no fruit would     
grow2 but the sin and misery of the     
unfaithful are that they think of ,him  
as far off4  ,,ii4 ,then comes the      
habitual ill-treatment of the           
messengers4 ,these are1 of course1 the  
prophets1 whose office was not only to  
foretell1 but to plead for obedience and
 trust1 the fruits sought by ,god4 ,the 
whole history of the nation is summed up
 in this dark picture4 ,generation after
 generation of princes1 priests1 and    
people had done the same thing4 ,there  
is no more remarkable historical fact   
than that of the uniform hostility of   
the ,jews to the prophets4 ,that a      
nation of such a sort as always to hate 
and generally to murder them should have
 had them in long succession1 throughout
 its history1 is surely inexplicable on 
any naturalistic hypothesis4 ,such men  
were not the natural product of the     
race1 nor of its circumstances1 as their
 fate shows4 ,how did they spring up8   

,no 'philosophy of ,jewish history'     
explains the anomaly except the one     
stated here1--',he sent ,his servants4' 
,we are told nowadays that the ,jews had
 a natural genius for religion1 just as 
the ,greeks for art and thought1 and the
 ,romans for law and order1 and that    
that explains the origin of the         
prophets4 ,does it explain their        
treatment8  ,the hostility of the       
husbandmen grows with indulgence4 ,from 
beating they go on to killing1 and      
stoning is a specially savage form of   
killing4 ,the opposition which began1 as
 the former parable tells us1 with      
polite hypocrisy and lip obedience1     
changed1 under the stimulus of prophetic
 appeals1 to honest refusal1 and from   
that to violence which did not hesitate 
to slay4 ,the more ,god pleads with men1
 the more self-conscious and bitter     
becomes their hatred2 and the more      
bitter their hatred1 the more does ,he  
plead1 sending other messengers1 more   
perhaps in number1 or possibly of more  

weight1 with larger commission and      
clearer light4 ,thus both the           
antagonistic forces grow1 and the worse 
men become1 the louder and more         
beseeching is the call of ,god to them4 
,that is always true2 and it is also    
ever true that he who begins with ',i   
go1 sir1 and goes not1 is in a fair way 
to end with stoning the prophets4       
,christ treats the whole long series of 
violent rejections as the acts of the   
same set of husbandmen4 ,the class or   
nation was one1 as a stream is one1     
though all its particles are different2 
and the ,pharisees and scribes1 who     
stood with frowning hatred before ,him  
as ,he spoke1 were the living embodiment
 of the spirit which had animated all   
the past4 ,in so far as they inherited  
their taint1 and repeated their conduct1
 the guilt of all the former generations
 was laid at their door4 ,they declared 
themselves their predecessors' heirs2   
and as they reproduced their actions1   
they would have to bear the accumulated 

weight of the consequences4  ,,iii4     
,verses #cg-ci tell of the mission of   
the ,son and of its fatal issue4 ,three 
points are prominent in them4 ,the first
 is the unique position which ,christ   
here claims1 with unwonted openness and 
decisiveness1 as apart from and far     
above all the prophets4 ,they constitute
 one order1 but ,he stands alone1       
sustaining a closer relation to ,god4   
,they were faithful 'as servants1' but  
,he 'as a ,son1' or1 as ,mark has it1   
'the only and beloved ,son4' ,the       
listeners understood ,him well enough4  
,the assertion1 which seemed audacious  
blasphemy to them1 fitted in with all   
,his acts in that last week1 which was  
not only the crisis of ,his life1 but of
 the nation's fate4 ,rulers and people  
must decide whether they will own or    
reject their ,king1 and they must do it 
with their eyes open4 ,jesus claimed to 
fill a unique position4 ,was ,he right  
or wrong in ,his claim8 ,if ,he was     
wrong1 what becomes of ,his wisdom1 ,his

 meekness1 ,his religion8 ,is a         
religious teacher1 who made the mistake 
of thinking that ,he was the ,son of    
,god in a sense in which no other man is
 so1 worthy of admiration8 ,if ,he was  
right1 what becomes of a ,christianity  
which sees in ,him only the foremost of 
the prophets8  ,the next point marked is
 the owner's vain hope1 in sending his  
,son4 ,he thought that ,he would be     
welcomed1 and ,he was disappointed4 ,it 
was ,his last attempt4 ,christ knew     
,himself to be ,god's last appeal1 as   
,he is to all men1 as well as to that   
generation4 ,he is the last arrow in    
,god's quiver4 ,when it has shot that   
bolt1 the resources even of divine love 
are exhausted1 and no more can be done  
for the vineyard than ,he has done for  
it4 ,we need not wonder at unfulfilled  
hopes being here ascribed to ,god4 ,the 
startling thought only puts into        
language the great mystery which besets 
all ,his pleadings with men1 which are  
carried on1 though they often fail1 and 

which must1 therefore1 in view of ,his  
foreknowledge1 be regarded as carried on
 with the knowledge that they will fail4
 ,that is the long-suffering patience of
 ,god4 ,the difficulty is common to the 
words of the parable and to the facts of
 ,god's unwearied pleading with         
impenitent men4 ,its surface is a       
difficulty1 its heart is an abyss of    
all-hoping charity4  ,the last point is 
the vain calculation of the husbandmen4 
,christ puts hidden motives into plain  
words1 and reveals to these rulers what 
they scarcely knew of their own hearts4 
,did they1 in their secret conclaves1   
look each other in the face1 and confess
 that ,he was the ,heir8 ,did ,he not   
,himself ground ,his prayer for their   
pardon on their ignorance8 ,but their   
ignorance was not entire1 else they had 
had no sin2 neither was their knowledge 
complete1 else they had had no pardon4  
,beneath many an obstinate denial of    
,him lies a secret confession1 or       
misgiving1 which more truly speaks the  

man than does the loud negation4 ,and   
such strange contradictions are men1    
that the secret conviction is often the 
very thing which gives bitterness and   
eagerness to the hostility4 ,so it was  
with some of those whose hidden         
suspicions are here set in the light4   
,how was the rulers' or the people's    
wish to 'seize on ,his inheritance'     
their motive for killing ,jesus8 ,their 
great sin was their desire to have their
 national prerogatives1 and yet to give 
no true obedience4 ,the ruling class    
clung to their privileges and forgot    
their responsibilities1 while the people
 were proud of their standing as ,jews1 
and careless of ,god's service4 ,neither
 wished to be reminded of their debt to 
the ,lord of the vineyard1 and their    
hostility to ,jesus was mainly because  
,he would call on them for fruits4 ,if  
they could get this unwelcome and       
persistent voice silenced1 they could go
 on in the comfortable old fashion of   
lip-service and real selfishness4 ,it is

 an account1 in vividly parabolic       
language1 not only of their hostility1  
but of that of many men who are against 
,him4 ,they wish to possess life and its
 good1 without being for ever pestered  
with reminders of the terms on which    
they hold it1 and of ,god's desire for  
their love and obedience4 ,they have a  
secret feeling that ,christ has the     
right to ask for their hearts1 and so   
they often turn from ,him angrily1 and  
sometimes hate ,him4  ,with what sad    
calmness does ,jesus tell the fate of   
the son1 so certain that it is already  
as good as done6 ,it was done in their  
counsels1 and yet ,he does not cease to 
plead1 if perchance some hearts may be  
touched and withdraw themselves from the
 confederacy of murder4  ,,iv4 ,we have 
next the self-condemnation from         
unwilling lips4 ,our ,lord turns to the 
rulers with startling and dramatic      
suddenness1 which may have thrown them  
off their guard1 so that their answer   
leaped out before they had time to think

 whom it hit4 ,his solemn earnestness   
laid a spell on them1 which drew their  
own condemnation from them1 though they 
had penetrated the thin veil of the     
parable1 and knew full well who the     
husbandmen were4 ,nor could they refuse 
to answer a question about legal        
punishments for dishonesty1 which was   
put to them1 the fountains of law1      
without incurring a second time the     
humiliation just inflicted when ,he had 
forced them to acknowledge that they1   
the fountains of knowledge1 did not know
 where ,john came from4 ,so from all    
these motives1 and perhaps from a       
mingling of audacity1 which would brazen
 it out and pretend not to see the      
bearing of the question1 they answer4   
,like ,caiaphas in his counsel1 and     
,pilate with his writing on the ,cross1 
and many another1 they spoke deeper     
things than they knew1 and confessed    
beforehand how just the judgments were1 
which followed the very lines marked out
 by their own words4  ,v4 ,then come the

 solemn application and naked truth of  
the parable4 ,we have no need to dwell  
on the cycle of prophecies concerning   
the corner-stone1 nor on the original   
application of the psalm4 ,we must be   
content with remarking that our ,lord1  
in this last portion of ,his address1   
throws away even the thin veil of       
parable1 and speaks the sternest truth  
in the nakedest words4 ,he puts ,his own
 claim in the plainest fashion1 as the  
corner-stone on which the true kingdom  
of ,god was to be built4 ,he brands the 
men who stood before ,him as incompetent
 builders1 who did not know the stone   
needed for their edifice when they saw  
it4 ,he declares1 with triumphant       
confidence1 the futility of opposition  
to ,himself--even though it kill ,him4  
,he is sure that ,god will build on     
,him1 and that ,his place in the        
building1 which shall rise through the  
ages1 will be1 to even careless eyes1   
the crown of the manifest wonders of    
,god's hand4 ,strange words from a ,man 

who knew that in three days ,he would be
 crucified6 ,stranger still that they   
have come true6 ,he is the foundation of
 the best part of the best men2 the     
basis of thought1 the motive for action1
 the pattern of life1 the ground of     
hope1 for countless individuals2 and on 
,him stands firm the society of ,his    
,church1 and is hung all the glory of   
,his ,father's house4  ,christ confirms 
the sentence just spoken by the rulers  
on themselves1 but with the inversion of
 its clauses4 ,all disguise is at an    
end4 ,the fatal 'you' is pronounced4    
,the husbandmen's calculation had been  
that killing the heir would make them   
lords of the vineyard2 the grim fact was
 that they cast themselves out when they
 cast him out4 ,he is the heir4 ,if we  
desire the inheritance1 we must get it  
through ,him1 and not kill or reject1   
but trust and obey ,him4 ,the sentence  
declares the two truths1 that possession
 of the vineyard depends on honouring   
the ,son1 and on bringing forth the     

fruits4 ,the kingdom has been taken from
 the churches of ,asia ,minor1 ,africa1 
and ,syria1 because they bore no fruit4 
,it is not held by us on other          
conditions4 ,who can venture to speak of
 the awful doom set forth in the last   
words here8 ,it has two stages3 one a   
lesser misery1 which is the lot of him  
who stumbles against the stone1 while it
 lies passive to be built on2 one more  
dreadful1 when it has acquired motion   
and comes down with irresistible        
impetus4 ,to stumble at ,christ1 or to  
refuse ,his grace1 and not to base our  
lives and hopes on ,him is maiming and  
damage1 in many ways1 here and now4 ,but
 suppose the stone endowed with motion1 
what can stand against it8 ,and suppose 
that the ,christ1 who is now offered for
 the rock on which we may pile our hopes
 and never be confounded1 comes to      
judge1 will ,he not crush the mightiest 
opponent as the dust of the summer      
threshing-floor8     ,,the ,,stone ,,of 
,,stumbling       ',whosoever shall fall

 on this stone shall be broken3     but 
on whomsoever it shall fall1 it will    
grind him to     powder4'--,,matt4 xxi4 
#dd4  ,as ,christ's ministry drew to its
 close1 its severity and its gentleness 
both increased2 its severity to the     
class to whom it was always severe1 and 
its gentleness to the class from whom it
 never turned away4 ,side by side1      
through all ,his manifestation of       
,himself1 there were the two aspects3   
',he showed ,himself froward' 7if ,i may
 quote the word7 to the self-righteous  
and the ,pharisee2 and ,he bent with    
more than a woman's tenderness of       
yearning love over the darkness and     
sinfulness1 which in its great darkness 
dimly knew itself blind1 and in its     
sinfulness stretched out a lame hand of 
faith1 and groped after a divine        
deliverer4 ,here1 in my text1 there are 
only words of severity and awful        
foreboding4 ,christ has been telling    
those ,pharisees and priests that the   
kingdom is to be taken from them1 and   

given to a nation that brings forth the 
fruits thereof4 ,he interprets for them 
an ,old ,testament figure1 often        
recurring1 which we read in the #aahth  
,psalm 7and ,i may just say1 in passing1
 that we get here ,his interpretation of
 that psalm1 and the vindication of our 
application of it1 and other similar    
ones1 to ,him and ,his office72 ',the   
stone which the builders rejected1' said
 ,he1 'is become the head of the        
corner'2 and then1 falling back on other
 ,old ,testament uses of the same       
figure1 ,he weaves into one the whole of
 them--that in ,isaiah about the 'sure  
foundation1' and that in ,daniel about  
'the stone cut out without hands1 which 
became a great mountain1' crushing down 
all opposition1--and centres them all in
 ,himself2 as fulfilled in ,himself1 in 
,his person and ,his work4  ,the two    
clauses of my text figuratively point to
 two different classes of operation on  
the rejecters of the ,gospel4 ,what are 
these two classes8 ',whosoever shall    

fall on this stone shall be broken3 but 
on whomsoever it shall fall1 it will    
grind him to powder4' ,in the one case1 
the stone is represented as passive1    
lying quiet2 in the other1 it has       
acquired motion4 ,in the one case1 the  
man stumbles and hurts himself2 a       
remediable injury1 a self-inflicted     
injury1 a natural injury1 without the   
active operation of ,christ to produce  
it at all2 in the other case the injury 
is worse than remediable1 it is utter1  
absolute1 grinding destruction1 and it  
comes from the active operation of the  
'stone of stumbling4' ,that is to say1  
the one class represents the present    
hurts and harms which1 by the natural   
operation of things1 without the action 
of ,christ judicially at all1 every man 
receives in the very act of rejecting   
the ,gospel2 and the other represents   
the ultimate issue of that rejection1   
which rejection is darkened into        
opposition and fixed hostility1 when the
 stone that was laid 'for a foundation' 

has got wings 7if ,i may so say71 and   
comes down in judgment1 crushing and    
destroying the antagonist utterly4      
',whosoever falls on this stone is      
broken1' here and now2 and 'on          
whomsoever it shall fall1 it will grind 
him to powder1' hereafter and yonder4   
,taking1 then1 into account the weaving 
together in this passage of the three   
figures from the ,old ,testament to     
which ,i have already referred1--the    
rejected stone1 the foundation1 and the 
mountain-stone of ,daniel1 and looking  
in the light of these1 at the twofold   
issues1 one present and one future1     
which the text distinctly brings before 
us1--we have just three points to which 
,i ask your attention now4 ,first1      
,every man has some kind of contact with
 ,christ4 ,secondly1 ,rejection of ,him1
 here and now1 is harm and maiming4     
,and1 lastly1 ,rejection of ,him1       
hereafter and yonder1 is hopeless1      
endless1 utter destruction4  ,i4 ,in the
 first place1 every man has some kind of

 connection with ,christ4  ,i am not    
going to enter at all now upon any      
question about the condition of the     
'dark places of the earth' where the    
,gospel has not come as a well-known    
preached message2 we have nothing to do 
with that2 the principles on which they 
are judged is not the question before us
 now4 ,i am speaking exclusively about  
persons who have heard the word of      
salvation1 and are dwelling in the midst
 of what we call a ,christian land4     
,christ is offered to each of us1 in    
good faith on ,god's part1 as a means of
 salvation1 a foundation on which we may
 build4 ,a man is free to accept or to  
reject that offer4 ,if he reject it1 he 
has not thereby cut himself off from all
 contact and connection with that       
rejected ,saviour1 but he still sustains
 a relation to ,him2 and the message    
that he has refused to believe1 is      
exercising an influence upon his        
character and his destiny4  ,christ     
comes1 ,i say1 offered to us all in good

 faith on the part of ,god1 as a        
foundation upon which we may build4 ,and
 then comes in that strange mystery1    
that a man1 consciously free1 turns away
 from the offered mercy1 and makes ,him 
that was intended to be the basis of his
 life1 the foundation of his hope1 the  
rock on which1 steadfast and serene1 he 
should build up a temple-home for his   
soul to dwell in1--makes ,him a         
stumbling-stone against which1 by       
rejection and unbelief1 he breaks       
himself6  ,my friend1 will you let me   
lay this one thing upon your heart1--you
 cannot hinder the ,gospel from         
influencing you somehow4 ,taking it in  
its lowest aspects1 it is one of the    
forces of modern society1 an element in 
our present civilisation4 ,it is        
everywhere1 it obtrudes itself on you at
 every turn1 the air is saturated with  
its influence4 ,to be unaffected by such
 an all-pervading phenomenon is         
impossible4 ,to no individual member of 
the great whole of a nation is it given 

to isolate himself utterly from the     
community4 ,whether he oppose or whether
 he acquiesce in current opinions1 to   
denude himself of the possessions which 
belong in common to his age and state of
 society is in either case              
impracticable4 ',that which cometh into 
your mind1' said one of the prophets to 
the ,jews who were trying to cut        
themselves loose from their national    
faith and their ancestral prerogatives1 
',that which cometh into your mind shall
 not be at all1 that ye say1 ,we will be
 as the heathen1 as the families of the 
countries to serve wood and stone4'     
,vain dream6 ,you can no more say1 ,i   
will pass the ,gospel by1 and it shall  
be nothing to me1 ,i will simply let it 
alone1 than you can say1 ,i will shut   
myself up from other influences proper  
to my time and nation4 ,you cannot go   
back to the old naked barbarism1 and you
 cannot reduce the influence of         
,christianity1 even considered merely as
 one of the characteristics of the      

times1 to zero4 ,you may fancy you are  
letting it alone1 but it does not let   
you alone2 it is here1 and you cannot   
shut yourself off from it4  ,but it is  
not merely as a subtle and diffused     
influence that the ,gospel exercises a  
permanent effect upon us4 ,it is        
presented to each of us here            
individually1 in the definite form of an
 actual offer of salvation for each1 and
 of an actual demand of trust from each4
 ,the words pass into our souls1 and    
thenceforward we can never be the same  
as if they had not been there4 ,the     
smallest ray of light falling on a      
sensitive plate produces a chemical     
change that can never be undone again1  
and the light of ,christ's love1 once   
brought to the knowledge and presented  
for the acceptance of a soul1 stamps on 
it an ineffaceable sign of its having   
been there4 ,the ,gospel once heard1 is 
always the ,gospel which has been heard4
 ,nothing can alter that4 ,once heard1  
it is henceforward a perpetual element  

in the whole condition1 character1 and  
destiny of the hearer4  ,christ does    
something to every one of us4 ,his      
,gospel will tell upon you1 it is       
telling upon you4 ,if you disbelieve it1
 you are not the same as if you had     
never heard it4 ,never is the box of    
ointment opened without some savour from
 it abiding in every nostril to which   
its odour is wafted4 ,only the          
alternative1 the awful 'either1 or1' is 
open for each--the 'savour of life unto 
life1 or the savour of death unto       
death4' ,to come back to the            
illustration of the text1 ,christ is    
something1 and does something to every  
one of us4 ,he is either the rock on    
which ,i build1 poor1 weak1 sinful      
creature as ,i am1 getting security1 and
 sanctity1 and strength from ,him1 ,i   
being a living stone' built upon 'the   
living stone1' and partaking of the     
vitality of the foundation2 or else ,he 
is the other thing1 'a stone of         
stumbling and a rock of offence to them 

which stumble at the word4' ,christ     
stands for ever in some kind of relation
 to1 and exercises for ever some kind of
 influence on1 every man who has heard  
the ,gospel4  ,,ii4 ,the immediate issue
 of rejection of ,him is loss and       
maiming4  ',whosoever shall fall on this
 stone shall be broken4' ,just think for
 a moment1 by way of illustrating this  
principle1 first of all1 of the positive
 harm which you do to yourself in the   
act of turning away from the mercy      
offered you in ,christ2 and then think  
for a moment of the negative loss which 
you sustain by the same act4  ,note the 
positive harm4 ,am ,i uncharitable when 
,i say that no man ever yet passively   
neglected the message of love in ,god's 
,son2 but that always this is the rude  
outline of the experience of people who 
know what it is to have a ,saviour      
offered to them1 and know what it is to 
put ,him away1--that there is a feeble  
and transitory movement of heart and    
will2 that ,conscience says1 ',thou     

oughtest'2 that ,will says1 ',i would'2 
that the heart is touched by some sense 
of that great and gentle vision of light
 and love which passes before the eye2  
that the man1 as it were1 like some     
fever-ridden patient1 lifts himself up  
for an instant from the bed on which he 
is lying1 and puts out a hand1 and then 
falls back again1 the vacillating1      
fevered1 paralysed will recoiling from  
the resolution1 and the conscience      
having power to say1 ',thou oughtest1'  
but no power to enforce the execution of
 its decrees1 and the heart turning away
 from the salvation that it would have  
found in the love of love1 to the loss  
that it finds in the love of self and   
earth8 ,or in other words1 is it not    
true that every man who rejects ,christ 
does in simple verity reject ,him1 and  
not merely neglect ,him2 that there is  
always an effort1 that there is a       
struggle1 feeble1 perhaps1 but real1    
which ends in the turning away8 ,it is  
not that you stand there1 and simply let

 ,him go past4 ,that were bad enough2   
but the fact is worse than that4 ,it is 
that you turn your back upon ,him4 ,it  
is not that ,his hand is laid on yours1 
and yours remains dead and cold1 and    
does not open to clasp it2 but it is    
that ,his hand being laid on yours1 you 
clench yours the tighter1 and will not  
have it4 ,and so every man 7,i believe7 
who rejects ,christ does these things   
thereby--wounds his own conscience1     
hardens his own heart1 makes himself a  
worse man1 just because he has had a    
glimpse1 and has willingly1 and almost  
consciously1 'loved darkness rather than
 light4' ,oh1 brethren1 the message of  
love can never come into a human soul1  
and pass away from it unreceived1       
without leaving that spirit worse1 with 
all its lowest characteristics          
strengthened1 and all its best ones     
depressed1 by the fact of rejection4 ,i 
have nothing to do now with pursuing    
that process to its end2 but the natural
 result--if there were no future        

,judgment at all1 if there were no      
movement ever given to the stone that   
you ought to build on--the natural      
result of the simple rejection of the   
,gospel is that1 bit by bit1 all the    
lingering remains of nobleness that     
hover about the man1 like scent about a 
broken vase1 pass away2 and that1 step  
by step1 through the simple process of  
saying1 ',i will not have ,christ to    
rule over me1' the whole being          
degenerates1 until manhood becomes      
devil-hood1 and the soul is lost by its 
own want of faith4 ,unbelief is its own 
judgment2 unbelief is its own           
condemnation2 unbelief1 as sin1 is      
punished1 like all other sins1 by the   
perpetuation of deeper and darker forms 
of itself4 ,every time that you stifle a
 conviction1 fight down a conviction1 or
 drive away a conviction2 and every time
 that you feebly move towards the       
decision1 ',i will trust ,him1 and love 
,him1 and be ,his1' yet fail to realise 
it1 you have harmed your soul1 you have 

made yourself a worse man1 you have     
lowered the tone of your conscience1 you
 have enfeebled your will1 you have made
 your heart harder against love1 you    
have drawn another horny scale over the 
eye1 that will prevent you from seeing  
the light that is yonder2 you have1 as  
much as in you is1 withdrawn from ,god1 
and approximated to the other pole of   
the universe 7if ,i may say that71 to   
the dark and deadly antagonist of mercy1
 and goodness1 and truth1 and grace4    
',whosoever falls on this stone1' by the
 natural result of his unbelief1 'shall 
be broken' and maimed1 and shall mar his
 own nature4  ,i need not dwell on the  
negative evil results of unbelief2 the  
loss of that which is the only guide for
 a man1 the taking away1 or rather the  
failing to possess1 that great love     
above us1 that divine ,spirit in us1 by 
which only we are ever made what we     
ought to be4 ,this only ,i would leave  
with you1 in this part of my subject1   
,whoever is not in ,christ is maimed4   

,only he that is 'a man in ,christ' has 
come 'to the measure of the stature of a
 perfect man4' ,there1 and there alone1 
do we get the power which will make us  
full-grown4 ,there alone is the soul    
planted in that good soil in which1     
growing1 it becomes as a rounded1       
perfect tree1 with leaves and fruits in 
their season4 ,all other men are        
half-men1 quarter-men1 fragments of men1
 parts of humanity exaggerated and      
contorted and distorted from the        
reconciling whole which the ,christian  
ought to be1 and in proportion to his   
,christianity is on the road to be1 and 
one day will assuredly and actually be1 
a 'complete and entire man1 wanting     
nothing'2 nothing maimed1 nothing       
broken1 the realisation of the ideal of 
humanity1 the renewed copy 'of the      
second ,adam1 the ,lord from heaven4'   
,there is another consideration closely 
connected with this second part of my   
subject1 that ,i just mention and pass  
on4 ,not only by the act of rejection of

 ,christ do we harm and maim ourselves1 
but also all attempts at                
opposition--formal opposition--to the   
,gospel as a system1 stand              
self-convicted and self-condemned to    
speedy decay4 ,what a commentary upon   
that word1 ',whosoever falls on this    
stone shall be broken1' is the whole    
history of the heresies of the ,church  
and the assaults of unbelief6 ,man after
 man1 rich in gifts1 endowed often with 
far larger and nobler faculties than the
 people who oppose him1 with indomitable
 perseverance1 a martyr to his error1   
sets himself up against the truth that  
is sphered in ,jesus ,christ2 and the   
great divine message simply goes on its 
way1 and all the babblement and noise   
are like so many bats flying against a  
light1 or like the sea-birds that come  
sweeping up in the tempest and the      
night1 to the hospitable ,pharos that is
 upon the rock1 and smite themselves    
dead against it4 ,sceptics well known in
 their generation1 who made people's    

hearts tremble for the ark of ,god1 what
 has become of them8 ,their books lie   
dusty and undisturbed on the top shelf  
of libraries2 whilst there the ,bible   
stands1 with all the scribblings wiped  
off the page1 as though they had never  
been6 ,opponents fire their small shot  
against the great ,rock of ,ages1 and   
the little pellets fall flattened1 and  
only scale off a bit of the moss that   
has gathered there6 ,my brother1 let the
 history of the past teach you and me1  
with other deeper thoughts1 a very calm 
and triumphant confidence about all that
 opponents say nowadays2 for all the    
modern opposition to this ,gospel will  
go as all the past has done1 and the    
newest systems which cut and carve at   
,christianity1 will go to the tomb where
 all the rest have gone2 and dead old   
infidelities will rise up from their    
thrones1 and say to the bran-new ones of
 this generation1 when their day is     
worked out1 ',are ye also become weak as
 we8 art thou also become like one of   

us8' ',whosoever shall fall on this     
stone shall be broken'3 personally1 he  
will be harmed2 and his opinions1 and   
his books1 and his talk1 and all his    
argumentation1 will come to nothing1    
like the waves that break into impotent 
foam against the rocky cliffs4  ,,iii4  
,last of all1 the issue1 the ultimate   
issue1 of unbelief is irremediable      
destruction when ,christ begins to move4
  ,the former clause has spoken about   
the harm that naturally follows unbelief
 whilst the ,gospel is being preached2  
the latter clause speaks about the      
active agency of ,christ when the end   
shall have come1 and the preaching of   
the ,gospel shall have merged into the  
act of judgment4 ,i do not mean to      
dwell1 brethren1 upon that thought2 it  
seems to me far too awful a one to be   
handled by my hands1 at any rate4 ,let  
us leave it in the vagueness and        
dreadfulness of the words of ,him who   
never spoke exaggerated words1 and who1 
when ,he said1 ',it shall grind him to  

powder1' meant 7as it seems to me7      
nothing less than a destruction which1  
contrasted with the former remediable   
wounding and breaking1 was a destruction
 utter1 and hopeless1 and everlasting1  
and without remedy4 ,ground--ground to  
powder6 ,any life left in that8 any     
gathering up of that1 and making a man  
of it again8 ,all the humanity battered 
out of it1 and the life clean gone from 
it6 ,does not that sound very much like 
'everlasting destruction from the       
presence of ,god and from the glory of  
,his power'8 ,christ1 silent now1 will  
begin to speak2 passive now1 will begin 
to act4 ,the stone comes down1 and the  
fall of it will be awful4 ,i remember1  
away up in a lonely ,highland valley1   
where beneath a tall black cliff1 all   
weather-worn1 and cracked1 and seamed1  
there lies at the foot1 resting on the  
greensward that creeps round its base1 a
 huge rock1 that has fallen from the    
face of the precipice4 ,a shepherd was  
passing beneath it2 and suddenly1 when  

the finger of ,god's will touched it1   
and rent it from its ancient bed in the 
everlasting rock1 it came down1 leaping 
and bounding from pinnacle to           
pinnacle--and it fell2 and the man that 
was beneath it is there now6 ',ground to
 powder4' ,ah1 my brethren1 that is not 
my illustration--that is ,christ's4     
,therefore ,i say to you1 since all that
 stand against ,him shall become 'as the
 chaff of the summer threshing-floor1'  
and be swept utterly away1 make ,him the
 foundation on which you build2 and when
 the storm sweeps away every 'refuge of 
lies1' you will be safe and serene1     
builded upon the ,rock of ,ages4        
,,two ,,ways ,,of ,,despising ,,god',s  
,,feast       ',and ,jesus answered and 
spake unto them again by     parables1  
and said1 #b4 ,the kingdom of heaven is 
like     unto a certain king1 which made
 a marriage for his son1     #c4 ,and   
sent forth his servants to call them    
that were     bidden to the wedding3 and
 they would not come4     #d4 ,again1 he

 sent forth other servants1 saying1     
,tell     them which are bidden1        
,behold1 ,i have prepared my     dinner3
 my oxen and my fatlings are killed1 and
 all     things are ready3 come unto the
 marriage4 #f4 ,but they     made light 
of it1 and went their ways1 one to his  
farm1     another to his merchandise2   
#f4 ',and the remnant took     his      
servants1 and entreated them spitefully1
 and slew     them4 #g4 ,but when the   
king heard thereof1 he was wroth3       
and he sent forth his armies1 and       
destroyed those     murderers1 and      
burned up their city4  ,then saith he to
     his servants1 ,the wedding is      
ready1 but they which were     bidden   
were not worthy4 #i4 ,go ye therefore   
into the     highways1 and as many as ye
 shall find1 bid to the     marriage4   
#aj4 ,so those servants went out into   
the     highways1 and gathered together 
all as many as they     found1 both bad 
and good3 and the wedding was furnished 
with guests4 #aa4 ,and when the king    

came in to see the     guests1 he saw   
there a man which had not on a          
wedding-garment3 #ab4 ,and he saith unto
 him1 ,friend1 how     earnest thou in  
hither not having a wedding-garment8    
,and he was speechless4 #ac4 ,then said 
the king to the     servants1 ,bind him 
hand and foot1 and take him away1       
and cast him into outer darkness2 there 
shall be     weeping and gnashing of    
teeth4 #ad4 ,for many are called1       
but few are chosen4'--,,matt4 xxii4     
#a-ad4  ,this parable1 and the preceding
 one of the vine-dressers1 make a pair4 
,they are closely connected in time1 as 
well as subject4 ',jesus answered4'     
,what8 ,obviously1 the unspoken         
murderous hate1 restrained by fear1     
which had been raised in the rulers'    
minds1 and flashed in their eyes1 and   
moved in their gestures4 ,christ answers
 it by repeating ,his blow2 for the     
present parable is1 in outline1         
identical with the preceding1 though    
differing in colouring1 and carrying its

 thoughts farther4 ,that stopped with   
the transference of the kingdom to the  
,gentiles2 this passes on to speak also 
of the development among the ,gentiles1 
and ends with the law 'many called1 few 
chosen1' which is exemplified in ,jew   
and ,gentile4 ,there are1 then1 two     
parts in it3 verses #a-i covering the   
same ground as the former2 verses #aj-ad
 adding new matter4  ,i4 ,the judgment  
on those who refuse the offered joys of 
the kingdom4 ,in the previous parable1  
the kingdom was presented on the side of
 duty and service4 ,the call was to     
render obedience4 ,the vineyard was a   
sphere for toil4 ,the owner had given it
 indeed1 but1 having given1 he required4
 ,that is only half the truth1 and the  
least joyful half4 ,so this parable     
dismisses all ideas of work1 duty1      
service1 requirement1 and instead gives 
the emblem of a marriage feast as the   
picture of the kingdom4 ,it therein     
unites two familiar prophetic images for
 the ,messianic times--those of a       

festival and of a marriage4 ,as ,luther 
says1 ',he calls it a marriage feast1   
not a time of toil or a time of sorrow1 
but a time of holiday and a time of joy2
 in which we make ourselves fine1 sing1 
play1 dance1 eat1 drink1 are glad1 and  
have a good time2 else it would not be a
 wedding feast1 if people were to be    
working1 mourning1 or crying4           
,therefore1 ,christ calls ,his          
,christianity and gospel by the name of 
the highest joy on earth2 namely1 by the
 name of a marriage feast4' ,how        
pathetic this designation of ,his       
kingdom is on ,christ's lips1 when we   
remember how near ,his bitter agony ,he 
stood1 and that ,he tasted its          
bitterness already6 ,it is not the whole
 truth any more than the vineyard emblem
 is4 ,both must be united in our idea of
 the kingdom1 as both may be in         
experience4 ,it is possible to be at    
once toiling among the vines in the hot 
sunshine1 and feasting at the table4    
,the ,christian life is not all grinding

 at heavy tasks1 nor all enjoyment of   
spiritual refreshment2 but our work may 
be so done as to be our 'meat'--as it   
was ,his--and our glad repose may be    
unbroken even in the midst of toil4 ,we 
are1 at one and the same time1 labourers
 in the king's vineyard1 and guests at  
the king's table2 and the same duality  
will1 in some unknown fashion1 continue 
in the perfect kingdom1 where there will
 be both work and feasting1 and all the 
life shall be both in one4  ,the second 
point to be noticed is the invitations  
of the king4 ,there had been an         
invitation before the point at which the
 parable begins1 for the servants are   
sent to summon those who had already    
been 'called4' ,that calling1 which lies
 beyond the horizon of our parable1 is  
the whole series of agencies in ,old    
,testament times4 ,so this parable      
begins almost where the former leaves   
off4 ,they only slightly overlap4 ,the  
first servants here are ,christ         
,himself1 and ,his followers in their   

ministry during ,his life2 and the      
second set are the apostles and         
preachers of the gospel during the      
period between the completion of the    
preparation of the feast 7that is1 the  
death of ,christ7 and the destruction of
 ,jerusalem4 ,the characteristic        
difference of their message from that of
 the servants in the former parable1    
embodies the whole difference between   
the preaching of the prophets1 as       
messengers demanding the fruit of       
righteousness1 and the glad tidings of a
 gospel of free grace which does not    
demand1 but offers1 and does not say    
'obey' until it has said 'eat1 and be   
glad4' ,the reiterated invitations not  
only correspond to the actual facts1    
but1 like the facts1 set the miracle of 
,god's patience in a still brighter     
light than the former story did2 for    
while it is wonderful that the lord of  
the vineyard should stoop to ask so     
often for fruit1 it is far more         
wonderful that the founder of the feast1

 who is king too1 should stoop to offer 
over and over again the refused         
abundance of his table4  ,mark1 further1
 the refusal of the invitations3 ',they 
would not 7or did not wish to7 come4'   
,that is ,christ's gentle way of        
describing the unbelief of ,his         
generation4 ,it is the second set of    
refusers who are painted in darker      
colours4 ,we are accustomed to think    
that the sin of ,his contemporaries was 
great beyond parallel1 but he seems here
 to hint that the sin of those who      
reject ,him after the ,cross and the    
,resurrection1 is blacker than theirs4  
,at any rate1 it clearly is so4 ,but    
note that the parable speaks as if the  
refusers were the same persons          
throughout1 thus taking the same point  
of view as the former one did1 and      
regarding the generations of the ,jews  
as one whole4 ,there is a real unity1   
though the individuals be different1 if 
the spirit actuating successive         
generations be the same4  ,note the two 

classes of rejecters4 ,the first simply 
pay no attention1 because their heads   
are full of business4 ,they do not even 
speak more or less lame excuses1 as the 
refusers in ,luke's similar parable had 
the decency to do4 ,the king's messenger
 addresses a group1 who pause on their  
road for a moment1 to listen listlessly 
to what he has to say1 and1 when he has 
done1 disperse without a word1 each man 
going on his road1 as if nothing had    
happened4 ,the ground of their          
indifference lies in their absorption   
with this world's good1 and their belief
 that it is best4 ',his own farm1' as   
the original puts it emphatically1 holds
 one man by the solid delight of        
possessing acres that he can walk over  
and till2 his merchandise draws another1
 by the excitement of speculation and   
the lust of acquiring4 ,it is not only  
the hurry and fever of a great          
commercial city1 but the quiet and      
leisure of country life1 which shut out 
taste for ,god's feast4 ,strange        

preference of toil and risk of loss to  
abundance1 repose1 and joy6 ,savages    
barter gold for glass beads4 ,we choose 
lives of weary work and hunting after   
uncertain riches1 rather than listen to 
,his call1 despising the open-handed    
housekeeping of our ,father's house1 and
 trying to fill our hunger with the     
swine's husks4 ,the suicidal madness of 
refusing the kingdom is set in a vivid  
light in these quiet words4  ,but       
stranger still is the conduct of the    
rest4 ,why should they kill men whose   
only fault was bringing them a          
hospitable invitation8 ,the incongruity 
of the representation has given offence 
to some interpreters1 who are not slow  
to point out how ,christ could have     
improved ,his parable4 ,but the reality 
is more incongruous still1 and the      
unmotived outburst of wrath against the 
innocent bearers of a kindly invitation 
is only too true to life4 ,mark the     
distinction drawn by our ,lord between  
the bulk of the people who simply       

neglected1 and the few who violently    
opposed4 ,he does not charge the guilt  
on all4 ,the murderers of ,him and of   
,his first followers were not the mass  
of the nation1 who1 left to themselves1 
would not have so acted1 but the few who
 stirred up the many4 ,but1 though ,he  
does not lay the guilt at the doors of  
all1 yet the punishment falls on all1   
and1 when the city is burned1 the houses
 of the negligent and of the slayers are
 equally consumed2 for simple refusal of
 the message and slaying the messengers 
were but the positive and superlative   
degrees of the same crime--rebellion    
against the king1 whose invitation was a
 command4  ,the fatal issue is          
presented1 as in the former parable1 in 
two parts3 the destruction of the       
rebels1 and the passing over of the     
kingdom to others4 ,but the differences 
are noteworthy4 ,here we read that 'the 
king was wroth4' ,insult to a king is   
worse than dishonesty to a landlord4    
,the refusal of ,god's proffered grace  

is even more certain to awake that awful
 reality1 the wrath of ,god1 than the   
failure to render the fruits of the good
 possessed4 ,love repelled and thrown   
back on itself cannot but become wrath4 
,that refusal1 which is rebellion1 is   
fittingly described as punished by force
 of arms and the burning of the city4   
,we can scarcely help seeing that our   
,lord here1 in a very striking and      
unusual way1 mingles prose prediction   
with parabolic imagery4 ,some           
commentators object to this1 and take   
the armies and the burning to be only   
part of the imagery1 but it is difficult
 to believe that4 ,note the forcible    
pronouns1 ',his armies1' and 'their     
city4' ,the terrible ,roman legions were
 ,his soldiers for the time being1 the  
axe which ,he laid to the root of the   
tree4 ,the city had ceased to be ,his1  
just as the temple ceased to be ',my    
house1' and became1 by their sin1 'your 
house4' ,the legend told that1 before   
their destruction1 a mighty voice was   

heard saying1 ',let us depart1' and1    
with the sound of rushing wings1 ,his   
presence left sanctuary and city4 ,when 
,he was no longer 'the glory in the     
midst1' ,he was no longer 'a wall of    
fire round about1' and the ,roman       
torches worked their will on the city   
which was no longer 'the city of our    
,god4'  ,the command to gather in others
 to fill the vacant places follows on   
the destruction of the city4 ,this may  
seem to be opposed to the facts of the  
transference of the kingdom to the      
,gentiles1 which certainly was begun    
long before ,jerusalem fell4 ,but its   
fall was the final and complete         
severance of ,christianity from         
,judaism1 and not till then had the     
messengers to give up the summons to    
,israel as hopeless4 ,perhaps ,paul had 
this parable floating in his memory when
 he said to the howling blasphemers at  
,antioch in ,pisidia1 ',seeing ye 444   
judge yourselves unworthy of eternal    
life1 lo1 we turn to the ,gentiles4 ,for

 so hath the ,lord commanded us4' ',they
 which were bidden were not worthy1' and
 their unworthiness consisted not in any
 other moral demerit1 but solely in     
this1 that they had refused the         
proffered blessings4 ,that is the only  
thing which makes any of us unworthy4   
,and that will make the best of us      
unworthy4  ,,ii4 ,verses #aj-ad carry us
 beyond the preceding parable1 and show 
us the judgment on the unworthy         
accepters of the invitation4 ,there are 
two ways of sinning against ,god's      
merciful gift3 the one is refusing to   
accept it2 the other is taking it in    
outward seeming1 but continuing in sin4 
,the former was the sin of the ,jews2   
the latter is the sin of nominal        
,christians4 ,we may briefly note the   
points of this appendix to the parable4 
,the first is the indiscriminate        
invitation1 which is more emphatically  
marked as being so1 by the mention of   
the 'bad' before the good among the     
guests4 ,god's offer is for all1 and1 in

 a very real sense1 is specially sent to
 the worst1 just as the doctor goes     
first to the most severely wounded4 ,so 
the motley crew1 without the least      
attempt at discrimination1 are seated at
 the table4 ,if the ,church understands 
its business1 it will have nothing to do
 in its message with distinctions of    
character any more than of class1 but1  
if it makes any difference1 will give   
the outcast and disreputable the first  
place in its efforts4 ,is that what it  
does8  ,the next point is the king's    
inspection4 ,the word rendered 'behold' 
implies a fixed and minute observation4 
,when does that scrutiny take place8    
,obviously1 from the sequel1 the final  
judgment is referred to1 and it is      
remarkable that here there is no mention
 of the king's son as the judge4 ,no    
parable can shadow forth all truth1 and 
though the ,father 'has committed all   
judgment to the ,son1' the ,son's       
judgment is the ,father's1 and the      
exigencies of the parable required that 

the son as bridegroom should not be     
brought into view as judge4 ,note that  
there is only one guest without the     
dress needed4 ,that may be an instance  
of the lenity of ,christ's charity1     
which hopeth all things2 or it may      
rather be intended to suggest the       
keenness of the king's glance1 which1 in
 all the crowded tables1 picks out the  
one ragged losel who had found his way  
there--so individual is his knowledge1  
so impossible for us to hide in the     
crowd4  ,mark that the feast has not    
begun1 though the guests are seated4    
,the judgment stands at the threshold of
 the heavenly kingdom4 ,the king speaks 
with a certain coldness1 very unlike the
 welcome fit for a guest2 and his       
question is one of astonishment at the  
rude boldness of the man who came there1
 knowing that he had not the proper     
dress4 7,that knowledge is implied in   
the form of the sentence in the ,greek47
 ,what1 then1 is the wedding garment8   
,it can be nothing else than            

righteousness1 moral purity1 which fits 
for sitting at ,his table in ,his       
kingdom4 ,and the man who has it not1 is
 the nominal ,christian1 who says that  
he has accepted ,god's invitation1 and  
lives in sin1 not putting off 'the old  
man with his deeds1' nor putting on 'the
 new man1 which is created in           
righteousness4' ,how that garment was to
 be obtained is no part of this parable4
 ,we know that it is only to be received
 by faith in ,jesus ,christ1 and that if
 we are to pass the scrutiny of the     
king1 it must be as 'not having our own 
righteousness1' but ,his made ours by   
faith which makes us righteous1 and then
 by all holy effort1 and toil in ,his   
strength1 we must clothe our souls in   
the dress which befits the banqueting   
hall2 for only they who are washed and  
clothed in fine linen1 clean and white1 
shall sit there4 ,but ,christ's purpose 
here was not to explain how the robe was
 to be procured1 but to insist that it  
must be worn4  ',he was                 

speechless1'--or1 as the word means1    
'muzzled4' ,the man is self-condemned1  
and1 having nothing to say in           
extenuation1 the solemn promise is      
pronounced of ejection from the lighted 
hall1 with limbs bound so that he cannot
 struggle1 and consignment to the       
blackness outside1 of which our ,lord   
adds1 in words not put into the king's  
mouth1 but which we have heard from ,him
 before1 ',there shall be the well-known
 and terrible weeping and gnashing of   
teeth--awful though figurative          
expressions for despair and passion4    
,both parts of the parable come under   
one law1 and exemplify one principle of 
the kingdom1 that its invitations extend
 more widely than the real possession of
 its gifts4 ,the unbelieving ,jew1 in   
one direction1 and the unrighteous      
,christian in another1 are instances of 
this4  ,this is not the place to discuss
 that wide and well-worn question of the
 ground of ,god's choice4 ,that does not
 enter into the scope of the parable4   

,for it1 the choice is proved by the    
actual participation in the feast4 ,they
 who do not choose to receive the       
invitation1 or to put on the wedding    
garment1 do1 in different ways1 show    
that they are not 'chosen' though       
'called4' ,the lesson is1 not of        
interminable and insoluble questionings 
about ,god's secrets1 but of earnest    
heed to ,his gracious call1 and earnest1
 believing effort to make the fair      
garment our very own1 'if so be that    
being clothed we shall not be found     
naked4'     ,,the ,,tables ,,turned3    
,,the ,,questioners ,,questioned        
',but when the ,pharisees had heard that
 ,he had put the     ,sadducees to      
silence1 they were gathered together4   
#ce4 ,then one of them1 which was a     
lawyer1 asked ,him a     question1      
tempting ,him1 and saying1 #cf4 ,master1
 which     is the great commandment in  
the law8 #cg4 ,jesus said     unto him1 
,thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god with
 all thy     heart1 and with all thy    

soul1 and with all thy mind4     #ch4   
,this is the first and great            
commandment4 #ci4 ,and     the second is
 like unto it1 ,thou shalt love thy     
neighbour as thyself4 #dj4 ,on these two
 commandments     hang all the law and  
the prophets4 #da4 ,while the           
,pharisees were gathered together1      
,jesus asked them1     #db4 ,saying1    
,what think ye of ,christ8 whose ,son is
 ,he8     ,they say unto ,him1 ,the son 
of ,david4 #dc4 ,he saith unto     them1
 ,how then doth ,david in spirit call   
,him ,lord1     saying1 #dd4 ,the ,lord 
said unto my ,lord1 ,sit ,thou on ,my   
right hand1 till ,i make ,thine enemies 
,thy footstool8     #de4 ,if ,david then
 call ,him ,lord1 how is ,he his son8   
#df4 ,and no man was able to answer ,him
 a word2 neither     durst any man1 from
 that day forth1 ask ,him any more      
questions4'--,,matt4xxii4#cd-df4        
,herodians1 ,sadducees1 ,pharisees1 who 
were at daggers drawn with each other1  
patched up an alliance against ,jesus1  

whom they all hated4 ,their questions   
were cunningly contrived to entangle    
,him in the cobwebs of casuistry and    
theological hair-splitting1 but ,he     
walked through the fine-spun snares as a
 lion might stalk away with the nooses  
set for him dangling behind him4 ,the   
last of the three questions put to      
,jesus1 and the one question with which 
,he turned the tables and silenced ,his 
questioners1 are our subject4 ,in the   
former1 ,jesus declares the essence of  
the law or of religion2 in the latter1  
,he brings to light the essential       
loftiness of the ,messiah4  ,i4 ,the two
 preceding questions are represented to 
have been asked by deputations2 this is 
specially noted as emanating from an    
individual4 ,the 'lawyer' seems to have 
anticipated his colleagues1 and possibly
 his question was not that which they   
had meant to put4 ,his motive in asking 
it was that of 'tempting' ,jesus1 but we
 must not give that word too hostile a  
sense1 for it may mean no more than     

'testing' or trying4 ,the legal expert  
wished to find out the attainments and  
standpoint of this would-be teacher1 and
 so he proposed a question which would  
bring out the whereabouts of ,jesus1 and
 give opportunity for a theological     
wrangle4 ,he did not ask the question   
for guidance1 but as an inquisitor      
cross-examining a suspected heretic4    
,probably the question was a stereotyped
 one1 and there are traces in the       
,gospels that the answer recognised as  
orthodox was that which ,jesus gave     
7,luke x4 #bg74 ,the two commandments   
are quoted from ,deuteronomy vi4 #e and 
,leviticus xix4 #ah respectively4 ,the  
lawyer probably only desired to raise a 
discussion as to the relative worth of  
isolated precepts4 ,jesus goes deep down
 below isolated precepts1 and unifies1  
as well as transforms1 the law4 ,supreme
 and undivided love to ,god is not only 
the great1 but also the first1          
commandment4 ,in more modern phrase1 it 
is the sum of man's duty and the germ of

 all goodness4 ,note that ,jesus shifts 
the centre from conduct to character1   
from deeds to affections4 ',as a man    
thinketh in his heart1 so is he1' said  
the sage of old2 ,christ says1 ',as a   
man loves1 so is he4' ,two loves we     
have1--either the dark love of self and 
sense1 or the white love of ,god1 and   
all character and conduct are determined
 by which of these sways us4 ,note1     
further1 that love to ,god must needs be
 undivided4 ,god is one and all2 man is 
one and finite4 ,to love such an object 
with half a heart is not to love4 ,true1
 our weakness leads astray1 but the only
 real love corresponding to the natures 
of the lover and the loved is           
whole-hearted1 whole-souled1            
whole-minded4 ,it must be 'all in all1  
or not at all4'  ',a second is like unto
 it1'--love to man is the under side1 as
 it were1 of love to ,god4 ,the two     
commandments are alike1 for both call   
for love1 and the second is second      
because it is a consequence of the      

first4 ,each sets up a lofty standard2  
'with all thy heart' and 'as thyself'   
sound equally impossible1 but both      
result necessarily from the nature of   
the case4 ,religion is the parent of all
 morality1 and especially of benevolent 
love to men4 ,innate self-regard will   
yield to no force but that of love to   
,god4 ,it is vain to try to create      
brotherhood among men unless the sense  
of ,god's fatherhood is its foundation4 
,love of neighbours is the second       
commandment1 and to make it the first1  
as some do now1 is to end all hope of   
fulfilling it4 ,still further1 ,jesus   
hangs law and prophets on these two     
precepts1 which1 at bottom1 are one4    
,not only will all other duties be done 
in doing these1 since 'love is the      
fulfilling of the law1' but all other   
precepts1 and all the prophets' appeals 
and exhortations1 are but deductions    
from1 or helps to the attainment of1    
these4 ,all our forms of worship1       
creeds1 and the like1 are of worth in so

 far as they are outcomes of love to    
,god1 or aid us in loving ,him and our  
neighbours4 ,without love1 they are 'as 
sounding brass1 or a tinkling cymbal4'  
,,ii4 ,the ,pharisees remained 'gathered
 together1' and may have been preparing 
another question1 but ,jesus had been   
long enough interrogated4 ,it was not   
fitting that ,he should be catechised   
only4 ,his questions teach4 ,he does not
 seek to 'entangle' the ,pharisees 'in  
their speech1' nor to make them         
contradict themselves1 but brings them  
full up against a difficulty1 that they 
may open their eyes to the great truth  
which is its only solution4 ,his first  
question1 ',what think ye of the        
,christ8' is simply preparatory to the  
second4 ,the answer which ,he           
anticipated was given1--as1 of course1  
it would be1 for the ,davidic descent of
 the ,messiah was a commonplace         
universally accepted4 ,one can fancy    
that the ,pharisees smiled complacently 
at the attempt to puzzle them with such 

an elementary question1 but the smile   
vanished when the next one came4 ,they  
interpreted ,psalm #aaj as ,messianic1  
and ,david in it called ,messiah 'my    
,lord4' ,how can ,he be both8 ,jesus'   
question is in two forms1--',if ,he is  
son1 how does ,david call ,him ,lord8'  
or1 if ,he is ,lord1 'how then is ,he   
his son8' ,take either designation1 and 
the other lands you in inextricable     
difficulties4  ,now what was our ,lord's
 purpose in thus driving the ,pharisees 
into a corner8 ,not merely to 'muzzle'  
them1 as the word in verse #cd1 rendered
 'put to silence1' literally means1 but 
to bring to light the inadequate        
conceptions of the ,messiah and of the  
nature of ,his kingdom1 to which        
exclusive recognition of his ,davidic   
descent necessarily led4 ,david's son   
would be but a king after the type of   
the ,herods and ,csars1 and his kingdom 
as 'carnal' as the wildest zealot       
expected1 but ,david's ,lord1 sitting at
 ,god's right hand1 and having ,his foes

 made ,his footstool by ,jehovah        
,himself1--what sort of a ,messiah ,king
 would that be8 ,the majestic image1    
that shapes itself dimly here1 was a    
revelation that took the ,pharisees'    
breath away1 and made them dumb4 ,nor   
are the words without a half-disclosed  
claim on ,christ's part to be that which
 ,he was so soon to avow ,himself before
 the high priest as being4 ,the first   
hearers of them probably caught that    
meaning partly1 and were horrified2 we  
hear it clearly in the words1 and       
answer1 ',thou art the ,king of glory1  
,o ,christ6 ,thou art the everlasting   
,son of the ,father4'  ,jesus here says 
that ,psalm #aaj is ,messianic1 that    
,david was the author1 and that he wrote
 it by divine inspiration4 ,the present 
writer cannot see how our ,lord's       
argument can be saved from collapse if  
the psalm is not ,david's4     ,,the    
,,king',s ,,farewell       ',woe unto   
you1 scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6
 for     ye are like unto whited        

sepulchres1 which indeed appear         
beautiful outward1 but are within full  
of dead men's     bones1 and of all     
uncleanness4 #bh4 ,even so ye also      
outwardly appear righteous unto men1 but
 within ye are     full of hypocrisy and
 iniquity4 #bi4 ,woe unto you1          
scribes and ,pharisees1 hypocrites6     
because ye build the     tombs of the   
prophets1 and garnish the sepulchres of 
the righteous1 #cj4 ,and say1 ,if we had
 been in the days     of our fathers1 we
 would not have been partakers with     
them in the blood of the prophets4 #ca4 
,wherefore ye be     witnesses unto     
yourselves1 that ye are the children of 
them which killed the prophets4 #cb4    
,fill ye up then the     measure of your
 fathers4 #cc4 ,ye serpents1 ye         
generation     of vipers1 how can ye    
escape the damnation of hell6     #cd4  
,wherefore1 behold1 ,i send unto you    
prophets1 and     wise men1 and scribes3
 and some of them ye shall kill     and 
crucify2 and some of them shall ye      

scourge in your     synagogues1 and     
persecute them from city to city2       
#ce4 ,that upon you may come all the    
righteous blood shed     upon the earth1
 from the blood of righteous ,abel unto 
the blood of ,zacharias son of          
,barachias1 whom ye slew     between the
 temple and the altar4 #cf4 ,verily ,i  
say unto     you1 ,all these things     
shall come upon this generation4        
#cg4 ,o ,jerusalem1 ,jerusalem1 thou    
that killest the     prophets1 and      
stonest them which are sent unto thee1  
how often would ,i have gathered thy    
children together1     even as a hen    
gathereth her chickens under her wings1 
and ye would not6 #ch4 ,behold1 your    
house is left unto     you desolate4    
#ci4 ,for ,i say unto you1 ,ye shall not
 see     ,me henceforth1 till ye shall  
say1 ,blessed is ,he that     cometh in 
the name of the ,lord4'--,,matt4  xxiii4
 #bg-ci4  ,if1 with the majority of     
authorities1 we exclude verse #ad from  
the text1 there are1 in this chapter1   

seven woes1 like seven thunders1        
launched against the rulers4 ,they are  
scathing exposures1 but1 as the very    
word implies1 full of sorrow as well as 
severity4 ,they are not denunciations1  
but prophecies warning that the end of  
such tempers must be mournful4 ,the     
wailing of an infinite compassion1      
rather than the accents of anger1 sounds
 in them2 and it alone is heard in the  
outburst of lamenting in which ,christ's
 heart runs over1 as in a passion of    
tears1 at the close4 ,the blending of   
sternness and pity1 each perfect1 is the
 characteristic of this wonderful climax
 of our ,lord's appeals to ,his nation4 
,could such tones of love and righteous 
anger joined have been sent echoing     
through the ages in this ,gospel1 if    
they had not been heard8  ,i4 ,the woe  
of the 'whited sepulchres4' ,the first  
four woes are directed mainly to the    
teachings of the scribes and ,pharisees2
 the last three to their characters4    
,the two first of these fasten on the   

same sin1 of hypocritical holiness4     
,there is1 however1 a difference between
 the representation of hypocrites under 
the metaphor of the clean outside of the
 cup and platter1 and that of the whited
 sepulchre4 ,in the former1 the hidden  
sin is 'extortion and excess'2 that is1 
sensual enjoyment wrongly procured1 of  
which the emblems of cup and plate      
suggest that good eating and drinking   
are a chief part4 ,in the latter1 it is 
'iniquity'--a more general and darker   
name for sin4 ,in the former1 the       
,pharisee is 'blind1' self-deceived in  
part or altogether2 in the latter1      
stress is rather laid on his 'appearance
 unto men4' ,the repetition of the same 
charge in the two woes teaches us       
,christ's estimate of the gravity and   
frequency of the sin4  ,the whitened    
tombs of ,mohammedan saints still gleam 
in the strong sunlight on many a knoll  
in ,palestine4 ,if the ,talmudical      
practice is as old as our ,lord's time1 
the annual whitewashing was lately over4

 ,its purpose was not to adorn the      
tombs1 but to make them conspicuous1 so 
that they might be avoided for fear of  
defilement4 ,so ,he would say1 with     
terrible irony1 that the apparent       
holiness of the rulers was really a sign
 of corruption1 and a warning to keep   
away from them4 ,what a blow at their   
self-complacency6 ,and how profoundly   
true it is that the more punctiliously  
white the hypocrite's outside1 the more 
foul is he within1 and the wider berth  
will all discerning people give him6    
,the terrible force of the figure needs 
no dwelling on4 ,in ,christ's estimate1 
such a soul was the very dwelling-place 
of death2 and foul odours and worms and 
corruption filled its sickening         
recesses4 ,terrible words to come from  
,his lips into which grace was poured1  
and bold words to be flashed at         
listeners who held the life of the      
,speaker in their hands6 ,there are two 
sorts of hypocrites1 the conscious and  
the unconscious2 and there are ten of   

the latter for one of the former1 and   
each ten times more dangerous4          
,established religion breeds them1 and  
they are specially likely to be found   
among those whose business is to study  
the documents in which it is embodied4  
,these woes are not like thunder-peals  
rolling above our heads1 while the      
lightning strikes the earth miles away4 
,a religion which is mostly whitewash is
 as common among us as ever it was in   
,jerusalem2 and its foul accompaniments 
of corruption becoming more rotten every
 year1 as the whitewash is laid on      
thicker1 may be smelt among us1 and its 
fatal end is as sure4  ,,ii4 ,the woe of
 the sepulchre builders 7vs4 #bi-cf74   
,in these verses we have1 first1 the    
specification of another form of        
hypocrisy1 consisting in building the   
prophets' tombs1 and disavowing the     
fathers' murder of them4 ,honouring dead
 prophets was right2 but honouring dead 
ones and killing living ones was        
conscious or unconscious hypocrisy4 ,the

 temper of mind which leads to          
glorifying the dead witnesses1 also     
leads to supposing that all truth was   
given by them2 and hence that the living
 teachers1 who carry their message      
farther1 are false prophets4 ,a         
generation which was ready to kill      
,jesus in honour of ,moses1 would have  
killed ,moses in honour of ,abraham1 and
 would not have had the faintest        
apprehension of the message of either4  
,it is a great deal easier to build     
tombs than to accept teachings1 and a   
good deal of the posthumous honour paid 
to ,god's messengers means1 ',it's a    
good thing they are dead1 and that we   
have nothing to do but to put up a      
monument4' ,bi-centenaries and          
ter-centenaries and jubilees do not     
always imply either the understanding or
 the acceptance of the principles       
supposed to be glorified thereby4 ,but  
the magnifiers of the past are often    
quite unconscious of the hollowness of  
their admiration1 and honest in their   

horror of their fathers' acts2 and we   
all need the probe of such words as     
,christ's to pierce the skin of our lazy
 reverence for our fathers' prophets1   
and let out the foul matter             
below--namely1 our own blindness to     
,god's messengers of to-day4  ,the      
statement of the hypocrisy is followed1 
in verses #ca-cc1 with its unmasking and
 condemnation4 ,the words glow with     
righteous wrath at white heat1 and end  
in a burst of indignation1 most         
unfamiliar to ,his lips4 ,three         
sentences1 like triple lightning flash  
from ,his pained heart4 ,with almost    
scornful subtlety ,he lays hold of the  
words which ,he puts into the           
,pharisees' mouths1 to convict them of  
kindred with those whose deeds they     
would disown4 ',our fathers1 say you8   
,then you do belong to the same family1 
after all4 ,you confess that you have   
their blood in your veins2 and1 in the  
very act of denying sympathy with their 
conduct1 you own kindred4 ,and1 for all 

your protestations1 spiritual kindred   
goes with bodily descent4' ,christ here 
recognises that children probably 'take 
after their parents1' or1 in modern     
scientific terms1 that 'heredity' is the
 law1 and that it works more surely in  
the transmission of evil than of good4  
,then come the awful words bidding that 
generation 'fill up the measure of the  
fathers4' ,they are like the other      
command to ,judas to do his work        
quickly4 ,they are more than permission1
 they are command2 but such a command   
as1 by its laying bare of the true      
character of the deed in view1 is love's
 last effort at prevention4 ,mark the   
growing emotion of the language4 ,mark  
the conception of a nation's sins as one
 through successive generations1 and the
 other1 of these as having a definite   
measure1 which being filled1 judgment   
can no longer tarry4 ,generation after  
generation pours its contributions into 
the vessel1 and when the last black drop
 which it can hold has been added1 then 

comes the catastrophe4 ,mark the fatal  
necessity by which inherited sin becomes
 darker sin4 ,the fathers' crimes are   
less than the sons'4 ,this inheritance  
increases by each transmission4 ,the    
cloak strikes one more at each          
revolution of the hands4  ,it is hard to
 recognise ,christ in the terrible words
 that follow4 ,we have heard part of    
them from ,john the ,baptist2 and it    
sounded natural for him to call men     
serpents and the children of serpents1  
but it is somewhat of a shock to hear   
,jesus hurling such names at even the   
most sinful4 ,but let us remember that  
,he who sees hearts1 has a right to tell
 harsh truths1 and that it is truest    
kindness to strip off masks which hide  
from men their own real character1 and  
that the revelation of the divine love  
in ,jesus would be a partial and        
impotent revelation if it did not show  
us the righteous love which is wrath4   
,there is nothing so terrible as the    
anger of gentle compassion1 and the     

fiercest and most destructive wrath is  
'the wrath of the ,lamb4' ,seldom1      
indeed1 did ,he show that side of ,his  
character2 but it is there1 and the     
other side would not be so blessed as it
 is1 unless that were there too4  ,the  
woe ends with the double prophecy that  
that generation would repeat and surpass
 the fathers' guilt1 and that on it     
would fall the accumulated penalties of 
past bloodshed4 ,note that solemn       
'therefore1' which looks back to the    
whole preceding context1 and forward to 
the whole subsequent4 ,because the      
rulers professed abhorrence of their    
fathers' deeds1 and yet inherited their 
spirit1 they too would have their       
prophets1 and would slay them4 ,god goes
 on sending ,his messengers1 because we 
reject them2 and the more deaf men are1 
the more does ,he peal ,his words into  
their ears4 ,that is mercy and          
compassion1 that all men may be saved   
and come to the knowledge of the truth2 
but it is judgment too1 and its foreseen

 effect must be regarded as part of the 
divine purpose in it4 ,christ's desire  
is one thing1 ,his purpose another4 ,his
 desire is that all should find in ,his 
gospel 'the savour of life'2 but ,his   
purpose is that1 if it be not that to   
any1 it shall be to them the savour of  
death4 ,mark1 too1 the authority with   
which ,he1 in the face of these scowling
 ,pharisees1 assumes the distinct divine
 prerogative of sending forth inspired  
men1 who1 as ,his messengers1 shall     
stand on a level with the prophets of   
old4 ,mark ,his silence as to ,his own  
fate1 which is only obscurely hinted at 
in the command to fill up the measure of
 the fathers4 ,observe the detailed     
enumeration of ,his messengers'         
gifts1--'prophets' under direct         
inspiration1 like those of old1 which   
may especially refer to the apostles2   
'wise men1' like a ,stephen or an       
,apollos2 'scribes1' such as ,mark and  
,luke and many a faithful servant since1
 whose pen has loved to write the name  

above every name4 ,note the detailed    
prophecy of their treatment1 which      
begins with slaying and goes down to the
 less severe scourging1 and thence to   
the milder persecution4 ,do the three   
punishments belong to the three classes 
of messengers1 the severest falling to  
the lot of the most highly endowed1 and 
even the quiet penman being hunted from 
city to city8  ,we need not wriggle and 
twist to try to avoid admitting that the
 calling of the martyred ,zacharias1    
'the son of ,barachias1' is an error of 
some one who confused the author of the 
prophetic book with the person whose    
murder is narrated in #b ,chronicles    
xxiv4 ,we do not know who made the      
mistake1 or how it appears in our text1 
but it is not honest to try to slur it  
over4 ,the punishment of long ages of   
sin1 carried on from father to son1 does
 in the course of that history of the   
world1 which is a part of the judgment  
of the world1 fall upon one generation4 
,it takes long for the mass of heaped-up

 sin to become top-heavy2 but when it is
 so1 it buries one generation of those  
who have worked at piling it up1 beneath
 its down-rushing avalanche4    ',the   
mills of ,god grind slowly1    ,but they
 grind exceeding small4'  ,the          
catastrophes of national histories are  
prepared for by continuous centuries4   
,the generation that laid the first     
powder-hornful of the train is dead and 
buried1 long before the explosion which 
sends constituted order and institutions
 sky-high4 ,the misery is that often the
 generation which has to pay the penalty
 has begun to awake to the sin1 and     
would be glad to mend it1 if it could4  
,england in the seventeenth century1    
,france in the eighteenth1 ,america in  
the nineteenth1 had to reap harvests    
from sins sown long before4 ,such is the
 law of the judgment wrought out by     
,god's providence in history4 ,but there
 is another judgment1 begun here and    
perfected hereafter1 in which fathers   
and sons shall each bear their own      

burden1 and reap accurately the fruit of
 what they have sown4 ',the soul that   
sinneth1 it shall die4'  ,,iii4 ,the    
parting wail of rejected love4 ,the     
lightning flashes of the sevenfold woes 
end in a rain of pity and tears4 ,his   
full heart overflows in that sad cry of 
lamentation over the long-continued     
foiling of the efforts of a love that   
would fain have fondled and defended4   
,what intensity of feeling is in the    
redoubled naming of the city6 ,how      
yearningly and wistfully ,he calls1 as  
if ,he might still win the faithless    
one1 and how lingeringly unwilling ,he  
is to give up hope6 ,how mournfully1    
rather than accusingly1 ,he reiterates  
the acts which had run through the whole
 history1 using a form of the verbs     
which suggests continuance4 ,mark1 too1 
the matter-of-course way in which       
,christ assumes that ,he sent all the   
prophets whom1 through the generations1 
,jerusalem had stoned4  ,so the lament  
passes into the solemn final            

leave-taking1 with which our ,lord      
closes ,his ministry among the ,jews1   
and departs from the temple4 ,as1 in the
 parable of the marriage-feast1 the city
 was emphatically called 'their city1'  
so here the ,temple1 in whose courts ,he
 was standing1 and which in a moment ,he
 was to quit for ever1 is called 'your  
house1' because ,his departure is the   
withdrawing of the true ,shechinah4 ,it 
had been the house of ,god3 now ,he     
casts it off1 and leaves it to them to  
do as they will with it4 ,the saddest   
punishment of long-continued rejection  
of ,his pleading love1 is that it ceases
 at last to plead4 ,the bitterest woe   
for those who refuse to render to ,him  
the fruits of the vineyard1 is to get   
the vineyard for their own1 undisturbed4
 ,christ's utmost retribution for       
obstinate blindness is to withdraw from 
our sight4 ,all the woes that were yet  
to fall1 in long1 dreary succession on  
that nation1 so long continued in its   
sin1 so long continued in its misery1   

were hidden in that solemn departure of 
,christ from the henceforward empty     
temple4 ,let us fear lest our           
unfaithfulness meet the like penalty6   
,but even the departure does not end    
,his yearnings1 nor close the long story
 of the conflict between ,god's         
beseeching love and their unbelief4 ,the
 time shall come when the nation shall  
once more lift up1 with deeper1 truer   
adoration1 the hosannas of the triumphal
 entry4 ,and then a believing ,israel   
shall see their ,king1 and serve ,him4  
,christ never takes final leave of any  
man in this world4 ,it is ever possible 
that dumb lips may be opened to welcome 
,him1 though long rejected2 and ,his    
withdrawals are ,his efforts to bring   
about that opening4 ,when it takes      
place1 how gladly does ,he return to the
 heart which is now ,his temple1 and    
unveil ,his beauty to the long-darkened 
eyes6     ,,two ,,forms ,,of ,,one      
,,saying       ',he that endureth to the
 end1 the same shall be saved4'         

--,matt4 xxiv4 #ac1 ,r4,v4      ',in    
your patience possess ye your           
souls4'--,luke xxi4 #ai4  ,these two    
sayings1 different as they sound in our 
,version1 are probably divergent        
representations of one original4 ,the   
reasons for so supposing are manifold   
and obvious on a little consideration4  
,in the first place1 the two sayings    
occur in the ,evangelists' reports of   
the same prophecy and at the same point 
therein4 ,in the second place1 the      
verbal resemblance is much greater than 
appears in our ,authorised ,version1    
because the word rendered 'patience' in 
,luke is derived from that translated   
'endureth' in ,matthew2 and the true    
connection between the two versions of  
the saying would have been more obvious 
if we had had a similar word in both1   
reading in the one 'he that endureth1'  
and in the other 'in your endurance4'   
,in the third place1 the difference     
between these two sayings presented in  
our ,version1 in that the one is a      

promise and the other a command1 is due 
to an incorrect reading of ,st4 ,luke's 
words4 ,the ,revised ,version           
substitutes for the imperative 'possess'
 the promise 'ye shall possess1' and    
with that variation the two sayings are 
brought a good deal nearer each other4  
,in both endurance is laid down as the  
condition1 which in both is followed by 
a promise4 ,then1 finally1 there need be
 no difficulty in seeing that           
'possessing1' or1 more literally1       
'gaining your souls1' is an exact       
equivalent of the other expression1 'ye 
shall be saved4' ,one cannot but        
remember our ,lord's solemn antithetical
 phrase about a man 'losing his own     
soul4' ,to 'win one's soul' is to be    
saved2 to be saved is to win one's soul4
  ,so ,i think ,i have made out my      
thesis that the two sayings are         
substantially one4 ,they carry a great  
weight of warning1 of exhortation1 and  
of encouragement to us all4 ,let us try 
now to reap some of that harvest4  ,i4  

,first1 then1 notice the view of our    
condition which underlies these sayings4
  ,it is a sad and a somewhat stern one1
 but it is one to which1 ,i think1 most 
men's hearts will respond1 if they give 
themselves leisure to think2 and if they
 'see life steadily1 and see it whole4' 
,for howsoever many days are bright1 and
 howsoever all days are good1 yet1 on   
the whole1 'man is a soldier1 and life  
is a fight4' ,for some of us it is      
simple endurance2 for all of us it has  
sometimes been agony2 for all of us1    
always1 it presents resistance to every 
kind of high and noble career1 and      
especially to the ,christian one4       
,easy-going optimists try to skim over  
these facts1 but they are not to be so  
lightly set aside4 ,you have only to    
look at the faces that you meet in the  
street to be very sure that it is always
 a grave and sometimes a bitter thing to
 live4 ,and so our two texts presuppose 
that life on the whole demands          
endurance1 whatever may be included in  

that great word4  ,think of the inward  
resistance and outward hindrances to    
every lofty life4 ,the scholar1 the man 
of culture1 the philanthropist--all who 
would live for anything else than the   
present1 the low1 and the sensual--find 
that there is a banded conspiracy1 as it
 were1 against them1 and that they have 
to fight their way by continual         
antagonism1 by continual persistence1 as
 well as by continual endurance4        
,within1 weakness1 torpor1 weariness1   
levity1 inconstant wills1 bright        
purposes clouding over1 and all the     
cowardice and animalism of our nature   
war continually against the better1     
higher self4 ,and without1 there is a   
down-dragging1 as persistent as the     
force of gravity1 coming from the whole 
assemblage of external things that      
solicit1 and would fain seduce us4 ,the 
old legends used to tell us how1        
whensoever a knight set out upon any    
great and lofty quest1 his path was     
beset on either side by voices1         

sometimes whispering seductions1 and    
sometimes shrieking maledictions1 but   
always seeking to withdraw him from his 
resolute march onwards to his goal4 ,and
 every one of us1 if we have taken on us
 the orders of any lofty chivalry1 and  
especially if we have sworn ourselves   
knights of the ,cross1 have to meet the 
same antagonism4 ,then1 too1 there are  
golden apples rolled upon our path1     
seeking to draw us away from our        
steadfast endurance4  ,besides the      
hindrances in every noble path1 the     
hindrances within and the hindrances    
without1 the weight of self and the     
drawing of earth1 there come to us      
all--in various degrees no doubt1 and in
 various shapes--but to all of us there 
come the burdens of sorrows and cares1  
and anxieties and trials4 ,wherever two 
or three are gathered together1 even if 
they gather for a feast1 there will be  
some of them who carry a sorrow which   
they know well will never be lifted off 
their shoulders and their hearts1 until 

they lay down all their burdens at the  
grave's mouth2 and it is weary work to  
plod on the path of life with a weight  
that cannot be shifted1 with a wound    
that can never be stanched4  ,oh1       
brethren1 rosy-coloured optimism is all 
a dream4 ,the recognition of the good   
that is in the evil is the devout man's 
talisman1 but there is always need for  
the resistance and endurance which my   
texts prescribe4 ,and the youngest of   
us1 the gladdest of us1 the least       
experienced of us1 the most frivolous of
 us1 if we will question our own hearts1
 will hear their ,amen to the stern1 sad
 view of the facts of earthly life which
 underlies this text4  ,though it has   
many other aspects1 the world seems to  
me sometimes to be like that pool at    
,jerusalem in the five porches of which 
lay1 groaning under various diseases1   
but none of them without an ache1 a     
great multitude of impotent folk1 halt  
and blind4 ,astronomers tell us that    
one1 at any rate1 of the planets rolls  

on its orbit swathed in clouds and      
moisture4 ,the world moves wrapped in a 
mist of tears4 ,god only knows them all1
 but each heart knows its own bitterness
 and responds to the words1 ',ye have   
need of patience4'  ,,ii4 ,now1         
secondly1 mark the victorious temper4   
,that is referred to in the one saying  
by 'he that endureth1' and in the other 
'in your endurance4' ,now1 it is very   
necessary for the understanding of many 
places in ,scripture to remember that   
the notion either of patience or of     
endurance by no means exhausts the power
 of this noble ,christian word4 ,for    
these are passive virtues1 and however  
excellent and needful they may be1 they 
by no means sum up our duty in regard to
 the hindrances and sorrows1 the burdens
 and weights1 of which ,i have been     
trying to speak4 ,for you know it is    
only 'what cannot be cured' that 'must  
be endured1' and even incurable things  
are not merely to be endured1 but they  
ought to be utilised4 ,it is not enough 

that we should build up a dam to keep   
the floods of sorrow and trial from     
overflowing our fields2 we must turn the
 turbid waters into our sluices1 and get
 them to drive our mills4 ,it is not    
enough that we should screw ourselves up
 to lie unresistingly under the         
surgeon's knife2 though ,god knows that 
it is as much as we can manage          
sometimes1 and we have to do as convicts
 under the lash do1 get a bit of lead or
 a bullet into our mouths1 and bite at  
it to keep ourselves from crying out4   
,but that is not all our duty in regard 
to our trials and difficulties4 ,there  
is required something more than passive 
endurance4  ,this noble word of my texts
 does mean a great deal more than that4 
,it means active persistence as well as 
patient submission4 ,it is not enough   
that we should stand and bear the       
pelting of the pitiless storm1          
unmurmuring and unbowed by it2 but we   
are bound to go on our course1 bearing  
up and steering right onwards4          

,persistent perseverance in the path    
that is marked out for us is especially 
the virtue that our ,lord here enjoins4 
,it is well to sit still unmurmuring2 it
 is better to march on undiverted and   
unchecked4 ,and when we are able to keep
 straight on in the path which is marked
 out for us1 and especially in the path 
that leads us to ,god1 notwithstanding  
all opposing voices1 and all inward     
hindrances and reluctances2 when we are 
able to go to our tasks of whatever sort
 they are and to do them1 though our    
hearts are beating like sledge-hammers2 
when we say to ourselves1 ',it does not 
matter a bit whether ,i am sad or glad1 
fresh or wearied1 helped or hindered by 
circumstances1 this one thing ,i do1'   
then we have come to understand and to  
practise the grace that our ,master here
 enjoins4 ,the endurance which wins the 
soul1 and leads to salvation1 is no mere
 passive submission1 excellent and hard 
to attain as that often is2 but it is   
brave perseverance in the face of all   

difficulties1 and in spite of all       
enemies4  ,mark how emphatically our    
,lord here makes the space within which 
that virtue has to be exercised         
conterminous with the whole duration of 
our lives4 ,i need not discuss what 'the
 end' was in the original application of
 the words2 that would take us too far  
afield4 ,but this ,i desire to insist   
upon1 that right on to the very close of
 life we are to expect the necessity of 
putting forth the exercise of the very  
same persistence by which the earlier   
stages of any noble career must         
necessarily be marked4 ,in other        
departments of life there may be        
relaxation1 as a man goes on through the
 years2 but in the culture of our       
characters1 and in the deepening of our 
faith1 and in the drawing near to our   
,god1 there must be no cessation or     
diminution of earnestness and of effort 
right up to the close4  ,there are      
plenty of people1 and ,i dare say that  
,i address some of them now1 who began  

their ,christian career full of vigour  
and with a heat that was too hot to     
last4 ,but1 alas1 in a year or two all  
the fervency was past1 and they settled 
down into the average1 easygoing1       
unprogressive ,christian1 who is a wet  
blanket to the devotion and work of a   
,christian church4 ,i wonder how many of
 us would scarcely know our own former  
selves if we could see them4 ,christian 
people1 to how many of us should the    
word be rung in our ears3 ',ye did run  
well2 what did hinder you'8 ,the answer 
is--,myself4  ,but may ,i say that this 
emphatic 'to the end' has a special     
lesson for us older people1 who1 as     
natural strength abates and enthusiasm  
cools down1 are apt to be but the       
shadows of our old selves in many       
things8 ,but there should be fire within
 the mountain1 though there may be snow 
on its crest4 ,many a ship has been lost
 on the harbour bar2 and there is no    
excuse for the captain leaving the      
bridge1 or the engineer coming up from  

the engine-room1 stormy as the one      
position and stifling as the other may  
be1 until the anchor is down1 and the   
vessel is moored and quiet in the       
desired haven4 ,the desert1 with its    
wild beasts and its ,bedouin1 reaches   
right up to the city gates1 and until we
 are within these we need to keep our   
hands on our sword-hilts and be ready   
for conflict4 ',he that endureth to the 
end1 the same shall be saved4'  ,,iii4  
,lastly1 note the crown which endurance 
wins4  ,now1 ,i need not spend or waste 
your time in mere verbal criticism1 but 
,i wish to point out that that word     
'soul' in one of our two texts means    
both the soul and the life of which it  
is the seat2 and also to remark that the
 being saved and the winning of the life
 or the soul has distinct application1  
in our ,lord's words1 primarily to      
corporeal safety and preservation in the
 midst of dangers2 and1 still further1  
to note the emphatic 'in your patience1'
 as suggesting not only a future but a  

present acquisition of one's own soul1  
or life1 as the result of such          
persevering endurance and enduring      
perseverance4 ,all which things being   
kept in view1 ,i may expand the great   
promise that lies in my text1 as        
follows3--  ,first1 by such persevering 
persistence in the ,christian path1 we  
gain ourselves4 ,self-surrender is      
self-possession4  ,we never own         
ourselves till we have given up owning  
ourselves1 and yielded ourselves to that
 ,lord who gives us back saints to      
ourselves4 ,self-control is             
self-possession4 ,we do not own         
ourselves as long as it is possible for 
any weakness in flesh1 sense1 or spirit 
to gain dominion over us and hinder us  
from doing what we know to be right4 ,we
 are not our own masters then4 ',whilst 
they promise them liberty1 they         
themselves are the bond-slaves of       
corruption4' ,it is only when we have   
the bit well into the jaws of the       
brutes1 and the reins tight in our      

hands1 so that a finger-touch can check 
or divert the course1 that we are truly 
lords of the chariot in which we ride   
and of the animals that impel it4  ,and 
such self-control which is the winning  
of ourselves is1 as ,i believe1         
thoroughly realised only when1 by       
self-surrender of ourselves to ,jesus   
,christ1 we get ,his help to govern     
ourselves and so become lords of        
ourselves4 ,some little petty ,rajah1 up
 in the hills1 in a quasi-independent   
,state in ,india1 is troubled by        
mutineers whom he cannot subdue2 what   
does he do8 ,he sends a message down to 
,lahore or ,calcutta1 and up come       
,english troops that consolidate his    
dominion1 and he rules securely1 when he
 has consented to become a feudatory1   
and recognise his overlord4 ,and so you 
and ,i1 by continual repetition1 in the 
face of self and sin1 of our acts of    
self-surrender1 bring ,christ into the  
field2 and then1 when we have said1     
',lord1 take me2 ,i live1 yet not ,i1   

but ,christ liveth in me'2 and when we  
daily1 in spite of hindrances1 stand to 
the surrender and repeat the            
consecration1 then 'in our perseverance 
we acquire our souls4'  ,again1 such    
persistence wins even the bodily life1  
whether it preserves it or loses it4 ,i 
have said that the words of our texts   
have an application to bodily           
preservation in the midst of the        
dreadful dangers of the siege and       
destruction of ,jerusalem4 ,but so      
regarded they are a paradox4 ,for hear  
how the ,master introduces them3 ',some 
of you shall they cause to be put to    
death1 but there shall not a hair of    
your heads perish4 ,in your perseverance
 ye shall win your lives4' ',some of you
 they will put to death1' but ye 'shall 
win your lives1'--a paradox which can   
only be solved by experience4 ,whether  
this bodily life be preserved or lost1  
it is gained when it is used as a means 
of attaining the higher life of union   
with ,god4 ,many a martyr had the       

promise1 ',not a hair of your head shall
 perish1' fulfilled at the very moment  
when the falling axe shore his locks in 
twain1 and severed his head from his    
body4  ,finally1 full salvation1 the    
true possession of himself1 and the     
acquisition of the life which really is 
life1 comes to a man who perseveres to  
the end1 and thus passes to the land    
where he will receive the recompense of 
the reward4 ,the one moment the runner1 
with flushed cheek and forward swaying  
body1 hot1 with panting breath1 and     
every muscle strained1 is straining to  
the winning-post2 and the next moment1  
in utter calm1 he is wearing the crown4 
',to the end1' and what a contrast the  
next moment will be6 ,brethren1 may it  
be true of you and of me that 'we are   
not of them that draw back unto         
perdition1 but of them that believe to  
the winning of their souls6'     ,,the  
,,carrion ,,and ,,the ,,vultures        
',wheresoever the carcase is1 there will
 the eagles be     gathered             

together4'--,,matt4 xxiv4 #bh4  ,this   
grim parable has1 of course1 a strong   
,eastern colouring4 ,it is best         
appreciated by dwellers in those lands4 
,they tell us that no sooner is some    
sickly animal dead1 or some piece of    
carrion thrown out by the way1 than the 
vultures--for the eagle does not prey   
upon carrion--appear4 ,there may not    
have been one visible a moment before in
 the hot blue sky1 but1 taught by scent 
or by sight that their banquet is       
prepared1 they come flocking from all   
corners of the heavens1 a hideous crowd 
round their hideous meal1 fighting with 
flapping wings and tearing it with their
 strong talons4 ,and so1 says ,christ1  
wherever there is a rotting1 dead       
society1 a carcase hopelessly corrupt   
and evil1 down upon it1 as if drawn by  
some unerring attraction1 will come the 
angels1 the vultures of the divine      
judgment4  ,the words of my text were   
spoken1 according to the version of them
 in ,luke's ,gospel1 in answer to a     

question from the disciples4 ,our ,lord 
had been discoursing1 in very solemn    
words1 which1 starting from the         
historical event of the impending fall  
of ,jerusalem1 had gradually passed into
 a description of the greater event of  
,his second coming4 ,and all these      
solemn warnings had stirred nothing     
deeper in the bosoms of the disciples   
than a tepid and idle curiosity which   
expressed itself in the one almost      
irrelevant question1 ',where1 ,lord8'   
,he answers--,not here1 not there1 but  
everywhere where there is a carcase4    
,the great event which is referred to in
 our ,lord's solemn words is a future   
judgment1 which is to be universal4 ,but
 the words are not exhausted in their   
reference to that event4 ,there have    
been many 'comings of the ,lord1' many  
'days of the ,lord1' which on a smaller 
scale have embodied the same principles 
as are to be displayed in world-wide    
splendour and awfulness at the last4    
,i4 ,the first thing1 then1 in these    

most true and solemn words is this1 that
 they are to us a revelation of a law   
which operates with unerring certainty  
through all the course of the world's   
history4  ,we cannot tell1 but ,god can1
 when evil has become incurable2 or     
when1 in the language of my text1 the   
mass of any community has become a      
carcase4 ,there may be flickerings of   
life1 all unseen by our eyes1 or there  
may be death1 all unsuspected by our    
shallow vision4 ,so long as there is a  
possibility of amendment1 'sentence     
against an evil work is not executed    
speedily'2 and ,god dams back1 as it    
were1 the flow of ,his retributive      
judgment1 'not willing that any should  
perish1 but that all should come to the 
knowledge of the truth4' ,but when ,he  
sees that all is vain1 that no longer is
 restoration or recovery possible1 then 
,he lets loose the flood2 or1 in the    
language of my text1 when the thing has 
become a carcase1 then the vultures1    
,god's scavengers1 come and clear it    

away from off the face of the earth4    
,now that is the law that has been      
working from the beginning1 working as  
well in regard to the long delays as in 
regard to the swift execution4 ,there is
 another metaphor1 in the ,old          
,testament1 that puts the same idea in a
 very striking form4 ,it speaks about   
,god's 'awakening1' as if ,his judgment 
slumbered4 ,all round that dial the hand
 goes creeping1 creeping1 creeping      
slowly1 but when it comes to the        
appointed line1 then the bell strikes4  
,and so years and centuries go by1 all  
chance of recovery departs1 and then the
 crash6 ,the ice palace1 built upon the 
frozen blocks1 stands for a while1 but  
when the spring thaws come1 it breaks   
up4  ,let me remind you of some         
instances and illustrations4 ,take that 
story which people stumble over in the  
early part of the ,old ,testament       
revelation--the sweeping away of those  
,canaanitish nations whose hideous      
immoralities had turned the land into a 

perfect sty of abominations4 ,there they
 had been wallowing1 and ,god's ,spirit1
 which strives with men ever and always1
 had been striving with them1 we know   
not for how long1 but when the time came
 at which1 according to the grim        
metaphor of the ,old ,testament1 'the   
measure of their iniquity was full1'    
then ,he hurled upon them the fierce    
hosts out of the desert1 and in a       
whirlwind of fire and sword swept them  
off the face of the earth4  ,take       
another illustration4 ,these very       
people1 who had been the executioners of
 divine judgment1 settled in the land1  
fell into the snare--and you know the   
story4 ,the captivities of ,israel and  
,judah were other illustrations of the  
same thing4 ,the fall of ,jerusalem1 to 
which our ,lord pointed in the solemn   
context of these words1 was another4    
,for millenniums ,god had been pleading 
with them1 sending ,his prophets1 rising
 early and sending1 saying1 ',oh1 do not
 do this abominable thing which ,i      

hate6' ',and last of all ,he sent ,his  
,son4' ,christ being rejected1 ,god had 
shot ,his last bolt4 ,he had no more    
that ,he could do4 ,christ being        
refused1 the nation's doom was fixed and
 sealed1 and down came the eagles of    
,rome1 again ,god's scavengers1 to sweep
 away the nation on which had been      
lavished such wealth of divine love1 but
 which had now come to be a rotting     
abomination1 and to this day remains in 
a living death1 a miraculously preserved
 monument of ,god's ,judgments4  ,take  
another illustration how1 once more1 the
 executants of the law fall under its   
power4 ,that nation which crushed the   
feeble resources of ,judaea1 as a giant 
might crush a mosquito in his grasp1 in 
its turn became honeycombed with        
abominations and immoralities2 and then 
down from the frozen north came the     
fierce ,gothic tribes over the ,roman   
territory4 ,one of their captains called
 himself the ',scourge of ,god1' and he 
was right4 ,another swooping down of the

 vultures flashed from the blue heavens1
 and the carrion was torn to fragments  
by their strong beaks4  ,take one more  
illustration--that ,french ,revolution  
at the end of the eighteenth century4   
,the fathers sowed the wind1 and the    
children reaped the whirlwind4          
,generations of heartless luxury1       
selfishness1 carelessness of the cry of 
the poor1 immoral separation of class   
from class1 and all the sins which a    
ruling caste could commit against a     
subject people1 had prepared for the    
convulsion4 ,then1 in a carnival of     
blood and deluges of fire and sulphur1  
the rotten thing was swept off the face 
of the earth1 and the world breathed    
more freely for its destruction4  ,take 
another illustration1 through which many
 of us have lived4 ,the bitter legacy of
 negro slavery that ,england gave to her
 giant son across the ,atlantic1 which  
blasted and sucked the strength out of  
that great republic1 went down amidst   
universal execration4 ,it took centuries

 for the corpse to be ready1 but when   
the vultures came they made quick work  
of it4  ,and so1 as ,i say1 all over the
 world1 and from the beginning of time1 
with delays according to the            
possibilities of restoration and        
recovery which the divine eye discerns1 
this law is working4 ,verily there is a 
,god that judgeth in the earth4 ',the   
wheels of ,god grind slowly1 but they   
grind exceeding small4' ',wheresoever   
the carcase is1 there will the eagles be
 gathered together4'  ,and has the law  
exhausted its force8 ,are there going to
 be no more applications of it8 ,are    
there no ,european societies at this day
 that in their godlessness and social   
iniquities are hurrying fast to the     
condition of carrion8 ,look around      
us--drunkenness1 sensual immorality1    
commercial dishonesty1 senseless luxury 
amongst the rich1 heartless indifference
 to the wail of the poor1 godlessness   
over all classes and ranks of the       
community4 ,surely1 surely1 if the body 

politic be not dead1 it is sick nigh    
unto death4 ,and ,i1 for my part1 have  
little hesitation in saying that as far 
as one can see1 ,european society is    
driving as fast as it can1 with its     
godlessness and immorality1 to such     
another 'day of the ,lord' as these     
words of my text suggest4 ,let us see to
 it that we do our little part to be the
 'salt of the earth' which shall keep it
 from rotting1 and so drive away the    
vultures of judgment4  ,,ii4 ,but let me
 turn to another point4 ,we have here a 
law which is to have a far more         
tremendous accomplishment in the future4
  ,there have been many comings of the  
,lord1 many days of the ,lord1 when1 as 
,isaiah says in his magnificent vision  
of one such1 'the loftiness of man has  
been bowed down1 and the haughtiness of 
man made low1 and the ,lord alone       
exalted in that day when ,he arises to  
shake terribly the earth4 ,and all these
 'days of the ,lord' are prophecies1 and
 distinctly point to a future 'day' when

 the same principles which have been    
disclosed as working on a small scale in
 them1 shall be manifested in full      
embodiment4 ,these 'days of the ,lord'  
proclaim 'the day of the ,lord4' ,in the
 prophecies both of the ,old and ,new   
,testaments that universal future       
judgment is seen glimmering through the 
descriptions of the nearer partial      
judgments4 ,so interpreters are puzzled 
to say at what point in a prophecy the  
transition is made from the smaller to  
the greater4 ,the prophecies are like   
the diagrams in treatises on            
perspective1 in which diverging lines   
are drawn from the eye1 enclosing a     
square or other figure1 and which1 as   
they recede further from the point of   
view1 enclose a figure1 the same in     
shape but of greater dimensions4 ,there 
is a historical event foretold1 the fall
 of ,jerusalem4 ,it is close up to the  
eyes of the disciples1 and is           
comparatively small4 ,carry out the     
lines that touch its corners and define 

its shape1 and upon the far distant     
curtain of the dim future there is      
thrown a like figure immensely larger1  
the coming of ,jesus ,christ to judge   
the world4 ,all these little            
premonitions and foretastes and         
anticipatory specimens point onwards to 
the assured termination of the world's  
history in that great and solemn day1   
when all men shall be gathered before   
,christ's throne1 and ,he shall judge   
all nations--judge you and me amongst   
the rest4 ,that future judgment is      
distinctly a part of the ,christian     
revelation4 ,jesus ,christ is to come in
 bodily form as ,he went away4 ,all men 
are to be judged by ,him4 ,that judgment
 is to be the destruction of opposing   
forces1 the sweeping away of the carrion
 of moral evil4  ,it is therefore       
distinctly a part of the message that is
 to be preached by us1 under penalty of 
the awful condemnation pronounced on the
 watchman who seeth the sword coming and
 gives no warning4 ,it is not becoming  

to make such a solemn message the       
opportunity for pictorial rhetoric1     
which vulgarises its greatness and      
weakens its power4 ,but it is worse than
 an offence against taste2 it is        
unfaithfulness to the preaching which   
,god bids us1 treason to our ,king1 and 
cruelty to our hearers1 to suppress the 
warning--',the day of the ,lord cometh4'
 ,there are many temptations to put it  
in the background4 ,many of you do not  
want that kind of preaching4 ,you want  
the gentle side of divine revelation4   
,you say to us in fact1 though not in   
words4 ',prophesy to us smooth things4  
,tell us about the infinite love which  
wraps all mankind in its embrace4 ,speak
 to us of the ,father ,god1 who hateth  
nothing that ,he hath made4 ,magnify the
 mercy and gentleness and tenderness of 
,christ4 ,do not say anything about that
 other side4 ,it is not in accordance   
with the tendencies of modern thought4' 
,so much the worse1 then1 for the       
tendencies of modern thought4 ,i yield  

to no man in the ardour of my belief    
that the centre of all revelation is the
 revelation of a ,god of infinite love1 
but ,i cannot forget that there is such 
a thing as 'the terror of the ,lord1'   
and ,i dare not disguise my conviction  
that no preaching sounds every string in
 the manifold harp of ,god's truth1     
which does not strike that solemn note  
of warning of judgment to come4  ,such  
suppression is unfaithfulness4 ,surely1 
if we preachers believe that tremendous 
truth1 we are bound to speak4 ,it is    
cruel kindness to be silent4 ,if a      
traveller is about to plunge into some  
gloomy jungle infested by wild beasts1  
he is a friend who sits by the wayside  
to warn him of his danger4 ,surely you  
would not call a signalman unfeeling    
because he held out a red lamp when he  
knew that just round the curve beyond   
his cabin the rails were up1 and that   
any train that reached the place would  
go over in horrid ruin4 ,surely that    
preaching is not justly charged with    

harshness which rings out the wholesome 
proclamation of a day of judgment1 when 
we shall each give account of ourselves 
to the divine-human ,judge4  ,such      
suppression weakens the power of the    
,gospel1 which is the proclamation of   
deliverance1 not only from the power1   
but also from the future retribution of 
sin4 ,in such a maimed gospel there is  
but an enfeebled meaning given to that  
idea of deliverance4 ,and though the    
thing that breaks the heart and draws   
men to ,god is not terror1 but love1 the
 terror must often be evoked in order to
 lead to love4 ,it is only 'judgment to 
come' which will make ,felix tremble1   
and though his trembling may pass away1 
and he be none the nearer the kingdom1  
there will never any good be done to him
 unless he does tremble4 ,so1 for all   
these reasons1 all faithful preaching of
 ,christ's ,gospel must include the     
proclamation of ,christ as ,judge4      
,but1 if ,i should be unfaithful1 if ,i 
did not preach this truth1 what shall we

 call you if you turn away from it8 ,you
 would not think it a wise thing of the 
engine-driver to shut his eyes if the   
red lamp were shown1 and to go along at 
full speed and to pay no heed to that8  
,do you think it would be right for a   
,christian minister to lock his lips and
 never say1 ',there is a judgment to    
come'8 ,and do you think it is wise of  
you not to think of that1 and to shape  
your conduct accordingly8  ,oh1 dear    
friends6 ,i do not doubt that the centre
 of all divine revelation is the love of
 ,god1 nor do ,i doubt that incomparably
 the highest representation of the power
 of ,christ's ,gospel is that it draws  
men away from the love and the practice 
of evil1 and makes them pure and holy4  
,but that is not all4 ,there is not only
 the practice and the power of sin to be
 fought against1 but there is the       
penalty of sin to be taken into account2
 and as sure as you are living1 and as  
sure as there is a ,god above us1 so    
sure is it that there is a ,day of      

,judgment1 when ',he will judge the     
world in righteousness by the ,man whom 
,he hath ordained4' ,the believing of   
that is not salvation1 but the belief of
 that seems to me to be indispensable   
for any vigorous grasp of the delivering
 love of ,god in ,jesus ,christ our     
,lord4  ,,iii4 ,and so the last thing   
that ,i have to say is that this is a   
law which need never touch you1 nor you 
know anything about but by the hearing  
of the ear4  ,it is told us that we may 
escape it4 ,when ,paul reasoned of      
righteousness1 and temperance1 and      
judgment to come1 his hearer trembled as
 he listened1 but there was an end4 ,but
 the true effect of this message is the 
effect that ,paul himself attached to it
 when he said in the hearing of         
,athenian wisdom1 ',god hath commanded  
all men everywhere to repent1 because   
,he hath appointed a day in the which   
,he will judge the world in             
righteousness4' ,judgment faithfully    
preached is the preparation for         

preaching that 'there is no condemnation
 to them which are in ,christ ,jesus4'  
,if we trust in that great ,saviour1 we 
shall be quickened from the death of    
sin1 and so shall not be food for the   
vultures of judgment4 ,can these corpses
 live8 ,can this eating putrescence1    
which burrows its foul way through our  
souls1 be sweetened8 ,is there any      
antiseptic for it8 ,yes1 blessed be     
,god1 and the hand whose touch healed   
the leper will heal us1 and 'our flesh  
will come again as the flesh of a little
 child4' ,christ has bared ,his breast  
to the divine judgments against sin1 and
 if by faith we shelter ourselves in    
,him1 we shall never know the terrors of
 that awful day4  ,be sure that judgment
 to come is no mere figure dressed up to
 frighten children1 nor the product of  
blind superstition1 but that it is the  
inevitable issue of the righteousness of
 the ,all-ruling ,god4 ,you and ,i and  
all the sons of men have to face it4    
',herein is our love made perfect1 that 

we may have boldness before ,him in the 
,day of ,judgment4' ,betake yourselves1 
as poor sinful creatures who know       
something of the corruption of your own 
hearts1 to that dear ,christ who has    
died on the ,cross for you1 and all that
 is obnoxious to the divine judgments   
will1 by ,his transforming life breathed
 into you1 be taken out of your hearts2 
and when that 'day of the ,lord' shall  
dawn1 you1 trusting in the sacrifice of 
,him who is your ,judge1 will 'have a   
song as when a holy solemnity is kept4' 
,take ,christ for your ,saviour1 and    
then1 when the vultures of judgment1    
with their mighty black pinions1 are    
wheeling and circling in the sky1 ready 
to pounce upon their prey1 ,he will     
gather you 'as a hen gathereth her      
chickens under her wings1' and beneath  
their shadow you will be safe4          
,,watching ,,for ,,the ,,king           
',watch therefore3 for ye know not what 
hour your ,lord     doth come4 #dc4 ,but
 know this1 that if the goodman of      

the house had known in what watch the   
thief would come1     he would have     
watched1 and would not have suffered his
     house to be broken up4 #dd4        
,therefore be ye also ready3     for in 
such an hour as ye think not the ,son of
 ,man     cometh4 #de4 ,who then is a   
faithful and wise servant1     whom his 
lord hath made ruler over his household1
 to     give them meat in due season6   
#df4 ,blessed is that     servant1 whom 
his lord when he cometh shall find so   
doing4 #dg4 ,verily ,i say unto you1    
,that he shall make     him ruler over  
all his goods4 #dh4 ,but and if that    
evil     servant shall say in his heart1
 ,my lord delayeth his     coming2 #di4 
,and shall begin to smite his           
fellow-servants1 and to eat and drink   
with the drunken2     #ej4 ,the lord of 
that servant shall come in a day when   
he looketh not for him1 and in an hour  
that he is not     aware of1 #ea4 ,and  
shall out him asunder1 and appoint      
him his portion with the hypocrites3    

there shall be     weeping and gnashing 
of teeth4'--,,matt4 xxiv4 #db-ea4  ,the 
long day's work was nearly done4 ,christ
 had left the temple1 never to return4  
,he took ,his way across the ,mount of  
,olives to ,bethany1 and was stayed by  
the disciples' question as to the date  
of the destruction of the temple1 which 
,he had foretold1 and of the 'end of the
 world1' which they attached to it4     
,they could not fancy the world lasting 
without the temple6 ,we often make a    
like mistake4 ,so there1 on the         
hillside1 looking across to the city    
lying in the sad1 fading evening light1 
,he spoke the prophecies of this        
chapter1 which begin with the           
destruction of ,jerusalem1 and          
insensibly merge into the final coming  
of the ,son of ,man1 of which that was a
 prelude and a type4 ,the difficulty of 
accurately apportioning the details of  
this prophecy to the future events which
 fulfil them is common to it with all   
prophecy1 of which it is a              

characteristic to blend events which1 in
 the fulfilment1 are far apart4 ,from   
the mountain top1 the eye travels over  
great stretches of country1 but does not
 see the gorges1 separating points which
 seem close together1 foreshortened by  
distance4  ,there are many comings of   
the ,son of ,man before ,his final      
coming for final judgment1 and the      
nearer and smaller ones are themselves  
prophecies4 ,so1 we do not need to      
settle the chronology of unfulfilled    
prophecy in order to get the full       
benefit of ,christ's teachings here4 ,in
 its moral and spiritual effect on us1  
the uncertainty of the time of our going
 to ,christ is nearly identical with the
 uncertainty of the time of ,his coming 
to us4  ,i4 ,the command of watchfulness
 enforced by our ignorance of the time  
of ,his coming 7vs4 #db-dd74 ,the two   
commands at the beginning and end of the
 paragraph are not quite the same4 ',be 
ye ready' is the consequence of         
watchfulness4 ,nor are the two appended 

reasons the same2 for the first command 
is grounded on ,his coming at a day when
 'ye know not1' and the second on ,his  
coming 'in an hour that ye think not1'  
that is to say1 it not only is          
uncertain1 but unexpected and           
surprising4 ,there may also be a        
difference worth noting in the different
 designations of ,christ as 'your       
,lord1' standing in a special relation  
to you1 and as 'the ,son of ,man1' of   
kindred with all men1 and their ,judge4 
,what is this 'watchfulness'8 ,it is    
literally wakefulness4 ,we are beset by 
perpetual temptations to sleep1 to      
spiritual drowsiness and torpor4 ',an   
opium sky rains down soporifics4' ,and  
without continual effort1 our perception
 of the unseen realities and our        
alertness for service will be lulled to 
sleep4 ,the religion of multitudes is a 
sleepy religion4 ,further1 it is a vivid
 and ever-present conviction of ,his    
certain coming1 and consequently a      
habitual realising of the transience of 

the existing order of things1 and of the
 fast-approaching realities of the      
future4 ,further1 it is the keeping of  
our minds in an attitude of expectation 
and desire1 our eyes ever travelling to 
the dim distance to mark the far-off    
shining of ,his coming4 ,what a         
miserable contrast to this is the temper
 of professing ,christendom as a whole6 
,it is swallowed up in the present1 wide
 awake to interests and hopes belonging 
to this 'bank and shoal of time1' but   
sunk in slumber as to that great future1
 or1 if ever the thought of it intrudes1
 shrinking1 rather than desire1         
accompanies it1 and it is soon hustled  
out of mind4  ,christ bases ,his command
 on our ignorance of the time of ,his   
coming4 ,it was no part of ,his purpose 
in this prophecy to remove that         
ignorance1 and no calculations of the   
chronology of unfulfilled predictions   
have pierced the darkness4 ,it was ,his 
purpose that from generation to         
generation ,his servants should be kept 

in the attitude of expectation1 as of an
 event that may come at any time and    
must come at some time4 ,the parallel   
uncertainty of the time of death1 though
 not what is meant here1 serves the same
 moral end if rightly used1 and the fact
 of death is exposed to the same danger 
of being neglected because of the very  
uncertainty1 which ought to be one chief
 reason for keeping it ever in view4    
,any future event1 which combines these 
two things1 absolute certainty that it  
will happen1 and utter uncertainty when 
it will happen1 ought to have power to  
insist on being remembered1 at least1   
till it was prepared for1 and would have
 it1 if men were not such fools4        
,christ's coming would be oftener       
contemplated if it were more welcome4   
,but what sort of a servant is he1 who  
has no glow of gladness at the thought  
of meeting his lord8 ,true ,christians  
are 'all them that have loved ,his      
appearing4'  ,the illustrative example  
which separates these two commands is   

remarkable4 ,the householder's ignorance
 of the time when the thief would come  
is the reason why he does not watch4 ,he
 cannot keep awake all night1 and every 
night1 to be ready for him2 so he has to
 go to sleep1 and is robbed4 ,but our   
ignorance is a reason for wakefulness1  
because we can keep awake all the night 
of life4 ,the householder watches to    
prevent1 but we to share in1 that for   
which the watch is kept4 ,the figure of 
the thief is chosen to illustrate the   
one point of the unexpected stealthy    
approach4 ,but is there not deep truth  
in it1 to the effect that ,christ's     
coming is like that of a robber to those
 who are asleep1 depriving them of      
earthly treasures8 ,the word rendered   
'broken up' means literally 'dug        
through1' and points to a clay or mud   
house1 common in the ,east1 which is    
entered1 not by bursting open doors or  
windows1 but by digging through the     
wall4 ,death comes to men sunk in       
spiritual slumber1 to strip them of good

 which they would fain keep1 and makes  
his entrance by a breach in the earthly 
house of this tabernacle4 ,so ,st4      
,paul1 in his earliest ,epistle1 refers 
to this saying 7a proof of the early    
diffusion of the gospel narrative71 and 
says1 ',ye1 brethren1 are not in        
darkness1 that that day should overtake 
you as a thief4'  ,,ii4 ,the picture and
 reward of watchfulness4 ,the general   
exhortation to watch is followed by a   
pair of contrasted parable portraits1   
primarily applicable to the apostles and
 to those 'set over ,his household4'    
,but if we remember what ,christ taught 
as the condition of pre-eminence in ,his
 kingdom1 we shall not confine their    
application to an order4    ',the least 
flower with a brimming cup may stand1   
,and share its dew-drop with another    
near1'  and the most slenderly endowed  
,christian has some crumb of the bread  
of life intrusted to him to dispense4   
,it is to be observed that watchfulness 
is not mentioned in this portraiture of 

the faithful servant4 ,it is presupposed
 as the basis and motive of his service4
 ,so we learn the double lesson that the
 attitude of continual outlook for the  
,lord is needed1 if we are to discharge 
the tasks which ,he has set us1 and that
 the true effect of watchfulness is to  
harness us to the car of duty4 ,many    
other motives actuate ,christian        
faithfulness1 but all are reinforced by 
this1 and where it is feeble they are   
more or less inoperative4 ,we cannot    
afford to lose its influence4 ,a ,church
 or a soul which has ceased to be       
looking for ,him will have let all its  
tasks drop from its drowsy hands1 and   
will feel the power of other            
constraining motives of ,christian      
service but faintly1 as in a half-dream4
  ,on the other hand1 true waiting for  
,him is best expressed in the quiet     
discharge of accustomed and appointed   
tasks4 ,the right place for the servant 
to be found1 when the ,lord comes1 is   
'so doing' as ,he commands1 however     

secular the task may be4 ,that was a    
wise judge who1 when sudden darkness    
came on1 and people thought the end of  
the world was at hand1 said1 ',bring    
lights1 and let us go on with the case4 
,we cannot be better employed1 if the   
end has come1 than in doing our duty4'  
,flighty impatience of common tasks is  
not watching for the ,king1 as ,paul had
 to teach the ,thessalonians1 who were  
'shaken' in mind by the thought of the  
day of the ,lord2 but the proper        
attitude of the watchers is 'that ye    
study to be quiet1 and to do your own   
business4'  ,observe1 further1 the      
interrogative form of the parable4 ,the 
question is the sharp point which gives 
penetrating power1 and suggests         
,christ's high estimate of the worth and
 difficulty of such conduct1 and sets us
 to ask for ourselves1 ',lord1 is it    
,i8' ,the servant is 'faithful' inasmuch
 as he does his ,lord's will1 and       
rightly uses the goods intrusted to him1
 and 'wise' inasmuch as he is           

'faithful4' ,for a single-hearted       
devotion to ,christ is the parent of    
insight into duty1 and the best guide to
 conduct2 and whoever seeks only to be  
true to his ,lord in the use of his     
gifts and possessions1 will not lack    
prudence to guide him in giving to each 
his food1 and that in due season4 ,the  
two characteristics are connected in    
another way also2 for1 if the outcome of
 faithfulness be taken into account1 its
 wisdom is plain1 and he who has been   
faithful even unto death will be seen to
 have been wise though he gave up all1  
when the crown of eternal life sparkles 
on his forehead4 ,such faithfulness and 
wisdom 7which are at bottom but two     
names for one course of conduct7 find   
their motive in that watchfulness1 which
 works as ever in the great             
,taskmaster's eye1 and as ever keeping  
in view ,his coming1 and the rendering  
of account to ,him4  ,the reward of the 
faithful servant is stated in language  
similar to that of the parable of the   

talents4 ,faithfulness in a narrower    
sphere leads to a wider4 ,the reward for
 true work is more work1 of nobler sort 
and on a grander scale4 ,that is true   
for earth and for heaven4 ,if we do ,his
 will here1 we shall one day exchange   
the subordinate place of the steward for
 the authority of the ruler1 and the    
toil of the servant for the 'joy of the 
,lord4' ,the soul that is joined to     
,christ and is one in will with ,him has
 all things for its servants2 and he who
 uses all things for his own and his    
brethren's highest good is lord of them 
all1 while he walks amid the shadows of 
time1 and will be lifted to loftier     
dominion over a grander world when he   
passes hence4  ,,iii4 ,the picture and  
doom of the unwatchful servant4 ,this   
portrait presupposes that a long period 
will elapse before ,christ comes4 ,the  
secret thought of the evil servant is   
the thought of a time far down the ages 
from the moment of our ,lord's speaking4
 ,it would take centuries for such a    

temper to be developed in the ,church4  
,what is the temper8 ,a secret dismissal
 of the anticipation of the ,lord's     
return1 and that not merely because ,he 
has been long in coming1 but as thinking
 that ,he has broken ,his word1 and has 
not come when ,he said that ,he would4  
,this unspoken dimming over of the      
expectation and unconfessed doubt of the
 firmness of the promise1 is the natural
 product of the long time of apparent   
delay which the ,church has had to      
encounter4 ,it will cloud and depress   
the religion of later ages1 unless there
 be constant effort to resist the       
tendency and to keep awake4 ,the first  
generations were all aflame with the    
glad hope ',maranatha'--',the ,lord is  
at hand4' ,their successors gradually   
lost that keenness of expectation1 and  
at most cried1 ',will not ,he come      
soon8' ,their successors saw the starry 
hope through thickening mists of years2 
and now it scarcely shines for many1 or 
at least is but a dim point1 when it    

should blaze as a sun4  ,he was an      
'evil' servant who said so in his heart4
 ,he was evil because he said it1 and he
 said it because he was evil2 for the   
yielding to sin and the withdrawal of   
love from ,jesus dim the desire for ,his
 coming1 and make the whisper that ,he  
delays1 a hope2 while1 on the other     
hand1 the hope that ,he delays helps to 
open the sluices1 and let sin flood the 
life4 ,so an outburst of cruel          
masterfulness and of riotous sensuality 
is the consequence of the dimmed        
expectation4 ,there would have been no  
usurpation of authority over ,christ's  
heritage by priest or pope1 or any      
other1 if that hope had not become      
faint4 ,if professing ,christians lived 
with the great white throne and the     
heavens and earth fleeing away before   
,him that sits on it1 ever burning      
before their inward eye1 how could they 
wallow amid the mire of animal          
indulgence8 ,the corruptions of the     
,church1 especially of its official     

members1 are traced with sad and        
prescient hand in these foreboding      
words1 which are none the less a        
prophecy because cast by ,his forbearing
 gentleness into the milder form of a   
supposition4  ,the dreadful doom of the 
unwatchful servant is couched in terms  
of awful severity4 ,the cruel punishment
 of sawing asunder1 which1 tradition    
says1 was suffered by ,isaiah and was   
not unfamiliar in old times1 is his4    
,what concealed terror of retribution it
 signifies we do not know4 ,perhaps it  
points to a fate in which a man shall   
be1 as it were1 parted into two1 each at
 enmity with the other4 ,perhaps it     
implies a retribution in kind for his   
sin1 which consisted1 as the next clause
 implies1 in hypocrisy1 which is the    
sundering in twain of inward conviction 
and practice1 and is to be avenged by a 
like but worse rending apart of         
conscience and will4 ,at all events1 it 
shadows a fearful retribution1 which is 
not extinction1 inasmuch as1 in the next

 clause1 we read that his portion--his  
lot1 or that condition which belongs to 
him by virtue of his character--is with 
'the hypocrites4' ,he was one of them1  
because1 while he said 'my lord1' he had
 ceased to love and obey1 having ceased 
to desire and expect2 and therefore     
whatever is their fate shall be his1    
even to the 'dividing asunder of soul   
and spirit1' and setting eternal discord
 among the thoughts and intents of the  
heart4 ,that is not the punishment of   
unwatchfulness1 but of what             
unwatchfulness leads to1 if unawakened4 
,let these words of the ,king ring an   
alarum for us all1 and rouse our sleepy 
souls to watch1 as becomes the children 
of the day4     ,,the ,,waiting         
,,maidens       ',then shall the kingdom
 of heaven be likened unto ten          
virgins1 which took their lamps1 and    
went forth to meet     the bridegroom4  
#b4 ,and five of them were wise1 and    
five     were foolish4 #c4 ,they that   
were foolish took their     lamps1 and  

took no oil with them3 #d4 ,but the wise
 took     oil in their vessels with     
their lamps4 #e4 ,while the             
bridegroom tarried1 they all slumbered  
and slept4 #f4 ,and     at midnight     
there was a cry made1 ,behold1 the      
bridegroom     cometh2 go ye out to meet
 him4 #g4 ,then all those virgins       
arose1 and trimmed their lamps4 #h4 ,and
 the foolish said     unto the wise1    
,give us of your oil2 for our lamps are 
gone out4 #i4 ,but the wise answered1   
saying1 ,not so2 lest     there be not  
enough for us and you3 but go ye rather 
to     them that sell1 and buy for      
yourselves4 #aj4 ,and while     they    
went to buy1 the bridegroom came2 and   
they that     were ready went in with   
him to the marriage3 and the     door   
was shut4 #aa ,afterward came also the  
other virgins1     saying1 ,lord1 ,lord1
 open to us4 #ab4 ,but he answered and  
said1 ,verily ,i say unto you1 ,i know  
you not4 #ac4 ,watch     therefore2 for 
ye know neither the day nor the hour    

wherein the ,son of ,man                
cometh4'--,,matt4 xxv4 #a-ac4  ,we shall
 best understand this beautiful but     
difficult parable if we look on to its  
close4 ,our ,lord appends to it the     
refrain of all this context1 the        
exhortation to watch1 based upon our    
ignorance of the time of ,his coming4   
,but as in the former little parable of 
the wise servant it was his faithful1   
wise dispensing of his lord's goods1 and
 not his watchfulness1 which was the    
point of the eulogium passed on him1 so 
here it is the readiness of the wise    
virgins to take their places in the     
wedding march which is commended4 ,that 
readiness consists in their having their
 lamps burning and their oil in store4  
,this1 then1 is the main thing in the   
parable4 ,it is an exhibition1 under    
another aspect1 of what constitutes     
fitness for entrance into the festal    
chamber of the bridegroom1 which had    
just been set forth as consisting in    
faithful stewardship4 ,here it is       

presented as being the possession of    
lamp and oil4  ,i4 ,the first           
consideration1 then1 must be1 ,what is  
the meaning of these emblems8 ,a great  
deal of fine-spun ingenuity has been    
expended on subordinate points in the   
parable1 such as the significance of the
 number of maidens1 the conclusions from
 the equal division into wise and       
foolish1 the place from which they came 
to meet the bridegroom1 the point in the
 marriage procession where they are     
supposed to join it1 whether it was at  
going to fetch the bride1 or at coming  
back with her2 whether the feast is held
 in her house1 or in his1 and so on4    
,but all these are unimportant          
questions1 and as ,christ has left them 
in the background1 we only destroy the  
perspective by dragging them into the   
front4 ,in no parable is it more        
important than in this to restrain the  
temptation to run out analogies into    
their last results4 ,the remembrance    
that the virgins1 as the emblem of the  

whole body of the visible ,church1 are  
the same as the bride1 who does not     
appear in the parable1 might warn       
against such an error4 ,they were ten1  
as being the usual number for such a    
company1 or as being the round number   
naturally employed when definiteness was
 not sought4 ,they were divided equally1
 not because our ,lord desired to tell1 
but because ,he wished to leave         
unnoticed1 the numerical proportion of  
the two classes4 ,one set are 'wise' and
 the other 'foolish1' because ,he wishes
 to show not only the sin1 but the      
absurdity1 of unreadiness1 and to teach 
us that true wisdom is not of the head  
only1 but far more of the heart4 ,the   
conduct of the two groups of maidens is 
looked at from the prudent and          
common-sense standpoint1 and the        
provident action of the one sets in     
relief the reckless stupidity of the    
other4  ,there have been many opinions  
as to the meaning of the lamps and the  
oil1 which it is needless to repeat4    

,surely the analogy of scriptural       
symbolism is our best guide4 ,if we     
follow it1 we get a meaning which       
perfectly suits the emblems and the     
whole parable4 ,in the ,sermon on the   
,mount1 our ,lord uses the same figure  
of the lamp1 and explains it3 ',let your
 light shine before men1 that they may  
see your good works4'  ,,ii4 ,note the  
sleep of all the virgins4 ,no blame is  
hinted on account of it4 ,it is not     
inconsistent with the wisdom of the     
wise1 nor does it interfere with their  
readiness to meet the bridegroom4 ,it   
is1 then1 such a sleep as is compatible 
with watching4 ,our ,lord's introduction
 of this point is an example of ,his    
merciful allowance for our weakness4    
,there must be a certain slackening of  
the tension of expectation when the     
bridegroom tarries4 ,centuries of delay 
cannot but modify the attitude of the   
waiting ,church1 and ,jesus here implies
 that there will be a long stretch of   
time before ,his advent1 during which   

all ,his people will feel the natural   
effect of the deferring of hope4 ,but   
the sleep which ,he permits1 unblamed1  
is light1 and such as one takes by      
snatches when waiting to be called4 ,he 
does not ask us always to be on tiptoe  
of expectation1 nor to refuse the       
teaching of experience2 but counts that 
we have watched aright1 if we wake from 
our light slumbers when the cry is      
heard1 and have our lamps lit1 ready for
 the procession4  ,,iii4 ,then comes the
 midnight cry and the waking of the     
maidens4 ,the hour1 'of night's black   
arch the keystone1' suggests the        
unexpectedness of ,his coming2 the      
loudness of the cry1 its all-awaking    
effect2 the broken words of the true    
reading1 ',behold the bridegroom6' the  
closeness on the heels of the heralds   
with which the procession flashes       
through the darkness4 ,the virgins had  
'gone forth to meet him' at the         
beginning of the parable1 but the going 
forth to which they are now summoned is 

not the same4 ,the ,christian soul goes 
forth once when1 at the beginning of its
 ,christian life1 it forsakes the world 
to wait for and on ,christ1 and again1  
when it leaves the world to pass with   
,him into the banquet4 ,life is the     
slumber from which some are awaked by   
the voice of death1 and some who        
'remain' shall be awaked by the trumpet 
of judgment4 ,there is no interval      
between the cry and the appearance of   
the bridegroom2 only a moment to rouse  
themselves1 to look to their lamps1 and 
to speak the hurried words of the       
foolish and the answer of the wise1 and 
then the procession is upon them4 ,it is
 all done as in a flash1 'in a moment1  
in the twinkling of an eye4' ,this      
impression of swiftness1 which leaves no
 time for delayed preparation1 is the   
uniform impression conveyed by all the  
,scripture references to the coming of  
the ,lord4 ,the swoop of the eagle1 the 
fierce blaze of lightning from one side 
of the sky to the other1 the bursting of

 the flood1 that morning's work at      
,sodom1 not begun till dawn and finished
 before the 'sun was risen on the       
earth1' are its types4 ,foolish indeed  
to postpone preparation till that moment
 when cry and coming are simultaneous1  
like lightning and thunder right        
overhead6  ,the foolish virgins'        
imploring request and its answer are not
 to be pressed1 as if they meant more   
than to set forth the hopelessness of   
then attempting to procure the wanting  
oil1 and especially the hopelessness of 
attempting to get it from one's fellows4
 ,there is a world of suppressed terror 
and surprise in that cry1 ',our lamps   
are going out4' ,note that they burned  
till the bridegroom came1 and then1 like
 the magic lamps in old legends1 at his 
approach shivered into darkness4 ,is not
 that true of the formal1 outward       
religion1 which survives everything but 
contact with ,his all-seeing eye and    
perfect judgment8 ,these foolish maidens
 were as much astonished as alarmed at  

seeing their lights flicker down to     
extinction2 and it is possible for      
professing ,christians to live a        
lifetime1 and never to be found out     
either by themselves or by anybody else4
 ,but if there has been no oil in the   
lamp1 it will be quenched when ,he      
appears4 ,the atmosphere that surrounds 
,his throne acts like oxygen on the     
oil-fed flame1 and like carbonic acid   
gas on the other4  ,the answer of the   
wise is not selfishness4 ,it is not from
 our fellows1 however bright their      
lamps1 that we can ever get that inward 
grace4 ,none of them has more than      
suffices for his own needs1 nor can any 
give it to another4 ,it may be bought1  
on the same terms as the pearl of great 
price was bought1 'without money'2 but  
the market is closed1 as on a holiday1  
on the day of the king's son's marriage4
 ,that is not touched upon here1 except 
in so far as it is hinted at in the     
absence of the foolish when he enters   
the banqueting chamber1 and in their    

fruitless prayer4 ,they had no time to  
get the oil before he came1 and they had
 not got it when they returned4 ,the    
lesson is plain4 ,we can only get the   
new life of the ,spirit1 which will make
 our lives a light1 from ,god2 and we   
can get it now1 not then4  ,,iv4 ,we see
 the wise virgins within and the foolish
 without4 ,they are1 indeed1 no longer  
designated by these adjectives1 but as  
'ready' and 'the others'2 for           
preparedness is fitness1 and they who   
are found of ,him in possession of the  
outward righteousness and of its inward 
source1 ,his own divine life in them1   
are prepared4 ,to such the gates of the 
festal chamber fly open4 ,in that day1  
place is the outcome of character1 and  
it is equally impossible for the 'ready'
 to be shut out1 and for 'the others' to
 go in4  ',when the bridegroom with his 
feastful friends passes to bliss at the 
mid hour of night1' they who have       
'filled their odorous lamps with deeds  
of light' have surely 'gained their     

entrance4' ,there is silence as to the  
unspeakable joys of the wedding feast4  
,some faint sounds of music and dancing1
 some gleams from the lighted windows1  
find their way out2 but the closed door 
keeps its secret1 and only the guests   
know the gladness4  ,that closed door   
means security1 perpetuity1 untold      
blessedness1 but it means exclusion too4
 ,the piteous reiterated call of the    
shut-out maidens1 roused too late1 and  
so suddenly1 from songs and laughter to 
vain cries1 evokes a stern answer1      
through which shines the awful reality  
veiled in the parable4 ,we do not need  
to regard the prayer for entrance1 and  
its refusal1 as conveying more than the 
fruitlessness of wishes for entrance    
then1 when unaccompanied with fitness to
 enter4 ,such desire as is expressed in 
this passionate beating at the closed   
door1 with hoarse entreaties1 is not    
fitness4 ,if it were1 the door would    
open2 and the reason why it does not    
lies in the bridegroom's awful answer1  

',i know you not4' ,the absence of the  
qualification prevents his recognising  
them as his4 ,surely the unalleviated   
darkness of a hopeless exclusion settles
 down on these sad five1 standing1      
huddled together1 at the door1 with the 
extinguished lamps hanging in their     
despairing hands4 ',too late1 too late1 
ye cannot enter now4' ,the wedding bell 
has become a funeral knell4 ,they were  
not the enemies of the bridegroom1 they 
thought themselves his friends4 ,they   
let life ebb without securing the one   
thing needful1 and the neglect was      
irremediable4 ,there is a tragedy       
underlying many a life of outward       
religiousness and inward emptiness1 and 
a dreadful discovery will flare in upon 
such1 when they have to say to          
themselves1    ',this might have been   
once1    ,and we missed it1 lost it for 
ever4'     ,,dying ,,lamps       ',our  
lamps are gone out4'--,,matt4 xxv4 #h4  
,this is one of the many cases in which 
the ,revised ,version1 by accuracy of   

rendering the tense of a verb1 gives a  
much more striking as well as correct   
reproduction of the original than the   
,authorised ,version does4 ,the former  
reads 'going out1' instead of 'gone     
out1' a rendering which the ,old        
,version has1 unfortunately1 relegated  
to the margin4 ,it is clearly to be     
preferred1 not only because it more     
correctly represents the ,greek1 but    
because it sets before us a more solemn 
and impressive picture of the precise   
time at which the terrible discovery was
 made by the foolish five4 ,they woke   
from their sleep1 and hastily trimmed   
their lamps4 ,these burned brightly for 
a moment1 and then began to flicker and 
die down4 ,the extinction of their light
 was not the act of a moment1 but was a 
gradual process1 which had advanced in  
some degree before it attracted the     
attention of the bearers of the lamps4  
,at last it roused the half-sleeping    
five into startled1 wide-awake          
consciousness4 ,there is a tone of alarm

 and fear in their sudden exclamation1  
',our lamps are going out4' ,they see   
now the catastrophe that threatens1 and 
understand that the only means of       
averting it is to replenish the empty   
oil-vessels before the flame has quite  
expired4 ,but their knowledge and their 
dread were alike too late1 and1 as they 
went on their hopeless search for some  
one to give them what they once might   
have had in abundance1 the last faint   
flicker ceased1 and they had to grope   
their way in the dark1 with their       
lightless lamps hanging useless in their
 slack hands1 while far off the torches 
of the bridal procession1 in which they 
might have had a part1 flashed through  
the night4 ,we have nothing to do with  
the tragical issue of the process of    
extinction2 but solemn lessons of       
universal application gather round the  
picture of that process1 as represented 
in our text1 and to these we turn now4  
,i4 ,we must settle the meaning of the  
oil and the lamps4  ,the ,old ,testament

 symbolism is our best guide as to the  
significance of the oil4 ,throughout it1
 oil symbolises the divine influences   
that come down on men appointed by ,god 
to their several functions1 and which   
are there traced to the ,spirit of the  
,lord4 ,so the priests were set apart by
 unction with the holy oil2 so ,samuel  
poured oil on the black locks of ,saul4 
,so1 too1 the very name ,messiah means  
'anointed1' and the great prophecy1     
which ,jesus claimed for ,his own in    
,his first sermon in the synagogue at   
,nazareth1 put into the ,messiah's lips 
the declaration1 ',the ,spirit of the   
,lord is upon ,me1 because ,he hath     
anointed ,me4' ,but there are ,old      
,testament symbols which bear still more
 closely on the emblems of our text4    
,zechariah saw in vision a golden       
lamp-stand with seven lamps1 and on     
either side of it an olive tree1 from   
which oil flowed through golden pipes to
 feed the flame4 ,the interpretation of 
the vision was given by the 'angel that 

talked with' the prophet as being1 'not 
by might nor by power1 but by ,my       
,spirit1 saith the ,lord4'  ,so1 then1  
we follow the plainly marked road and   
,scripture use of a symbol when we take 
the oil in this parable to be that which
 every listener to ,jesus1 who was      
instructed in the old things which he   
was bringing forth with new emphasis    
from the ancient treasure-house of the  
word of ,god1 would take it to          
be--namely1 the sum of the influences   
from ,heaven which were bestowed through
 the ,spirit of the ,lord4  ,such being 
the meaning of the oil1 what was meant  
by the lamp8 ,we have no intention of   
discussing here the many varying        
interpretations which have been given to
 the symbol4 ,to do so would lead us too
 far afield4 ,we can only say that the  
interpretation of the oil as the        
influence of the ,holy ,spirit          
necessarily involves the explanation of 
the lamp which is fed by it1 as being   
the spiritual life of the individual1   

which is nourished and made visible to  
the world as light1 by the continual    
communication from ,god of these        
hallowing influences4 ,turning again to 
the ,old ,testament1 ,i need only remind
 you of the great seven-branched lamp   
which stood in the ,tabernacle1 and     
afterwards in the ,temple4 ,it was the  
symbol of the collective ,israel1 as    
recipient of divine influences1 and     
thereby made the light of a dark world4 
,its rays streamed out over the desert  
first1 and afterwards shone from the    
mountain of the ,lord's house1 beaming  
illumination and invitation to those who
 sat in darkness to behold the great    
light1 and to walk in the light of the  
,lord4 ,zechariah's emblem was based on 
the ,temple lamp4 ,in accordance with   
the greater prominence given by the ,old
 ,testament to national than to         
individual religion1 both of these      
represented the people as a whole4 ,in  
accordance with the more advanced       
individualism of the ,new ,testament1   

our text so far varies the application  
of the emblem1 that each of the ten     
virgins who1 as a whole1 stand for the  
collective professing ,church1 has her  
own lamp4 ,but that is the only         
difference between the ,old and the ,new
 ,testament uses of the symbol4  ,i need
 not remind you how the same metaphor   
recurs frequently in the teachings of   
our ,lord and of the ,apostles4         
,sometimes the ,old ,testament          
collective point of view is maintained1 
as in our ,lord's saying in the ,sermon 
on the ,mount1 ',ye are the light of the
 world1' but more frequently1 the       
characteristic individualising of the   
figure prevails1 and we read of         
,christians shining 'as lights in the   
world1' and each holding forth1 as a    
lamp does its light1 'the word of life4'
 ,nor must we forget the climax of the  
uses of this emblem1 in the vision of   
the ,apocalypse1 where ,john once more  
saw the ,lord1 on whose bosom his head  
had so often peacefully lain1 'walking  

in the midst of the seven golden        
candlesticks4' ,there1 again1 the       
collective rather than the individual   
bearing of the figure is prominent1 but 
with significant differences from the   
older use of it4 ,in ,judaism there was 
a formal1 outward unity1 represented by 
the one lamp with its manifold lights1  
all welded together on the golden stem2 
but the churches of ,asia ,minor were   
distinct organisations1 and their       
oneness came1 not from outward union of 
a mechanical kind1 but from the presence
 in their midst of the ,son of ,god4    
,the sum of all this course of thought  
is that the lamp is the ,christian life 
of the individual sustained by the      
communication of the influences of      
,god's ,holy ,spirit4  ,,ii4 ,we note   
next the gradual dying out of the light4
 ',our lamps are going out4'  ,all      
spiritual emotions and vitality1 like   
every other kind of emotion and         
vitality1 die unless nourished4 ,let no 
theological difficulties about 'the     

final perseverance of the saints1' or   
'the indefeasibleness of grace1' and the
 impossibility of slaying the divine    
life that has once been given to a man1 
come in the way of letting this parable 
have its full1 solemn weight4 ,these    
foolish virgins had oil and had light1  
the oil failed by their fault1 and so   
the light went out1 and they were       
startled1 when they awoke from their    
slumber1 to see how1 instead of         
brilliant flame1 there was smoking wick4
  ,dear brethren1 let us take the       
lesson4 ,there is nothing in our        
religious emotions which has any        
guarantee of perpetuity in it1 except   
upon certain conditions4 ,we may live1  
and our life may ebb4 ,we may trust1 and
 our trust may tremble into unbelief4   
,we may obey1 and our obedience may be  
broken by the mutinous risings of       
self-will4 ,we may walk in the 'paths of
 righteousness1' and our feet may falter
 and turn aside4 ,there is certainty of 
the dying out of all communicated life1 

unless the channel of communication with
 the life from which it was first       
kindled1 be kept constantly clear4 ,the 
lamp may be 'a burning and a shining    
light1' or1 more accurately translating 
the phrase of our ,lord1 'a light       
kindled and' 7therefore7 'shining1' but 
it will be light 'for a season' only1   
unless it is fed from that from which it
 was first set alight2 and that is from 
,god ,himself4  ',our lamps are going   
out1'--a slow process that6 ,the flame  
does not all die into darkness in a     
minute4 ,there are stages in its death4 
,the white portion of the flame becomes 
smaller and the blue part extends2 then 
the flame flickers1 and finally shudders
 itself1 as it were1 off the wick2 then 
nothing remains but a charred red line  
along the top2 then that line breaks up 
into little points1 and one after       
another these twinkle out1 and then all 
is black1 and the lamp is gone out4 ,and
 so1 slowly1 like the ebbing away of the
 tide1 like the reluctant1              

long-protracted dying of summer days1   
like the dropping of the blood from some
 fatal wound1 by degrees the process of 
extinction creeps1 creeps1 creeps on1   
and the lamp that was going is finally  
gone out4  ,,iii4 ,again1 we note that  
extinction is brought about simply by   
doing nothing4  ,these five foolish     
virgins did not stray away into any     
forbidden paths4 ,no positive sin is    
alleged against them4 ,they were simply 
asleep4 ,the other five were asleep too4
 ,i do not need to enter1 here and now1 
into the whole interpretation of the    
parable1 or there might be much to say  
about the difference between these two  
kinds of sleep4 ,but what ,i wish to    
notice is that it was nothing except    
negligence darkening into drowsiness1   
which caused the dying out of the light4
  ,it was not of set purpose that the   
foolish five took no oil with them4     
,they merely neglected to do so1 not    
having the wit to look ahead and provide
 against the contingency of a long time 

of waiting for the bridegroom4 ,their   
negligence was the result1 not of       
deliberate wish to let their lights go  
out1 but of their heedlessness2 and     
because of that negligence they earned  
the name of 'foolish4' ,if we do not    
look forward1 and prepare for possible  
drains on our powers1 we shall deserve  
the same adjective4 ,if we do not lay in
 stores for future use1 we may be sent  
to school to the harvesting ant and the 
bee4 ,that lesson applies to all        
departments of life2 but it is eminently
 applicable to the spiritual life1 which
 is sustained only by communications    
from the ,spirit of ,god4 ,for these    
communications will be imperceptibly    
lessened1 and may be altogether         
intercepted1 unless diligent attention  
is given to keep open the channels by   
which they enter the spirit4 ,if the    
pipes are not looked to1 they will be   
choked by masses of matted trifles1     
through which the 'rivers of living     
water1' which ,christ took as a symbol  

of the ,spirit's influences1 cannot     
force a way4  ,the thing that makes     
shipwreck of the faith of most          
professing ,christians that do come to  
grief is no positive wickedness1 no     
conduct which would be branded as sin by
 the ,christian conscience or even by   
ordinary people1 but simply torpor4 ,if 
the water in a pond is never stirred1 it
 is sure to stagnate1 and green scum to 
spread over it1 and a foul smell to rise
 from it4 ,a ,christian man has only to 
do what ,i am afraid a good many of us  
are in great danger of doing--that is1  
nothing--in order to ensure that his    
lamp shall go out4  ,do you try to keep 
yours alight8 ,there is only one way to 
do it--that is to go to ,christ and get 
,him to pour ,his sweetness and ,his    
power into our open hearts4 ,when one of
 the old patriarchs had committed a     
great sin1 and had unbelievingly        
twitched his hand out of ,god's hand1   
and gone away down into ,egypt to help  
himself instead of trusting to ,god1 he 

was commanded1 on his return to         
,palestine1 to go to the place where he 
dwelt at the first1 and begin again1 at 
the point where he began when he first  
entered the land4 ,which being          
translated is just this--the only way to
 keep our spirits vital and quick is by 
having recourse1 again and again1 to the
 same power which first imparted life to
 them1 and this is done by the first    
means1 the means of simple  reliance    
upon ,christ in the consciousness of our
 own deep need1 and of believingly      
waiting upon ,him for the repeated      
communication of the gifts which we1    
alas6 have so often misimproved4        
,negligence is enough to slay4 ,doing   
nothing is the sure way to quench the   
,holy ,spirit4  ,and1 on the other hand1
 keeping close to ,him is the sure way  
to secure that ,he will never leave us4 
,you can choke a lamp with oil1 but you 
cannot have in your hearts too much of  
that divine grace4 ,and you receive all 
that you need if you choose to go and   

ask it from ,him4 ,remember the old     
story about ,elisha and the poor woman4 
,the cruse of oil began to run4 ,she    
brought all the vessels that she could  
rake together1 big and little1 pots and 
cups1 of all shapes and sizes1 and set  
them1 one after the other1 under the jet
 of oil4 ,they were all filled2 and when
 she brought no more vessels the oil    
stayed4 ,if you do not take your empty  
hearts to ,god1 and say1 ',here1 ,lord1 
fill this cup too2 poor as it is1 fill  
it with ,thine own gracious influences1'
 be very sure that no such influences   
will come to you4 ,but if you do go1 be 
as sure of this1 that so long as you    
hold out your emptiness to ,him1 ,he    
will flood it with ,his fulness1 and the
 light that seemed to be sputtering to  
its death will flame up again4 ,he will 
not quench the smoking wick1 if only we 
carry it to ,him2 but as the priests in 
the ,temple walked all through the night
 to trim the golden lamps1 so ,he who   
walks amidst the seven candlesticks will

 see to each4  ,,iv4 ,and now one last  
word4 ,that process of gradual          
extinction may be going on1 and may have
 been going on for a long while1 and the
 virgin that carries the lamp be quite  
unaware of it4  ,how could a sleeping   
woman know whether her lamp was burning 
or not8 ,how can a drowsy ,christian    
tell whether his spiritual life is      
bright or not8 ,to be unconscious of our
 approximation to this condition is1 ,i 
am afraid1 one of the surest signs that 
we are in it4 ,i suppose that a         
paralysed limb is quite comfortable4 ,at
 any rate1 paralysis of the spirit may  
be going on without our knowing anything
 about it4 ,so1 dear friends1 do not put
 these poor words of mine away from you 
and say1 ',oh6 they do not apply to me4'
  ,i am quite sure that the people to   
whom they do apply will be the last     
people to take them to themselves4 ,and 
while ,i quite believe1 thank ,god6 that
 there are many of us who may feel and  
know that our lamps are not going out1  

sure ,i am that there are some of us    
whom everybody but themselves knows to  
be carrying a lamp that is so far gone  
out that it is smoking and stinking in  
the eyes and noses of the people that   
stand by4 ,be sure that nobody was more 
surprised than were the five foolish    
women when they opened their witless1   
sleepy eyes1 and saw the state of       
things4 ,so1 dear friends1 'let your    
loins be girt about1 and your lamps     
burning2 and ye yourselves like unto men
 that wait for their ,lord4'     ',,they
 ,,that ,,were ,,ready'       ',they    
that were ready went in with him to the 
marriage4'     --,,matt4 xxv4 #aj4  ,it 
is interesting to notice the variety of 
aspects in which1 in this long          
discourse1 ,jesus sets forth ,his       
,second ,coming4 ,it is like the flood  
that swept away a world4 ,it is like a  
thief stealing through the dark1 and    
breaking up a house4 ,it is like a      
master reckoning with his servants4     
,these three metaphors suggest solemn1  

one might almost say alarming1 images4  
,but then this parable comes in and     
tells how that coming is like that of a 
bridegroom to the bride's house1 with   
joy and music4 ,i am afraid that the    
average ,christian1 when he thinks at   
all of ,christ's coming1 takes these    
three first aspects rather than the last
 one1 and so loses what is meant to be a
 bright hope and a great stimulus4 ,it  
is not in human nature to think much    
about a terrible future4 ,it is not in  
human nature to avoid thinking a great  
deal about a blessed future4 ,and       
although one does not wish to preach    
carelessness1 or the ignoring of the    
solemn side of that coming1 sure ,i am  
that our ,christian lives would be      
stronger and purer1 brighter and better 
able to front the solemn side1 if the   
blessed side of it were more often the  
object of our contemplation4  ,turning  
to the words of my text1 which seem to  
me to be the very centre and heart of   
this parable1 ,i ask3--  ,i4 ,what makes

 readiness8  ,there have been many      
answers given to that question4 ,one has
 been that to be ready means to be      
perpetually having before us the thought
 of the coming of the ,lord1 and that   
has been taken to be the meaning of the 
watchfulness which is enjoined in the   
context4 ,but the parable itself points 
in an altogether different direction4   
,who1 according to it1 were ready8 ,the 
five who had lamps and oil4 ,to have    
these was readiness4  ,it is beautiful  
to notice how these five who were ready 
when the ,master came had 'slumbered and
 slept' like the other five4 ,ah6 that  
touch in the picture shows that ',he    
knoweth our frame2 ,he remembereth that 
we are dust4' ,it is not in human nature
 to keep up permanently a tension of    
expectation for a far-off good2 and in  
profound knowledge of the weakness of   
humanity1 our ,lord1 in this parable1   
says3 ',while the ,bridegroom tarried   
they all slumbered'--and yet the five   
were ready when the ,bridegroom came4   

,in like manner1 ,christian men and     
women who have no expectation at all    
that the ,second ,coming of the ,lord   
will occur during their lifetimes1 may  
nevertheless be ready1 if they have the 
burning lamps and the store of oil4 ,the
 question then comes to be1 ,what is    
meant by these8  ,perhaps harm has been 
done by insisting upon too minute and   
specific interpretation4 ,but1 at the   
same time1 we must not forget that1 from
 the very beginning of the ,jewish      
,revelation1 from the time when the     
seven-branched candlestick was appointed
 for the ,tabernacle1 right down to the 
day when the ,apocalyptic ,seer saw in  
,patmos the ,son of ,man walking in the 
midst of the seven golden candlesticks1 
the metaphor has had one meaning4 ,the  
aggregate of ,god's people are intended 
to be1 as ,jesus told us immediately    
after ,he had drawn the character of a  
true disciple1 in the wonderful outlines
 of the ,beatitudes1 'the light of the  
world1' and they will be so in the      

measure in which the gentle radiance of 
that character shines through their     
lives1 as the light of a lamp through   
frosted glass4 ,but the aggregate is    
made up of units1 and individual        
,christians are to shine 'as lights in  
the world1' and their separate          
brightnesses are to coalesce in the     
clustered light of the whole ,church4   
,what makes an individual ,christian a  
light is a ,christ-like life1 derived   
from that ,life which was 'the ,light of
 men4' ,the lamp which the five wise    
virgins bear is the same as the light   
which the consistent ,christian is4 ,the
 inner self illuminated from ,christ1   
the source of all our illumination1     
lights up the outward life1 which each  
of us may be conceived as carrying in   
our hands4 ,it is not ourselves1 and yet
 it is ourselves made visible4 ,it is   
not ourselves1 but ,christ in us2 and so
 we shine as lights in the world1 only  
by 'holding forth the word of life4'    
,that modification of the figure by     

,paul is profoundly true and important1 
for after all we are not so much lights 
as candelabra1 and only as we bear aloft
 the flashing light of ,christ shall we 
shine 'in a naughty world4' ,our lamps1 
then1 are ,christ-like characters       
derived from ,christ1 and to have and   
bear these is the first element in being
 ready for the ,bridegroom4  ,dear      
friends1 remember that this whole       
parable is spoken to professing         
,christians and real members of         
,christ's ,church2 and that there is no 
meaning in it unless it is possible to  
quench the light of the lamp4 ,remember 
that our ,lord said once1 ',let your    
loins be girt1' and put that as the     
necessary condition of lamps burning4   
',let your loins be girt' with resolved 
effort of faith and dependence1 and make
 sure that you have the provision for   
the continuance of the light4 ,so1 and  
only so1 shall any man be of the happy  
company of them that were ready4  ,,ii4 
,note that this readiness is the        

condition of entrance4  ',they that were
 ready went in with ,him to the         
marriage4' ,now faith alone unites a man
 to ,jesus ,christ1 and makes him an    
heir of salvation4 ,but faith alone1 if 
that were possible1 would not admit a   
man to the marriage-feast4 ,of course   
the supposed case is an impossible case1
 for as ,james has taught us in his     
plain moral way1 faith which is alone   
dies1 or perhaps never lived4 ,but what 
our ,lord tells us here is that moral   
character1 which is of such a sort as to
 shine in the world's darkness1 is the  
condition of entrance4 ,people say that 
salvation is by faith4 ,yes1 that is    
true2 but salvation is by works also1   
only that the works are made possible   
through faith4 ,in the very necessity   
and nature of things nothing but the    
readiness which consists in continued   
,christ-like character will ever allow a
 man to pass the threshold4 ,now do you 
believe that8 ,or are you saying1 ',i   
trust to ,jesus ,christ1 and so ,i am   

sure ,i shall go to ,heaven4' ,no1 you  
will not1 unless your faith is making   
you heavenly1 in your temper and        
conduct4 ,for to talk about the next    
world as a place of retribution is but  
an imperfect statement of the case4 ,it 
is not a place of retribution so much as
 of outcome1 and the apostle gives a    
completer view when he says1            
',whatsoever a man soweth1 that shall he
 also reap4' ,that future life is not   
the reward of goodness so much as the   
necessary consequence of holiness4      
,holiness and blessedness are1 in some  
measure1 separated here2 there they are 
two names for the one condition4 ',no   
man shall see the ,lord1' without that  
holiness4 ',they that were ready went   
in4' ,of course they did4 ,am ,i ready8 
,that question means1 ,am ,i1 by my     
faith in ,jesus ,christ1 receiving into 
my heart the anointing which that great 
anointed ,one gives us8 ,am ,i living a 
life that is a light in the world8 ,if  
so1 and not else1 my entrance is sure4  

,we have seen what this readiness       
consists in1 and how it is the condition
 of entrance4 ,there is one last        
thought--  ,,iii4 ,to delay preparation 
is madness4  ,there is nothing in all   
,christ's parables more tragical1  more 
pathetic1 than this picture of the      
hapless five  when they woke up to find 
their lamps going out4  ,they heard the 
procession coming1 the sound of feet    
drawing nearer1 and the music borne     
every moment more loudly on the midnight
 air4 ,and there were they1 with dying  
lamps and empty oil-cans4 ,their shock1 
their alarm1 their bewilderment1 are all
 expressed in that preposterous request 
of theirs1 ,give us of your oil4'  ,the 
answer of the wise virgins has been said
 to be cold and unfeeling4 ,it is not   
that2 it is simply a plain statement of 
facts4 ,the oil that belongs to me      
cannot be given to you4 ,that is the    
first lesson taught us by the request of
 the foolish and the answer of the wise4
 ',if thou be wise1 thou shalt be wise  

for thyself2 and if thou scornest1 thou 
alone shalt bear it4' ',every man shall 
bear his own burden4' ,there is no      
possible transference of moral character
 or spiritual gifts in that fashion4    
,the awful individuality of each soul1  
and its unshareable personal            
responsibility1 come solemnly to view in
 the words which superficial readers    
pass by3 ',not so1 lest there be not    
enough for us and you4' ,you cannot     
share your brother's oil4 ,you may share
 many of his possessions2 not this4     
',go to them that sell1 and buy for     
yourselves4' ,the question of whether   
there was time to buy was not for the   
five wise to answer4 ,there was not much
 chance that the would-be buyers would  
find a shop open and anybody waiting to 
sell them oil at twelve o'clock at      
night4 ,but they risked it2 and when    
they came back they were too late4      
,now1 dear friends1 all the lessons of  
this parable may be taken by us1 though 
we do not believe1 and think we have    

good reason for not believing1 that the 
literal return of ,jesus ,christ is to  
take place in our time4 ,it does not    
matter very much1 in so far as the      
teaching of this parable is concerned1  
whether the ,bridegroom comes to us1 or 
whether we go to the ,bridegroom4 ,i do 
not for a moment say that there is no   
such thing as coming to ,jesus ,christ  
in the last hours of life1 and becoming 
ready to enter even then1 but ,i do say 
that it is a very rare case1 and that   
there is a terrible risk in delaying    
till then4 ,but ,i pray you to remember 
that our parable is addressed to1 and   
contemplates the case of1 not people who
 are away from ,jesus ,christ1 but      
,christians1 and that it is to them that
 its message is chiefly brought4 ,it is 
they whom it warns not to put off making
 sure that they have provision for the  
continuance of the ,christ-life4 ,we    
have1 day by day1 to go to ,him that    
sells and 'buy for ourselves4' ,and we  
know1 what it did not fall within our   

,lord's purpose to say in this parable1 
that the price of the oil is the        
surrender of ourselves1 and the opening 
of our hearts to the entrance of that   
divine ,spirit4 ,then there will be no  
fear but that the lamp will hold out to 
burn1 and no fear but that 'when the    
,bridegroom1 with ,his feastful friends1
 passes to bliss1 at the mid-hour of    
night1' we shall gain our entrance4     
,,traders ,,for ,,the ,,master          
',for the kingdom of heaven la as a man 
travelling into a     far country1 who  
called his own servants1 and delivered  
unto them his goods4 #ae4 ,and unto one 
he gave five     talents1 to another    
two1 and to another one2 to every       
man according to his several ability2   
and straightway     took his journey4   
#af4 ,then he that had received the five
     talents went and traded with the   
same1 and made them     other five      
talents4 #ag4 ,and likewise he that had 
received     two1 he also gained other  
two4 #ah4 ,but he that had     received 

one went and digged in the earth1 and   
hid his     lord's money4 #ai4 ,after a 
long time the lord of those     servants
 cometh1 and reckoneth with them4 #bj4  
,and so he     that had received five   
talents came and brought other     five 
talents1 saying1 ,lord1 thou deliveredst
 unto me     five talents3 behold1 ,i   
have gained beside them five     talents
 more4 #ba4 ,his lord said unto him1    
,well done1     thou good and faithful  
servant3 thou hast been faithful        
over a few things1 ,i will make thee    
ruler over many     things3 enter thou  
into the joy of thy lord4 #bb4 ,he also 
that had received two talents came and  
said1 ,lord1 thou     deliveredst unto  
me two talents3 behold1 ,i have gained  
two other talents beside them4 #bc4 ,his
 lord said unto     him1 ,well done1    
good and faithful servant2 thou hast    
been faithful over a few things1 ,i will
 make thee ruler     over many things3  
enter thou into the joy of thy lord4    
#bd4 ,then to which had received the one

 talent came and     said1 ,lord1 ,i    
knew thee that thou art an hard man1    
reaping where thou hast not sown1 and   
gathering where     thou hast not       
strawed3 #be4 ,and ,i was afraid1 and   
went     and hid thy talent in the      
earth3 lo1 there thou hast     that is  
thine4 #bf4 ,his lord answered and said 
unto him1     ,thou wicked and slothful 
servant1 thou knewest that ,i     reap  
where ,i sowed not1 and gather where ,i 
have not     strawed3 #bg4 ,thou        
oughtest therefore to have put my       
money to the exchangers1 and then at my 
coming ,i should     have received mine 
own with usury4 #bh4 ,take therefore    
the talent from him1 and give it unto   
him which hath ten     talents4 #bi4    
,for unto every one that hath shall be  
given1     and he shall have abundance3 
but from him that hath not     shall be 
taken away even that which he hath4 #cj4
 ,and     cast ye the unprofitable      
servant into outer darkness3     there  
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth4'

     --,,matt4 xxv4 #ad-cj4  ,the       
parable of the ,ten ,virgins said       
nothing about their working whilst they 
waited4 ,this one sets forth that side  
of the duties of the servants in their  
master's absence1 and so completes the  
former4 ,it is clearly in its true      
historical connection here1 and is      
closely knit to both the preceding and  
following context4 ,it is a strange     
instance of superficial reading that it 
should ever have been supposed to be but
 another version of ,luke's parable of  
the pounds4 ,the very resemblances of   
the two are meant to give force to their
 differences1 which are fundamental4    
,they are the converse of each other4   
,that of the pounds teaches that men who
 have the same gifts intrusted to them  
may make a widely different use of      
these1 and will be rewarded differently1
 in strictly graduated proportion to    
their unlike diligence4 ,the lesson of  
the parable before us1 on the other     
hand1 is that men with dissimilar gifts 

may employ them with equal diligence2   
and that1 if they do1 their reward shall
 be the same1 however great the         
endowments of one1 and slender those of 
another4 ,a reader who has missed that  
distinction must be very shortsighted1  
or sworn to make out a case against the 
,gospels4  ,i4 ,we may consider the lent
 capital and the business done with it4 
,masters nowadays do not give servants  
their money to trade with1 when they    
leave home2 but the incident is true to 
the old-world relations of master and   
slave4 ,our ,lord's consciousness of    
,his near departure1 which throbs in all
 this context1 comes out emphatically   
here4 ,he is preparing ,his disciples   
for the time when they will have to work
 without ,him1 like the managers of some
 branch house of business whose         
principal has gone abroad4 ,what are the
 'talents' with which ,he will start    
them on their own account8 ,we have     
taken the word into common language1    
however little we remember the teaching 

of the parable as to the hand that gives
 'men of talent' their endowments4 ,but 
the natural powers usually called by the
 name are not what ,christ means here1  
though the principles of the parable may
 be extended to include them4 ,for these
 powers are the 'ability' according to  
which the talents are given4 ,but the   
talents themselves are the spiritual    
knowledge and endowments which are      
properly the gifts of the ascended ,lord
 to ,his ,church4 ,two important lessons
 as to these are conveyed4 ,first1 that 
they are distributed in varying measure1
 and that not arbitrarily1 by the mere  
will of the giver1 but according to his 
discernment of what each servant can    
profitably administer4 ,the 'ability'   
which settles their amount is not more  
closely defined4 ,it may include natural
 faculty1 for ,christ's gifts usually   
follow the line of that2 and the larger 
the nature1 the more of ,him it can     
contain4 ,but it also includes spiritual
 receptiveness and faithfulness1 which  

increase the absorbing power4 ,the      
capacity to receive will also be the    
capacity to administer1 and it will be  
fully filled4  ,the second lesson taught
 is that spiritual gifts are given for  
trading with4 ,in other words1 they are 
here considered not so much as blessings
 to the possessor as his stock-in-trade1
 which he can employ for the ,master's  
enrichment4 ,we are all tempted to think
 of them mostly as given us for our own 
blessing and joy2 and the reminder is   
never unseasonable that a ,christian    
receives nothing for himself alone4 ,god
 hath shined into our hearts1 that we   
may give to others the light of the     
knowledge which has flashed glad day    
into our darkness4 ,the ,master intrusts
 us with a portion of ,his wealth1 not  
for expending on ourselves1 but for     
trading with4  ,a third principle here  
is that the right use of ,his gifts     
increases them in our hands4 ',money    
makes money4' ,the five talents grow to 
ten1 the two to four4 ,the surest way to

 increase our possession of ,christ's   
grace is to try to impart it4 ,there is 
no better way of strengthening our own  
faith than to seek to make others share 
in it4 ,christian convictions1 spoken1  
are confirmed1 but muffled in silence   
are weakened4 ',there is that scattereth
 and yet increaseth4' ,seed heaped and  
locked up in a granary breeds weevils   
and moths2 flung broadcast over the     
furrows1 it multiplies into seed that   
can be sown again1 and bread that feeds 
the sower4 ,so we have in this part of  
the parable almost the complete summary 
of the principles on which1 the purposes
 for which1 and the results to faithful 
use with which1 ,christ gives ,his      
gifts4  ,the conduct of the slenderly   
endowed servant who hides his talent    
will be considered farther on4  ,,ii4   
,we note the faithful servants'         
balance-sheet and reward4  ,our ,lord   
again sounds the note of delay--',after 
a long time'--an indefinite phrase which
 we know carries centuries in its folds1

 how many more we know not nor are      
intended to know4 ,the two faithful     
servants present their balance-sheet in 
identical words1 and receive the same   
commendation and reward4 ,their speech  
is in sharp contrast with the idle one's
 excuse1 inasmuch as it puts a glad     
acknowledgment of the lord's giving in  
the forefront1 as if to teach that the  
thankful recognition of his liberality  
underlies all joyful and successful     
service1 and deepens while it makes glad
 the sense of responsibility4 ,the cords
 of love are silken2 and he who begins  
with setting before himself the         
largeness of ,christ's gifts to him1    
will not fail in using these so as to   
increase them4 ,in the light of that    
day1 the servant sees more clearly than 
when he was at work the results of his  
work4 ,we do not know what the year's   
profits have been till stock-taking and 
balancing-time comes4 ,here we often    
say1 ',i have laboured in vain4' ,there 
we shall say1 ',i have gained five      

talents4'  ,the verbatim repetition of  
the same words to both servants teaches 
the great lesson of this parable as     
contrasted with that of the pounds1 that
 where there has been the same faithful 
work1 with different amounts of capital1
 there will be the same reward4 ,our    
,master does not care about quantity1   
but about quality and motive4 ,the slave
 with a few shillings1 enough to stock  
meagrely a little stall1 may show as    
much business capacity1 diligence1 and  
fidelity1 as if he had millions to work 
with4 ,christ rewards not actions1 but  
the graces which are made visible in    
actions2 and these can be as well seen  
in the tiniest as in the largest deeds4 
,the light that streams through a       
pin-prick is the same that pours through
 the widest window4 ,the crystals of a  
salt present the same facets1 flashing  
back the sun at the same angles1 whether
 they be large or microscopically small4
 ,therefore the judgment of ,christ1    
which is simply the utterance of fact1  

takes no heed of the extent but only of 
the kind of service1 and puts on the    
same level of recompense all who1 with  
however widely varying powers1 were one 
in spirit1 in diligence1 and devotion4  
,the eulogium on the servants is not    
'successful' or 'brilliant1' but        
'faithful1' and both alike get it4  ,the
 words of the lord fall into three      
parts4 ,first comes his generous and    
hearty praise1--the brief and emphatic  
monosyllable ',well1' and the           
characterisation of the servants as     
'good and faithful4' ,praise from       
,christ's lips is praise indeed2 and    
here ,he pours it out in no grudging or 
scanty measure1 but with warmth and     
evident delight4 ,his heart glows with  
pleasure1 and ,his commendation is      
musical with the utterance of ,his own  
joy in ,his servants4 ,he 'rejoices over
 them with singing'2 and more gladly    
than a fond mother speaks honeyed words 
of approval to her darling1 of whose    
goodness she is proud1 does ,he praise  

these two4 ,when we are tempted to      
disparage our slender powers as compared
 with those of ,his more conspicuous    
servants1 and to suppose that all which 
we do is nought1 let us think of this   
merciful and loving estimate of our poor
 service4 ,for such words from such     
lips1 life itself were wisely flung     
away2 but such words from such lips will
 be spoken in recognition of many a     
piece of service less high and heroic   
than a martyr's4 ',good and faithful'   
refers not to the more general notion of
 goodness1 but to the special excellence
 of a servant1 and the latter word seems
 to define the former4 ,fidelity is the 
grace which ,he praises1--manifested in 
the recognition that the capital was a  
loan1 given to be traded with for ,him1 
and to be brought back increased to     
,him4 ,he is faithful who ever keeps in 
view1 and acts on1 the conditions on    
which1 and the purposes for which1 he   
has received his spiritual wealth2 and  
'he who is faithful in that which is    

least1 is faithful also in much4'  ,the 
second part of the lord's words is the  
appointment to higher office1 as the    
reward of faithfulness4 ,here on earth1 
the tools come1 in the long run1 to the 
hands that can use them1 and the best   
reward of faithfulness in a narrower    
sphere is to be lifted to a wider4      
,promotion means more to do2 and if the 
world were rightly organised1 the road  
to advancement would be diligence2 and  
the higher a man climbed1 the wider     
would be the horizon of his labour4 ,it 
is so in ,christ's kingdom1 and should  
be so in ,his visible ,church4 ,it will 
be so in heaven4 ,clearly this saying   
implies the active theory of the future 
life1 and the continuance in some       
ministry of love1 unknown to us1 of the 
energies which were trained in the small
 transactions of earth4 ',if five       
talents are a few things1 how great the 
many things will be6' ,in the parable of
 the pounds1 the servant is made a      
ruler2 here being 'set over' seems      

rather still to point to the place of a 
steward or servant4 ,the sphere is      
enlarged1 but the office is unaltered4  
,the manager who conducted a small trade
 rightly will be advanced to the        
superintendence of a larger business4   
',we doubt not that for one so true     
,there must be other1 nobler work to    
do1'  and that in that work the same law
 will continue to operate1 and          
faithfulness be crowned with            
ever-growing capacities and tasks       
through a dateless eternity4  ,the last 
words of the lord pass beyond our poor  
attempts at commenting4 ,no eye can look
 undazzled at the sun4 ,when ,christ was
 near the ,cross1 ,he left ,his         
disciples a strange bequest at such a   
moment1--,his joy2 and that is their    
brightest portion here1 even though it  
be shaded with many sorrows4 ,the       
enthroned ,christ welcomes all who have 
known 'the fellowship of ,his           
sufferings' into the fulness of ,his    
heavenly joy1 unshaded1 unbroken1       

unspeakable2 and they pass into it as   
into an encompassing atmosphere1 or some
 broad land of peace and abundance4     
,sympathy with ,his purposes leads to   
such oneness with ,him that ,his joy is 
ours1 both in its occasions and in its  
rapture4 ',thou makest them drink of the
 river of ,thy pleasures1' and the lord 
and the servant drink from the same cup4
  ,,iii4 ,the excuse and punishment of  
the indolent servant4  ,his excuse is   
his reason4 ,he did think hardly of his 
lord1 and1 even though he had ,his gift 
in his hand to confute him1 he slandered
 ,him in his heart as harsh and         
exacting4 ,to many men the requirements 
of religion are more prominent than its 
gifts1 and ,god is thought of as        
demanding rather than as 'the giving    
,god4' ,such thoughts paralyse action4  
,fear is barren1 love is fruitful4      
,nothing grows on the mountain of       
curses1 which frowns black over against 
the sunny slopes of the mountain of     
blessing with its blushing grapes4 ,the 

indolence was illogical1 for1 if the    
master was such as was thought1 the more
 reason for diligence2 but fear is a bad
 reasoner1 and the absurd gap between   
the premises and the conclusion is      
matched by one of the very same width in
 every life that thinks of ,god as      
rigidly requiring obedience1 which1     
therefore1 it does not give6 ,still     
another error is in the indolent        
servant's words4 ,he flings down the    
hoarded talent with ',lo1 thou hast     
thine own4' ,he was mistaken4 ,talents  
hid are not1 when dug up1 as heavy as   
they were when buried4 ,this gold does  
rust1 and a life not devoted to ,god is 
never carried back to ,him unspoiled4   
,the lord's answer again falls into     
three parts1 corresponding to that to   
the faithful servants4 ,first comes the 
stern characterisation of the man4 ,as  
with the others' goodness1 his badness  
is defined by the second epithet4 ,it is
 slothfulness4 ,is that all8 ,yes2 it   
does not need active opposition to pull 

down destruction on one's head4 ,simple 
indolence is enough1 the negative sin of
 not doing or being what we ought4      
,ungirt loins1 unlit lamps1 unused      
talents1 sink a man like lead4 ,doing   
nothing is enough for ruin4  ,the       
remarkable answer to the servant's      
charge seems to teach us that timid     
souls1 conscious of slender endowments1 
and pressed by the heavy sense of       
responsibility1 and shrinking from      
,christian enterprises1 for fear of     
incurring heavier condemnation1 may yet 
find means of using their little        
capital4 ,the bankers1 who invest the   
collective contributions of small       
capitalists to advantage1 may1 or may   
not1 be intended to be translated into  
the ,church2 but1 at any rate1 the      
principle of united service is here     
recommended to those who feel too weak  
for independent action4 ,slim houses in 
a row hold each other up2 and1 if we    
cannot strike out a path for ourselves1 
let us seek strength and safety in      

numbers4  ,the fate of the indolent     
servant has a double horror4 ,it is loss
 and suffering4 ,the talent is taken    
from the slack hands and coward heart   
that would not use it1 and given to the 
man who had shown he could and would4   
,gifts unemployed for ,christ are       
stripped off a soul yonder4 ,how much   
will go from many a richly endowed      
spirit1 which here flashed with         
unconsecrated genius and force6 ,we do  
not need to wait for eternity to see    
that true possession1 which is use1     
increases powers1 and that disuse1 which
 is equivalent to not possessing1 robs  
of them4 ,the blacksmith's arm1 the     
scout's eye1 the craftsman's delicate   
finger1 the student's intellect1 the    
sensualist's passions1 all illustrate   
the law on its one side2 and the dying  
out of faculties and tastes1 and even of
 intuitions and conscience1 by reason of
 simple disuse1 are melancholy instances
 of it on the other4 ,but the solemn    
words of this condemnation seem to point

 to a far more awful energy in its      
working in the future1 when everything  
that has not been consecrated by        
employment for ,jesus shall be taken    
away1 and the soul1 stripped of its     
garb1 shall 'be found naked4' ,how far  
that process of divesting may affect    
faculties1 without touching the life1   
who can tell8 ,enough to see with awe   
that a spirit may be cut1 as it were1 to
 the quick1 and still exist4  ,but loss 
is not all the indolent servant's doom4 
,once more1 like the slow toll of a     
funeral bell1 we hear the dread sentence
 of ejection to the 'mirk midnight'     
without1 where are tears undried and    
passion unavailing4 ,there is something 
very awful in the monotonous repetition 
of that sentence so often in these last 
discourses of ,christ's4 ,the most      
loving lips that ever spoke1 in love1   
shaped this form of words1 so           
heart-touching in its wailing1 but      
decisive1 proclamation of blackness1    
homelessness1 and sorrow1 and cannot but

 toll them over and over again into our 
ears1 in sad knowledge of our           
forgetfulness and unbelief1--if         
perchance we may listen and be warned1  
and1 having heard the sound thereof1 may
 never know the reality of that death in
 life which is the sure end of the      
indolent who were blind to ,his gifts1  
and therefore would not listen to ,his  
requirements4     ,,why ,,the ,,talent  
,,was ,,buried      ',then he which had 
received the one talent came and        
said1 ,lord1 ,i knew thee that thou art 
an hard man1     reaping where thou hast
 not sown1 and gathering where     thou 
hast not strawed3 #be4 ,and ,i was      
afraid1 and went     and hid thy talent 
in the earth4'-,,matt4 xxv4 #bd1 #be4   
,that was a strangely insolent excuse   
for indolence4 ,to charge an angry      
master to his face with grasping greed  
and injustice was certainly not the way 
to conciliate him4 ,such language is    
quite unnatural and incongruous until we
 remember the reality which the parable 

was meant to shadow--viz41 the answers  
for their deeds which men will give at  
,christ's judgment bar4 ,then we can    
understand how1 by some irresistible    
necessity1 this man was compelled1 even 
at the risk of increasing the           
indignation of the master1 to turn      
himself inside out1 and to put into     
harsh1 ugly words the half-conscious    
thoughts which had guided his life and  
caused his unfaithfulness4 ',every one  
of us shall give account of himself to  
,god4' ,the unabashed impudence of such 
an excuse for idleness as this is but   
putting into vivid and impressive form  
this truth1 that then a man's actions in
 their true character1 and the ugly     
motives that underlie them1 and which he
 did not always honestly confess to     
himself1 will be clear before him4 ,it  
will be as much of a surprise to the men
 themselves1 in many cases1 as it could 
be to listeners4 ,thus it becomes us to 
look well to the under side of our      
lives1 the unspoken convictions and the 

unformulated motives which work all the 
more mightily upon us because1 for the  
most part1 they work in the dark4 ,this 
is ,christ's explanation of one very    
operative and fruitful cause of the     
refusal to serve ,him4  ,i4 ,i ask you1 
then1 to consider1 first1 the slander   
here and the truth that contradicts it4 
',i knew thee that thou art an hard     
man1' says he1 'reaping where them hast 
not sown' 7and he was standing with the 
unused talent in his hand all the       
while71 'and gathering where thou hast  
not strawed4' ,that is to say1 deep down
 in many a heart that has never said as 
much to itself1 there lies this black   
drop of gall--a conception of the divine
 character rather as demanding than as  
giving1 a thought of ,him as exacting4  
,what ,he requires is more considered   
than what ,he bestows4 ,so religion is  
thought to be mainly a matter of doing  
certain things and rendering up certain 
sacrifices1 instead of being regarded1  
as it really is1 as mainly a matter of  

receiving from ,god4 ,christ's authority
 makes me bold to say that this error   
underlies the lives of an immense number
 of nominal ,christians1 of people who  
think themselves very good and          
religious1 as well as the lives of      
thousands who stand apart from religion 
altogether4 ,and ,i want1 not to drag   
down any curtain by my own hand1 but to 
ask you to lift away the veil which     
hides the ugly thing in your hearts1 and
 to put your own consciousness to the   
bar of your own conscience1 and say     
whether it is not true that the         
uppermost thought about ,god1 when you  
think about ,him at all1 is1 ',thou art 
an hard man1 reaping where thou hast not
 sown4'  ,it is not difficult to        
understand why such a thought of ,god   
should rise in a heart which has no     
delight in ,him nor in ,his service4    
,there is a side of the truth as to     
,god's relations to man which gives a   
colour of plausibility to the slander4  
,grave and stringent requirements are   

made by the divine law upon each of us2 
and our consciences tell us that they   
have not been kept4 ,therefore we seek  
to persuade ourselves that they are too 
severe4 ,then1 further1 we are1 by      
reason of our own selfishness1 almost   
incapable of rising to the conception of
 ,god's pure1 perfect1 disinterested    
love2 and we are far too blind to the   
benefits that ,he pours upon us all     
every day of our lives4 ,and so from all
 these reasons taken together1 and some 
more besides1 it comes about that1 for  
some of us1 the blessed sun in the      
heavens1 the ,god of all mercy and love1
 has been darkened into a lurid orb     
shorn of all its beneficent beams1 and  
hangs threatening there in our misty    
sky4 ',i knew ,thee that ,thou art an   
hard man4' ,ah6 ,i am sure that if we   
would go down into the deep places of   
our own hearts1 and ask ourselves what  
our real thought of ,god is1 many of us 
would acknowledge that it is something  
like that4  ,now turn to the other side4

 ,what is the truth that smites this    
slander to death8 ,that ,god is perfect1
 pure1 unmingled1 infinite love4 ,and   
what is love8 ,the infinite desire to   
impart itself4 ,his 'nature and         
property' is to be merciful1 and you can
 no more stop ,god from giving than you 
can shut up the rays of the sun within  
itself4 ,to be and to bestow are for    
,him one and the same thing4 ,his love  
is an infinite longing to give1 which   
passes over into perpetual acts of      
beneficence4 ,he never reaps where ,he  
has not sown4 ,is there any place where 
,he has not sown8 ,is there any heart on
 which there have been no seeds of      
goodness scattered from ,his rich hand8 
,the calumniator in the text was        
speaking his slanders with that in his  
hand which should have stopped his      
mouth4 ,he who complained that the hard 
master was asking for fruit of what ,he 
had not given would have had nothing at 
all1 if he had not obtained the one     
talent from ,his hand4 ,and there is no 

place in the whole wide universe of ,god
 where ,his love has not scattered its  
beneficent gifts4 ,there are no fallow  
fields out of cultivation and unsown1 in
 ,his great farm4 ,he never asks where  
,he has not given4  ,he never asks until
 after ,he has given4 ,he begins with   
bestowing1 and it is only after the     
vineyard has been planted on the very   
fruitful hill1 and the hedge built round
 about it1 and the winepress digged1 and
 the tower erected1 and miracles of     
long-suffering mercy and skilful        
patience have been lavished upon it1    
that then ,he looks that it should bring
 forth grapes4 ,god's gifts precede ,his
 requirements4 ,he ever sows before ,he 
reaps4 ,more than that1 ,he gives what  
,he asks1 helping us to render to ,him  
the hearts that ,he desires4 ,he1 by    
,his own merciful communications1 makes 
it possible that we should lay at ,his  
feet the tribute of loving thanks4 ,just
 as a parent will give a child some     
money in order that the child may go and

 buy the giver a birthday present1 so   
,god gives to us hearts1 and enriches   
them with many bestowments4 ,he scatters
 round about us good from ,his hand1    
like drops of a fragrant perfume from a 
blazing torch1 in order that we may     
catch them up and have some portion of  
the joy which is especially ,his        
own--the joy of giving4 ,it would be a  
poor affair if our sole relation to ,god
 were that of receiving4 ,it would be a 
tyrannous affair if our sole relation to
 ,god were that of rendering up4 ,but   
both relations are united1 and if it be 
'more blessed to give than to receive1' 
the ,giver of all good does not leave us
 without the opportunity of entering in 
even to that superlative blessing4 ,we  
have to come to ,him and say1 when we   
lay the gifts1 either of our faculties  
or of our trust1 of our riches or of our
 virtues1 at ,his feet1 ',all things    
come of ,thee1 and of ,thine own have we
 given ,thee4'  ,he asks for our sakes1 
and not for ,his own4 ',if ,i were      

hungry ,i would not tell thee1 for the  
cattle upon a thousand hills are ,mine4 
,offer unto ,god praise1 and pay thy    
vows unto the ,most ,high4' ,it is      
blessed to us to render4 ,he is none the
 richer for all our giving1 as ,he is   
none the poorer for all ,his4 ,yet ,his 
giving to us is real1 and our giving is 
real and a joy to ,him4 ,that is the    
truth lifted up against the slander of  
the natural heart4 ,god is love1 pure   
giving1 unlimited and perpetual         
disposition to bestow4 ,he gives all    
things before ,he asks for anything1 and
 when ,he asks for anything it is that  
we may be blessed4  ,but you say1 ',that
 is all very well--where do you learn   
all that about ,god8' ,my answer is a   
very simple one4 ,i learn it1 and ,i    
believe there is no other place to learn
 it1 at the ,cross of ,jesus ,christ4   
,if that be the very apex of the divine 
love and self-revelation2 if1 looking   
upon it1 we understand ,god better than 
by any other means1 then there can be no

 question but that instead of gathering 
where ,he has not strawed1 and reaping  
where ,he has not sown1 ,god is only1   
and always1 and utterly1 and to every   
man1 infinite love that bestows itself4 
,my heart says to me many a time1       
',god's laws are hard1 ,god's judgment  
is strict4 ,god requires what you cannot
 give4 ,crouch before ,him1 and be      
afraid4' ,and my faith says1 ',get thee 
behind me1 ,satan6' ',he that spared not
 ,his own ,son1 444 how shall ,he not   
with ,him also freely give us all       
things8' ,the ,cross of ,christ is the  
answer to the slander1 and the          
revelation of the giving ,god4  ,,ii4   
,secondly1 mark here the fear that dogs 
such a thought1 and the love that casts 
out the fear4  ',i was afraid4' ,yes1 of
 course4 ,if a man is not a fool1 his   
emotions follow his thoughts1 and his   
thoughts ought to shape his emotions4   
,and wherever there is the twilight of  
uncertainty upon the great lesson that  
the ,cross of ,jesus ,christ has taught 

us1 there there will be1 however masked 
and however modified by other thoughts1 
deep in the human heart1 a perhaps      
unspoken1 but not therefore ineffectual1
 dread of ,god4 ,just as the            
misconception of the divine character   
does influence many a life in which it  
has never been spoken articulately1 and 
needs some steady observation of        
ourselves to be detected1 so is it with 
this dread of ,him4 ,carry the task of  
self-examination a little further1 and  
ask yourselves whether there does not   
lie coiled in many of your hearts this  
dread of ,god1 like a sleeping snake    
which only needs a little warmth to be  
awakened to sting4 ,there are all the   
signs of it4 ,there are many of you who 
have a distinct indisposition to be     
brought close up to the thought of ,him4
 ,there are many of you who have a      
distinct sense of discomfort when you   
are pressed against the realities of the
 ,christian religion4 ,there are many of
 you who1 though you cover it over with 

a shallow confidence1 or endeavour to   
persuade yourselves into speculative    
doubts about the divine nature1 or hide 
it from yourselves by indifference1 yet 
know that all that is very thin ice1 and
 that there is a great black pool down  
below---a dread at the heart1 of a      
righteous ,judge somewhere1 with whom   
you have somewhat to do1 that you cannot
 shake off4 ,i do not want to appeal to 
fear1 but it goes to one's heart to see 
the hundreds and thousands of people    
round about us who1 just because they   
are afraid of ,god1 will not think about
 ,him1 put away angrily and impatiently 
solemn words like these that ,i am      
trying to speak1 and seek to surround   
themselves with some kind of a fool's   
paradise of indifference1 and to shut   
their eyes to facts and realities4 ,you 
do not confess it to yourselves4 ,what  
kind of a thought must that be about    
your relation to ,god which you are     
afraid to speak8 ,some of you remember  
the awful words in one of ,shakespeare's

 plays3 ',now ,i1 to comfort him1 bid   
him he should not think of ,god4 ,i     
hoped there was no need to trouble      
himself with any such thoughts yet4'    
,what does that teach us8 ',i knew ,thee
 that ,thou art an hard man2 and ,i was 
afraid4'  ,dear friend1 there are two   
religions in this world3 there is the   
religion of fear1 and there is the      
religion of love2 and if you have not   
the one1 you must have the other1 if you
 have any at all4 ,the only way to get  
perfect love that casts out fear is to  
be quite sure of the ,father-love in    
heaven that begets it4 ,and the only way
 to be sure of the infinite love in the 
heavens that kindles some little spark  
of love in our hearts here1 is to go to 
,christ and learn the lesson that ,he   
reveals to us at ,his ,cross4 ,love will
 annihilate the fear2 or rather1 if ,i  
may take such a figure1 will set a light
 to the wreathing smoke that rises1 and 
flash it all up into a ruddy flame4 ,for
 the perfect love that casts out fear   

sublimes it into reverence and changes  
it into trust4 ,have you got that love1 
and did you get it at ,christ's ,cross8 
,,iii4 ,lastly1 mark the torpor of fear 
and the activity of love4 ',i was       
afraid1 and ,i went and hid thy talent  
in the earth4'  ,fear paralyses service1
 cuts the nerve of activity1 makes a man
 refuse obedience to ,god4 ,it was a    
very illogical thing of that indolent   
servant to say1 ',i knew that you were  
so hard in exacting what was due to you 
that therefore ,i determined not to give
 it to you4' ,is it more illogical and  
more absurd than what hundreds of men   
and women round about us do to-day1 when
 they say1 ',god's requirements are so  
great that ,i do not attempt to fulfil  
them'8 ,one would have thought that he  
would have reasoned the other way1 and  
said1 ',because ,i knew that ,thy       
requirements were so great and severe1  
therefore ,i put myself with all my     
powers to my work4' ,not so4 ,logical or
 illogical1 the result remains1 that    

that thought of ,god1 that black drop of
 gall1 in many a heart1 stops the action
 of the hand4 ,fear is barren1 or if it 
produces anything it is nothing to the  
purpose1 and it brings gifts that not   
even ,god's love can accept1 for there  
is no love in them4 ,fear is barren2    
,love is fruitful--like the two         
mountains of ,samaria1 from one of which
 the rolling burden of the curses of the
 ,law was thundered1 and from the other 
of which the sweet words of promise and 
of blessing were chanted in musical     
response4 ,on the one side are black    
rocks1 without a blade of grass on them1
 the ,mount of ,cursing2 on the other   
side are blushing grapes and vineyards1 
the ,mount of ,blessing4 ,love moves to 
action1 fear paralyses into indolence4  
,and the reason why such hosts of you do
 nothing for ,god is because your hearts
 have never been touched with the       
thorough conviction that ,he has done   
everything for you1 and asks you but to 
love ,him back again1 and bring ,him    

your hearts4 ,these dark thoughts are   
like the frost which binds the ground in
 iron fetters1 making all the little    
flowers that were beginning to push     
their heads into the light shrink back  
again4 ,and love1 when it comes1 will   
come like the west wind and the sunshine
 of the ,spring2 and before its         
emancipating fingers the earth's fetters
 will be cast aside1 and the white      
snowdrops and the yellow crocuses will  
show themselves above the ground4 ,if   
you want your hearts to bear any fruit  
of noble living1 and holy consecration1 
and pure deeds1 then here is the        
process--,begin with the knowledge and  
belief of 'the love which ,god hath to  
us'2 learn that at the ,cross1 and let  
it silence your doubts1 and send them   
back to their kennels1 silenced4 ,then  
take the next step1 and love ,him back  
again4 ',we love ,him because ,he first 
loved us4' ,that love will be the       
productive principle of all glad        
obedience1 and you will keep ,his       

commandments1 and here upon earth find1 
as the faithful servant found1 that     
talents used increase2 and yonder will  
receive the eulogium from ,his lips whom
 to please is blessedness1 by whom to be
 praised is heaven's glory1 ',well done6
 good and faithful servant4'     ,,the  
,,king ,,on ,,his ,,judgment ,,throne   
',when the ,son of ,man shall come in   
,his glory1 and all     the holy angels 
with ,him1 then shall ,he sit upon the  
throne of ,his glory3 #cb4 ,and before  
,him shall be     gathered all nations3 
and ,he shall separate them one     from
 another1 as a shepherd divideth his    
sheep from the     goats3 #cc4 ,and ,he 
shall set the sheep on ,his right       
hand1 but the goats on the left4 #cd4   
,then shall the     ,king say unto them 
on ,his right hand1 ,come1 ye blessed   
of ,my ,father1 inherit the ,kingdom    
prepared for you from     the foundation
 of the world3 #ce4 ,for ,i was an      
hungred1     and ye gave ,me meat3 ,i   
was thirsty1 and ye gave ,me     drink3 

,i was a stranger1 and ye took ,me in3  
#cf4 ,naked1     and ye clothed ,me3 ,i 
was sick1 and ye visited ,me3 ,i was    
in prison1 and ye came unto ,me4 #cg4   
,then shall the     righteous answer    
,him1 saying1 ,lord1 when saw we ,thee  
an     hungred1 and fed ,thee8 or       
thirsty1 and gave ,thee drink8     #ch4 
,when saw we ,thee a stranger1 and took 
,thee in6 or     naked1 and clothed     
,thee6 #ci4 ,or when saw we ,thee sick1 
or in prison1 and came unto ,thee8 #aj4 
,and the ,king     shall answer and say 
unto them1 ,verily ,i say unto you1     
,inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
 the least of     these ,my brethren1 ye
 have done it unto ,me4 #da4 ,then      
shall ,he say also unto them on the left
 hand1 ,depart     from ,me1 ye cursed1 
into everlasting fire1 prepared for     
the devil and his angels3 #db4 ,for ,i  
was an hungred1 and     ye gave ,me no  
meat3 ,i was thirsty1 and ye gave ,me no
     drink3 #dc4 ,i was a stranger1 and 
ye took ,me not in3     naked1 and ye   

clothed ,me not3 sick1 and in prison1   
and     ye visited ,me not4 #dd4 ,then  
shall they also answer ,him1     saying1
 ,lord1 when saw we ,thee an hungred1 or
 athirst1     or a stranger1 or naked1  
or sick1 or in prison1 and did     not  
minister unto ,thee8 #de4 ,then shall   
,he answer them1     saying1 ,verily ,i 
say unto you1 ,inasmuch as ye did it    
not to one of the least of these1 ye did
 it not to ,me4     #df4 ,and these     
shall go away into everlasting          
punishment3     but the righteous into  
life eternal4'--,,matt4 xxv4 #ca-df4    
,the teachings of that wonderful last   
day of ,christ's ministry1 which have   
occupied so many of our pages1 are      
closed with this tremendous picture of  
universal judgment4 ,it is one to be    
gazed upon with silent awe1 rather than 
to be commented on4 ,there is fear lest1
 in occupying the mind in the study of  
the details1 and trying to pierce the   
mystery it partly unfolds1 we should    
forget our own individual share in it4  

,better to burn in on our hearts the    
thought1 ',i shall be there1' than to   
lose the solemn impression in efforts to
 unravel the difficulties of the        
passage4 ,difficulties there are1 as is 
to be expected in even ,christ's        
revelation of so unparalleled a scene4  
,many questions are raised by it which  
will never be solved till we stand      
there4 ,who can tell how much of the    
parabolic element enters into the       
description8 ,we1 at all events1 do not 
venture to say of one part1 ',this is   
merely drapery1 the sensuous            
representation of spiritual reality1'   
and of another1 ',that is essential     
truth4' ,the curtain is the picture1 and
 before we can separate the elements of 
it in that fashion1 we must have lived  
through it4 ,let us try to grasp the    
main lessons1 and not lose the spirit in
 studying the letter4  ,i4 ,the first   
broad teaching is that ,christ is the   
,judge of all the earth4 ,sitting there1
 a wearied man on the ,mount of ,olives1

 with the valley of ,jehoshaphat at ,his
 feet1 which the ,jew regarded as the   
scene of the final judgment1 ,jesus     
declared ,himself to be the ,judge of   
the world1 in language so unlimited in  
its claims that the speaker must be     
either a madman or a god4 ,calvary was  
less than three days off1 when ,he spoke
 thus4 ,the contrast between the vision 
of the future and the reality of the    
present is overwhelming4 ,the ,son of   
,man has come in weakness and shame2 ,he
 will come in ,his glory1 that flashing 
light of the self-revealing ,god1 of    
which the symbol was the 'glory' which  
shone between the cherubim1 and which   
,jesus ,christ here asserts to belong to
 ,him as ',his glory4' ,then1 heaven    
will be emptied of its angels1 who shall
 gather round the enthroned ,judge as   
,his handful of sorrowing followers were
 clustered round ,him as ,he spoke1 or  
as the peasants had surrounded the meek 
state of ,his entry yesterday4 ,then1   
,he will take the place of ,judge1 and  

'sit1' in token of repose1 supremacy1   
and judgment1 'on the throne of ,his    
glory1' as ,he now sat on the rocks of  
,olivet4 ,then1 mankind shall be massed 
at ,his feet1 and ,his glance shall part
 the infinite multitudes1 and discern   
the character of each item in the crowd 
as easily and swiftly as the shepherd's 
eye picks out the black goats from among
 the white sheep4 ,observe the          
difference in the representation from   
those in the previous parables4 ,there1 
the parting of kinds was either         
self-acting1 as in the case of the      
foolish maidens2 or men gave account of 
themselves1 as in the case of the       
servants with the talents4 ,here1 the   
separation is the work of the ,judge1   
and is completed before a word is       
spoken4 ,all these representations must 
be included in the complete truth as to 
the final judgment4 ,it is the effect of
 men's actions2 it is the result of     
their compelled disclosing of the       
deepest motives of their lives2 it is   

the act of the perfect discernment of   
the ,judge4 ,their deeds will judge     
them2 they will judge themselves2       
,christ will judge4  ,singularly enough1
 every possible interpretation of the   
extent of the expression 'all nations'  
has found advocates4 ,it has been taken 
in its widest and plainest meaning1 as  
equivalent to the whole race2 it has    
been confined to mankind exclusive of   
,christians1 and it has been confined to
 ,christians exclusive of heathens4     
,there are difficulties in all these    
explanations1 but probably the least are
 found in the first4 ,it is most natural
 to suppose that 'all nations' means all
 nations1 unless that meaning be        
impossible4 ,the absence of the         
limitation to the 'kingdom of heaven1'  
which distinguishes this section from   
the preceding ones having reference to  
judgment1 and the position of the       
present section as the solemn close of  
,christ's teachings1 which would        
naturally widen out into the declaration

 of the universal judgment1 which forms 
the only appropriate climax and end to  
the foregoing teachings1 seem to point  
to the widest meaning of the phrase4    
,his office of universal ,judge is      
unmistakably taught throughout the ,new 
,testament1 and it seems in the highest 
degree unnatural to suppose that ,he did
 not speak of it in these final words of
 prophetic warning4 ,we may therefore1  
with some confidence1 see in the        
magnificent and awful picture here drawn
 the vision of universal judgment4      
,parabolic elements there no doubt are  
in the picture2 but we have no governing
 revelation1 free from these1 by which  
we can check them1 and be sure of how   
much is form and how much substance4    
,this is clear1 'that we must all appear
 before the judgment-seat of ,christ'2  
and this is clear1 that ,jesus ,christ  
put forth1 when at the very lowest point
 of ,his earthly humiliation1 these     
tremendous claims1 and asserted ,his    
authority as ,judge over every soul of  

man4 ,we are apt to lose ourselves in   
the crowd4 ,let us pause and think that 
'all' includes 'me4'  ,,ii4 ,note the   
principles of ,christ's universal       
judgment4 ,it is important to remember  
that this section closes a series of    
descriptions of the judgment1 and must  
not be taken as if1 when isolated1 it   
set forth all the truth4 ,it is often   
harped upon by persons who are          
unfriendly to evangelical teaching1 as  
if it were ,christ's only word about    
judgment1 and interpreted as if it meant
 that1 no matter what else a man was1 if
 only he is charitable and benevolent1  
he will find mercy4 ,but this is to     
forget all the rest of our ,lord's      
teaching in the context1 and to fly in  
the face of the whole tenor of ,new     
,testament doctrine4 ,we have here to do
 with the principles of judgment which  
apply equally to those who have1 and to 
those who have not1 heard the gospel4   
,the subjects of the kingdom are shown  
the principles more immediately         

applicable to them1 in the previous     
parables1 and here they are reminded    
that there is a standard of judgment    
absolutely universal4 ,all men1 whether 
,christians or not1 are judged by 'the  
things done in the body1 whether they be
 good or bad4' ,so ,christ teaches in   
,his closing words of the ,sermon on the
 ,mount1 and in many another place4     
',every tree that bringeth not forth    
good fruit is hewn down1 and cast into  
the fire4' ,the productive source of    
good works is not in question here2     
stress is laid on the fruits1 rather    
than on the root4 ,the gospel is as     
imperative in its requirements of       
righteousness as the law is1 and its    
conception of the righteousness which it
 requires is far deeper and wider4 ,the 
subjects of the kingdom ever need to be 
reminded of the solemn truth that they  
have not only1 like the wise maidens1 to
 have their lights burning and their oil
 vessels filled1 nor only1 like the wise
 servants1 to be using the gifts of the 

kingdom for their lord1 but1 as members 
of the great family of man1 have to     
cultivate the common moralities which   
all men1 heathen and ,christian1        
recognise as binding on all1 without    
which no man shall see the ,lord4 ,the  
special form of righteousness which is  
selected as the test is charity4        
,obviously it is chosen as              
representative of all the virtues of the
 second table of the law4 ,taken in its 
bare literality1 this would mean that   
men's relations to ,god had no effect in
 the judgment1 mid that no other virtues
 but this of charity came into the      
account4 ,such a conclusion is so       
plainly repugnant to all ,christ's      
teaching1 that we must suppose that love
 to one's neighbour is here singled out1
 just as it is in ,his summary of 'the  
law and the prophets1' as the crown and 
flower of all relative duties1 and as1  
in a very real sense1 being 'the        
fulfilling of the law4' ,the omission of
 any reference to the love of ,god      

sufficiently shows that the view here is
 rigidly limited to acts1 and that all  
the grounds of judgment are not meant to
 be set forth4  ,but the benevolence    
here spoken of is not the mere natural  
sentiment1 which often exists in great  
energy in men whose moral nature is1 in 
other respects1 so utterly              
un-,christlike that their entrance into 
the kingdom prepared for the righteous  
is inconceivable4 ,many a man has a     
hundred vices and yet a soft heart4 ,it 
is very much a matter of temperament4   
,does ,christ so contradict all the rest
 of ,his teaching as to say that such a 
man is of 'the sheep1' and 'blessed of  
the ,father'8 ,surely not4 ,is every    
piece of kindliness to the distressed1  
from whatever motive1 and by whatsoever 
kind of person done1 regarded by ,him as
 done to ,himself8 ,to say so1 would be 
to confound moral distinctions1 and to  
dissolve all righteousness into a       
sentimental syrup4 ,the deeds which ,he 
regards as done to ,himself1 are done to

 ,his 'brethren4' ,that expression      
carries us into the region of motive1   
and runs parallel with ,his other words 
about 'receiving a prophet1' and 'giving
 a cup of cold water to one of these    
little ones1' because they are ,his4    
,seeing that all nations are at the bar1
 the expression1 ',my brethren1' cannot 
be confined to the disciples1 for many  
of those who are being judged have never
 come in contact with ,christians1 nor  
can it be reasonably supposed to include
 all men1 for1 however true it is that  
,christ is every man's brother1 the     
recognition of kindred here must surely 
be confined to those at the right hand4 
,whatever be included under the         
'righteous1' that is included under the 
'brethren4' ,we seem1 then1 led to      
recognise in the expression a reference 
to the motive of the beneficence1 and to
 be brought to the conclusion that what 
the ,judge accepts as done to ,himself  
is such kindly help and sympathy as is  
extended to these ,his kindred1 with    

some recognition of their character1 and
 desire after it4 ,to 'receive a        
prophet' implies that there is some     
spiritual affinity with him in the      
receiver4 ,to give help to ,his         
brethren1 because they are so1 implies  
some affinity with ,him or feeling after
 likeness to ,him and them4 ,now1 if we 
hold fast by the universality of the    
judgment here depicted1 we shall see    
that this recognition must necessarily  
have different degrees in those who have
 heard of ,christ and in those who have 
not4 ,in the former1 it will be         
equivalent to that faith which is the   
root of all goodness1 and grasps the    
,christ revealed in the gospel4 ,in the 
latter1 it can be no more than a feeling
 after ,him who is the 'light that      
lighteneth every man that cometh into   
the world4' ,surely there are souls amid
 the darkness of heathenism yearning    
toward the light1 like plants grown in  
the dark4 ,by ways of ,his own1 ,christ 
can reach such hearts1 as the river of  

the water of life may percolate through 
underground channels to many a tree     
which grows far from its banks4  ,,iii4 
,note the surprises of the judgment4    
,the astonishment of the righteous is   
not modesty disclaiming praise1 but real
 wonder at the undreamed-of significance
 of their deeds4 ,in the parable of the 
talents1 the servants unveiled their    
inmost hearts1 and accurately described 
their lives4 ,here1 the other side of   
the truth is brought into prominence1   
that1 at that day1 we shall be surprised
 when we hear from ,his lips what we    
have really done4 ,true ,christian      
beneficence has consciously for its     
motive the pleasing of ,christ2 but     
still he who most earnestly strove1     
while here1 to do all as unto ,jesus1   
will be full of thankful wonder at the  
grace which accepts his poor service1   
and will learn1 with fresh marvelling1  
how closely ,he associates ,himself with
 ,his humblest servant4 ,there is an    
element of mystery hidden from ourselves

 in all our deeds4 ,our love to         
,christ's followers never goes out so   
plainly to ,him that1 while here1 we can
 venture to be sure that ,he takes it as
 done for ,him4 ,we cannot here follow  
the flight of the arrow1 nor know what  
meaning ,he will attach to1 or what     
large issues ,he will evolve from1 our  
poor doings4 ,so heaven will be full of 
blessed surprises1 as we reap the fruit 
growing 'in power' of what we sowed 'in 
weakness1' and as doleful will be the   
astonishment which will seize those who 
see1 for the first time1 in the lurid   
light of that day1 the true character of
 their lives1 as one long neglect of    
plain duties1 which was all a defrauding
 the ,saviour of ,his due4 ,mere doing  
nothing is enough to condemn1 and its   
victims will be shudderingly amazed at  
the fatal wound it has inflicted on     
them4  ,,iv4 ,the irrevocableness of the
 judgment4 ,that is an awful contrast   
between the ',come6 ye blessed1' and    
',depart6 ye cursed4' ,that is a more   

awful parallel between 'eternal         
punishment' and 'eternal life4' ,it is  
futile to attempt to alleviate the      
awfulness by emptying the word 'eternal'
 of reference to duration4 ,it no doubt 
connotes quality1 but its first meaning 
is ever-during4 ,there is nothing here  
to suggest that the one condition is    
more terminable than the other4 ,rather1
 the emphatic repetition of the word    
brings the unending continuance of each 
into prominence1 as the point in which  
these two states1 so wofully unlike1 are
 the same4 ,in whatever other passages  
the doctrine of universal restoration   
may seem to find a foothold1 there is   
not an inch of standing-room for it     
here4 ,reverently accepting ,christ's   
words as those of perfect and infallible
 love1 the present writer feels so      
strongly the difficulty of bringing all 
the ,new ,testament declarations on this
 dread question into a harmonious whole1
 that he abjures for himself dogmatic   
certainty1 and dreads lest1 in the      

eagerness of discussing the duration    
7which will never be beyond the reach of
 discussion71 the solemn reality of the 
fact of future retribution should be    
dimmed1 and men should argue about 'the 
terror of the ,lord' till they cease to 
feel it4     ,,the ,,defence ,,of       
,,uncalculating ,,love       ',now when 
,jesus was in ,bethany1 in the house of 
,simon     the leper1 #g4 ,there came   
unto him a woman having an     alabaster
 box of very precious ointment1 and     
poured     it on ,his head1 as ,he sat  
at meat4 #h4 ,but when ,his             
disciples saw it1 they had indignation1 
saying1 ,to what     purpose is this    
waste8 #i4 ,for this ointment might have
     been sold for much1 and given to   
the poor4 #aj4 ,when     ,jesus         
understood it1 ,he said unto them1 ,why 
trouble ye     the woman8 for she hath  
wrought a good work upon ,me4     #aa4  
,for ye have the poor always with you2  
but ,me ye     have not always4 #ab4    
,for in that she hath poured this       

ointment on ,my body1 she did it for ,my
 burial4     #ac4 ,verily ,i say unto   
you1 ,wheresoever this gospel     shall 
be preached in the whole world1 there   
shall also     this1 that this woman    
hath done1 be told for a memorial     of
 her4 #ad4 ,then one of the twelve1     
called ,judas     ,iscariot1 went unto  
the chief priests1 #ae4 ,and said       
unto them1 ,what will ye give me1 and ,i
 will deliver ,him     unto you8 ,and   
they covenanted with him for thirty     
pieces of silver4 #af4 ,and from that   
time he sought     opportunity to betray
 ,him4'--,,matt4 xxvi4 #f-af4  ,john    
tells us that the 'woman' was ,mary1 and
 the objector ,judas4 ,both the deed and
 the cavil are better understood by     
knowing whence they came4 ,lazarus was a
 guest1 and as his sister saw him       
sitting there by ,jesus her heart       
overflowed1 and she could not but catch 
up her most precious possession1 and    
lavish it on ,his head and feet4 ,love's
 impulses appear absurd to selfishness4 

,how could ,judas understand ,mary8     
,detracting comments find ready ears4   
,one sneer will cool down to contempt   
and blame the feelings of a company4    
,people are always eager to pick holes  
in conduct which they uneasily feel to  
be above their own reach4 ,poor ,mary6  
she had but yielded to the uncalculating
 impulse of her great love1 and she     
finds herself charged with imprudence1  
waste1 and unfeeling neglect of the     
poor4 ,no wonder that her gentle heart  
was 'troubled4' ,but ,jesus threw the   
shield of ,his approval over her1 and   
that was enough4 ,never mind how ,judas 
and better men than he may find fault1  
if ,jesus smiles acceptance4  ,his great
 words set forth1 first1 the vindication
 of the act1 because of its motive4     
,anything done with no regard to any end
 but ,himself is1 in ,his eyes1 'good4' 
,the perfection of conduct is that it   
shall all be referred to ,jesus4 ,that  
'altar' sanctifies gift and giver4      
,conversely1 whatever has no reference  

to ,him lacks the highest beauty of     
goodness4 ,a pebble in the bed of a     
sunlit stream has its veins of colour   
brought out2 lift it out1 and1 as it    
dries1 it dulls4 ,so our deeds plunged  
into that great river are heightened in 
loveliness4 ,everything which has ',for 
,christ's sake' stamped on it is thereby
 hallowed4 ,that is the unfailing recipe
 for making a life fair4 ,mary was      
thinking only of ,jesus and of her love 
to ,him1 therefore what she did was     
sweet to ,him4 ,the greater part of a   
deed is its motive1 and the perfect     
motive is love to ,jesus4  ,but1        
further1 ,christ defends the side of    
,mary's deed which the critics fastened 
on4 ,they posed as being more practical 
and benevolent than she was4 ,they were 
utilitarians1 she was wasteful4 ,their  
objection sounds sensible1 but it       
belongs to the low levels of life4 ,one 
flash of lofty love would have killed   
it4 ,christ's reply to it draws a       
contrast between constant duties and    

special1 transient moments4 ,it is      
coloured1 too1 by ,his consciousness of 
,his near end1 and has an undertone of  
sadness in that ',me ye have not        
always4' ,there are high tides of       
,christian emotion1 when the question of
 what good this thing will do is        
submerged1 and the only question is1    
',what best thing shall ,i render to the
 ,lord8' ,the critics were not more     
beneficent1 but less inflamed with love 
to ,jesus1 and the leader of them only  
wished that the proceeds of the ointment
 had come into his hands1 where some of 
it would have stuck4 ,we hear the same  
sort of taunt today1--,what is the sense
 of all this money being spent on       
missions and religious objects8 ,how    
much more useful it would be if expended
 on better dwellings for the poor or    
hospitals or technical schools6 ,but    
there is a place in ,christ's treasury  
for useless deeds1 if they are the pure 
expression of love to ,him1 and ,mary's 
alabaster box1 which did no good at all1

 lies beside the cups that held cold    
water which slaked some thirsty lips4   
,uncalculating impulse1 which only knows
 that it would fain give all to the     
,lover of souls1 is not merely excused1 
but praised1 by ,jesus4 ,lovers on earth
 do not concern themselves about the    
usefulness of their gifts1 and the      
divine ,lover rejoices over what        
cold-blooded spectators1 who do not in  
the least understand the ways of loving 
hearts1 find useless 'waste4' ,the world
 would put all the emotions of          
,christian hearts1 and all the heroisms 
of ,christian martyrs1 and all the      
sacrifices of ,christian workers1 into  
the same class4 ,jesus accepts them all4
  ,again1 ,he breathes a meaning into   
the gift beyond what the giver meant4   
,mary did not regard her anointing  as  
preparatory to ,his burial1 but ,he had 
,his thoughts fixed on it1 and ,he      
sought to prepare the disciples for the 
coming storm4 ,how far away from the    
simple festivities in ,simon's house    

were ,his thoughts6 ,what a gulf between
 the other guests and ,him6 ,but ,jesus 
always puts significance into the       
service which ,he accepts1 and surprises
 the givers by the far-reaching issues  
of their gifts4 ,we know not what ,he   
may make our poor deeds mean4 ,results  
are beyond our vision4 ,therefore let us
 make sure of what is within our        
horizon--namely1 motives4 ,if we do     
anything for ,his sake1 ,he will take   
care of what it comes to4 ,that is true 
even on earth1 and still more true in   
heaven4 ',lord1 when saw we ,thee an    
hungred1 and fed ,thee8' ,what surprises
 will wait ,christ's humble servants in 
heaven1 when they see what was the true 
nature and the widespread consequences  
of their humble deeds6 ',thou sowest not
 that body that shall be1 but bare      
grain1 444 but ,god giveth it a body as 
it hath pleased ,him4'  ,again1 ,mark   
gives an additional clause in ,christ's 
words1 which brings out the principle   
that the measure of acceptable service  

is ability4 ',she hath done what she    
could' is an apology1 or rather a       
vindication1 for the shape of the gift4 
,mary was not practical1 and could not  
'serve' like ,martha2 she probably had  
no other precious thing that she could  
give1 but she could love1 and she could 
bestow her best on ,jesus4 ,but the     
saying implies a stringent demand1 as   
well as a gracious defence4 ,nothing    
less than the full measure of ability is
 the measure of ,christian obligation4  
,power to its last particle is duty4    
,jesus does not ask how much ,his       
servants do or give1 but ,he does ask   
that they should do and give all that   
they can4 ,he wishes us to be ourselves 
in serving ,him1 and to shape our       
methods according to character and      
capabilities1 but ,he also wishes us to 
give ,him our whole selves4 ,if anything
 is kept back1 all that is given is     
marred4  ,jesus' last word gives        
perpetuity to the service which ,he     
accepts4 ,mary is promised immortality  

for her deed1 and the promise has been  
fulfilled1 and here are we1 all these   
centuries after1 looking at her as she  
breaks the box and pours it on ,his     
head4 ,jesus is not unrighteous to      
forget any work of love done for ,him4  
,the fragrance of the ointment soon     
passed away1 and the shreds of the      
broken cruse were swept into the        
dust-bin1 with the other relics of the  
feast2 but all the world knows of that  
act of all-surrendering love1 and it    
smells sweet and blossoms for evermore4 
,,the ,,new ,,passover       ',now the  
first day of the feast of unleavened    
bread the     disciples came to ,jesus1 
saying unto ,him1 ,where wilt     ,thou 
that we prepare for ,thee to eat the    
passover8     #ah4 ,and ,he said1 ,go   
into the city to such a man1 and     say
 unto him1 ,the ,master saith1 ,my time 
is at hand2 ,i     will keep the        
passover at thy house with ,my          
disciples4     #ai4 ,and the disciples  
did as ,jesus had appointed them2       

and they made ready the passover4 #bj4  
,now when the even     was come1 ,he sat
 down with the twelve4 #ba4 ,and as they
     did eat1 ,he said1 ,verily ,i say  
unto you1 ,that one of     you shall    
betray ,me4 #bb4 ,and they were         
exceeding     sorrowful1 and began every
 one of them to say unto ,him1          
,lord1 is it ,i8 #bc4 ,and ,he answered 
and said1 ,he that     dippeth his hand 
with ,me in the dish1 the same shall    
betray ,me4 #ba4 ,the ,son of ,man goeth
 as it is written     of ,him2 but woe  
unto that man by whom the ,son of ,man  
is     betrayed6 it had been good for   
that man if he had not     been born4   
#be4 ,then ,judas1 which betrayed ,him1 
answered     and said1 ,master1 is it   
,i8 ,he said unto him1 ,thou hast       
said #bf4 ,and as they were eating1     
,jesus took bread1 and     blessed it1  
and brake it1 and gave it to the        
disciples1     and said1 ,take1 eat2    
this is ,my body4 #bg4 ,and ,he took    
the cup1 and gave thanks1 and gave it to

 them1 saying1     ,drink ye all of it2 
#bh4 ,for this is ,my blood of the new  
testament1 which is shed for many for   
the remission     of sins4 #bi4 ,but ,i 
say unto you1 ,i will not drink         
henceforth of this fruit of the vine1   
until that day     when ,i drink it new 
with you in ,my ,father's kingdom4      
#cj4 ,and when they had sung an hymn1   
they went out into     the ,mount of    
,olives4'--,,matt4 xxvi4 #ag-cj4  ,the  
,tuesday of ,passion ,week was occupied 
by the wonderful discourses which have  
furnished so many of our meditations4   
,at its close ,jesus sought retirement  
in ,bethany1 not only to soothe and     
prepare ,his spirit but to 'hide        
,himself' from the ,sanhedrin4 ,there   
,he spent the ,wednesday4 ,who can      
imagine ,his thoughts8 ,while ,he was   
calmly reposing in ,mary's quiet home1  
the rulers determined on ,his arrest1   
but were at a loss how to effect it     
without a riot4 ,judas comes to them    
opportunely1 and they leave it to him to

 give the signal4 ,possibly we may      
account for the peculiar secrecy        
observed as to the place for the last   
supper1 by our ,lord's knowledge that   
,his steps were watched1 and by ,his    
earnest wish to eat the ,passover with  
the disciples before ,he suffered4 ,the 
change between the courting of publicity
 and almost inviting of arrest at the   
beginning of the week1 and the evident  
desire to postpone the crisis till the  
fitting moment which marks the close of 
it1 is remarkable1 and most naturally   
explained by the supposition that ,he   
wished the time of ,his death to be that
 very hour when1 according to law1 the  
paschal lamb was slain4 ,on the         
,thursday1 then1 he sent ,peter and     
,john into the city to prepare the      
,passover2 the others being in ignorance
 of the place till they were there1 and 
,judas being thus prevented from        
carrying out his purpose till after the 
celebration4  ,the precautions taken to 
ensure this have left their mark on     

,matthew's narrative1 in the peculiar   
designation of the host1--',such a man6'
 ,it is a kind of echo of the mystery   
which he so well remembered as round the
 errand of the two4 ,he does not seem to
 have heard of the token by which they  
knew the house1 viz41 the man with the  
pitcher whom they were to meet4 ,but he 
does know that ,peter and ,john got     
secret instructions1 and that he and the
 others wondered where they were to go4 
,had there been a previous arrangement  
with this unnamed 'such an one1' or were
 the token and the message alike        
instances of ,christ's supernatural     
knowledge and authority8 ,it is         
difficult to say4 ,i incline to the     
former supposition1 which would be in   
accordance with the distinct effort     
after secrecy which marks these days2   
but the narratives do not decide the    
question4 ,at all events1 the host was a
 disciple1 as appears from the          
authoritative 'the ,master saith'2 and1 
whether he had known beforehand that    

'this day' incarnate 'salvation would   
come to his house' or no1 he eagerly    
accepts the peril and the honour4 ,his  
message is royal in its tone4 ,the ,lord
 does not ask permission1 but issues    
,his commands4 ,but ,he is a pauper     
,king1 not having where to lay ,his     
head1 and needing another man's house in
 which to gather ,his own household     
together for the family feast of the    
,passover4 ,what profound truths are    
wrapped up in that ',my time is come'6  
,it speaks of the voluntariness of ,his 
surrender1 the consciousness that ,his  
,cross was the centre point of ,his     
work1 ,his superiority to all external  
influences as determining the hour of   
,his death1 and ,his submission to the  
supreme appointment of the ,father4     
,obedience and freedom1 choice and      
necessity1 are wonderfully blended in   
it4  ,so1 late on that ,thursday        
evening1 the little band left ,bethany  
for the last time1 in a fashion very    
unlike the joyous stir of the triumphal 

entry4 ,as the evening is falling1 they 
thread their way through the noisy      
streets1 all astir with the festal      
crowds1 and reach the upper room1 ,judas
 vainly watching for an opportunity to  
slip away on his black errand4 ,the     
chamber1 prepared by unknown hands1 has 
vanished1 and the hands are dust2 but   
both are immortal4 ,how many of the     
living acts of ,his servants in like    
manner seem to perish1 and the doers of 
them to be forgotten or unknown6 ,but   
,he knows the name of 'such an one1' and
 does not forget that he opened his door
 for ,him to enter in and sup4  ,the    
fact that ,jesus put aside the ,passover
 and founded the ,lord's ,supper in its 
place1 tells much both about ,his       
authority and its meaning4 ,what must   
,he have conceived of ,himself1 who bade
 ,jew and ,gentile turn away from that  
,god-appointed festival1 and think not  
of ,moses1 but of ,him8 ,what did ,he   
mean by setting the ,lord's ,supper in  
the place of the ,passover1 if ,he did  

not mean that ,he was the true ,paschal 
,lamb1 that ,his death was a true       
sacrifice1 that in ,his sprinkled blood 
was safety1 that ,his death inaugurated 
the better deliverance of the true      
,israel from a darker prison-house and a
 sorer bondage1 that ,his followers were
 a family1 and that 'the children's     
bread' was the sacrifice which ,he had  
made8 ,there are many reasons for the   
doubling of the commemorative emblem1   
but this is obviously one of the        
chief--that1 by the separation of the   
two in the rite1 we are carried back to 
the separation in fact2 that is to say1 
to the violent death of ,christ4 ,not   
,his flesh alone1 in the sense of       
,incarnation1 but ,his body broken and  
,his blood shed1 are what ,he wills     
should be for ever remembered4 ,his own 
estimate of the centre point of ,his    
work is unmistakably pronounced in ,his 
institution of this rite4  ,but we may  
consider the force of each emblem       
separately4 ,in many important points   

they mean the same things1 but they have
 each their own significance as well4   
,matthew's condensed version of the     
words of institution omits all reference
 to the breaking of the body and to the 
memorial character of the observance1   
but both are implied4 ,he emphasises the
 reception1 the participation1 and the  
significance of the bread4 ,as to the   
latter1 ',this is ,my body' is to be    
understood in the same way as 'the field
 is the world1' and many other sayings4 
,to speak in the language of            
grammarians1 the copula is that of      
symbolic relationship1 not that of      
existence2 or1 to speak in the language 
of the street1 'is' here means1 as it   
often does1 'represents4' ,how could it 
mean anything else1 when ,christ sat    
there in ,his body1 and ,his blood was  
in ,his veins8 ,what1 then1 is the      
teaching of this symbol8 ,it is not     
merely that ,he in ,his humanity is the 
bread of life1 but that ,he in ,his     
death is the nourishment of our true    

life4 ,in that great discourse in       
,john's ,gospel1 which embodies in words
 the lessons which the ,lord's ,supper  
teaches by symbols1 ,he advances from   
the general statement1 ',i am the ,bread
 of ,life1' to the yet more mysterious  
and profound teaching that ,his flesh1  
which at some then future point ,he will
 'give for the life of the world1' is   
the bread2 thus distinctly foreshadowing
 ,his death1 and asserting that by that 
death we live1 and by partaking of it   
are nourished4 ,the participation in the
 benefits of ,christ's death1 which is  
symbolised by ',take1 eat1' is effected 
by living faith4 ,we feed on ,christ    
when our minds are occupied with ,his   
truth1 and our hearts nourished by ,his 
love1 when it is the 'meat' of our wills
 to do ,his will1 and when our whole    
inward man fastens on ,him as its true  
object1 and draws from ,him its best    
being4 ,but the act of reception teaches
 the great lesson that ,christ must be  
in us1 if ,he is to do us any good4 ,he 

is not 'for us' in any real sense1      
unless ,he be 'in us4' ,the word        
rendered in ,john's ,gospel 'eateth' is 
that used for the ruminating of cattle1 
and wonderfully indicates the calm1     
continual1 patient meditation by which  
alone we can receive ,christ into our   
hearts1 and nourish our lives on ,him4  
,bread eaten is assimilated to the body1
 but this bread eaten assimilates the   
eater to itself1 and he who feeds on    
,christ becomes ,christ-like1 as the    
silk-worm takes the hue of the leaves on
 which it browses4 ,bread eaten to-day  
will not nourish us to-morrow1 neither  
will past experiences of ,christ's      
sweetness sustain the soul4 ,he must be 
'our daily bread' if we are not to pine 
with hunger4  ,the wine carries its own 
special teaching1 which clearly appears 
in ,matthew's version of the words of   
institution4 ,it is ',my blood1' and by 
its being presented in a form separate  
from the bread which is ,his body       
suggests a violent death4 ,it is        

'covenant blood1' the seal of that      
'better covenant' than the old1 which   
,god makes now with all mankind1 wherein
 are given renewed hearts which carry   
the divine law within themselves2 the   
reciprocal and mutually blessed         
possession of ,god by men and of men by 
,god1 the universally diffused knowledge
 of ,god1 which is more than head       
knowledge1 being the consciousness of   
possessing ,him2 and1 finally1 the      
oblivion of all sins4 ,these promises   
are fulfilled1 and the covenant made    
sure1 by the shed blood of ,christ4 ,so1
 finally1 it is 'shed for many1 for the 
remission of sins4' ,the end of         
,christ's death is pardon which can only
 be extended on the ground of ,his      
death4 ,we are told that ,christ did not
 teach the doctrine of atonement4 ,did  
,he establish the ,lord's ,supper8 ,if  
,he did 7and nobody denies that71 what  
did ,he mean by it1 if ,he did not mean 
the setting forth by symbol of the very 
same truth which1 stated in words1 is   

the doctrine of ,his atoning death8     
,this rite does not1 indeed1 explain the
 rationale of the doctrine2 but it is a 
piece of unmeaning mummery1 unless it   
preaches plainly the fact that ,christ's
 death is the ground of our forgiveness4
  ,bread is the 'staff of life1' but    
blood is the life4 ,so 'this cup'       
teaches that 'the life' of ,jesus       
,christ must pass into ,his people's    
veins1 and that the secret of the       
,christian life is ',i live2 yet not ,i1
 but ,christ liveth in me4' ,wine is    
joy1 and the ,christian life is not only
 to be a feeding of the soul on ,christ 
as its nourishment1 but a glad          
partaking1 as at a feast1 of ,his life  
and therein of ,his joy4 ,gladness of   
heart is a ,christian duty1 'the joy of 
the ,lord is your strength' and should  
be our joy2 and though here we eat with 
loins girt1 and go out1 some of us to   
deny1 some of us to flee1 all of us to  
toil and suffer1 yet we may have ,his   
joy fulfilled in ourselves1 even whilst 

we sorrow4  ,the ,lord's ,supper is     
predominantly a memorial1 but it is also
 a prophecy1 and is marked as such by   
the mysterious last words of ,jesus1    
about drinking the new wine in the      
,father's kingdom4 ,they point the      
thoughts of the saddened eleven1 on whom
 the dark shadow of parting lay heavily1
 to an eternal reunion1 in a land where 
'all things are become new1' and where  
the festal cup shall be filled with a   
draught that has power to gladden and to
 inspire beyond any experience here4    
,the joys of heaven will be so far      
analogous to the ,christian joys of     
earth that the same name may be applied 
to both2 but they will be so unlike that
 the old name will need a new meaning1  
and communion with ,christ at ,his table
 in ,his kingdom1 and our exuberance of 
joy in the full drinking in of ,his     
immortal life1 will transcend the       
selectest hours of communion here4      
,compared with that fulness of joy they 
will be 'as water unto wine1'--the new  

wine of the kingdom4     ',,is ,,it ,i8'
       ',and they were exceeding        
sorrowful1 and began every one     of   
them to say unto ,him1 ,lord1 is it ,i8 
#be4 ,then ,judas1     which betrayed   
,him1 answered and said1 ,master1 is it 
,i8     ,he said unto him1 ,thou hast   
said4'-,,matt4 xxvi4 #bb1 #be4      ',he
 then lying on ,jesus' breast saith unto
 ,him1 ,lord1     who is it8'--,,john   
xiii4 #be4  ,the genius of many great   
painters has portrayed the ,lord's      
,supper1 but the reality of it was very 
different from their imaginings4 ,we    
have to picture to ourselves some low   
table1 probably a mere tray spread upon 
the ground1 round which our ,lord and   
the twelve reclined1 in such a fashion  
as that the head of each guest came     
against the bosom of him that reclined  
above him2 the place of honour being at 
the ,lord's left hand1 or higher up the 
table than ,himself1 and the second     
place being at ,his right1 or below     
,himself4  ,so there would be no eager  

gesticulations of disciples starting to 
their feet when our ,lord uttered the   
sad announcement1 ',one of you shall    
betray ,me6' but only horror-struck     
amazement settled down upon the group4  
,these verses1 which we have put        
together1 show us three stages in the   
conversation which followed the sad     
announcement4 ,the three evangelists    
give us two of these2 ,john alone omits 
these two1 and only gives us the third4 
,first1 we have their question1 born of 
a glimpse into the possibilities of evil
 in their hearts1 ',lord1 is it ,i8'    
,the form of that question in the       
original suggests that they expected a  
negative answer1 and might be reproduced
 in ,english3 ',surely it is not ,i8'   
,none of them could think that he was   
the traitor1 yet none of them could be  
sure that he was not4 ,their ,master    
knew better than they did2 and so1 from 
a humble knowledge of what lay in them1 
coiled and slumbering1 but there1 they  
would not meet ,his words with a        

contradiction1 but with a question4 ,his
 answer spares the betrayer1 and lets   
the dread work in their consciences for 
a little longer1 for their good4 ,for   
many hands dipped in the dish together1 
to moisten their morsels2 and to say1   
',he that dippeth with ,me in the dish1 
the same shall betray ,me1' was to say  
nothing more than ',one of you at the   
table4'  ,then comes the second stage4  
,judas1 reassured that he has escaped   
detection for the moment1 and perhaps   
doubting whether the ,master had        
anything more than a vague suspicion of 
treachery1 or knew who was the traitor1 
shapes his lying lips with loathsome    
audacity into the same question1 but yet
 not quite the same1 ,the others had    
said1 ',is it ,i1 ,lord8' he falters    
when he comes to that name1 and dare not
 say ',lord6' ,that sticks in his       
throat4 ',rabbi6' is as far as he can   
get4 ',is it ,i1 ,rabbi8' ,christ's     
answer to him1 ',thou hast said1' is    
another instance of patient             

longsuffering4 ,it was evidently a      
whisper that did not reach the ears of  
any of the others1 for he leaves the    
room without suspicion4 ,our ,lord still
 tries to save him from himself by      
showing ,judas that his purpose is      
known1 and by still concealing his name4
  ,then comes the third stage1 which we 
owe to ,john's ,gospel4 ,here again he  
is true to his task of supplementing the
 narrative of the three synoptic        
,gospels4 ,remembering what ,i have said
 about the attitude of the disciples at 
the table1 we can understand that       
,peter1 if he occupied the principal    
place at the ,lord's left1 was less     
favourably situated for speaking to     
,christ than ,john1 who reclined in the 
second seat at ,his right1 and so he    
beckoned over the ,master's head to     
,john4 ,the ,revised ,version gives the 
force of the original more vividly than 
the ,authorised does3 ',he1 leaning     
back1 as he was1 on ,jesus' breast1     
saith unto ,him1 ,lord6 who is it8'     

,john1 with a natural movement1 bends   
back his head on his ,master's breast1  
so as to ask and be answered1 in a      
whisper4 ,his question is not1 ',is it  
,i8' ,he that leaned on ,christ's bosom1
 and was compassed about by ,christ's   
love1 did not need to ask that4 ,the    
question now is1 ',who is it8' ,not a   
question of presumption1 nor of         
curiosity1 but of affection2 and        
therefore answered3 ',he it is to whom  
,i shall give the sop1 when ,i have     
dipped it4'  ,the morsel dipped in the  
dish and passed by the host's hand to a 
guest1 was a token of favour1 of unity  
and confidence4 ,it was one more attempt
 to save ,judas1 one more token of      
all-forgiving patience4 ,no wonder that 
that last sign of friendship embittered 
his hatred and sharpened his purpose to 
an unalterable decision1 or1 as ,john   
says3 ',after the sop1 ,satan entered   
into him4' ,for then1 as ever1 the heart
 which is not melted by ,christ's       
offered love is hardened by it4  ,now1  

if we take these three stages of this   
conversation we may learn some valuable 
lessons from them4 ,i take the first    
form of the question as an example of   
that wholesome self-distrust which a    
glimpse into the slumbering             
possibilities of evil in our hearts     
ought to give us all4 ,i take the second
 on the lips of ,judas1 as an example of
 the very opposite of that              
self-distrust1 the fixed determination  
to do a wrong thing1 however clearly we 
know it to be wrong4 ,and ,i take the   
last form of the question1 as asked by  
,john1 as an illustration of the        
peaceful confidence which comes from the
 consciousness of ,christ's love1 and of
 communion with ,him4 ,now a word or two
 about each of these4  ,i4 ,first1 we   
have an example of that wholesome       
self-distrust1 which a glimpse into the 
possibilities of evil that lie          
slumbering in all our hearts ought to   
teach every one of us4  ,every man is a 
mystery to himself4 ,in every soul there

 lie1 coiled and dormant1 like          
hibernating snakes1 evils that a very   
slight rise in the temperature will wake
 up into poisonous activity4 ,and let no
 man say1 in foolish self-confidence1   
that any form of sin which his brother  
has ever committed is impossible for    
him4 ,temperament shields us from much1 
no doubt4 ,there are sins that 'we are  
inclined to1' and there are sins that   
'we have no mind to4' ,but the identity 
of human nature is deeper than the      
diversity of temperament1 and there are 
two or three considerations that should 
abate a man's confidence that anything  
which one man has done it is impossible 
that he should do4 ,let me enumerate    
them very briefly4 ,remember1 to begin  
with1 that all sins are at bottom but   
varying forms of one root4 ,the essence 
of every evil is selfishness1 and when  
you have that1 it is exactly as with    
cooks who have the 'stock' by the       
fireside4 ,they can make any kind of    
soup out of it1 with the right          

flavouring4 ,we have got the mother     
tincture of all wickedness in each of   
our hearts2 and therefore do not let us 
be so sure that it cannot be manipulated
 and flavoured into any form of sin4    
,all sin is one at bottom1 and this is  
the definition of it--living to myself  
instead of living to ,god4 ,so it may   
easily pass from one form of evil into  
another1 just as light and heat1 motion 
and electricity1 are all--they tell     
us--various forms and phases of one     
force4 ,just as doctors will tell you   
that there are types of disease which   
slip from one form of sickness into     
another1 so if we have got the infection
 about us it is a matter very much of   
accidental circumstances what shape it  
takes4 ,and no man with a human heart is
 safe in pointing to any sin1 and       
saying1 ',that form of transgression ,i 
reckon alien to myself4'  ,and then let 
me remind you1 too1 that the same       
consideration is reinforced by this     
other fact1 that all sin is1 if ,i may  

so say1 gregarious2 is apt not only to  
slip from one form into another1 but    
that any evil is apt to draw another    
after it4 ,the tangled mass of sin is   
like one of those great fields of       
seaweed that you some times come across 
upon the ocean1 all hanging together by 
a thousand slimy growths2 which1 if     
lifted from the wave at any point1 drags
 up yards of it inextricably grown      
together4 ,no man commits only one kind 
of transgression4 ,all sins hunt in     
couples4 ,according to the grim picture 
of the ,old ,testament1 about another   
matter1 ',none of them shall want his   
mate4 ,the wild beasts of the desert    
shall meet with the wild beasts of the  
islands4' ,one sin opens the door for   
another1 'and seven other spirits worse 
than himself' come and make holiday in  
the man's heart4  ,again1 any evil is   
possible to us1 seeing that all sin is  
but yielding to tendencies common to us 
all4 ,the greatest transgressions have  
resulted from yielding to such          

tendencies4 ,cain killed his brother    
from jealousy2 ,david besmirched his    
name and his reign by animal passion2   
,judas betrayed ,christ because he was  
fond of money4 ,many a man has murdered 
another one simply because he had a hot 
temper4 ,and you have got a temper1 and 
you have got the love of money1 and you 
have got animal passions1 and you have  
got that which may stir you up into     
jealousy4 ,your neighbour's house has   
caught fire and been blown up4 ,your    
house1 too1 is built of wood1 and       
thatched with straw1 and you have as    
much dynamite in your cellars as he had 
in his4 ,do not be too sure that you are
 safe from the danger of explosion4     
,and1 again1 remember that this same    
wholesome self-distrust is needful for  
us all1 because all transgression is    
yielding to temptations that assail all 
men4 ,here are one hundred men in a     
plague-stricken city2 they have all got 
to draw their water from the same well4 
,if five or six of them died of cholera 

it would be very foolish of the other   
ninety-five to say1 ',there is no chance
 of our being touched4' ,we all live in 
the same atmosphere2 and the temptations
 that have overcome the men that have   
headed the count of crimes appeal to    
you4 ,so the lesson is1 ',be not        
high-minded1 but fear4'  ,and remember1 
still further1 that the same solemn     
consideration is enforced upon us by the
 thought that men will gradually drop   
down to the level which1 before they    
began the descent1 seemed to be         
impossible to them4 ',is thy servant a  
dog that he should do this thing8' said 
,hazael when the crime of murdering his 
master first floated before him4 ,yes1  
but he did it4 ,by degrees he came down 
to the level to which he thought that he
 would never sink4 ,first the           
imagination is inflamed1 then the wish  
begins to draw the soul to the sin1 then
 conscience pulls it back1 then the     
fatal decision is made1 and the deed is 
done4 ,sometimes all the stages are     

hurried quickly through1 and a man spins
 downhill as cheerily and fast as a     
diligence down the ,alps4 ,sometimes1 as
 the coast of a country may sink an inch
 in a century until long miles of the   
flat seabeach are under water1 and      
towers and cities are buried beneath the
 barren waves1 so our lives may be      
gradually lowered1 with a motion        
imperceptible but most real1 bringing us
 down within high-water mark1 and at    
last the tide may wash over what was    
solid land4  ,so1 dear friends1 there is
 nothing more foolish than for any man  
to stand1 self-confident that any form  
of evil that has conquered his brother  
has no temptation for him4 ,it may not  
have for you1 under present             
circumstances2 it may not have for you  
to-day2 but1 oh6 we have all of us one  
human heart1 and 'he that trusteth in   
his own heart is a fool4' ',blessed is  
the man that feareth always4' ,humble   
self-distrust1 consciousness of sleeping
 sin in my heart that may very quickly  

be stirred into stinging and striking2  
rigid self-control over all these       
possibilities of evil1 are duties       
dictated by the plainest common-sense4  
,do not say1 ',i know when to stop4' ,do
 not say1 ',i can go so far2 it will not
 do me any harm4' ,many a man has said  
that1 and many a man has been ruined by 
it4 ,do not say1 ',it is natural to me  
to have these inclinations and tastes1  
and there can be no harm in yielding to 
them4' ,it is perfectly natural for a   
man to stoop down over the edge of a    
precipice to gather the flowers that are
 growing in some cranny in the cliff2   
and it is as natural for him to topple  
over1 and be smashed to a mummy at the  
bottom4 ,god gave you your dispositions 
and your whole nature 'under lock and   
key1'--keep them so4 ,and when you hear 
of1 or see1 great criminals and great   
crimes1 say to yourself1 as the good old
 ,puritan divine said1 looking at a man 
going to the scaffold1 ',but for the    
grace of ,god there go ,i6' ,and in the 

contemplation of sins and apostasies1   
let us each look humbly at our own      
weakness1 and pray ,him to keep us from 
our brother's evils which may easily    
become ours4  ,,ii4 ,secondly1 we have  
here an example of precisely the        
opposite sort1 namely1 of that fixed    
determination to do evil which is       
unshaken by the clearest knowledge that 
it is evil4  ,judas heard his crime     
described in its own ugly reality4 ,he  
heard his fate proclaimed by lips of    
absolute love and truth2 and            
notwithstanding both1 he comes unmoved  
and unshaken with his question4 ,the    
dogged determination in his heart1 that 
dares to see his evil stripped naked and
 is 'not ashamed1' is even more dreadful
 than the hypocrisy and sleek simulation
 of friendship in his face4  ,now most  
men turn away with horror from even the 
sins that they are willing to do1 when  
they are put plainly and bluntly before 
them4 ,as an old mediaeval preacher once
 said1 ',there is nothing that is weaker

 than the devil stripped naked4' ,by    
which he meant exactly this--that we    
have to dress wrong in some fantastic   
costume or other1 so as to hide its     
native ugliness1 in order to tempt men  
to do it4 ,so we have two sets of names 
for wrong things1 one of which we apply 
to our brethren's sins1 and the other to
 the same sins in ourselves4 ,what ,i do
 is 'prudence1' what you do of the same 
sort is 'covetousness'2 what ,i do is   
'sowing my wild oats1' what you do is   
'immorality' and 'dissipation'2 what ,i 
do is 'generous living1' what you do is 
'drunkenness' and 'gluttony'2 what ,i do
 is 'righteous indignation1' what you do
 is 'passionate anger4' ,and so you may 
go the whole round of evil4 ,very bad   
are the men who can look at their deed1 
described in ,its own inherent          
deformity1 and yet say1 ',yes2 that is  
it1 and ,i am going to do it4' ',one of 
you shall betray ,me4' ',yes2 ,i will   
betray you6' ,it must have taken        
something to look into the ,master's    

face1 and keep the fixed purpose steady4
  ,now ,i ask you to think1 dear        
friends1 of this1 that that obstinate   
condition of dogged determination to do 
a wrong thing1 knowing it to be a wrong 
thing1 is a condition to which all evil 
steadily tends4 ,we may not come to it  
in this world--,i do not know that men  
ever do so wholly2 but we are all       
getting towards it in regard to the     
special wrong deeds and desires which we
 cherish and commit4 ,and when a man has
 once reached the point of saying to    
evil1 ',be thou my good1' then he is a  
'devil' in the true meaning of the word2
 and wherever he is1 he is in hell6 ,and
 the one unpardonable sin is the sin of 
clear recognition that a given thing is 
contrary to ,god's will1 and unfaltering
 determination1 notwithstanding1 to do  
it4 ,that is the only sin that cannot be
 pardoned1 'either in this world or in  
the world to come4'  ,and so1 my        
brother1 seeing that such a condition is
 possible1 and that all the paths of    

evil1 however tentative and timorous    
they may be at first1 and however much  
the sin may be wrapped up with excuses  
and forms and masks1 tend to that       
condition1 let us take that old prayer  
upon our lips1 which befits both those  
who distrust themselves because of      
slumbering sins1 and those who dread    
being conquered by manifest             
iniquity3--',who can understand his     
errors8 ,cleanse ,thou me from secret   
faults4 ,keep back ,thy servant also    
from presumptuous sins4 ,let them not   
have dominion over me4'  ,,iii4 ,now1   
lastly1 we have in the last question an 
example of the peaceful confidence that 
comes from communion with ,jesus        
,christ4  ,john leaned on the ,master's 
bosom4 ',he was the disciple whom ,jesus
 loved4' ,and so compassed with that    
great love1 and feeling absolute        
security within the enclosure of that   
strong hand1 his question is not1 ',is  
it ,i8' but ',who is it8' ,from which ,i
 think we may fairly draw the conclusion

 that to feel that ,christ loves me1 and
 that ,i am compassed about by ,him1 is 
the true security against my falling    
into any sin4  ,it was not ,john's love 
to ,christ1 but ,christ's to ,john that 
made his safety4 ,he did not say3 ',i   
love ,thee so much that ,i cannot betray
 ,thee4' ,for all our feelings and      
emotions are but variable1 and to build 
confidence upon them is to build a heavy
 building upon quicksand2 the very      
weight of it drives out the foundations4
 ,but he thought to himself--or he felt 
rather than he thought--that all about  
him lay the sweet1 warm1 rich atmosphere
 of his ,master's love2 and to a man who
 was encompassed by that1 treachery was 
impossible4  ,sin has no temptation so  
long as we actually enjoy the greater   
sweetness of ,christ's felt love4 ,would
 thirty pieces of silver have been a    
bribe to ,john8 ,would anything that    
could have terrified others have        
frightened him from his ,master's side  
whilst he felt ,his love8 ,will a       

handful of imitation jewellery1 made out
 of coloured glass and paste1 be any    
temptation to a man who bears a rich    
diamond on his finger8 ,and will any of 
earth's sweetness be a temptation to a  
man who lives in the continual          
consciousness of the great rich love of 
,christ wrapping him round about8       
,brethren1 not ourselves1 not our faith1
 not our emotion1 not our religious     
experience2 nothing that is in us1 is   
any security that we may not be tempted1
 and yield to the temptation1 and deny  
or betray our ,lord4 ,there is only one 
thing that is a security1 and that is   
that we be folded to the heart1 and held
 by the hand1 of that loving ,lord4     
,then--then we may be confident that we 
shall not fall2 for 'the ,lord is able  
to make us stand4'  ,such confidence is 
but the other side of our self-distrust2
 is the constant accompaniment of it1   
must have that self-distrust for its    
condition and prerequisite1 and leads to
 a yet deeper and more blessed form of  

that self-distrust4 ,faith in ,him and  
'no confidence in the flesh' are but the
 two sides of the same coin1 the obverse
 and the reverse4 ,the seed1 planted in 
the ground1 sends a little rootlet down1
 and a little spikelet up1 by the same  
vital act4 ,and so in our hearts1 as it 
were1 the downward rootlet is           
self-despair1 and the upward shoot is   
faith in ,christ4 ,the two emotions go  
together--the more we distrust ourselves
 the more we shall rest upon ,him1 and  
the more we rest upon ,him1 and feel    
that all our strength comes1 not from   
our foot1 but from the ,rock on which it
 stands1 the more we shall distrust our 
own ability and our own faithfulness4   
,therefore1 dear brethren1 looking upon 
all the evil that is around us1 and     
conscious in some measure of the        
weakness of our own hearts1 let us do as
 a man would do who stands upon the     
narrow ledge of a cliff1 and look sheer 
down into the depth below1 and feels his
 head begin to reel and turn giddy2 let 

us lay hold of the ,guide's hand1 and if
 we cleave by ,him1 ,he will hold up our
 goings that our footsteps slip not4    
,nothing else will4 ,no length of       
obedient service is any guarantee       
against treachery and rebellion4 ,as    
,john ,bunyan saw1 there was a backdoor 
to hell from the gate of the ,celestial 
,city4 ,men have lived for years        
consistent professing ,christians1 and  
have fallen at last4 ,many a ship has   
come across half the world1 and gone to 
pieces on the harbour bar4 ,many an     
army1 victorious in a hundred fights1   
has been annihilated at last4 ,no depths
 of religious experience1 no heights of 
religious blessedness1 no attainments of
 past virtue and self-sacrifice1 are any
 guarantees for to-morrow4 ,trust in    
nothing and in nobody1 least of all in  
yourselves and your own past4 ,trust    
only in ,jesus ,christ4  ',now unto ,him
 that is able to keep us from falling1  
and to present us faultless before the  
presence of ,his glory with exceeding   

joy2 to the only wise ,god our ,saviour 
be glory and majesty1 dominion and      
power1 both now and for ever4' ,amen4   
',,this ,,cup'       ',and ,jesus took  
the cup1 and grave thanks1 and gave it  
to them1 saying1 ,drink ye all of it2   
#bh4 ,for this is ,my     blood of the  
new testament1 which is shed for many   
for     the remission of sins'--,,matt4 
xxvi4 #bg1 #bh4  ,the comparative       
silence of our ,lord as to the          
sacrificial character of ,his death has 
very often been urged as a reason for   
doubting that doctrine1 and for         
regarding it as no part of the original 
,christian teaching4 ,that silence may  
be accounted for by sufficient reasons4 
,it has been very much exaggerated1 and 
those who argue from it against the     
doctrine of the ,atonement have         
forgotten that ,jesus ,christ founded   
the ,lord's ,supper4  ,that rite shows  
us what ,he thought1 and what ,he would 
have us think1 of ,his death2 and in the
 presence of its testimony it seems to  

me impossible to deny that ,his         
conception of it was distinctly         
sacrificial4 ,by it ,he points out the  
moment of ,his whole career which ,he   
desires that men should remember4 ,not  
,his words of tenderness and wisdom2 not
 ,his miracles1 amazing and gracious as 
these were2 not the flawless beauty of  
,his character1 though it touches all   
hearts and wins the most rugged to love1
 and the most degraded to hope2 but the 
moment in which ,he gave ,his life is   
what ,he would imprint for ever on the  
memory of the world4  ,and not only so1 
but in the rite he distinctly tells us  
in what aspect ,he would have that death
 remembered4 ,not as the tragic end of a
 noble career which might be hallowed by
 tears such as are shed over a martyr's 
ashes2 not as the crowning proof of     
love2 not as the supreme act of patient 
forgiveness2 but as a death for us1 in  
which1 as by the blood of the sacrifice1
 is secured the remission of sins4  ,and
 not only so1 but the double symbol in  

the ,lord's ,supper--whilst in some     
respects the bread and wine speak the   
same truths1 and certainly point to the 
same ,cross--has in each of its parts   
special lessons intrusted to it1 and    
special truths to proclaim4 ,the bread  
and the wine both say3--',remember ,me  
and ,my death4' ,taken in conjunction   
they point to that death as violent2    
taken separately they each suggest      
various aspects of it1 and of the       
blessings that will flow to us          
therefrom4 ,and it is my present purpose
 to bring out1 as briefly and as clearly
 as ,i can1 the special lessons which   
our ,lord would have us draw from that  
cup which is the emblem of ,his shed    
blood4  ,i4 ,first1 then1 observe that  
it speaks to us of a divine treaty or   
covenant4  ,ancient ,israel had lived   
for nearly #bjjj years under the charter
 of their national existence which1 as  
we read in the ,old ,testament1 was     
given on ,sinai amidst thunderings and  
lightnings--',now1 therefore1 if ye will

 obey ,my voice indeed1 and keep ,my    
covenant1 then ye shall be a peculiar   
treasure unto ,me above all people2 for 
all the earth is ,mine1 and ye shall be 
unto ,me a kingdom of priests and an    
holy nation4'  ,and that covenant1 or   
agreement1 or treaty1 on the part of    
,god1 was ratified by a solemn act1 in  
which the blood of the sacrifice1       
divided into two portions1 was          
sprinkled1 one half upon the altar1 and 
the other half1 after their acceptance  
of the conditions and obligations of the
 covenant1 on the people1 who had       
pledged themselves to obedience4  ,and  
now1 here is a ,galilean peasant1 in a  
borrowed upper room1 within             
four-and-twenty hours of ,his           
ignominious death which might seem to   
blast all ,his work1 who steps forward  
and says1 ',i put away that ancient     
covenant which knits this nation to     
,god4 ,it is antiquated4 ,i am the true 
offering and sacrifice1 by the blood of 
which1 sprinkled on altar and on people1

 a new covenant1 built upon better      
promises1 shall henceforth be4'  ,what a
 tremendous piece of audacity1 except on
 the one hypothesis that ,he that spake 
was indeed the ,word of ,god2 and that  
,he was making that which ,himself had  
established of old1 to give way to that 
which ,he establishes now6 ,the new     
covenant which ,christ seals in ,his    
blood1 is the charter1 the better       
charter1 under the conditions of which1 
not a nation but the world may find an  
external salvation which dwarfs all the 
deliverances of the past4 ,that idea of 
a covenant confirmed by ,christ's blood 
may sound to many hearers dry and hard4 
,but if you will try to think what great
 truths are wrapped up in the           
theological phraseology1 you will find  
them very real and very strong4 ,is it  
not a grand thought that between us and 
the infinite divine ,nature there is    
established a firm and unmovable        
agreement8 ,then ,he has revealed ,his  
purposes2 we are not left to grope in   

darkness1 at the mercy of               
'peradventures' and 'probablies'2 nor   
reduced to consult the ambiguous oracles
 of nature or of ,providence1 or the    
varying voices of our own hearts1 or    
painfully and dubiously to construct    
more or less strong bases for confidence
 in a loving ,god out of such hints and 
fragments of revelation as these supply4
 ,he has come out of ,his darkness1 and 
spoken articulate words1 plain words1   
faithful words1 which bind ,him to a    
distinctly defined course of action4    
,across the great ocean of possible     
modes of action for a divine nature ,he 
has1 if ,i may so say1 buoyed out for   
,himself a channel1 so as that we know  
,his path1 which is in the deep waters4 
,he has limited ,himself by the         
utterance of a faithful word1 and we can
 now come to ,him with ,his own promise1
 and cast it down before ,him1 and say3 
',thou hast spoken1 and ,thou art bound 
to fulfil it4' ,we have a covenant      
wherein ,god has shown us ,his hand1 has

 told us what ,he is going to do and has
 thereby pledged ,himself to its        
performance4  ,and1 still further1 in   
order to get the full sweetness of this 
thought1 to break the husk and reach to 
the kernel1 you must remember what1     
according to the ,new ,testament1 are   
the conditions of this covenant4 ,the   
old agreement was1 ',if ye will obey ,my
 voice and do ,my commandments1         
then1'--so and so will happen4 ,the old 
condition was1 ',do and live2 be        
righteous and blessed6' ,the new        
condition is3 ',take and have2 believe  
and live6' ,the one was law1 the other  
is gift2 the one was retribution1 the   
other is forgiveness4 ,one was outward1 
hard1 rigid law1 fitly 'graven with a   
pen of iron on the rocks for ever'2 the 
other is impulse1 love1 a power bestowed
 that will make us obedient2 and the    
sole condition that we have to render is
 the condition of humble and believing  
acceptance of the divine gift4 ,the new 
covenant1 in the exuberant fulness of   

its mercy1 and in the tenderness of its 
gracious purposes1 is at once the       
completion and the antithesis of the    
ancient covenant with its precepts and  
its retribution4  ,and1 still further1  
this 'new covenant1' of which the       
essence is ,god's bestowment of ,himself
 on every heart that wills to possess   
,him2 this new covenant1 according to   
the teaching of these words of my text  
and of the symbol to which they refer1  
is ratified and sealed by that great    
sacrifice4 ,the blood was sprinkled on  
the altar2 the blood was sprinkled on   
the people1 which being translated into 
plain1 unmetaphorical language is simply
 this1 that ,christ's death remains for 
ever present to the divine mind as the  
great reason and motive which modifies  
,his government1 and which ensures that 
,his love shall ever find its way to    
every seeking soul4 ,his death is the   
token2 ,his death is the reason2 ,his   
death is the pledge of the unending and 
the inexhaustible mercy of ,god bestowed

 upon each of us4 ',he that spared not  
,his own ,son1 shall ,he not with ,him  
also freely give us all things8' ,the   
outward rite with its symbol is the     
exhibition in visible form of that      
truth1 that the blood of ,jesus ,christ 
seals to the world the infinite mercy of
 ,god4  ,and1 on the other hand1 that   
same blood of the covenant1 sprinkled   
upon the other parties to the treaty1   
even our poor sinful hearts1 binds them 
to the fulfilment of the condition which
 belongs to them4 ,that is to say1 by   
the power of that sacrifice there are   
evoked in our poor souls1 faith1 love1  
surrender4 ,it1 and it alone1 knits us  
to ,god2 it1 and it alone1 binds us to  
the fulfilment of the covenant4 ,my     
brother1 have you entered into that     
sweet1 solemn1 sacred alliance and union
 with ,god8 ,have you accepted and      
fulfilled the conditions8 ,is your heart
 'sprinkled with the blood so freely    
shed for you'2 and have you thereby been
 brought into living alliance with the  

,god who has pledged ,his being and ,his
 name to be the all-sufficient ,god to  
you8  ,,ii4 ,still further1 this cup    
speaks to us of the forgiveness of sins4
  ,one theory1 and one theory only1 as  
it seems to me1 of the meaning of       
,christ's death1 is possible if these   
words of my text ever dropped from      
,christ's lips1 or if ,he ever          
instituted the rite to which they refer2
 ,he must have believed that ,his death 
was a sacrifice1 without which the sins 
of the world were not forgiven2 and by  
which forgiveness came to us all4  ,and 
,i do not think that we rightly conceive
 the relation between the sacrifices of 
barbarous heathen tribes1 or the        
sacrifices appointed in ,israel1 and the
 great sacrifice on the ,cross1 if we   
say that our ,lord's death is only      
figuratively accommodated to these in   
order to meet lower or grosser          
conceptions1 but rather1 ,i take it1    
that the accommodation is the other way4
 ,in all nations beyond the limits of   

,israel the sacrifices of living victims
 spoke not only of surrender and        
dependence1 but likewise of the         
consciousness of demerit and evil on the
 part of the offerers1 and were at once 
a confession of sin1 a prayer for       
pardon1 and a propitiation of an        
offended ,god4 ,and ,i believe that the 
sacrifices in ,israel were intended and 
adapted not only to meet the deep-felt  
want of human nature1 common to them as 
to all other tribes1 but also were      
intended and adapted to point onwards to
 ,him in whose death a real want of     
mankind was met1 in whose death a real  
sacrifice was offered1 in whose death an
 angry ,god was not indeed propitiated1 
but in whose death the loving ,father of
 our souls ,himself provided the ,lamb  
for the offering1 without which1 for    
reasons deeper than we can wholly       
fathom1 it was impossible that sin      
should be remitted4  ,i insist upon no  
theory of an ,atonement4 ,i believe     
there is no ,gospel1 worth calling so1  

worth the preaching1 worth your         
believing1 or that will ever move the   
world or purify society1 except the     
,gospel which begins with the fact of an
 ,atonement1 and points to the ,cross as
 the altar on which the ,sacrifice for  
the sins of the world1 without whose    
death pardon is impossible1 has died for
 us all4  ,oh6 dear friends1 do not let 
yourselves be confused by the           
difficulties that beset all human and   
incomplete statements of the philosophy 
of the death of ,christ2 but getting    
away from these1 cleave you to the fact 
that your sins were laid upon ,christ1  
and that ,he has died for us all2 that  
,his death is a sacrifice2 ,his body    
broken for us2 and for the remission of 
our sins1 ,his blood freely shed4 ,thus1
 and only thus1 will you come to the    
understanding either of the sweetness of
 ,his love or of the power of ,his      
example2 then1 and only then1 shall we  
know why it was that ,he elected to be  
remembered1 out of all the moments of   

,his life1 by that one when ,he hung in 
weakness upon the ,cross1 and out of the
 darkness came the cry1 ',my ,god1 ,my  
,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8'     
,,iii4 ,and now1 again1 let me remind   
you that this cup speaks likewise of a  
life infused4  ',the blood is the life1'
 says the physiology of the ,hebrews4   
,the blood is the life1 and when men    
drink of that cup they symbolise the    
fact that ,christ's own life and spirit 
are imparted to them that love ,him4    
',except ye eat the flesh1 and drink the
 blood of the ,son of ,man1 ye have no  
life in you4' ,the very heart of        
,christ's gift to us is the gift of ,his
 own very life to be the life of our    
lives4 ,in deep1 mystical reality ,he   
,himself passes into our being1 and the 
'law of the spirit of life makes us free
 from the law of sin and death1' so that
 we may say3 ',he that is joined to the 
,lord is one spirit1' and the humble    
believing soul may rejoice in this3 ',i 
live1 yet not ,i1 but ,christ liveth in 

,me4' ,this is1 in one aspect1 the very 
deepest meaning of this ,communion rite4
 ,as physicians sometimes tried to      
restore life to an almost dead man by   
the transfusion into his shrunken veins 
of the fresh warm blood from a young and
 healthy subject1 so into our fevered   
life1 into our corrupted blood1 there is
 poured the full tide of the pure and   
perfect life of ,jesus ,christ ,himself1
 and we live1 not by our own power1 nor 
for our own will1 nor in obedience to   
our own caprices1 but by ,him and in    
,him1 and with ,him and for ,him4 ,this 
is the heart of ,christianity1 the      
possession within us of the life1 the   
immortal life of ,him that died for us4 
,my brother have you that great gift in 
your heart8 ,be sure of this1 that      
unless the life of ,christ is in you by 
faith1 ye are dead1 'dead in trespasses 
and in sins'2 dead1 and sure to rot away
 and disintegrate into corruption4 ,the 
cup of blessing which we drink speaks to
 us of the transfusion into our spirits 

of the ,spirit of ,jesus ,christ4  ,,iv4
 ,and lastly1 it speaks of a festal     
gladness4  ,the bread says nothing to us
 of the remission of sins4 ,the broken  
bread proclaims1 indeed1 our nourishment
 from ,jesus1 but falls short of the    
deep and solemn truth that it is the    
very life-blood of ,christ ,himself     
which nourishes us and vitalises us4    
,and the bread1 in like manner1         
proclaims indeed the fact that we are   
fed on ,him1 but says nothing of the joy
 of that feeding4 ,the wine is the      
symbol of that1 and it proclaims to us  
that the ,christian life here on earth1 
just because it is the feeding on and   
the drinking in of ,jesus ,christ1 ought
 ever to be a life of blessedness1 of   
abounding joy1 by whatsoever darkness1  
burdens1 cares1 toils1 sorrows1 and     
solitude it may be shaded and saddened4 
,they who live on ,christ1 they who     
drink in of ,his spirit1 they should be 
glad in all circumstances1 they1 and    
they alone4 ,we sit at a table1 though  

it be in the wilderness1 though it be in
 the presence of our enemies1 where     
there ought to be joy and the voice of  
rejoicing4  ,but beyond that1 as our    
,master ,himself taught these apostles  
in that upper room1 this cup points     
onwards to a future feast4 ,at that     
solemn hour ,jesus stayed ,his own heart
 with the vision of the perfected       
kingdom and the glad festival then4 ,so 
this ,communion has a prophetic element 
in it1 and links on with predictions and
 parables which speak of the 'marriage  
supper' of the great ,king1 and of the  
time when we shall sit at ,his table in 
,his kingdom4  ,for the past the ,lord's
 ,supper speaks of the one sufficient   
oblation and satisfaction for the sins  
of the whole world4 ,for the present it 
speaks of life produced and sustained by
 communion with ,jesus ,christ4 ,and for
 the future it speaks of the unending1  
joyful satisfaction of all desires in   
the 'upper room' of the heavens4  ,how  
unlike1 and yet how like to that scene  

in the upper room at ,jerusalem6 ,from  
it the sad disciples went out1 some of  
them to deny their ,master2 all of them 
to struggle1 to sin1 to lose ,him from  
their sight1 to toil1 to sorrow1 and at 
last to die4 ,from that other table we  
shall go no more out1 but sit there with
 ,him in full fruition of unfailing     
blessedness and participation of ,his   
immortal life for evermore4  ,dear      
brethren1 these are the lessons1 these  
the hopes1 which this 'blood of the new 
covenant' teaches and inspires4 ,have   
you entered into that covenant with     
,god8 ,have you made sure work of the   
forgiveness of your sins through ,his   
blood8 ,have you received into your     
spirits ,his immortal life8 ,then you   
may humbly be confident that1 after     
life's weariness and lonesomeness are   
past1 you will be welcomed to the       
banqueting hall by the ,lord of the     
feast1 and sit with ,him and ,his       
servants who loved ,him at that table   
and be glad4     ',,until ,,that ,,day' 

',i will not drink henceforth of this   
fruit of the vine1     until that day   
when ,i drink it new with you in my     
,father's kingdom4'--,,matt4 xxvi4 #bi4 
,this remarkable saying of our ,lord's  
is recorded in all of the accounts of   
the institution of the ,lord's ,supper4 
,the thought embodied in it ought to be 
present in the minds of all who partake 
of that rite4 ,it converts what is      
primarily a memorial into a prophecy4   
,it bids us hope as well as1 and because
 we1 remember4 ,the light behind us is  
cast forward on to the dimness before4  
,so the ,apostle ,paul1 in his solitary 
reference to the ,communion--which1     
indeed1 is an entirely incidental one1  
and evoked simply by the corruptions in 
the ,corinthian ,church1 emphasises this
 prophetic and onward-looking aspect of 
the backward-looking rite when he says1 
',ye do show the ,lord's death till ,he 
come4'  ,now1 it seems to me that those 
of us who so strongly hold that the     
,communion is primarily a simple        

memorial service1 with no mysterious or 
magical efficacy of any sort about it1  
do rather ignore in our ordinary        
thoughts the other aspect which is      
brought out in my text2 and that        
comparative ignoring seems to me to be  
but a part of a very lamentable and     
general tendency of this day1 whereby   
the prospect of a future life has become
 somewhat dimmed and does not fill the  
place either in ordinary ,christian     
thinking1 or as a motive for ,christian 
service which the proportion of faith1  
and the relative importance of the      
present and the future suggest that it  
ought to fill4 ,the ,christianity of    
this day has so much to do with the     
present life1 and the thought of the    
,gospel as a power in the present has   
been so emphasised1 in legitimate       
reaction from the opposite exaggeration1
 that there is great need1 as ,i        
believe1 to preach to ,christian people 
the wisdom of making more prominent in  
their faith their immortal hope4 ,i     

wish1 then1 to turn now to this aspect  
of the rite which we regard as a        
memorial1 and try to emphasise its      
forward-looking attitude1 and the large 
blessed truths that emerge if we        
consider that4  ,i4 ,first1 let me say  
just a word about the twin aspect of the
 ,communion as a memorial prophecy1 or  
prophetic remembrance4  ,now1 ,i need   
not remind you1 ,i suppose1 that        
according to the view which1 as ,i      
believe1 the ,new ,testament takes1 and 
which certainly we ,nonconformists take1
 of all the rites of external worship1  
every one of them is a prophecy1 because
 every act in which our sense is brought
 in to reinforce the spirit--and by     
outward forms1 be they vocal1 or be they
 manual1 or be they of any other sort1  
we try to express and to quicken        
spiritual emotions and intellectual     
convictions--declares its own           
imperfection1 digs its own grave1 and   
prophecies its own resurrection in a    
nobler and better fashion4 ,just because

 these outward symbols of bread and wine
 do1 through the senses1 quicken the    
faith and the love of the spirit1 they  
declare themselves to be transitory1 and
 they point onwards to the time when    
that which is perfect shall absorb1 and 
so destroy1 that which is in part1 and  
when sense shall be no longer necessary 
as the ally and humble servant of       
spirit4 ',i saw no temple therein4'     
,temples1 and rites1 and services1 and  
holy days1 and all the external         
apparatus of worship1 are but           
scaffolding1 and just as the scaffolding
 round a building is a prophecy of its  
own being pulled down when the building 
is reared and completed1 so we cannot   
partake of these external symbols       
rightly1 unless we recognise their      
transiency1 and feel that they say to   
us1 ',a mightier than ,i cometh after   
me1 the latchet of whose shoe ,i am not 
worthy to unloose4' ,the light that     
shines in the dark heralds the day and  
its own extinction4  ,so1 looking back  

we must look forward1 and partaking of  
the symbol1 we must reach out to the    
time when the symbol shall be           
antiquated1 the reality having come4    
,the ,passover of ,israel did not more  
truly point onwards to the true ,lamb of
 ,sacrifice1 and to the true ,passover  
that was slain for us1 and to its own   
elevation into the ,lord's ,supper of   
the ,christian ,church1 than the ,lord's
 ,supper of the ,christian ,church      
points onwards to the 'marriage supper  
of the ,lamb1' and its own cessation4   
,but then1 again1 let me remind you that
 this prophetic aspect is inherent in   
the memorial aspect of the ,communion1  
because what we remember necessarily    
demands the coming of what we hope4     
,that is to say1 if ,jesus ,christ be   
what the ,lord's ,supper says that ,he  
is1 and if ,he has done what that broken
 bread and poured out wine proclaim1    
according to ,his own utterance1 that   
,he has done1 then clearly that death   
which was for the life of the world1    

that death which was the seal of a      
covenant1 that body broken for the      
remission of sins1 that wine partaken of
 as a reception into ourselves of the   
very life-blood of ,jesus ,christ1 do   
all demand something far nobler and more
 perfect than the broken1 incomplete    
obedience and loyalties and communions  
which ,christian men here exercise and  
possess4  ,if ,he died1 as the rite says
 that ,he did1 and if dying ,he left    
such a commentary upon ,his act as that 
ordinance affords1 then ,he cannot have 
done with the world2 then the powers    
that were set in motion by ,his death   
cannot pause nor cease their action     
until they have reached their           
appropriate culmination in effecting all
 that it was in them to effect4 ,if1    
leaving ,his people1 ,he said to them1  
',never forget ,my death for you1 ,my   
broken body1 and ,my shed blood1' ,he   
therein said that the time will come1   
must come1 when all the powers of the   
,cross shall be incorporated in         

humanity1 and when the parted shall be  
reunited4 ,the ,communion would stand as
 the expression of ,christ's mistaken   
estimate of ,his own importance1 if     
there were not beyond the grave the     
perfecting of it1 and the full          
appropriation and joyful possession of  
all which the death that it signifies   
brought to mankind4  ,therefore1 dear   
brethren1 it seems to me that the best  
way by which ,christians can deepen     
their confidence and brighten their hope
 in the perfect reunion and blessedness 
of the heavens1 is to increase the      
firmness of their faith in1 and the     
depth of their apprehension of1 the     
sacrifice of the ,cross4 ,if the ,cross 
demands the ,crown1 then our surest way 
to realise as certain our own possession
 of that ,crown is to cling very close  
to that ,cross4 ,the more we look       
backwards to it the more will it fling  
its light into all the dark places that 
are in front of us1 and flush the       
heavens up to the seventh and beyond1   

with the glories that stream from it4   
,hold fast by the ,cross1 and the more  
fully1 believingly1 joyously1           
unfalteringly1 we recognise in it the   
foundation of our salvation1 the more   
gladly1 clearly1 operatively1 shall we  
cherish the hope that 'the headstone    
shall be brought forth with shoutings1' 
and that the imperfect symbolical       
communion of earth will grow and greaten
 into complete and real union in eternal
 bliss4  ,let me urge1 then1 this1 that1
 as a matter of fact1 a faith in eternal
 glory goes with and fluctuates in the  
same degree and manner as does the faith
 in the past sacrifice that ,christ has 
made4 ,he1 and ,he alone1 as ,i believe1
 turns nebulae into solidity1 and makes 
of the more or less tremulous           
anticipation of a more or less dim and  
distant future1 a calm1 still certainty4
 ,we know that ,he will come because1   
and in proportion as1 we believe that   
,he has come4 ,keep these two things1   
then1 always together1 the memory and   

the hope4 ,they stand like two great    
piers1 one on either side of a narrow1  
dark glen1 and suspended from them is   
stretched the bridge1 along which the   
happy pilgrims may travel and enter into
 rest4  ,,ii4 ,and now1 let us turn for 
a moment to the lovely vision of that   
future which is suggested by our text4  
,the truest way1 ,i was going to say the
 only way1 by which we can have any     
conceptions of a condition of being of  
which we have no experience1 is to fall 
back upon the experiences which we have1
 and use them as symbols and metaphors4 
,the curtain is the picture4 ,so our    
,lord here1 in accordance with the      
necessary limitations of our human      
knowledge1 contents ,himself with using 
what lay at ,his hand1 and taking it as 
giving faint shadows and metaphorical   
suggestions as to spiritual blessedness 
yonder4  ,there is one other way1 as it 
seems to me1 by which we can in any     
measure body forth to ourselves that    
unknown condition of things1 and that is

 to fall back upon our present          
experiences in another fashion1 and     
negative all of them which involve pain 
and limitation and incompleteness4      
,there shall be no night--no sorrow--no 
tears--no sighing1 and the like4 ,these 
negatives of the strong and stinging    
griefs and limitations of the present   
are perhaps our second-best way of      
coming to some prophetic vision of that 
great future4  ,remembering1 then1 that 
we are dealing with pure metaphor1 and  
that the exact translation of the       
metaphor into reality is not yet        
possible for us1 let us take one or two 
very plain thoughts out of this great   
saying--',until ,i drink it new with you
 in ,my ,father's kingdom4'  ,then1 we  
have to think of the completion of the  
,christian life beyond1 which is also   
the completion of the results of        
,christ's death on the ,cross1 as being1
 according to the very frequent metaphor
 both of the ,old and the ,new          
,testament1 a prolonged festival4 ,i do 

not need to speak of the details of the 
thoughts that thence emerge4 ,let me sum
 them up as briefly as may be4 ,they    
include the satisfaction of every desire
 and the nourishment of all strength1   
and food for every faculty4 ,when we    
think of the hungry hearts that all men 
carry1 and how true it is that even the 
wisest and the holiest of us are        
'spending our money for that which is   
not bread1 and our labour for that which
 satisfieth not'2 when we think of how  
the choicest foods that life can        
provide1 even for the noblest hunger of 
noble hearts1 are too often to us but as
 a feeding on ashes that will leave grit
 between the teeth and a foul taste upon
 the palate1 surely it is blessed to    
think that we may1 after all life's     
disappointments1 cherish the hope of a  
perfect fruition1 and that yonder1 if   
not here1 it will be fully true that    
',god never sends mouths but ,he sends  
meat to feed them4' ,that is not so in  
this world1 for we all carry hungers    

which impel us forward to nobler living1
 and which it would not be good for us  
to have satisfied here4 ,but1 unless the
 whole universe is a godless chaos1     
there must be somewhere a state in which
 a man shall have all that he wants1 and
 shall want only what he ought4  ,the   
emblem of a feast suggests also society4
 ,the solitary travellers who have been 
toiling and moiling through the desert  
all the day long1 snatching up a hasty  
mouthful as they march1 and lonely many 
a time1 come together at last1 and sit  
together there joyous and united4 ,deep 
down in our hearts some of us have      
gashes that always bleed4 ,we know      
losses and loneliness1 and we can feel1 
,i hope1 how blessed is the thought that
 all the wanderers shall sit there      
together1 and rejoice in each other's   
communion1 'and so shall we ever be with
 the ,lord4'  ,but besides satisfaction 
and society the figure suggests repose4 
,that rest is not indolence1 for we have
 to carry other metaphors with us in    

order to come to the full significance  
of this one1 and the festal imagery is  
not all that we have to take into       
account2 for we read1 ',i grant unto you
 a kingdom1 and ye shall sit on twelve  
thrones judging the twelve tribes of    
,israel1' as well as 'ye shall eat and  
drink with ,me at ,my table in ,my      
kingdom4' ,so repose1 which is          
consistent and coexistent with the      
intensest activity1 is the great hope   
that comes out of these metaphors4 ,but 
for many of us--,i suppose for all of us
 elderly people--who are about weary of 
work and worry1 there is no deeper hope 
than the hope of rest4 ',i have had     
labour enough for one1' says one of our 
poets4 ,and ,i think there is something 
in most of our hearts that echoes that  
and rejoices to hear that1 after the    
long march1 'ye shall sit with ,me at   
,my table4'  ,but besides satisfaction1 
society1 and rest1 the figure suggests  
gladness4 ,wine is the emblem of the    
joyous side of a feast1 just as bread is

 the emblem of the necessary            
nourishment4 ,and it is new wine2 joy   
raised to a higher power1 transformed   
and glorified2 and yet the old emotion  
in a new form4 ,as for that gladness1   
'eye hath not seen1 neither hath it     
entered into the heart of man to        
conceive1 the things that ,god hath     
prepared for them that love ,him4' ,only
 all we weary1 heavy-laden1 saddened1   
anxious1 disappointed1 tormented people 
may hope for these festal joys1 if we   
are ,christ's4 ,the feast will last when
 all the troubles and the cares which   
helped us to it are dead and buried and 
forgotten4  ,these four things1         
brethren--satisfaction1 society1 rest1  
new gladness--are proclaimed and        
prophesied to each of us1 if we will1 by
 this memorial rite4  ,again1 there     
comes from this aspect of the ,communion
 the thought that the blessed condition 
of the ,christian soul hereafter is a   
feast on a sacrifice4 ,we must          
distinguish between the sense in which  

our ,lord drinks with us1 and the sense 
in which we alone partake of that feast 
of which ,he provides the viands4 ,but  
just as in the symbolic ordinance of the
 ,communion the very essence of it is   
that what was offered as sacrifice is   
now incorporated into the participant's 
spiritual being1 and becomes part of    
himself1 and the life of his life1 so1  
in the future1 all the blessedness of   
the clustered and constellated joys of  
that life1 which is one eternal         
festival1 shall arise from the reception
 into perfected spirits with            
ever-growing greatness and blessedness  
of the ,christ that died and ever lives 
for them4 ,that heavenly glory1 to its  
highest pinnacle of aspiration1 to its  
most rapt completeness of gladness1 is  
all the consequence of ,christ's death  
on the ,cross4 ,that death1 which we    
commemorate1 is the procuring cause of  
man's entrance into bliss1 and that     
death is the subject of the continual1  
grateful remembrance of the saints in   

the seventh heaven of their glory4 ,life
 yonder1 as all true life here1 consists
 in taking into ourselves the life of   
,jesus ,christ1 and the law for heaven  
is the same as the law for earth1 ',he  
that eateth ,me1 even he shall live by  
,me4'  ,lastly1 the conception of the   
future for ,christian souls arising from
 this aspect of the ,lord's ,supper is  
that it is not only a feast1 and a feast
 on a sacrifice1 but that it is a feast 
with the ,king4  ',with you ,i will     
drink it4' ,brethren1 we pass beyond    
metaphor when we gather up and condense 
all the vague brightness and glories of 
that perfect future into this one       
rapturous1 overwhelming1 all-embracing  
thought3 ',so shall we ever be with the 
,lord4' ,i could almost wish that       
,christian people had no other thought  
of that future than this1 for surely in 
its grand simplicity1 in its ineffable  
depth1 there lie the germs of every     
blessedness4 ,how poor all the material 
emblems are of which sensuous           

imaginations make so much1 when compared
 with that hope6 ,as the good old hymn  
has it1 which to me says more1 in its   
bold simplicity1 than all the           
sentimental enlargements of ,scriptural 
metaphors which some people admire so   
much--    ',it is enough that ,christ   
knows all1    ,and ,i shall be with     
,him4'  ,strange that ,he says1 ',i will
 drink it with you4' ,does ,he need     
sustenance8 ,does ,he need any external 
things in order to make ,his feast8 ,no6
 and ,yes6 ',i will sup with ,him' as   
well as ',he with me4' ,and1 surely1    
,his meat and drink are the love1 the   
loyalty1 the obedience1 the             
receptiveness1 the society of ,his      
redeemed children4 ',the joy of the     
,lord' comes from 'seeing of the travail
 of ,his soul1' and ,his servants do    
enter into that joy in deep and wondrous
 fashion4 ,we not only shall live on    
,christ1 but ,he ,himself puts to ,his  
own lips the chalice that ,he commends  
to ours1 and in marvellous condescension

 to1 and identity with1 our glorified   
humanity drinks with us the 'new wine'  
in the ,father's kingdom4               
,,gethsemane1 ,,the ,,oil-,,press       
',then cometh ,jesus with them unto a   
place called     ,gethsemane1 and saith 
unto the disciples1 ,sit ye here1       
while ,i go and pray yonder4 #cg4 ,and  
,he took with ,him     ,peter and the   
two sons of ,zebedee1 and began to be   
sorrowful and very heavy4 #ch4 ,then    
saith ,he unto them1     ,my soul is    
exceeding sorrowful1 even unto death3   
tarry     ye here1 and watch with ,me4  
#ci4 ,and ,he went a little     farther1
 and fell on ,his face1 and prayed1     
saying1 ,o ,my     ,father1 if it be    
possible1 let this cup pass from ,me3   
nevertheless not as ,i will1 but as     
,thou wilt4 #dj4 ,and     ,he cometh    
unto the disciples1 and findeth them    
asleep1     and saith unto ,peter1      
,what1 could ye not watch with ,me      
one hour6 #da4 ,watch and pray1 that ye 
enter not into     temptation3 the      

spirit indeed is willing1 but the flesh 
is weak4 #db4 ,he went away again the   
second time1 and     prayed1 saying1 ,o 
,my ,father1 if this cup may not pass   
away from ,me1 except ,i drink it1 ,thy 
will be done4     #dc4 ,and ,he came and
 found them asleep again3 for their     
eyes were heavy4 #dd4 ,and ,he left     
them1 and went away     again1 and      
prayed the third time1 saying the same  
words4     #de4 ,then cometh ,he to ,his
 disciples1 and saith unto     them1    
,sleep on now1 and take your rest3      
behold1 the     hour is at hand1 and the
 ,son of ,man is betrayed into     the  
hands of sinners4 #df4 ,rise1 let us be 
going3 behold1     he is at hand that   
doth betray ,me4'--,,matt4 xxvi4 #cf-df4
  ,one shrinks from touching this       
incomparable picture of unexampled      
sorrow1 for fear lest one's finger-marks
 should stain it4 ,there is no place    
here for picturesque description1 which 
tries to mend the gospel stories by     
dressing them in to-day's fashions1 nor 

for theological systematisers and       
analysers of the sort that would        
'botanise upon their mother's grave4'   
,we must put off our shoes1 and feel    
that we stand on holy ground4 ,though   
loving eyes saw something of ,christ's  
agony1 ,he did not let them come beside 
,him1 but withdrew into the shadow of   
the gnarled olives1 as if even the      
moonbeams must not look too closely on  
the mystery of such grief4 ,we may go as
 near as love was allowed to go1 but    
stop where it was stayed1 while we      
reverently and adoringly listen to what 
the ,evangelist tells us of that        
unspeakable hour4  ,i4 ,mark the        
'exceeding sorrow' of the ,man of       
,sorrows4 ,somewhere on the western foot
 of ,olivet lay the garden1 named from  
an oil-press formerly or then in it1    
which was to be the scene of the holiest
 and sorest sorrow on which the moon1   
that has seen so much misery1 has ever  
looked4 ,truly it was 'an oil-press1' in
 which 'the good olive' was crushed by  

the grip of unparalleled agony1 and     
yielded precious oil1 which has been    
poured into many a wound since then4    
,eight of the eleven are left at or near
 the entrance1 while ,he passes deeper  
into the shadows with the three4 ,they  
had been witnesses of ,his prayers once 
before1 on the slopes of ,hermon1 when  
,he was transfigured before them4 ,they 
are now to see a no less wonderful      
revelation of ,his glory in ,his filial 
submission4 ,there is something         
remarkable in ,matthew's expression1    
',he began to be sorrowful1'--as if a   
sudden wave of emotion1 breaking over   
,his soul1 had swept ,his human         
sensibilities before it4 ,the strange   
word translated by the ,revisers 'sore  
troubled' is of uncertain derivation1   
and may possibly be simply intended to  
intensify the idea of sorrow2 but more  
probably it adds another element1 which 
,bishop ,lightfoot describes as 'the    
confused1 restless1 half-distracted     
state which is produced by physical     

derangement or mental distress4' ,a     
storm of agitation and bewilderment     
broke ,his calm1 and forced from ,his   
patient lips1 little wont to speak of   
,his own emotions1 or to seek for       
sympathy1 the unutterably pathetic cry1 
',my soul is exceeding                  
sorrowful'--compassed about with sorrow1
 as the word means--'even unto death4'  
,no feeble explanation of these words   
does justice to the abyss of woe into   
which they let us dimly look4 ,they tell
 the fact1 that1 a little more and the  
body would have sunk under the burden4  
,he knew the limits of human endurance1 
for 'all things were made by ,him1' and1
 knowing it1 ,he saw that ,he had grazed
 the very edge4 ,out of the darkness ,he
 reaches a hand to feel for the grasp of
 a friend1 and piteously asks these     
humble lovers to stay beside ,him1 not  
that they could help ,him to bear the   
weight1 but that their presence had some
 solace in it4 ,his agony must be       
endured alone1 therefore ,he bade them  

tarry there2 but ,he desired to have    
them at hand1 therefore ,he went but 'a 
little forward4' ,they could not bear it
 with ,him1 but they could 'watch with' 
,him1 and that poor comfort is all ,he  
asks4 ,no word came from them4 ,they    
were1 no doubt1 awed into silence1 as   
the truest sympathy is used to be1 in   
the presence of a great grief4 ,is it   
permitted us to ask what were the       
fountains of these bitter floods that   
swept over ,christ's sinless soul8 ,was 
the mere physical shrinking from death  
all8 ,if so1 we may reverently say that 
many a maiden and old man1 who drew all 
their fortitude from ,jesus1 have gone  
to stake or gibbet for ,his sake1 with a
 calm which contrasts strangely with    
,his agitation4 ,gethsemane is robbed of
 its pathos and nobleness if that be    
all4 ,but it was not all4 ,rather it was
 the least bitter of the components of  
the cup4 ,what lay before ,him was not  
merely death1 but the death which was to
 atone for a world's sin1 and in which1 

therefore1 the whole weight of sin's    
consequences was concentrated4 ',the    
,lord hath made to meet on ,him the     
iniquities of us all'2 that is the one  
sufficient explanation of this          
infinitely solemn and tender scene4     
,unless we believe that1 we shall find  
it hard to reconcile ,his agitation in  
,gethsemane with the perfection of ,his 
character as the captain of 'the noble  
army of martyrs4'  ,,ii4 ,note the      
prayer of filial submission4 ,matthew   
does not tell us of the sweat falling   
audibly and heavily1 and sounding to the
 three like slow blood-drops from a     
wound1 nor of the strengthening angel1  
but he gives us the prostrate form1 and 
the threefold prayer1 renewed as each   
moment of calm1 won by it1 was again    
broken in upon by a fresh wave of       
emotion4 ,thrice ,he had to leave the   
disciples1 and came back1 a calm        
conqueror2 and twice the enemy rallied  
and returned to the assault1 and was at 
last driven finally from the field by   

the power of prayer and submission4 ,the
 three ,synoptics differ in their report
 of our ,lord's words1 but all mean the 
same thing in substance2 and it is      
obvious that much more must have been   
spoken than they report4 ,possibly what 
we have is only the fragments that      
reached the three before they fell      
asleep4 ,in any case1 ,jesus was absent 
from them on each occasion long enough  
to allow of their doing so4  ,three     
elements are distinguishable in our     
,lord's prayer4 ,there is1 first1 the   
sense of ,sonship1 which underlies all1 
and was never more clear than at that   
awful moment4 ,then there is the recoil 
from 'the cup1' which natural instinct  
could not but feel1 though sinlessly4   
,the flesh shrank from the ,cross1 which
 else had been no suffering2 and if no  
suffering1 then had been no atonement4  
,his manhood would not have been like   
ours1 nor ,his sorrows our pattern1 if  
,he had not thus drawn back1 in ,his    
sensitive humanity1 from the awful      

prospect now so near4 ,but natural      
instinct is one thing1 and the          
controlling will another4 ,however      
currents may have tossed the vessel1 the
 firm hand at the helm never suffered   
them to change her course4 ,the will1   
which in this prayer ,he seems so       
strangely to separate from the          
,father's1 even in the act of           
submission1 was the will which wishes1  
not that which resolves4 ,his fixed     
purpose to die for the world's sin never
 wavered4 ,the shrinking does not reach 
the point of absolutely and             
unconditionally asking that the cup     
might pass4 ,even in the act of uttering
 the wish1 it is limited by that 'if it 
be possible1' which can only            
mean--possible1 in view of the great    
purpose for which ,he came4 ,that is to 
be accomplished1 at any cost2 and unless
 it can be accomplished though the cup  
be withdrawn1 ,he does not even wish1   
much less will1 that it should be       
withdrawn4 ,so1 the third element in the

 prayer is the utter resignation to the 
,father's will1 in which submission ,he 
found peace1 as we do4  ,he prayed ,his 
way to perfect calm1 which is ever the  
companion of perfect self-surrender to  
,god4 ,they who cease from their own    
works do 'enter into rest4' ,all the    
agitations which had come storming in   
massed battalions against ,him are      
defeated by it4 ,they have failed to    
shake ,his purpose1 they now fail even  
to disturb ,his peace4 ,so1 victorious  
from the dreadful conflict1 and at      
leisure of heart to care for others1 ,he
 can go back to the disciples4 ,but even
 whilst seeking to help them1 a fresh   
wave of suffering breaks in on ,his     
calm1 and once again ,he leaves them to 
renew the struggle4 ,the instinctive    
shrinking reasserts itself1 and1 though 
overcome1 is not eradicated4 ,but the   
second prayer is yet more rooted in     
acquiescence than the first4 ,it shows  
that ,he had not lost what ,he had won  
by the former2 for it1 as it were1      

builds on that first supplication1 and  
accepts as answer to its contingent     
petition the consciousness1 accompanying
 the calm1 that it was not possible for 
the cup to pass from ,him4 ,the sense of
 ,sonship underlies the complete        
resignation of the second prayer as of  
the first4 ,it has no wish but ,god's   
will1 and is the voluntary offering of  
,himself4 ,here ,he is both ,priest and 
,sacrifice1 and offers the victim with  
this prayer of consecration4 ,so once   
more ,he triumphs1 because once more1   
and yet more completely1 ,he submits1   
and accepts the ,cross4 ,for ,him1 as   
for us1 the ,cross accepted ceases to be
 a pain1 and the cup is no more bitter  
when we are content to drink it4 ,once  
more in fainter fashion the enemy came  
on1 casting again his spent arrows1 and 
beaten back by the same weapon4 ,the    
words were the same1 because no others  
could have expressed more perfectly the 
submission which was the heart of ,his  
prayers and the condition of ,his       

victory4  ,christ's prayer1 then1 was   
not for the passing of the cup1 but that
 the will of ,god might be done in and  
by ,him1 and ',he was heard in that ,he 
feared1' not by being exempted from the 
,cross1 but by being strengthened       
through submission for submission4 ,so  
,his agony is the pattern of all true   
prayer1 which must ever deal with our   
wishes1 as ,he did with ,his instinctive
 shrinking1--present them wrapped in an 
'if it be possible1' and followed by a  
'nevertheless4' ,the meaning of prayer  
is not to force our wills on ,god's1 but
 to bend our wills to ,his2 and that    
prayer is really answered of which the  
issue is our calm readiness for all that
 ,he lays upon us4  ,,iii4 ,note the sad
 and gentle remonstrance with the drowsy
 three4 ',the sleep of the disciples1   
and of these disciples1 and of all      
three1 and such an overpowering sleep1  
remains even after ,luke's explanation1 
for sorrow1 a psychological riddle'     
7,meyer74 ,it is singularly parallel    

with the sleep of the same three at the 
,transfiguration--an event which        
presents the opposite pole of our       
,lord's experiences1 and yields so many 
antithetical parallels to ,gethsemane4  
,no doubt the tension of emotion1 which 
had lasted for many hours1 had worn them
 out2 but1 if weariness had weighed down
 their eyelids1 love should have kept   
them open4 ,such sleep of such disciples
 may have been a riddle1 but it was also
 a crime1 and augured imperfect         
sympathy4 ,gentle surprise and the pain 
of disappointed love are audible in the 
question1 addressed to ,peter           
especially1 as he had promised so much1 
but meant for all4 ,this was all that   
,jesus got in answer to ,his yearning   
for sympathy4 ',i looked for some to    
take pity1 but there was none4' ,those  
who loved ,him most lay curled in dead  
slumber within earshot of ,his prayers4 
,if ever a soul tasted the desolation of
 utter loneliness1 that suppliant       
beneath the olives tasted it4 ,but how  

little of the pain escapes ,his lips6   
,the words but hint at the slightness of
 their task compared with ,his1 at the  
brevity of the strain on their love1 and
 at the companionship which ought to    
have made sleep impossible4 ,may we not 
see in ,christ's remonstrance a word for
 all8 ,for us1 too1 the task of keeping 
awake in the enchanted ground is light1 
measured against ,his1 and the time is  
short1 and we have ,him to keep us      
company in the watch1 and every motive  
of grateful love should make it easy2   
but1 alas1 how many of us sleep a       
drugged and heavy slumber6  ,the gentle 
remonstrance soon passes over into      
counsel as gentle4 ,watchfulness and    
prayer are inseparable4 ,the one        
discerns dangers1 the other arms against
 them4 ,watchfulness keeps us prayerful1
 and prayerfulness keeps us watchful4   
,to watch without praying is            
presumption1 to pray without watching is
 hypocrisy4 ,the eye that sees clearly  
the facts of life will turn upwards from

 its scanning of the snares and traps1  
and will not look in vain4 ,these two   
are the indispensable conditions of     
victorious encountering of temptation4  
,fortified by them1 we shall not 'enter 
into' it1 though we encounter it4 ,the  
outward trial will remain1 but its power
 to lead us astray will vanish4 ,it will
 still be danger or sorrow1 but it will 
not be temptation2 and we shall pass    
through it1 as a sunbeam through foul   
air1 untainted1 and keeping heaven's    
radiance4 ,that is a lesson for a wider 
circle than the sleepy three4  ,it is   
followed by words which would need a    
volume to expound in all their depth and
 width of application1 but which are    
primarily a reason for the preceding    
counsel1 as well as a loving apology for
 the disciples' sleep4 ,christ is always
 glad to give us credit for even        
imperfect good2 ,his eye1 which sees    
deeper than ours1 sees more lovingly1   
and is not hindered from marking the    
willing spirit by recognising weak      

flesh4 ,but these words are not to be   
made a pillow for indolent acquiescence 
in the limitations which the flesh      
imposes on the spirit4 ,he may take     
merciful count of these1 and so may we1 
in judging others1 but it is fatal to   
plead them at the bar of our own        
consciences4 ,rather they should be a   
spur to our watchfulness and to our     
prayer4 ,we need these because the flesh
 is weak1 still more because1 in its    
weakness toward good1 it is strong to   
evil4 ,such exercise will give governing
 power to the spirit1 and enable it to  
impose its will on the reluctant flesh4 
,if we watch and pray1 the conflict     
between these two elements in the       
renewed nature will tend to unity and   
peace by the supremacy of the spirit2 if
 we do not1 it will tend to cease by the
 unquestioned tyranny of the flesh4 ,in 
one or other direction our lives are    
tending4  ,strange that such words had  
no effect4 ,but so it was1 and so deep  
was the apostles' sleep that ,christ    

left them undisturbed the second time4  
,the relapse is worse than the original 
disease4 ,sleep broken and resumed is   
more torpid and fatal than if it had not
 been interrupted4 ,we do not know how  
long it lasted1 though the whole period 
in the garden must have been measured by
 hours2 but at last it was broken by the
 enigmatical last words of our ,lord4   
,the explanation of the direct          
opposition between the consecutive      
sentences1 by taking the ',sleep on now'
 as ironical1 jars on one's reverence4  
,surely irony is out of keeping with the
 spirit of ,christ then4 ,rather ,he    
bids them sleep on1 since the hour is   
come1 in sad recognition that the need  
for their watchful sympathy is past1 and
 with it the opportunity for their      
proved affection4 ,it is said with a    
tone of contemplative melancholy1 and is
 almost equivalent to 'too late1 too    
late4' ,the memorable sermon of ,f4 ,w4 
,robertson1 on this text1 rightly grasps
 the spirit of the first clause1 when it

 dwells with such power on the thought  
of 'the irrevocable past' of wasted     
opportunities and neglected duty4 ,but  
the sudden transition to the sharp1     
short command and broken sentences of   
the last verse is to be accounted for by
 the sudden appearance of the flashing  
lights of the band led by ,judas1       
somewhere near at hand1 in the valley4  
,the mood of pensive reflection gives   
place to rapid decision4 ,he summons    
them to arise1 not for flight1 but that 
,he may go out to meet the traitor4     
,escape would have been easy4 ,there was
 time to reach some sheltering fold of  
the hill in the darkness2 but the prayer
 beneath the silver-grey olives had not 
been in vain1 and these last words in   
,gethsemane throb with the ,son's       
willingness to yield ,himself up1 and to
 empty to its dregs the cup which the   
,father had given ,him4     ,,the ,,last
 ,,pleading ,,of ,,love       ',and     
,jesus said unto him1 ,friend1 wherefore
 art thou     come8'--,,matt4 xxvi4 #ej4

  ,we are accustomed to think of the    
betrayer of our ,lord as a kind of      
monster1 whose crime is so mysterious in
 its atrocity as to put him beyond the  
pale of human sympathy4 ,the awful      
picture which the great ,italian poet   
draws of him as alone in hell1 shunned  
even there1 as guilty beyond all others1
 expresses the general feeling about    
him4 ,and even the attempts which have  
been made to diminish the greatness of  
his guilt1 by supposing that his motive 
was only to precipitate ,christ's       
assumption of ,his conquering ,messianic
 power1 are prompted by the same thought
 that such treason as his is all but    
inconceivable4 ,i cannot but think that 
these attempts fail1 and that the       
narratives of the ,gospels oblige us to 
think of his crime as deliberate        
treachery4 ,but even when so regarded1  
other emotions than wondering loathing  
should be excited by the awful story4   
,there had been nothing in his previous 
history to suggest such sin1 as is      

proved by the disciples' question1 when 
our ,lord announced that one of them    
should betray ,him4 ,no suspicion       
lighted on him--no finger pointed to    
where he sat4 ,but self-distrust asked1 
',lord1 is it ,i8' and only love1       
pillowed on the ,master's breast1 and   
strong in the happy sense of ,his love1 
was sufficiently assured of its own     
constancy1 to change the question into  
',lord6 who is it8' ,the process of     
corruption was unseen by all eyes but   
,christ's4 ,he came to his terrible     
pre-eminence in crime by slow degrees1  
and by paths which we may all tread4 ,as
 for his guilt1 that is in other hands  
than ours4 ,as for his fate1 let us copy
 the solemn and pitying reticence of    
,peter1 and say1 'that he might go to   
his own place'--the place that belongs  
to him1 and that he is fit for1 wherever
 that may be4 ,as for the growth and    
development of his sin1 let us remember 
that 'we have all of us one human       
heart1' and that the possibilities of   

crime as dark are in us all4 ,and       
instead of shuddering abhorrence at a   
sin that can scarcely be understood1 and
 can never be repeated1 let us be sure  
that whatever man has done1 man may do1 
and ask with humble consciousness of our
 own deceitful hearts1 ',lord1 is it    
,i8'  ,these remarkable and solemn words
 of ,christ1 with which ,he meets the   
treacherous kiss1 appear to be a last   
appeal to ,judas4 ,they may possibly not
 be a question1 as in our version--but  
an incomplete sentence1 ',what thou hast
 come to do'--leaving the implied       
command1 ',that do1' unexpressed4 ,they 
would then be very like other words     
which the betrayer had heard but an hour
 or two before1 ',that thou doest1 do   
quickly4' ,but such a rendering does not
 seem so appropriate to the             
circumstances as that which makes them a
 question1 smiting on his heart and     
conscience1 and seeking to tear away the
 veil of sophistications with which he  
had draped from his own eyes the hideous

 shape of his crime4 ,and1 if so1 what a
 wonderful instance we have here of that
 long-suffering love4 ,they are the last
 effort of the divine patience to win   
back even the traitor4 ,they show us the
 wrestle between infinite mercy and a   
treacherous1 sinful heart1 and they     
bring into awful prominence the power   
which that heart has of rejecting the   
counsel of ,god against itself4 ,i      
venture to use them now as suggesting   
these three things3 the patience of     
,christ's love2 the pleading of         
,christ's love2 and the refusal of      
,christ's love4  ,i4 ,the patience of   
,christ's love4  ,if we take no higher  
view of this most pathetic incident than
 that the words come from a man's lips1 
even then all its beauty will not be    
lost4 ,there are some sins against      
friendship in which the manner is harder
 to bear than the substance of the evil4
 ,it must have been a strangely mean and
 dastardly nature1 as well as a coarse  
and cold one1 that could think of fixing

 on the kiss of affection as the        
concerted sign to point out their victim
 to the legionaries4 ,many a man who    
could have planned and executed the     
treason would have shrunk from that4    
,and many a man who could have borne to 
be betrayed by his own familiar friend  
would have found that heartless insult  
worse to endure than the treason itself4
 ,but what a picture of perfect patience
 and unruffled calm we have here1 in    
that the answer to the poisonous1       
hypocritical embrace was these moving   
words6 ,the touch of the traitor's lips 
has barely left ,his cheek1 but not one 
faint passing flush of anger tinges it4 
,he is perfectly                        
self-oblivious--absorbed in other       
thoughts1 and among them in pity for the
 guilty wretch before ,him4 ,his words  
have no agitation in them1 no           
instinctive recoil from the pollution of
 such a salutation4 ,they have grave    
rebuke1 but it is rebuke which derives  
its very force from the appeal to former

 companionship4 ,christ still recognises
 the ancient bond1 and is true to it4   
,he will still plead with this man who  
has been beside ,him long2 and though   
,his heart be wounded yet ,he is not    
wroth1 and ,he will not cast him off4   
,if this were nothing more than a       
picture of human friendship it would    
stand alone1 above all other records    
that the world cherishes in its inmost  
heart1 of the love that never fails1 and
 is not soon angry4  ,but we1 ,i hope1  
dear brethren1 think more loftily and   
more truly of our dear ,lord than as    
simply a perfect manhood1 the exemplar  
of all goodness4 ,how ,he comes to be   
that1 if ,he be not more than that1 ,i  
do not understand1 and ,i1 for one1 feel
 that my confidence in the flawless     
completeness of ,his human character    
lives or dies with my belief that ,he is
 the ,eternal ,word1 ,god manifest in   
the flesh4 ,certainly we shall never    
truly grasp the blessed meaning of ,his 
life on earth until we look upon it all 

as the revelation of ,god4 ,the tears of
 ,christ are the pity of ,god4 ,the     
gentleness of ,jesus is the             
long-suffering of ,god4 ,the tenderness 
of ,jesus is the love of ,god4 ',he that
 hath seen ,me hath seen the ,father'2  
and all that life so beautiful but so   
anomalous as to be all but incredible1  
when we think of it as only the life of 
a man1 glows with a yet fairer beauty1  
and corresponds with the nature which it
 expresses1 when we think of it as being
 the declaration to us by the divine    
,son of the divine ,father--our         
loftiest1 clearest1 and authentic       
revelation of ,god4  ,how that thought  
lifts these words before us into a still
 higher region6 ,we are now in the      
presence of the solemn greatness of a   
divine love4 ,if the meaning of this    
saying is what we have suggested1 it is 
pathetic even in the lower aspect1 but  
how infinitely that pathos is deepened  
when we view it in the higher6  ,surely 
if ever there was a man who might have  

been supposed to be excluded from the   
love of ,god1 it was ,judas4 ,surely if 
ever there was a moment in a human life1
 when one might have supposed that even 
,christ's ever open heart would shut    
itself together against any one1 it was 
this moment4 ,but no1 the betrayer in   
the very instant of his treason has that
 changeless tenderness lingering around 
him1 and that merciful hand beckoning to
 him still4  ,and have we not a right to
 generalise this wonderful fact1 and to 
declare its teaching to be--that the    
love of ,god is extended to us all1 and 
cannot be made to turn away from us by  
any sins of ours8 ,sin is mighty2 it can
 work endless evils on us2 it can       
disturb and embitter all our relations  
with ,god2 it can1 as we shall presently
 have to point out1 make it necessary   
for the tenderest 'grace of ,god to come
 disciplining'--to 'come with a rod1'   
just because it comes in 'the spirit of 
meekness4' ,but one thing it cannot do1 
and that is--make ,god cease to love us4

 ,i suppose all human affection can be  
worn out by constant failure to evoke a 
response from cold hearts4 ,i suppose   
that it can be so nipped by frosts1 so  
constantly checked in blossoming1 that  
it shrivels and dies4 ,i suppose that   
constant ingratitude1 constant          
indifference can turn the warmest       
springs of our love to a river of ice4  
',can a mother forget her child8--,yea1 
she may forget4' ,but we have to do with
 a ,god1 whose love is ,his very being2 
who loves us not for reasons in us but  
in ,himself2 whose love is eternal and  
boundless as all ,his nature2 whose     
love1 therefore1 cannot be turned away  
by our sin--but abides with us for ever1
 and is granted to every soul of man4   
,dear brethren1 we cannot believe too   
firmly1 we cannot trust too absolutely1 
we cannot proclaim too broadly that     
blessed thought1 without which we have  
no hope to feed on for ourselves1 or to 
share with our fellows--the universal   
love of ,god in ,christ4  ,is there a   

worst man on earth at this moment8 ,if  
there be1 he1 too1 has a share in that  
love4 ,harlots and thieves1 publicans   
and sinners1 leprous outcasts1 and souls
 tormented by unclean spirits1 the      
wrecks of humanity whom decent society  
and respectable ,christianity passes by 
with averted head and uplifted hands1   
criminals on the gibbet with the rope   
round their necks--and those who are as 
hopeless as any of these1               
self-complacent formalists and          
',gospel-hardened professors'--all have 
a place in that heart4 ,and that1 not as
 undistinguished members of a class1 but
 as separate souls1 singly the objects  
of ,god's knowledge and love4 ,he loves 
all1 because ,he loves each4 ,we are not
 massed together in ,his view1 nor in   
,his regard4 ,he does not lose the      
details in the whole2 as we1 looking on 
some great crowd of upturned faces1 are 
conscious of all but recognise no single
 one4 ,he does not love a class--a      
world--but ,he loves the single souls   

that make it up--you and me1 and every  
one of the millions that we throw       
together in the vague phrase1 'the      
race4' ,let us individualise that love  
in our thoughts as it individualises us 
in its outflow--and make our own the    
'exceeding broad' promises1 which       
include us1 too4 ',god loves me2 ,christ
 gave ,himself for me4 ,i have a place  
in that royal1 tender heart4'  ,nor     
should any sin make us doubt this4 ,he  
loved us with exceeding love1 even when 
we were 'dead in trespasses4' ,he did   
not begin to love because of anything in
 us2 ,he will not cease because of      
anything in us4 ,we change2 ',he abideth
 faithful1 ,he cannot deny ,himself4'   
,as the sunshine pours down as willingly
 and abundantly on filth and dunghills1 
as on gold that glitters in its beam1   
and jewels that flash back its lustre1  
so the light and warmth of that         
unsetting and unexhausted source of life
 pours down 'on the unthankful and on   
the good4' ,the great ocean clasps some 

black and barren crag that frowns       
against it1 as closely as with its waves
 it kisses some fair strand enamelled   
with flowers and fragrant with perfumes4
 ,so that sea of love in which we 'live1
 and move1 and have our being1'         
encircles the worst with abundant flow4 
,he ,himself sets us the pattern1 which 
to imitate is to be the children of 'our
 ,father which is in heaven1' in that   
,he loves ,his enemies1 blessing them   
that curse1 and doing good to them that 
hate4 ,he ,himself is what ,he has      
enjoined us to be1 in that ,he feeds    
,his enemies when they hunger1 and when 
they thirst gives them drink1 heaping   
coals of fire on their heads1 and       
seeking to kindle in them thereby the   
glow of answering love1 not being       
overcome of their evil1 so that ,he     
repays hate with hate and scorn with    
scorn1 but in patient continuance of    
loving kindness seeking to overcome evil
 with good4 ,he is ,himself that        
'charity' which 'is not easily provoked1

 is not soon angry1 beareth all things1 
hopeth all things1 and never faileth4'  
,his love is mightier than all our sins1
 and waits not on our merits1 nor is    
turned away by our iniquities4 ',god so 
loved the world that ,he gave ,his      
only-begotten ,son1 that whosoever      
believeth in ,him should not perish1 but
 have everlasting life4'  ,,ii4 ,then1  
secondly1 we have here--the pleading of 
,christ's patient love4  ,i have been   
trying to say as broadly and strongly as
 ,i can1 that our sins do not turn away 
the love of ,god in ,christ from us4    
,the more earnestly we believe and      
proclaim that1 the more needful is it to
 set forth distinctly--and that not as  
limiting1 but as explaining the         
truth--the other thought1 that the sin  
which does not avert1 does modify the   
expression of1 the love of ,god4 ,man's 
sin compels ,him to do what the prophet 
calls his 'strange work'--the work which
 is not dear to ,his heart1 nor natural1
 if one may so say1 to ,his hands--,his 

work of judgment4  ,the love of ,christ 
has to come to sinful men with patient  
pleading and remonstrance1 that it may  
enter their hearts and give its         
blessings4 ,we are familiar with a      
modern work of art in which that        
long-suffering appeal is wonderfully    
portrayed4 ,he who is the ,light of the 
world stands1 girded with the royal     
mantle clasped with the priestly        
breastplate1 bearing in ,his hand the   
lamp of truth1 and there1 amidst the dew
 of night and the rank hemlock1 ,he     
pleads for entrance at the closed door  
which has no handle on its outer side1  
and is hinged to open only from within4 
',i stand at the door and knock4 ,if any
 man open the door1 ,i will come in4'   
,and in this incident before us1 we see 
represented not only the endless        
patience of ,god's pitying love1 but the
 method which it needs to take in order 
to reach the heart4  ,there is an appeal
 to the traitor's heart1 and an appeal  
to his conscience4 ,christ would have   

him think of the relations that have so 
long subsisted between them2 and ,he    
would have him think1 too1 of the real  
nature of the deed he is doing1 or1     
perhaps1 of the motives that impel him4 
,the grave1 sad word1 by which ,he      
addresses him1 is meant to smite upon   
his heart4 ,the sharp question which ,he
 puts to him is meant to wake up his    
conscience2 and both taken together     
represent the two chief classes of      
remonstrance which ,he brings to bear   
upon us all--the two great batteries    
from which ,he assails the fortress of  
our sins4  ,there is first1             
then--,christ's appeal to the heart4 ,he
 tries to make ,judas feel the          
considerations that should restrain him4
 ,the appellation by which our ,lord    
addresses him does not in the original  
convey quite so strongly the idea of    
amity1 as our word ',friend' does4 ,it  
is not the same as that which ,he had   
used a few hours before in the upper    
chamber1 when ,he said1 ',henceforth ,i 

call you not servants1 but ,i have      
called you friends4--,ye are ,my friends
 if ye do whatsoever ,i command you4'   
,it is the same as is put into the lips 
of the ,lord of the vineyard1           
remonstrating with his jealous labourer1
 ',friend1 ,i do thee no wrong4' ,there 
is a tone1 then1 of less intimate       
association and graver rebuke in it than
 in that name with which ,he honours    
those who make ,his will theirs1 and    
,his word the law of their lives4 ,it   
does not speak of close confidence1 but 
it does suggest companionship and       
kindness on the part of the speaker4    
,there is rebuke in it1 but it is rebuke
 which derives its whole force from the 
remembrance of ancient concord and      
connection4 ,our ,lord would recall to  
the memory of the betrayer the days in  
which they had taken sweet counsel      
together4 ,it is as if ,he had          
said--',hast thou forgotten all our     
former intercourse8 ,thou hast eaten ,my
 bread1 thou hast been ,mine own        

familiar friend1 in whom ,i             
trusted--canst thou lift up thy heel    
against ,me8' ,what happy hours of quiet
 fellowship on many a journey1 of rest  
together after many a day of toil1 what 
forgotten thoughts of the loving        
devotion and the glow of glad           
consecration that he had once felt1 what
 a long series of proofs of ,christ's   
gentle goodness and meek wisdom should  
have sprung again to remembrance at such
 an appeal6 ,and how black and dastardly
 would his guilt have seemed if once he 
had ventured to remember what unexampled
 friendship he was sinning against6  ,is
 it not so with us all1 dear brethren8  
,all our evils are betrayals of ,christ1
 and all our betrayals of ,christ are   
sins against a perfect friendship and an
 unvaried goodness4 ,we1 too1 have sat  
at ,his table1 heard ,his wisdom1 seen  
,his miracles1 listened to ,his         
pleadings1 have had a place in ,his     
heart2 and if we turn away from ,him to 
do our own pleasure1 and sell ,his love 

for a handful of silver1 we need not    
cherish shuddering abhorrence against   
that poor wretch who gave ,him up to the
 cross4 ,oh6 if we could see aright1 we 
should see our ,saviour's meek1 sad face
 standing between us and each of our    
sins1 with warning in the pitying eyes1 
and ,his pleading voice would sound in  
our ears1 appealing to us by loving     
remembrances of ,his ancient friendship1
 to turn from the evil which is treason 
against ,him1 and wounds ,his heart as  
much as it harms ours4 ,take heed lest  
in condemning the traitor we doom       
ourselves4 ,if we flush into anger at   
the meanness of his crime1 and declare1 
',he shall surely die1' do we not hear a
 prophet's voice saying to each1 ',thou 
art the man'8  ,the loving hand laid on 
the heart-strings is followed by a      
strong stroke on conscience4 ,the heart 
vibrates most readily in answer to      
gentle touches3 the conscience1 in      
answer to heavier1 as the breath that   
wakes the chords of an ,aeolian harp    

would pass silent through the brass of a
 trumpet4 ',wherefore art thou          
come8'--if to be taken as a question at 
all1 which1 as ,i have said1 seems most 
natural1 is either1 ',what hast thou    
come to do8'--or1 ',why hast thou come  
to do it8' ,perhaps it maybe fairly     
taken as including both4 ,but1 at all   
events1 it is clearly an appeal to      
,judas to make him see what his conduct 
really is in itself1 and possibly in its
 motive too4 ,and this is the constant  
effort of the love of ,christ--to get us
 to say to ourselves the real name of   
what we are about4  ,we cloak our sins  
from ourselves with many wrappings1 as  
they swathe a mummy in voluminous folds4
 ,and of these veils1 one of the        
thickest is woven by our misuse of words
 to describe the very same thing by     
different names1 according as we do it1 
or another man does it4 ,almost all     
moral actions--the thing to which we can
 apply the words right or wrong--have   
two or more names1 of which the one     

suggests the better and the other the   
worse side of the action4 ,for instance 
what in ourselves we call prudent regard
 for our own interest1 we call1 in our  
neighbour1 narrow selfishness2 what in  
ourselves is laudable economy1 in him is
 miserable avarice4 ,we are impetuous1  
he is passionate2 we generous1 he       
lavish2 we are clever men of business1  
he is a rogue2 we sow our wild oats and 
are gay1 he is dissipated4 ,so we cheat 
ourselves by more than half-transparent 
veils of our own manufacture1 which we  
fling round the ugly features and       
misshapen limbs of these sins of ours1  
and we are made more than ever their    
bond-slaves thereby4  ,therefore1 it is 
the office of the truest love to force  
us to look at the thing as it is4 ,it   
would go some way to keep a man from    
some of his sins if he would give the   
thing its real name4 ,a distinct        
conscious statement to oneself1 ',now ,i
 am going to tell a lie'--',this that ,i
 am doing is fraud'--',this emotion that

 ,i feel creeping with devilish warmth  
about the roots of my heart is          
revenge'--and so on1 would surely       
startle us sometimes1 and make us fling 
the gliding poison from our breast1 as a
 man would a snake that he found just   
lifting its head from the bosom of his  
robe4 ,suppose ,judas had answered the  
question1 and1 gathering himself up1 had
 looked his ,master in the face1 and    
said--',what have ,i come for8' ',i have
 come to betray ,thee for thirty pieces 
of silver6' ,do you not think that      
putting his guilt into words might have 
moved even him to more salutary feelings
 than the remorse which afterwards      
accompanied his tardy discernment of    
what he had done8 ,so the patient love  
of ,christ comes rebuking1 and smiting  
hard on conscience4 ',the grace of ,god 
that bringeth salvation to all men hath 
appeared disciplining'--and ,his hand is
 never more gentle than when it plucks  
away the films with which we hide our   
sins from ourselves1 and shows us the   

'rottenness and dead men's bones'       
beneath the whited walls of the         
sepulchres and the velvet of the        
coffins4  ,he must begin with rebukes   
that ,he may advance to blessing4 ,he   
must teach us what is separating us from
 ,him that1 learning it1 we may flee to 
,his grace to help us4 ,there is no     
entrance for the truest gifts of ,his   
patient love into any heart that has not
 yielded to ,his pleading remonstrance1 
and in lowly penitence has answered ,his
 question as ,he would have us answer   
it1 ',friend and ,lover of my soul1 ,i  
have sinned against ,thy tender heart1  
against the unexampled patience of ,thy 
love4 ,i have departed from ,thee and   
betrayed ,thee4 ,blessed be ,thy        
merciful voice which hath taught me what
 ,i have done6 ,blessed be ,thine       
unwearied goodness which still bends    
over me6 ,raise me fallen6 forgive me   
treacherous6 ,keep me safe and happy1   
ever true and near to ,thee6'  ,,iii4   
,notice the possible rejection of the   

pleading of ,christ's patient love4     
,even that appeal was vain4 ,here we are
 confronted with a plain instance of    
man's mysterious and awful power of     
'frustrating the counsel of ,god'--of   
which one knows not whether is greater1 
the difficulty of understanding how a   
finite will can rear itself against the 
,infinite ,will1 or the mournful mystery
 that a creature should desire to set   
itself against its loving ,maker and    
,benefactor4 ,but strange as it is1 yet 
so it is2 and we can turn round upon    
,sovereign ,fatherhood bidding us to its
 service1 and say1 ',i will not4' ,he   
pleads with us1 and we can resist ,his  
pleadings4 ,he holds out the mercies of 
,his hands and the gifts of ,his grace1 
and we can reject them4 ,we cannot cease
 to be the objects of ,his love1 but we 
can refuse to be the recipients of its  
most precious gifts4 ,we can bar our    
hearts against it4 ,then1 of what avail 
is it to us8 ,to go back to an earlier  
illustration1 the sunshine pours down   

and floods a world1 what does that      
matter to us if we have fastened up     
shutters on all our windows1 and barred 
every crevice through which the         
streaming gladness can find its way8 ,we
 shall grope at noontide as in the dark 
within our gloomy house1 while our      
neighbours have light in theirs4 ,what  
matters it though we float in the great 
ocean of the divine love1 if with pitch 
and canvas we have carefully closed     
every aperture at which the flood can   
enter8 ,a hermetically closed jar1      
plunged in the ,atlantic1 will be as dry
 inside as if it were lying on the sand 
of the desert4 ,it is possible to perish
 of thirst within sight of the fountain4
 ,it is possible to separate ourselves  
from the love of ,god1 not to separate  
the love of ,god from ourselves4  ,the  
incident before us carries another      
solemn lesson--how simple and easy a    
thing it is to repel that pleading love4
 ,what did ,judas do8 ,nothing2 it was  
enough4 ,he merely held his peace--no   

more4 ,there was no need for him to     
break out with oaths and curses1 to     
reject his ,lord with wild words4       
,silence was sufficient4 ,and for us--no
 more is required4 ,we have but to be   
passive2 we have but to stand still4    
,not to accept is to refuse2            
non-submission is rebellion4 ,we do not 
need to emphasise our refusal by any    
action--no need to lift our clenched    
hands in defiance4 ,we have simply to   
put them behind our backs or to keep    
them folded4 ,the closed hand must      
remain an empty hand4 ',he that         
believeth not is condemned4' ,my friend1
 remember that1 when ,christ pleads and 
draws1 to do nothing is to oppose1 and  
to delay is to refuse4 ,it is a very    
easy matter to ruin your soul4 ,you have
 simply to keep still when ,he says     
',come unto ,me'--to keep your eyes     
fixed where they were1 when ,he says1   
',look unto ,me1 and be ye saved1' and  
all the rest will follow of itself4     
,notice1 too1 how the appeal of         

,christ's love hardens where it does not
 soften4 ,that gentle voice drove the   
traitor nearer the verge over which he  
fell into a gulf of despair4 ,it should 
have drawn him closer to the ,lord1 but 
he recoiled from it1 and was thereby    
brought nearer destruction4 ,every      
pleading of ,christ's grace1 whether by 
providences1 or by books1 or by ,his own
 word1 does something with us4 ,it is   
never vain4 ,either it melts or it      
hardens4 ,the sun either scatters the   
summer morning mists1 or it rolls them  
into heavier folds1 from whose livid    
depths the lightning will be flashing by
 mid-day4 ,you cannot come near the most
 inadequate exhibition of the pardoning 
love of ,christ without being either    
drawn closer to ,him or driven further  
from ,him4 ,each act of rejection       
prepares the way for another1 which will
 be easier1 and adds another film to the
 darkness which covers your eyes1       
another layer to the hardness which     
incrusts your hearts4  ,again1 that     

silence1 so eloquent and potent in its  
influence1 was probably the silence of a
 man whose conscience was convicted     
while his will was unchanged4 ,such a   
condition is possible4 ,it points to    
solemn thoughts1 and to deep mysteries  
in man's awful nature4 ,he knew that he 
was wrong1 he had no excuse1 his deed   
was before him in some measure in its   
true character1 and yet he would not    
give it up4 ,such a state1 if constant  
and complete1 presents the most         
frightful picture we can frame of a     
soul4 ,that a man shall not be able to  
say1 ',i did it ignorantly'2 that       
,christ shall not be able to ground ,his
 intercession on1 ',they know not what  
they do'2 that with full knowledge of   
the true nature of the deed1 there shall
 be no wavering of the determination to 
do it--we may well turn with terror from
 such an awful abyss4 ,but let us       
remember that1 whether such a condition 
in its completeness is conceivable or   
not1 at all events we may approach it   

indefinitely2 and we do approach it by  
every sin1 and by every refusal to yield
 to the love that would touch our       
consciences and fill our hearts4  ,have 
you ever noticed what a remarkable      
verbal correspondence there is between  
these words of our text1 and some other 
very solemn ones of ,christ's8 ,the     
question that ,he puts into the lips of 
the king who came in to see his guests  
is1 ',friend1 how camest thou in hither1
 not having on a wedding garment8' ,the 
question asked on earth shall be        
repeated again at last4 ,the silence    
which once indicated a convinced        
conscience and an unchanged will may at 
that day indicate both of these and     
hopelessness beside4 ,the clear vision  
of the divine love1 if it do not flood  
the heart with joy and evoke the bliss  
of answering love1 may fill it with     
bitterness4 ,it is possible that the    
same revelation of the same grace may be
 the heaven of heaven to those who      
welcome it1 and the pain of hell to     

those who turn from it4 ,it is possible 
that love believed and received may be  
life1 and love recognised and rejected  
may be death4 ,it is possible that the  
vision of the same face may make some   
break forth with the rapturous hymn1    
',lo1 this is our ,god1 we have waited  
for ,him6' and make others call on the  
hills to fall on them and cover them    
from its brightness4  ,but let us not   
end with such words4 ,rather1 dear      
brethren1 let us yield to ,his patient  
beseechings2 let ,him teach us our evil 
and our sin4 ,listen to ,his great love 
who invites us to plead1 and promises to
 pardon--',come now1 and let us reason  
together1 saith the ,lord3 though your  
sins be as scarlet1 they shall be as    
white as snow2 though they be red like  
crimson1 they shall be as wool4'        
,,the ,,real ,,high ,,priest ,,and ,,his
 ,,counterfeit       ',and they that had
 laid hold on ,jesus led ,him away to   
,caiaphas the high priest1 where the    
scribes and the     elders were         

assembled4 #eh4 ,but ,peter followed    
,him afar     off unto the high priest's
 palace1 and went in1 and sat     with  
the servants1 to see the end4 #ei4 ,now 
the chief     priests1 and elders1 and  
all the council1 sought false           
witness against ,jesus1 to put ,him to  
death2 #fj4 ,but     found none3 yea1   
though many false witnesses came1 yet   
found they none4 ,at the last came two  
false witnesses1     #fa4 ,and said1    
,this fellow said1 ,i am able to destroy
     the temple of ,god1 and to build it
 in three days4     #fb ,and the high   
priest arose1 and said unto ,him1       
,answerest ,thou nothing8 what is it    
which these witness     against ,thee8  
#fc4 ,but ,jesus held ,his peace4 ,and  
the     high priest answered and said   
unto ,him1 ,i adjure ,thee     by the   
living ,god1 that ,thou tell us whether 
,thou be     the ,christ1 the ,son of   
,god4 #fd4 ,jesus saith unto him1       
,thou hast said3 nevertheless ,i say    
unto you1 ,hereafter     shall ye see   

the ,son of ,man sitting on the right   
hand     of power1 and coming in the    
clouds of heaven4 #fe4 ,then     the    
high priest rent his clothes1 saying1   
,he hath spoken     blasphemy2 what     
further need have we of witnesses8      
behold1 now ye have heard ,his          
blasphemy4 #ff4 ,what think     ye8     
,they answered and said1 ,he is guilty  
of death4     #fg4 ,then did they spit  
in ,his face1 and buffeted ,him2     and
 others smote ,him with the palms of    
their hands1     #fh4 ,saying1 ,prophesy
 unto us1 ,thou ,christ1 ,who is he     
that smote ,thee8'--,,matt4 xxvi4       
#eg-fh4  ,john's ,gospel tells us that  
,jesus was brought before ',annas       
first1' probably in the same official   
priestly residence as ,caiaphas1 his    
son-in-law1 occupied4 ,that preliminary 
examination brought out nothing to      
incriminate the prisoner1 and was       
flagrantly illegal1 being an attempt to 
entrap ,him into self-accusing          
statements4 ,it was baffled by ,jesus   

being silent first1 and subsequently    
taking ,his stand on the undeniable     
principle that a charge must be         
sustained by evidence1 not based on     
self-accusation4 ,annas1 having made    
nothing of this strange criminal1 'sent 
,him bound unto ,caiaphas4'  ,a meeting 
of the ,sanhedrin had been hastily      
summoned in the dead of night1 which was
 itself an illegality4 ,now ,jesus      
stands before the poor shadow of a      
judicial tribunal1 which1 though it was 
all that ,rome had left a conquered     
people1 was still entitled to sit in    
judgment on ,him4 ,strange inversion1   
and awful position for these formalists6
 ,and with sad persistence of bitter    
prejudice they proceeded to try the     
prisoner1 all unaware that it was       
themselves1 not ,him1 that they were    
trying4  ,they began wrongly1 and       
betrayed their animus at once4 ,they    
were sitting there to inquire whether   
,jesus was guilty or no2 they had made  
up their minds beforehand that ,he was1 

and their effort now was but to         
manufacture some thin veil of legality  
for a judicial murder4 ,so they 'sought 
false witness1 444 that they might put  
,him to death4' ,matthew simply says    
that no evidence sufficient for the     
purpose was forthcoming2 ,mark adds that
 the weak point1 was that the lies      
contradicted each other4 ,christ's      
presence has a strange1 solemn power of 
unmasking our falsehoods1 both of       
thought and deed1 and it is hard to     
speak evil of ,him before ,his face4 ,if
 ,his calumniators were confused when   
,he stood as ,prisoner1 what will they  
be when ,he sits as a ,judge8  ,only    
,matthew and ,mark tell us of the two   
witnesses whose twisted version of the  
word about 'destroying the ,temple and  
rebuilding it in three days' seemed to  
,caiaphas serious enough to require an  
answer4 ,their mistake was one which    
might have been made in good faith1 but 
none the less was their travesty 'false 
witness4' ,their version of ,his great  

word shows how easily the teaching of a 
lofty soul1 passed through the popular  
brain1 is degraded1 and made to mean the
 opposite of what he had meant by it4   
,for the destruction of the ,temple had 
appeared in the saying as the ,jews'    
work1 and ,jesus had presented ,himself 
in it as the ,restorer1 not the         
,destroyer1 of the ,temple and of all   
that it symbolised4 ,we destroy1 ,he    
rebuilds4 ,the murder of ,jesus was the 
suicide of the nation4 ,caiaphas and his
 council were even now pulling down the 
,temple4 ,and that murder was the       
destruction1 so far as men could effect 
it1 of the true ',temple of ,his body1' 
in which the fulness of the ,godhead    
dwelt1 and which was more gloriously    
reconstituted in the ,resurrection4 ,the
 risen ,christ rears the true temple on 
earth1 for through ,him the ,holy ,ghost
 dwells in ,his ,church1 which is       
collectively 'the ,temple1' and in all  
believing spirits1 which are            
individually 'the temples' of ,god4 ,so 

the false witnesses distorted into a lie
 a great truth4  ,the ,incarnate ,word  
was dumb all the while4 ,he 'was still  
and refrained' ,himself4 ,it was the    
silence of the ,king before a lawless   
tribunal of rebels1 of patient meekness1
 'as a sheep before her shearers'2 of   
innocence that will not stoop to defend 
itself from groundless accusations2 of  
infinite pity and forbearing love1 which
 sees that it cannot win1 but will not  
smite4 ,jesus is still silent1 but one  
day1 'with the breath of ,his lips shall
 ,he slay the wicked4' ,caiaphas seems  
to have been annoyed as well as         
surprised at ,jesus' silence1 for there 
is a trace of irritation1 as at         
'contempt of court1' in his words4 ,but 
our ,lord's continued silence appears to
 have somewhat awed him1 and the dawning
 consciousness of his dignity is1       
perhaps1 the reason for the high        
priest's casting aside all the foolery  
of false witnessing1 and coming at last 
to the real point1--the ,messianic      

claims of ,jesus4  ,caiaphas was doing  
his duty as high priest in inquiring    
into such claims1 but he was somewhat   
late in the day1 and he had made up his 
mind before he inquired4 ,what he wished
 to get was a plain assertion on which  
the death sentence could be pronounced4 
,jesus knew this1 and yet ,he answered4 
,but ,luke tells us that ,he first      
scathingly pointed to the unreality and 
animus of the question by saying1 ',if  
,i tell you1 ye will not believe4' ,but 
yet it was fitting that ,he should      
solemnly1 before the supreme court1     
representative of the nation1 declare   
that ,he was the ,messiah1 and that1 if 
,he was to be rejected and condemned1 it
 should be on the ground of that        
declaration4 ,before ,caiaphas ,he      
claimed to be ,messiah1 before ,pilate  
,he claimed to be ,king4 ,each rejected 
,him in the character that appealed to  
them most4 ,the many-sidedness of the   
perfect ,revealer of ,god brings ,him to
 each soul in the aspect that most      

loudly addresses each4 ,therefore the   
love in the appeal and the guilt in its 
rejection are the greater4  ,but        
,christ's self-attestation to the       
council was not limited to the mere     
claim to the name of ,messiah4 ,it      
disclosed the implications of that name 
in a way altogether unlike the          
conceptions held by ,caiaphas4 ,when    
,caiaphas put in apposition 'the        
,christ' and 'the ,son of ,god1' he was 
not speaking from the ordinary ,jewish  
point of view1 but from some knowledge1 
of ,christ's teaching1 and there are two
 charges combined into one4  ,but       
,jesus' answer1 while plainly claiming  
to be the ,messiah1 expands itself in   
regard to the claim to be ',son of      
,god1' and shows its tremendous         
significance4 ,it involves participation
 in divine authority and omnipotence4   
,it involves a future coming to be the  
,judge of ,his judges4 ,it declares that
 these blind scribes and elders will see
 ,him thus exalted1 and it asserts that 

all this is to begin then and there     
7'henceforth'71 as if that hour of      
humiliation was to ,his consciousness   
the beginning of ,his manifestation as  
,lord1 or1 as ,john has it1 'the hour   
that the ,son of ,man should be         
glorified4' ,nor must we leave out of   
sight the fact that it is 'the ,son of  
,man' of whom all this is said1 for     
thereby are indicated the raising of    
,his perfect humanity to participation  
in ,deity1 and the possibility that ,his
 brethren1 too1 may sit where ,he sits4 
,much was veiled in the answer to the   
council1 much is veiled to us4 ,but this
 remains1--that ,jesus1 at that supreme 
moment1 when ,he was bound to leave no  
misunderstandings1 made the plainest    
claim to divinity1 and could have saved 
,his life if ,he had not done so4       
,either ,caiaphas1 in his ostentatious  
horror of such impiety1 was right in    
calling ,christ's words blasphemy1 and  
not far wrong in inferring that ,jesus  
was not fit to live1 or ,he is the      

everlasting ',son of the ,father1' and  
will 'come to be our ,judge4'           
,,jesus ,,charged ,,with ,,blasphemy    
',then the high priest rent his clothes1
 saying1 ,he     hath spoken blasphemy2 
what further need have we of            
witnesses8'--,,matt4 xxvi4 #fe4  ,jesus 
was tried and condemned by two          
tribunals1 the ,jewish ecclesiastical   
and the ,roman civil4 ,in each case the 
charge corresponded to the ,court4 ,the 
,sanhedrin took no cognisance of1 and   
had no concern with1 rebellion against  
,caesar2 though for the time they       
pretended loyalty4 ,pilate had still    
less concern about ,jewish              
superstitions4 ,and so the investigation
 in each case turned on a different     
question4 ,in the one it was1 ',art     
,thou the ,son of ,god8' in the other1  
',art ,thou the ,king of ,israel8' ,the 
answer to both was a simple ',yes6' but 
with very significant differences4      
,pilate received an explanation2 the    
,sanhedrin none4 ,the ,roman governor   

was taught that ,christ's title of ,king
 belonged to another region altogether  
from that of ,caesar1 and did not in the
 slightest degree infringe upon the     
dominion that he represented4 ,but ',son
 of ,god' was capable of no explanation 
that could make it any less offensive2  
and the only thing to be done was to    
accept it or to condemn ,him4  ,so this 
saying of the high priest differs from  
other words of our ,lord's antagonists1 
which we have been considering in recent
 pages1 in that it is no distortion of  
our ,lord's characteristics or meaning4 
,it correctly understands1 but it       
fatally rejects1 ,his claims2 and does  
not hesitate to take the further step1  
on the ground of these1 of branding ,him
 as a blasphemer4  ,we may turn the high
 priest's question in another direction3
 ',what further need have we of         
witnesses8' ,these horror-stricken      
judges1 rending their garments in       
simulated grief and zeal1 and that      
silent ,prisoner1 knowing that ,his life

 was the forfeit of ,his claims1 yet    
saying no word of softening or          
explanation of them1 may teach us much4 
,they are witnesses to some of the      
central facts of the revelation of ,god 
in ,christ4 ,let us turn to these for a 
few moments4  ,i4 ,first1 then1 they    
witness to ,christ's claims4  ,the      
question that was proposed to ,jesus1   
',art ,thou the ,christ1 the ,son of the
 living ,god8' was suggested by the     
facts of ,his ministry1 and not by      
anything that had come out in the course
 of this investigation4 ,it was the     
summing up of the impression made on the
 ecclesiastical authorities of ,judaism 
by ,his whole attitude and demeanour4   
,and if we look back to ,his life we    
shall see that there were instances1    
long before this1 on which1 on the same 
ground1 the same charge was flung at    
,him4 ,for example1 when ,he would heal 
the paralytic1 and1 before ,he dealt    
with bodily disease1 attended to        
spiritual weakness1 and said1 ',thy sins

 be forgiven thee1' ere ,he said1 ',take
 up thy bed and walk1' there was a group
 of keen-eyed hunters after heresy      
sitting eagerly on the watch1 who       
snatched at the words in a moment1 and  
said1 ',who is this that forgiveth sins8
 ,no man forgiveth sins1 but ,god only6 
,this man speaketh blasphemies6' ,and   
they were right4 ,he did claim a divine 
prerogative2 and either the claim must  
be admitted or the charge of blasphemy  
urged4  ,again1 when ,he infringed      
,rabbinical ,sabbath law by a cure1 and 
they said1 ',this ,man has broken the   
,sabbath day1' ,his vindication was     
worse than ,his offence1 for ,he        
answered1 ',my ,father worketh hitherto1
 and ,i work4' ,and then they sought the
 more to kill ,him1 because ,he not only
 brake the ,sabbath1 but also called    
,god ,his own ,father1 making ,himself  
equal with ,god4' ,and again1 when ,he  
declared that the safety of ,his sheep  
in ,his hands was identical with their  
safety in ,his ,father's hands1 and     

vindicated the audacious parallelism by 
the tremendous assertion1 ',i and ,my   
,father are ,one1' the charge of        
blasphemy rang out2 and was inevitable1 
unless the claim was true4  ,these      
outstanding instances are but1 as it    
were1 summits that rise above the       
general level4 ,but the general level is
 that of ,one who takes an altogether   
unique position4 ,no one else1          
professing to lead men in paths of      
righteousness1 has so constantly put the
 stress of ,his teaching1 not upon      
morality1 nor religion1 nor obedience to
 ,god1 but upon this1 ',believe in ,me'2
 or ever pushed forward ,his own        
personality into the foreground1 and    
made the whole nobleness and blessedness
 and security and devoutness of a life  
to hinge upon that one thing1 its       
personal relation to ,him4  ,people talk
 about the sweet and gentle wisdom that 
flowed from ,christ's lips1 and so on2  
about the lofty morality1 about the     
beauty of pity and tenderness1 and all  

the other commonplaces so familiar to   
us1 and we gladly admit them all4 ,but  
,i venture to go a step further than all
 these1 and to say that the outstanding 
differentia1 the characteristic which   
marks off ,christ's teaching as         
something new1 peculiar1 and altogether 
per se1 is not its morality1 not its    
philanthropy1 not its meek wisdom1 not  
its sweet reasonableness1 but its       
tremendous assertions of the importance 
of ,himself4  ,and if ,i am asked to    
state the ground upon which such an     
assertion may be vindicated1 ,i would   
point you to such facts as these1 that  
this ,man took up a position of equality
 with1 and of superiority to1 the       
legislation which ,he and the people to 
whom ,he was speaking regarded as being 
divinely sent1 and said1 ',ye have heard
 that it hath been said to them of old  
time' so and so2 'but ,i say unto you'3 
that this ,man declared that to build   
upon ,his words was to build upon a     
rock2 that this ,man declared that      

,he--,he--was the legitimate object of  
absolute trust1 of utter submission and 
obedience2 that ,he claimed from ,his   
followers affiance1 love1 reverence     
which cannot be distinguished from      
worship1 and that ,he did not therein   
conceive that ,he was intercepting      
anything that belonged to the ,father4  
,this ,man professed to be able to      
satisfy the desires of every human heart
 when ,he said1 ',if any man thirst let 
him come to ,me and drink4' ,this ,man  
claimed to be able to breathe the       
sanctity of repose in the blessedness of
 obedience over all the weary and the   
heavy laden2 and assured them that ,he  
,himself1 through all the ages1 and in  
all lands1 and for all troubles1 would  
give them rest4 ,this ,man declared that
 ,he who stood there1 in the quiet homes
 of ,galilee1 and went about its acres  
with those blessed feet for our         
advantage1 was to be ,judge of the whole
 world4 ,this ,man said that ,his name  
was ',son of ,god'2 and this ,man       

declared1 ',he that hath seen ,me hath  
seen the ,father4'  ,and then people say
 to us1 ',oh6 your ,gospel narratives1  
even if they be the work of men in good 
faith1 telling what they suppose ,he    
said1 mistook the ,teacher2 and if we   
could strip away the accretion of       
mistaken reverence1 and come to the     
historical person1 we should find no    
claims like these4'  ,well1 this is not 
the time to enter into the large        
questions which that contention         
involves1 but ,i point you to the       
incident which makes my text1 and ,i    
say1 ',what need we any further         
witnesses8' ,nobody denies that ,jesus  
,christ was crucified as the result of a
 combination of ,sanhedrin and ,pilate4 
,what set the ,jewish rulers against    
,him with such virulent and murderous   
determination8 ,is there anything in the
 life of ,jesus ,christ1 if it is       
watered down as the people1 who want to 
knock out all the supernatural1 desire  
to water it down--is there anything in  

the life that will account for the      
inveterate acrimony and hostility which 
pursued ,him to the death8 ,the fact    
remains that1 whether or not            
,evangelists and ,apostles misconceived 
,his teaching when they gave such       
prominence to ,his personality and ,his 
lofty claims1 ,his enemies were under   
the same delusion1 if it were a         
delusion2 and the reason why the whole  
orthodox religionism of ,judaism        
rejoiced when ,he was nailed to the     
,cross was summed up in the taunt which 
they flung at ,him as ,he hung there1   
',if ,he be the ,son of ,god1 let ,him  
come down1 and we will believe ,him4'   
,so1 brethren1 ,i put into the          
witness-box ,annas and ,caiaphas and all
 their satellites1 and ,i say1 ',what   
need we any further witnesses8' ,he died
 because ,he declared that ,he was the  
,son of ,god4  ,and ,i beseech you ask  
yourselves whether we are not being put 
off with a maimed version of ,his       
teaching1 if there is struck out of it  

this its central characteristic1 that   
,he1 'the sage and humble1' declared    
that ,he was 'likewise ,one with the    
,creator4'  ,,ii4 ,secondly1 note how we
 have here the witness that ,jesus      
,christ assented always to the loftiest 
meaning that men attached to ,his       
claims4  ,i have already pointed out the
 remarkable difference between the      
explanations which ,he condescended to  
give to the ,roman governor as to the   
perfectly innocent meaning of ,his claim
 to be the ,king of ,israel1 and ,his   
silence before the ,sanhedrin4 ,that    
silence is only explicable because they 
rightly understood the meaning of the   
claim which they contemptuously and     
perversely rejected4 ,jesus ,christ knew
 that ,his death was the forfeit1 as ,i 
have said1 and yet ,he locked ,his lips 
and said not a word4  ,in like manner   
when1 on the other occasion to which ,i 
have already referred1 the ,pharisees   
stumbled at ,his claims to forgive sins1
 ,he said nothing to soften down that   

claim4 ,if ,he had meant then only what 
some people would desire to make ,him   
mean when ,he said1 ',thy sins be       
forgiven thee'--viz41 that ,he was      
simply acting as a minister of the      
divine forgiveness1 and assuring a poor 
sinner that ,god had pardoned him--why  
in common honesty1 in discharge of ,his 
plain obligations of a teacher1 did ,he 
not say so--not for ,his own sake1 but  
for the sake of preventing such a       
tremendous misunderstanding of ,his     
meaning8 ,but ,he let them go away with 
the conviction that ,he intended to     
claim a divine prerogative1 and         
vindicated the assertion by doing what  
only a divine power could do3 ',that ye 
may know that the ,son of ,man hath     
power enough on earth to forgive sins1  
,he saith unto the sick of the palsy1   
,take up thy bed and walk4' ,there was  
no need for ,him to have wrought a      
miracle to establish ,his right to tell 
a poor soul that ,god forgave sin4 ,and 
the fact that the miracle was supposed  

to be the demonstration and the         
vindication of ,his right to declare    
forgiveness shows that ,he was          
exercising that prerogative which       
belongs1 as they rightly said1 to ,god  
only4  ,and in precisely the same       
manner1 the commonest obligations of    
honesty1 the plain duty of a            
misunderstood ,teacher1 to say nothing  
of the duty of self-preservation1 ought 
to have opened ,his lips in the presence
 of the ,jewish authorities1 if they    
understood wrongly and set too high     
their estimate of the meaning of ,his   
claims4 ,his silence establishes the    
fact that they understood these aright4 
,and so1 all through ,his life1 we note 
this peculiarity1 that ,he never puts   
aside as too lofty for truth men's      
highest interpretations of ,his claims1 
nor as too lowly for their mutual       
relation the lowest reverence which     
bowed before ,him4 ,peter1 in the house 
of ,cornelius1 said1 ',stand up6 for ,i 
myself also am a man4' ,paul and        

,barnabas1 when the priests brought out 
the oxen and garlands to the gates of   
,lystra1 could say1 ',we also are men of
 like passions with yourselves4' ,but   
this meek ,jesus lets men fall at ,his  
feet2 and women wash them with their    
tears and wipe them with the hairs of   
their head2 and souls stretch out maimed
 hands of faith1 and grasp ,him as their
 only hope4 ,when ,his apostle said1    
',thou art the ,christ1 the ,son of the 
living ,god1' ,his answer was1 ',blessed
 art thou1 for flesh and blood hath not 
revealed it unto thee1' and when another
 exclaimed1 ',my ,lord and my ,god6'    
this ,pattern of all meekness accepted  
and endorsed the title1 and pronounced a
 benediction on all who1 not having seen
 ,him1 should hereafter attain a like   
faith4  ,now ,i want to know whether    
that characteristic1 which runs through 
all ,his life1 and is inseparable from  
it1 can be vindicated on any ground     
except the ground that ,he was ',god    
manifest in the flesh4' ,either ,jesus  

,christ had a greedy appetite for       
excessive adoration1 was a victim to    
diseased vanity and ever-present        
self-regard--the most damning charge    
that you can bring against a religious  
teacher--or ,he accepted love and       
reverence and trust1 because the love   
and the reverence and the trust knit    
souls to the ,incarnate ,god their      
,saviour4  ,,iii4 ,and so1 lastly we    
have here witness to the only           
alternative to the acceptance of ,his   
claims4  ,he hath spoken 'blasphemy1'   
not because ,he had derogated from the  
dignity of divinity1 but because ,he had
 presumed to participate in it4 ,and it 
seems to me1 with all deference1 that   
this rough alternative is the only      
legitimate one4 ,if ,jesus ,christ did  
make such claims1 and ,his relation to  
the ,jewish hierarchy and ,his death    
are1 as ,i have shown you1 apart even   
from the testimony of the ,evangelists1 
strong confirmation of the fact that ,he
 did--if ,jesus ,christ did make such   

claims1 and they were not valid1 one of 
two things follows4 ,either ,he believed
 them1 and then1 what about ,his sanity8
 or ,he did not believe them1 and then1 
what about ,his honesty8 ,in either     
case1 what about ,his claims to be a    
,teacher of religion8 ,what about ,his  
claims to be the ,pattern of humanity8  
,that part of ,his teaching and         
character is either the manifestation of
 ,his glory or it is like one of those  
fatal black seams that run through and  
penetrate into the substance of a fair  
white marble statue1 marring all the    
rest of its pale and celestial beauty4  
,brethren1 it seems to me that1 when all
 is said and done1 we come to one of    
three things about ,jesus ,christ4      
,either ',he blasphemeth' if ,he said   
these things1 and they were not true1 or
 ',he is beside ,himself' if ,he said   
these things and believed them1 or      
',thou art the ,king of ,glory1 ,o      
,christ2    ,thou art the everlasting   
,son of the ,father4'  ,now ,i know that

 there are many men who1 ,i venture to  
say1 are far better than their creed1   
and who1 believing it impossible to     
accept1 in their plain meaning1 the     
plain claims of ,jesus ,christ to       
divinity1 do yet cleave to ,him with a  
love and a reverence and an obedience   
which more orthodox men might well copy4
 ,and far be it from me to say one word 
which might seem even to quench the     
faintest beam of light that1 shining    
from ,his perfect character1 draws any  
heart1 however imperfectly1 to ,himself4
 ,only1 if ,i speak to any such at this 
time1 ,i beseech them to follow the     
light which draws them1 and to see      
whether their reverence for that fair   
character should not lead them to accept
 implicitly the claims that came from   
,his own lips4 ,i humbly venture to say 
that if we know anything at all about   
,jesus ,christ1 we know that ,he lived  
declaring ,himself to be the            
,everlasting ,son of the ,father1 and   
that ,he died because ,he did so declare

 ,himself4 ,and ,i beseech you to ponder
 the question whether reverence for ,him
 and admiration of ,his character can be
 logically and reasonably retained1 side
 by side with the repudiation of that   
which is the most distinctive part of   
,his message to men4  ,oh1 brethren1 if 
it is true that ,god has come in the    
flesh1 and that that sweet1 gracious1   
infinitely beautiful life is really the 
revelation of the heart of ,god1 then   
what a beam of sunshine falls upon all  
the darkness of this world6 ,then ,god  
is love2 then that love holds us all2   
did not shrink from dying for us1 and   
lives for ever to bless us4 ,if these   
claims are true1 what should our        
attitude be but that of infinite trust1 
love1 submission1 obedience1 and the    
shaping of our lives after the pattern  
of ,his life8  ,these rejectors1 when   
they said1 ',he speaketh blasphemies1'  
were sealing their own doom1 and the    
ruined ,temple and nineteen centuries of
 wandering misery show what comes to men

 who hear ,christ declaring that ,he is 
the ,son of the living ,god and the     
,judge of the world1 and who find       
nothing in the words but blasphemy4 ,on 
the other hand1 if we will answer ,his  
question1 ',whom say ye that ,i am8' as 
the apostle answered it1 we shall1 like 
the apostle1 receive a benediction from 
,his lips1 and be set on that faith as  
on a rock against which the 'gates of   
hell' shall not prevail4     ',,see     
,,thou ,,to ,,that6'       ',i have     
sinned in that ,i have betrayed the     
innocent     blood4 ,and they said1     
,what is that to us8 ,see thou to       
that4 #bd4 ,i am innocent of the blood  
of this just     ,person3 see ye to     
it4'--,,matt4 xxvii4 #d1 #bd4  ,so1 what
 the priests said to ,judas1 ,pilate    
said to the priests4 ,they              
contemptuously bade their wretched      
instrument bear the burden of his own   
treachery4 ,they had condescended to use
 his services1 but he presumed too far  
if he thought that that gave him a claim

 upon their sympathies4 ,the tools of   
more respectable and bolder sinners are 
flung aside as soon as they are done    
with4 ,what were the agonies or the     
tears of a hundred such as he to these  
high-placed and heartless transgressors8
 ,priests though they were1 and         
therefore bound by their office to help 
any poor creature that was struggling   
with a wounded conscience1 they had     
nothing better to say to him than this  
scornful gibe1 ',what is that to us8    
,see thou to that4'  ,pilate1 on the    
other hand1 metes to them the measure   
which they had meted to ,judas4 ,with   
curious verbal correspondence1 he       
repeats the very words of ,judas and of 
the priests4 ',innocent blood1' said    
,judas4 ',i am innocent of the blood of 
this just ,person1' said ,pilate4 ',see 
thou to that1' answered they4 ',see ye  
to it1' says he4 ,he tries to shove off 
his responsibility upon them1 and they  
are quite willing to take it4 ,their    
consciences are not easily touched4     

,fanatical hatred which thinks itself   
influenced by religious motives is the  
blindest and cruellest of all passions1 
knowing no compunction1 and utterly     
unperceptive of the innocence of its    
victim4  ,and so these three1 ,judas1   
the priests1 and ,pilate1 suggest to us1
 ,i think1 a threefold way in which     
conscience is perverted4 ,judas         
represents the agony of conscience1     
,pilate represents the shuffling        
sophistications of a half-awakened      
conscience1 and those priests and people
 represent the torpor of an altogether  
misdirected conscience4  ,i4 ,judas1 or 
the agony of conscience4  ',i have      
sinned in that ,i have betrayed the     
innocent blood4' ,we do not need to     
enter at any length upon the difficult  
question as to what were the motives of 
,judas in his treachery4 ,for my part ,i
 do not see that there is anything in   
the ,scripture narrative1 simply        
interpreted1 to bear out the hypothesis 
that his motives were mistaken zeal and 

affection for ,christ2 and a desire to  
force ,him to the avowal of ,his        
,messiahship4 ,one can scarcely suppose 
zeal so strangely perverted as to begin 
by betrayal1 and if the object was to   
make our ,lord speak out ,his claims1   
the means adopted were singularly       
ill-chosen4 ,the story1 as it stands1   
naturally suggests a much less          
far-fetched explanation4  ,judas was    
simply a man of a low earthly nature1   
who became a follower of ,christ1       
thinking that ,he was to prove a        
,messiah of the vulgar type1 or another 
,judas ,maccabus4 ,he was not attracted 
by ,christ's character and teaching4 ,as
 the true nature of ,christ's work and  
kingdom became more obvious1 he became  
more weary of ,him and it4 ,the closest 
proximity to ,jesus ,christ made eleven 
enthusiastic disciples1 but it made one 
traitor4 ,no man could live near ,him   
for three years without coming to hate  
,him if he did not love ,him4 ,then1 as 
ever1 ,he was set for the fall and for  

the rise of many4 ,he was the 'savour of
 life unto life1 or of death unto       
death4'  ,but be this as it may1 we have
 here to do with the sudden revulsion of
 feeling which followed upon the        
accomplished act4 ,this burst of        
confession does not sound like the words
 of a man who had been actuated by      
motives of mistaken affection4 ,he knows
 himself a traitor1 and that fair1      
perfect character rises before him in   
its purity1 as he had never seen it     
before--to rebuke and confound him4  ,so
 this exclamation of his puts into a    
vivid shape1 which may help it to stick 
in our memories and hearts1 this        
thought--what an awful difference there 
is in the look of a sin before we do it 
and afterwards6 ,before we do it the    
thing to be gained seems so attractive1 
and the transgression that gains it     
seems so comparatively insignificant4   
,yes6 and when we have done it the two  
change places2 the thing that we win by 
it seems so contemptible--thirty pieces 

of silver6 pitch them over the ,temple  
enclosure and get rid of them6--and the 
thing that we did to win them dilates   
into such awful magnitude6  ,for        
instance1 suppose we do anything that we
 know to be wrong1 being tempted to it  
by a momentary indulgence of some mere  
animal impulse4 ,by the very nature of  
the case1 that dies in its satisfaction 
and the desire dies along with it4 ,we  
do not wish the prize any more when once
 we have got it4 ,it lasts but a moment 
and is past4 ,then we are left alone    
with the thought of the sin that we have
 done4 ,when we get the prize of our    
wrong-doing1 we find out that it is not 
as all-satisfying as we expected it     
would be4 ,most of our earthly aims are 
like that4 ,the chase is a great deal   
more than the hare4 ,or1 as ,george     
,herbert has it1 ',nothing between two  
dishes--a splendid service of silver    
plate1 and when you take the cover off  
there is no food to eat--such are the   
pleasures here4'  ,universally1 this is 

true1 that sooner or later1 when the    
delirium of passion and the rush of     
temptation are over and we wake to      
consciousness1 we find that we are none 
the richer for the thing gained1 and oh6
 so infinitely the poorer for the means 
by which we gained it4 ,it is that old  
story of the ,veiled ,prophet that wooed
 and won the hearts of foolish maidens1 
and1 when he had them in his power in   
the inner chamber1 removed the silver   
veil which they had thought hid dazzling
 glory and showed hideous features that 
struck despair into their hearts4 ,every
 man's sin does that for him4 ,and to   
you ,i come now with this message3 every
 wrong thing that you do1 great or      
small1 will be like some of those hollow
 images of the gods that one hears of in
 barbarian temples--looked at in front1 
fair1 but when you get behind them you  
find a hollow1 full of dust and spiders'
 webs and unclean things4 ,be sure of   
this1 every sin is a blunder4  ,that is 
the first lesson that lies in these     

words of this wretched traitor2 but     
again1 here is an awful picture for us  
of the hell upon earth1 of a conscience 
which has no hope of pardon4 ,i do not  
suppose that ,judas was lost1 if he were
 lost1 because he betrayed ,jesus       
,christ1 but because1 having betrayed   
,jesus ,christ1 he never asked to be    
forgiven4 ,and ,i suppose that the      
difference between the traitor who      
betrayed ,him and the other traitor who 
denied ,him1 was this1 that the one1    
when 'he went out and wept bitterly1'   
had the thought of a loving ,master with
 him1 and the other1 when 'he went out  
and hanged himself1' had the thought of 
nothing but that foul deed glaring      
before him4 ,i pray you to learn this   
lesson--you cannot think too much1 too  
blackly1 of your own sins1 but you may  
think too exclusively of them1 and if   
you do they will drive you to madness of
 despair4  ,my dear friend1 there is no 
penitence or remorse which is deep      
enough for the smallest transgression2  

but there is no transgression which is  
so great but that forgiveness for it may
 come4 ,and we may have it for the      
asking1 if we will go to that dear      
,christ that died for us4 ,the          
consciousness of sinfulness is a        
wholesome consciousness4 ,i would that  
every man and woman listening to me now 
had it deep in their consciences1 and   
then ,i would that it might lead us all 
to that one ,lord in whom there is      
forgiveness and peace4 ,be sure of this1
 that if ,judas ,iscariot1 when his     
'soul flared forth in the dark1' died   
without hope and without pardon1 it was 
not because his crime was too great for 
forgiveness1 but because the forgiveness
 had never been asked4 ,there is no     
unpardonable sin except that of refusing
 the pardon that avails for all sin4    
,,ii4 ,so much1 then1 for this first    
picture and the lessons that come out of
 it4 ,in the next place we take ,pilate1
 as the representative of what ,i have  
ventured to call the shufflings of a    

half-awakened conscience4  ',i am       
innocent of the blood of this just      
,person1' says he3 'see ye to it4' ,he  
is very willing to shuffle off his      
responsibility upon priests and people1 
and they1 for their part1 are quite as  
willing to accept it2 but the           
responsibility can neither be shuffled  
off by him nor accepted by them4 ,his   
motive in surrendering ,jesus to them   
was probably nothing more than the low  
and cowardly wish to humour his         
turbulent subjects1 and so to secure an 
easy tenure of office4 ,for such an end 
what did one poor man's life matter8 ,he
 had a great contempt for the accusers1 
which he is scarcely at the pains to    
conceal4 ,it breaks out in half-veiled  
sarcasms1 by which he cynically         
indemnifies himself for his ignoble     
yielding to the constraint which they   
put upon him4 ,he knows perfectly well  
that the ,roman power has nothing to    
fear from this ,king1 whose kingdom     
rested on ,his witness to the ,truth4   

,he knows perfectly well that unavowed  
motives of personal enmity lie at the   
bottom of the whole business4 ,in the   
words of our text he acquits ,christ1   
and thereby condemns himself4 ,if       
,pilate knew that ,jesus was innocent1  
he knew that he1 as governor1 was guilty
 of prostituting ,roman justice1 which  
was ,rome's best gift to her subject    
nations1 and of giving up an innocent   
man to death1 in order to save himself  
trouble and to conciliate a howling mob4
 ,no washing of his hands will cleanse  
them4 ',all the perfumes of ,arabia will
 not sweeten that hand4 ,but his words  
let us see how a man may sophisticate   
his conscience and quibble about his    
guilt4  ,here1 then1 we get once more a 
vivid picture that may remind us of     
what1 alas6 we all know in our own      
experience1 how a man's conscience may  
be clearsighted enough to discern1 and  
vocal enough to declare1 that a certain 
thing is wrong1 but not strong enough to
 restrain from doing it4 ,conscience has

 a voice and an eye2 alas6 it has no    
hands4 ,it shares the weakness of all   
law1 it cannot get itself executed4 ,men
 will get over a fence1 although the    
board that says1 ',trespassers will be  
prosecuted' is staring them in the face 
in capital letters at the very place    
where they leap it4 ,your conscience is 
a king without an army1 a judge without 
officers4 ',if it had authority1 as it  
has the power1 it would govern the      
world1' but as things are1 it is reduced
 to issuing vain edicts and to saying1  
',thou shalt not1' and if you turn round
 and say1 ',i will1 though1' then       
conscience has no more that it can do4  
,and then here1 too1 is an illustration 
of one of the commonest of the ways by  
which we try to slip our necks out of   
the collar1 and to get rid of the       
responsibilities that really belong to  
us4 ',see ye to it' does not avail to   
put ,pilate's crime on the priests'     
shoulders4 ,men take part in evil1 and  
each thinks himself innocent1 because he

 has companions4 ,half-a-dozen men carry
 a burden together2 none of them fancies
 that he is carrying it4 ,it is like the
 case of turning out a platoon of       
soldiers to shoot a mutineer--nobody    
knows whose bullet killed him1 and      
nobody feels himself guilty2 but there  
the man lies dead1 and it was somebody  
that did it4 ,so corporations1 churches1
 societies1 and nations do things that  
individuals would not do1 and each man  
of them wipes his mouth and says1 ',i   
have done no harm4' ,and even when we   
sin alone we are clever at finding      
scapegoats4 ',the woman tempted me1 and 
,i did eat1' is the formula universally 
used yet4 ,the schoolboy's excuse1      
',please1 sir1 it was not me1 it was the
 other boy1' is what we are all ready to
 say4  ,now ,i pray you1 brethren1 to   
remember that1 whether our consciences  
try to shuffle off responsibility for   
united action upon the other members of 
the firm1 or whether we try to excuse   
our individual actions by laying blame  

on our tempers1 or whether we adopt the 
modern slang1 and talk about            
circumstances and heredity and the like1
 as being reasons for the diminution or 
the extinction of the notion of guilt1  
it is sophistical trifling2 and down at 
the bottom most of us know that we alone
 are responsible for the volition which 
leads to our act4 ,we could have helped 
it if we had liked4 ,nobody compelled us
 to keep in the partnership of evil1 or 
to yield to the tempter4 ,pilate was not
 forced by his subjects to give the     
commandment that 'it should be as they  
required4' ,they had their own burden to
 carry4 ,each man has to bear the       
consequences of his actions4 ,there are 
many 'burdens' which we can 'bear for   
one another1 and so fulfil the law of   
,christ'2 but every man has to bear as  
his own the burden of the fruits of his 
deeds4 ,in that harvest1 he that soweth 
and he that reapeth are one1 and each of
 us has to drink as we ourselves have   
brewed4 ,you have to pay for your share1

 however many companions you may have   
had in the act4  ,so do not you         
sophisticate your consciences with the  
delusion that your responsibility may be
 shifted to any other person or thing4  
,these may diminish1 or may modify your 
responsibility1 and ,god takes all these
 into account4 ,but after all these have
 been taken into account there is this  
left--that you yourselves have done the 
act1 which you need not have done unless
 you had so willed1 and that having done
 it1 you have to carry it on your back  
for evermore4 ',see thou to that1' was a
 heartless word1 but it was a true one4 
',every one of us shall give an account 
of himself to ,god1' and as the old     
,book of ,proverbs has it1 ',if thou be 
wise1 thou shalt be wise for thyself3   
and if thou scornest1 thou alone shalt  
bear it4'  ,,iii4 ,and so1 lastly1 we   
have here another group still--the      
priests and people4 ,they represent for 
us the torpor and misdirection of       
conscience4  ',then answered all the    

people and said1 ,his blood be on us and
 on our children4' ,they were perfectly 
ready to take the burden upon           
themselves4 ,they thought that they were
 'doing ,god service' when they slew    
,god's ,messenger4 ,they had no         
perception of the beauty and gentleness 
of ,christ's character4 ,they believed  
,him to be a blasphemer1 and they       
believed it to be a solemn religious    
duty to slay ,him then and there4 ,were 
they to blame because they slew a       
blasphemer8 ,according to ,jewish       
law--no4 ,they were to blame because    
they had brought themselves into such a 
moral condition that that was all which 
they thought of and saw in ,jesus       
,christ4 ,with their awful words they   
stand before us1 as perhaps the crowning
 instances in ,scripture history of the 
possible torpor which may paralyse      
consciences4  ,i need not dwell1 ,i     
suppose1 even for a moment1 upon the    
thought of how the highest and noblest  
sentiments may be perverted into        

becoming the allies of the lowest crime4
 ',o ,liberty6 what crimes have been    
done in thy name6' you remember one of  
the victims of the guillotine said1 as  
her last words4 ',o ,religion6 what     
crimes have been done in thy name6' is  
one of the lessons to be gathered from  
,calvary4  ,but1 passing that1 to come  
to the thing that is of more consequence
 to each of us1 let us take this        
thought1 dear brethren1 as to the awful 
possibility of a conscience going fast  
asleep in the midst of the wildest storm
 of passion1 like that unfaithful       
prophet ,jonah1 down in the hold of the 
heathen ship4 ,you can lull your        
consciences into dead slumber4 ,you can 
stifle them so that they shall not speak
 a word against the worst of your sins4 
,you can do so by simply neglecting     
them1 by habitually refusing to listen  
to them4 ,if you keep picking all the   
leaves and buds off the tree before they
 open1 it will stop flowering4 ,you can 
do it by gathering round yourself       

always1 and only1 evil associations and 
evil deeds4 ,the habit of sinning will  
lull a conscience faster than almost    
anything else4 ,we do not know how hot a
 room is1 or how much the air is        
exhausted1 when we have been sitting in 
it for an hour and a half4 ,but if we   
came into it from outside we should feel
 the difference4 ,styrian peasants      
thrive and fatten upon arsenic1 and men 
may flourish upon all iniquity and evil1
 and conscience will say never a word4  
,take care of that delicate balance     
within you2 and see that you do not     
tamper with it nor twist it4            
,conscience may be misguided as well as 
lulled4 ,it may call evil good1 and good
 evil2 it may take honey for gall1 and  
gall for honey4 ,and so we need         
something outside of ourselves to be our
 guide1 our standard4 ,we are not to be 
contented that our consciences acquit   
us4 ',i know nothing against myself1 yet
 ,i am not hereby justified1' says the  
apostle2 'he that judgeth me is the     

,lord4' ,and it is quite possible that a
 man may have no prick of conscience and
 yet have done a very wrong thing4 ,so  
we want1 as it seems to me1 something   
outside of ourselves that shall not be  
affected by our variations4 ,conscience 
is like the light on the binnacle of a  
ship4 ,it tosses up and down along with 
the vessel4 ,we want a steady light     
yonder on that headland1 on the fixed   
solid earth1 which shall not heave with 
the heaving wave1 nor vary at all4      
,conscience speaks lowest when it ought 
to speak loudest4 ,the worst man is     
least troubled by his conscience4 ,it is
 like a lamp that goes out in the       
thickest darkness4 ,therefore we need1  
as ,i believe1 a revelation of truth and
 goodness and beauty outside of         
ourselves to which we may bring our     
consciences that they may be enlightened
 and set right4 ,we want a standard like
 the authorised weights and measures    
that are kept in the ,tower of ,london1 
to which all the people in the little   

country villages may send up their yard 
measures and their pound weights1 and   
find out if they are just and true4 ,we 
want a ,bible1 and we want a ,christ to 
tell us what is duty1 as well as to make
 it possible for us to do it4  ,these   
groups which we have been looking at    
now1 show us how very little help and   
sympathy a wounded conscience can get   
from its fellows4 ,the conspirators turn
 upon each other as soon as the         
detectives are amongst them1 and there  
is always one of them ready to go into  
the witness-box and swear away the lives
 of the others to save his own neck4    
,wolves tear sick wolves to pieces4     
,round us there stand ,society1 pitiless
 and stern1 and ,nature1 rigid and      
implacable2 not to be besought1 not to  
be turned4 ,and when ,i1 in the midst of
 this universe of fixed law and cause   
and consequence1 wail out1 ',i have     
sinned1' a thousand voices say to me1   
',what is that to us8 ,see thou to      
that4' ,and so ,i am left with my       

guilt--it and ,i together4 ,there comes 
,one with outstretched1 wounded hands1  
and says1 ',cast all thy burden upon    
,me1 and ,i will free thee from it all4'
 ',surely ,he hath borne our griefs and 
carried our sorrows6' ,trust in ,him1 in
 ,his great sacrifice1 and you will find
 that ,his 'innocent blood' has a power 
that will liberate your conscience from 
its torpor1 its vain excuses1 its agony 
and despair4     ,,the ,,sentence       
,,which ,,condemned ,,the ,,judges      
,and ,jesus stood before the governor3  
and the governor     asked ,him1 saying1
 ,art ,thou the ,king of the ,jews8 ,and
     ,jesus said unto him1 ,thou sayest4
 #ab4 ,and when ,he was     accused of  
the chief priests and elders1 ,he       
answered     nothing4 #ac4 ,then said   
,pilate unto ,him1 ,hearest ,thou       
not how many things they witness against
 ,thee8 #ad4 ,and     ,he answered him  
to never a word2 insomuch that the      
governor marvelled greatly4 #ae4 ,now at
 that feast the     governor was wont to

 release unto the people a prisoner1    
whom they would4 #af4 ,and they had then
 a notable     prisoner1 called         
,barabbas4 #ag4 ,therefore when they    
were     gathered together1 ,pilate said
 unto them1 ,whom will ye     that ,i   
release unto you8 ,barabbas1 or ,jesus  
which is     called ,christ8 #ah4 ,for  
he knew that for envy they had          
delivered ,him4 #ai4 ,when he was set   
down on the judgment     seat1 his wife 
sent unto him1 saying1 ,have thou       
nothing     to do with that just man3   
for ,i have suffered many     things    
this day in a dream because of ,him4    
#bj4 ,but the     chief priests and     
elders persuaded the multitude that     
they should ask ,barabbas1 and destroy  
,jesus4 #ba4 ,the     governor answered 
and said unto them1 ,whether of the     
twain will ye that ,i release unto you8 
,they said1     ,barabbas4 #bb4 ,pilate 
saith unto them1 ,what shall ,i do      
then with ,jesus which is called        
,christ8 ,they all say     unto him1    

,let ,him be crucified4 #bc4 ,and the   
governor     said1 ,why1 what evil hath 
,he done8 ,but they cried out     the   
more1 saying1 ,let him be crucified4    
#bd4 ,when ,pilate     saw that he could
 prevail nothing1 but that rather a     
tumult was made1 he took water1 and     
washed his hands     before the         
multitude1 saying1 ,i am innocent of the
     blood of this just ,person3 see ye 
to it4 #be4 ,then     answered all the  
people1 and said1 ,his blood be on us1  
and on our children4 #bf4 ,then released
 he ,barabbas unto     them3 and when he
 had scourged ,jesus1 he delivered ,him 
to be crucified4'--,,st4 ,,matt4 xxvii4 
#aa-bf4  ,the principal figures in this 
passage are ,pilate and the ,jewish     
rulers and people4 ,jesus is all but    
passive4 ,they are busy in condemning   
,him1 and little know that they are     
condemning themselves4 ,they are        
unconsciously exemplifying the tragic   
truth of ,christ's saying1 ',whosoever  
shall fall on this stone shall be       

broken4' ,they do not dislodge it1 but  
their attempt to dislodge it wounds     
them4  ,i4 ,matthew gives a very summary
 account of our ,lord's appearing before
 ,pilate1 but1 brief as it is1 and much 
as it omits1 it throws up into strong   
light the two essential                 
points1--,christ's declaration that ,he 
was the ,king of the ,jews1 and ,his    
silence while a storm of accusations    
raged around ,him4 ,as to the former1 it
 was the only charge with which ,pilate 
was properly concerned4 ,he had a right 
to know whether this strange criminal   
was dangerous to ,rome1 because ,he     
claimed kingship1 and1 if he were       
satisfied that ,he was not1 his bounden 
duty was to liberate ,him4 ,one can     
understand the scornful emphasis which  
,pilate laid on ',thou' as he looked on 
his ,prisoner1 who certainly would not  
seem to his practical eyes a very       
formidable leader of revolt4 ,there is a
 world of contempt1 amused rather than  
alarmed1 in the question1 and behind it 

lies the consciousness of commanding    
legions enough to crush any rising      
headed by such a person4 ,john's account
 shows the pains which ,jesus took to   
make sure of the sense in which the     
question was asked before ,he answered  
it1 and then to make clear that ,his    
kingship bore no menace to ,rome4 ,that 
being made plain1 ,he answered with an  
affirmative4 ,just as ,he had in        
unmistakable language claimed before the
 ,sanhedrin to be the ,messiah1 the ,son
 of ,god1 so ,he claimed before ,pilate 
to be the ,king of ,israel1 answering   
each tribunal as to what each had the   
right to inquire into1 and thus 'before 
,pontius ,pilate witnessing the good    
confession1' and leaving both tribunals 
without excuse4 ,jesus died because ,he 
would not bate ,his claims to ,messianic
 dignity4 ,did ,he fling away ,his life 
for a false conception of ,himself8 ,he 
was either a dreamer intoxicated with an
 illusion1 and ,his death was suicide1  
or ,he was--what8  ,the one avowal was  

all that ,pilate was entitled to4 ,for  
the rest ,jesus locked ,his lips1 and   
,he whose very name was ,the ,word was  
silent4 ,what was the meaning of that   
silence8 ,it was not disdain1 nor       
unwillingness to make ,himself known2   
but it was partly merciful--inasmuch as 
,he knew that all speech would have been
 futile1 and would but have added to the
 condemnation of such hearers as        
,caiaphas1 ,herod1 and ,pilate--and     
partly judicial4 ,still more was it the 
silence of perfect1 unresisting         
submission1--'as a sheep before her     
shearers is dumb1 so ,he openeth not    
,his mouth4' ,and it is a pattern for   
us1 as ,peter tells us in his ,epistle2 
for it is with regard to this very      
matter of taking unjust suffering       
patiently and without resistance that   
the apostle says that ,jesus has 'left  
us an example4' ,there are limits to    
such silent endurance of wrong1 for     
,paul defended himself tooth and nail   
before priests and kings2 but ,christ's 

followers are strongest by meek         
patience1 and descend when they take a  
leaf out of their enemies' book4  ,,ii4 
,the next point is ,pilate's weak       
attempt to save ,jesus4 ,christ's       
silence had impressed ,pilate1 and1 if  
he had been a true man1 he would not    
have stopped at 'marvelling greatly4'   
,he was clearly convinced of ,christ's  
innocence of any crime that threatened  
,roman supremacy1 and therefore was     
bound to have given effect to his       
convictions1 and let ,jesus go4 ,he had 
read the motives of the priests1 which  
were too plain for a shrewd man of the  
world to be blind to them4 ,that ,jews  
should be taken with such a sudden fit  
of loyalty as to yell for the death of a
 fellow-countryman because he was a     
rebel against ,caesar was too absurd to 
swallow1 and ,pilate was not taken in4  
,he knew that something else was working
 below ground1 and hit on 'envy' as the 
solution4 ,he was not far wrong2 for the
 zeal which to the priests themselves   

seemed to be excited by devout regard   
for ,god's honour was really kindled by 
determination to keep their own         
prerogatives1 and keen insight into the 
curtailment of these which would follow 
if this ,jesus were recognised as       
,messiah4 ,pilate's diagnosis coincided 
with ,christ's in the parable3 ',this is
 the ,heir2 come1 let us kill ,him1 and 
the inheritance shall be ours4'  ,so1   
willing to deliver ,jesus1 and yet      
afraid to cross the wishes of his       
ticklish subjects1 ,pilate1 like other  
weak men1 tries a trick by which he may 
get his way and seem to give them       
theirs4 ,he hoped that they would choose
 ,jesus rather than ,barabbas as the    
object of the customary release4 ,it was
 ingenious of him to narrow the choice  
to one or other of the two1 ignoring all
 other prisoners who might have had the 
benefit of the custom4 ,but there is    
also1 perhaps1 a dash of sarcasm1 and a 
hint of his having penetrated the       
priests' motives1 in his confining their

 choice to ,jesus or ,barabbas2 for     
,barabbas was what they had charged     
,jesus with being1--a rebel2 and1 if    
they preferred him to ,jesus1 the       
hypocrisy of their suspicious loyalty   
would be patent4 ,the same sub-acid tone
 is obvious in ,pilate's twice          
designating our ,lord as ',jesus which  
is called ,christ4' ,he delights to     
mortify them by pushing the title into  
their faces1 as it were4 ,he dare not be
 just1 and he relieves and revenges     
himself by being cynical and mocking4   
,,iii4 ,having referred the choice to   
the 'multitude1' ,pilate takes his place
 on his official seat to wait for1 and  
then to ratify1 their vote4 ,in that    
pause1 he perhaps felt some compunction 
at paltering with justice1 which it was 
,rome's one virtue to administer4 ,how  
his wife's message would increase his   
doubt6 ,was her dream a divine warning1 
or a mere reflection in sleep of waking 
thoughts8 ,it is noticeable that        
,matthew records several dreams which   

conveyed ,god's will1--for example1 to  
,joseph and to the ,magi1 and here may  
be another instance2 or some tidings as 
to ,jesus may have reached the lady1    
though not her husband1 and her womanly 
sense of right may have shaped the      
dream1 and given her vivid impressions  
of the danger of abetting a judicial    
murder4 ,but ,matthew seems to tell of  
her intervention mainly in order to     
preserve her testimony to ,jesus'       
innocence1 and to point out one more of 
the fences which ,pilate trampled down  
in his dread of offending the rulers4 ,a
 wife's message1 conveying what both he 
and she probably regarded as a          
supernatural warning1 was powerless to  
keep him back from his disgraceful      
failure of duty4  ,,iv4 ,while he was   
fighting against the impression of that 
message1 the rulers were busy in the    
crowd1 suggesting the choice of         
,barabbas4 ,it was perhaps his wife's   
words that stung him to act at once1 and
 have done with his inner conflict4 ,so 

he calls for the decision of the        
alternative which he had already        
submitted4 ,his dignity would suffer1 if
 he had to wait longer for an answer4   
,he got it at once1 and the unanimous   
vote was for ,barabbas4 ,probably the   
rulers had skilfully manipulated the    
people4 ,the multitude is easily led by 
demagogues1 but1 left to itself1 its    
instincts are usually right1 though its 
perception of character is often        
mistaken4 ,why was ,barabbas preferred8 
,probably just because he had been cast 
into prison for sedition1 and so was    
thought to be a good patriot4 ,popular  
heroes often win their reputation by    
very questionable acts1 and ,barabbas   
was forgiven his being a murderer for   
the sake of his being a rebel4 ,but it  
was not so much that ,barabbas was loved
 as that ,jesus was hated1 and it was   
not the multitude so much as the rulers 
that hated him4 ,many of those now      
shrieking ',crucify ,him6' had shouted  
',hosanna6' a day or two before till    

they were hoarse4 ,the populace was     
guilty of fickleness1 blindness1        
rashness1 too easy credence of the      
crafty calumnies of the rulers4 ,but a  
far deeper stain rests on these rulers  
who had resisted the light1 and were now
 animated by the basest self-interest in
 the garb of keen regard for the honour 
of ,god4 ,there were very different     
degrees of guilt in the many voices that
 roared ',barabbas6'  ,pilate made one  
more feeble attempt to save ,jesus by   
asking what was to be done with ,him4   
,the question was an ignoble abdication 
of his judicial office1 and perhaps was 
meant as a salve for his own conscience1
 and an excuse to his wife1 enabling him
 to say1 ',i did not crucify ,him2 they 
did1'--a miserable pretext1 the last    
resort of a weak man1 who knew that he  
was doing a wrong and cowardly thing4   
,v4 ,the same nervous fear and vain     
attempt to shuffle responsibility off   
himself give tragic interest to his     
theatrical washing of his hands4 ,the   

one thing that he feared was a riot1    
which would be like a spark in a barrel 
of gunpowder1 if it broke out at the    
,passover1 when ,jerusalem swarmed with 
excited crowds4 ,to avoid that1 the     
sacrifice of one ,jew's life was a small
 matter1 even though he was an          
interesting and remarkable person1 and  
,pilate knew ,him to be perfectly       
harmless4  ,but no washing of hands     
could shift the guilt from ,pilate4     
',will all great ,neptune's ocean wash  
this blood    ,clean from my hand8 ,no4'
  ,his vain declaration of innocence is 
an acknowledgment of guilt1 for he is   
forced by conscience to declare that    
,jesus is a 'righteous ,man1' and1 as   
such1 ,he should have been under the    
broad shield of ,roman justice4 ,we too 
often deceive ourselves by throwing the 
blame of our sins on companions or      
circumstances1 and try to cheat our     
consciences into silence4 ,but our guilt
 is ours1 however many allies we have   
had1 and however strong have been our   

temptations2 and though we may say1 ',i 
am innocent1' ,god will sooner or later 
say to each of us1 ',thou art the man6' 
,the wild cry of passion with which the 
multitude accepted the responsibility   
has been only too completely fulfilled  
in the millennium-long ,iliad of woes   
which has attended the ,jews4 ,surely1  
the existence1 in such circumstances1   
for all these centuries1 of that        
strange1 weird1 fated race1 is a        
standing miracle1 and the most          
conspicuous proof that 'verily1 there is
 a ,god that judgeth in the earth4' ,but
 it is also a prophecy that ,israel     
shall 'turn to the ,lord1' and that the 
blood which has so long been on them as 
a crime1 carrying its own punishment1   
will at last be sprinkled on their      
hearts1 and take away their sin4        
,,the ,,crucifixion       ',and when    
they were come unto a place called      
,golgotha1     that is to say1 a place  
of a skull1 #cd4 ,they gave ,him        
vinegar to drink mingled with gall3 and 

when ,he had     tasted thereof1 ,he    
would not drink4 #ce4 ,and they         
crucified ,him1 and parted ,his         
garments1 casting lots3     that it     
might be fulfilled which was spoken by  
the     prophet1 ,they parted ,my       
garments among them1 and upon     ,my   
vesture did they cast lots4 #cf4 ,and   
sitting down     they watched ,him      
there2 #cg4 ,and set up over ,his head  
,his accusation written1 ,,this ,,is    
,,jesus ,,the ,,king ,,of ,,the         
,,jews4 #ch4 ,then were there two       
thieves crucified with     ,him1 one on 
the right hand1 and another on the left 
#ci4 ,and they that passed by reviled   
,him1 wagging their     heads1 #dj4 ,and
 saying1 ,thou that destroyest the      
temple1     and buildest it in three    
days1 save ,thyself4 ,if ,thou be       
the ,son of ,god1 come down from the    
cross4 #da4 ,likewise     also the chief
 priests mocking ,him1 with the scribes 
and elders1 said1 #db4 ,he saved others2
 ,himself ,he     cannot save4 ,if ,he  

be the ,king of ,israel1 let ,him now   
come down from the cross1 and we will   
believe ,him4     #dc4 ,he trusted in   
,god2 let ,him deliver ,him now1 if ,he 
will have ,him3 for ,he said1 ,i am the 
,son of ,god4     #dd4 ,the thieves     
also1 which were crucified with ,him1   
cast the same in ,his teeth4 #de4 ,now  
from the sixth hour     there was       
darkness over all the land unto the     
ninth     hour4 #df4 ,and about the     
ninth hour ,jesus cried with a     loud 
voice1 saying1 ,eli1 ,eli1 lama         
sabachthani8 that     is to say1 ,my    
,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken 
,me8     #dg4 ,some of them that stood  
there1 when they heard     that1 said4  
,this ,man calleth for ,elias4 #dh4 ,and
     straightway one of them ran1 and   
took a spunge1 and     filled it with   
vinegar1 and put it on a reed1 and gave 
,him to drink4 #di4 ,the rest said1 ,let
 be1 let us see     whether ,elias will 
come to save ,him4 #ej4 ,jesus1 when ,he
     had cried again with a loud voice1 

yielded up the ghost4'     --,,matt4    
xxvii4 #cc-ej4  ,the characteristic of  
,matthew's account of the crucifixion is
 its representation of ,jesus as        
perfectly passive and silent4 ,his      
refusal of the drugged wine1 ,his cry of
 desolation1 and ,his other cry at      
death1 are all ,his recorded acts4 ,the 
impression of the whole is 'as a sheep  
before his shearers is dumb1 so ,he     
openeth not ,his mouth4' ,we are bid to 
look on the grim details of the         
infliction of the terrible death1 and to
 listen to the mockeries of people and  
priests2 but reverent awe forbids       
description of ,him who hung there in   
,his long1 silent agony4 ,would that    
like reticence had checked the ill-timed
 eloquence of preachers and teachers of 
later days6  ,i4 ,we have the ghastly   
details of the crucifixion4--,conder's  
suggestion of the site of ,calvary as a 
little knoll outside the city1 seems    
possible4 ,it is now a low1 bare        
hillock1 with a scanty skin of          

vegetation over the rock1 and in its    
rounded shape and bony rockiness        
explains why it was called 'skull4' ,it 
stands close to the main ,damascus road1
 so that there would be many 'passers   
by' on that feast day4 ,its top commands
 a view over the walls into the temple  
enclosure1 where1 at the very hour of   
the death of ,jesus1 the ,passover lamb 
was perhaps being slain4 ,arrived at the
 place1 the executioners go about their 
task with stolid precision4 ,what was   
the crucifying of another ,jew or two to
 them8 ,before they lift the cross or   
fasten their prisoner to it1 a little   
touch of pity1 or perhaps only the      
observance of the usual custom1 leads   
them to offer a draught of wine1 in     
which some anodyne had been mixed1 to   
deaden agony4 ,but the cup which ,he had
 to drink needed that ,he should be in  
full possession of all ,his             
sensibilities to pain1 and of all ,his  
unclouded firmness of resolve2 and so   
,his patient lips closed against the    

offered mercy4 ,he would not drink      
because ,he would suffer1 and ,he would 
suffer because ,he would redeem4 ,his   
last act before ,he was nailed to the   
cross was an act of voluntary refusal of
 an opened door of escape from some     
portion of ,his pains4  ,what a gap     
there is between verses #cd and #ce6    
,the unconcerned soldiers went on to the
 next step in their ordinary routine on 
such an occasion1--the fixing of the    
cross and fastening of the victim to it4
 ,to them it was only what they had     
often done before2 to ,matthew1 it was  
too sacred to be narrated1 ,he cannot   
bring his pen to write it4 ,as it were1 
he bids us turn away our eyes for a     
moment2 and when next we look1 the deed 
is done1 and there stands the cross1 and
 the ,lord hanging1 dumb and            
unresisting1 on it4 ,we see not ,him1   
but the soldiers1 busy at their next    
task4 ,so little were they touched by   
compassion or awe1 that they paid no    
heed to ,him1 and suspended their work  

to make sure of their perquisites1--the 
poor robes which they stripped from ,his
 body4 ,thus gently ,matthew hints at   
the ignominy of exposure attendant on   
crucifixion1 and gives the measure of   
the hard stolidity of the guards4 ,gain 
had been their first thought1 comfort   
was their second4 ,they were a little   
tired with their march and their work1  
and they had to stop there on guard for 
an indefinite time1 with nothing to do  
but two more prisoners to crucify3 so   
they take a rest1 and idly keep watch   
over ,him till ,he shall die4 ,how      
possible it is to look at ,christ's     
sufferings and see nothing6 ,these rude 
legionaries gazed for hours on what has 
touched the world ever since1 and what  
angels desired to look into1 and saw    
nothing but a dying ,jew4 ,they thought 
about the worth of the clothes1 or about
 how long they would have to stay there1
 and in the presence of the most        
stupendous fact in the world's history  
were all unmoved4 ,we too may gaze on   

the cross and see nothing4 ,we too may  
look at it without emotion1 because     
without faith1 or any consciousness of  
what it may mean for us4 ,only they who 
see there the sacrifice for their sins  
and the world's1 see what is there4     
,others are as blind as1 and less       
excusable than1 these soldiers who      
watched all day by the ,cross1 seeing   
nothing1 and tramped back at night to   
their barrack utterly ignorant of what  
they had been doing4 ,but their work was
 not quite done4 ,there was still a     
piece of grim mockery to be performed1  
which they would much enjoy4 ,the       
'cause1' as ,matthew calls it1 had to be
 nailed to the upper part of the cross4 
,it was tri-lingual1 as ,john tells     
us1--in ,hebrew1 the language of        
revelation2 in ,greek1 the tongue of    
philosophy and art2 in ,latin1 the      
speech of law and power4 ,the three     
chief forces of the human spirit gave   
unconscious witness to the ,king2 the   
three chief languages of the western    

world proclaimed ,his universal         
monarchy1 even while they seemed to     
limit it to one nation4 ,it was meant as
 a gibe at ,him and at the nation1 and  
as ,pilate's statement of the reason for
 his sentence2 but it meant more than   
,pilate meant by it1 and it was fitting 
that ,his royal title should hang above 
,his head2 for the cross is ,his throne1
 and ,he is the ,king of men because ,he
 has died for them all4 ,one more piece 
of work the soldiers had still to do4   
,the crucifixion of the two robbers     
7perhaps of ,barabbas' gang1 though less
 fortunate than he7 by ,christ's side   
was intended to associate ,him in the   
public mind with them and their crimes1 
and was the last stroke of malice1 as if
 saying1 ',here is your ,king1 and here 
are two of ,his subjects and ministers4'
 ,matthew says nothing of the triumph of
 ,christ's love1 which won the poor     
robber for a disciple even at that hour 
of ignominy4 ,his one purpose seems to  
be to accumulate the tokens of suffering

 and shame1 and so to emphasise the     
silent endurance of the meek ,lamb of   
,god4 ,therefore1 without a word about  
any of our ,lord's acts or utterances1  
he passes on to the next group of       
incidents4  ,,ii4 ,the mockeries of     
people and priests4 ,there would be many
 coming and going on the adjoining road1
 most of them too busy about their own  
affairs to delay long2 for crucifixion  
was a slow process1 and1 when once the  
cross has been lifted1 there would be   
little to see4 ,but they were not too   
busy to spit venom at ,him as they      
passed4 ,how many of these scoffers1 to 
whom death cast no shield round the     
object of their poor taunts1 had shouted
 themselves hoarse on the ,monday1 and  
waved palm branches that were not       
withered yet6 ,what had made the change8
 ,there was no change4 ,they were       
running with the stream in both their   
hosannas and their jeers1 and the one   
were worth as much as the other4 ,they  
had been tutored to cry1 ',blessed is   

,he that cometh6' and now they were     
tutored to repeat what had been said at 
the trial about destroying the temple4  
,the worshippers of success are true to 
themselves when they mock at failure4   
,they who shout round ,jesus1 when other
 people are doing it1 are only          
consistent when they join in the roar of
 execration4 ,let us take care that our 
worship of ,him is rooted in our own    
personal experience1 and independent of 
what rulers or influential minds today  
say of ,him4  ,a common passion levels  
all distinctions of culture and rank4   
,the reverend dignitaries echoed the    
ferocious ridicule of the mob1 whom they
 despised so much4 ,the poorest criminal
 would have been left to die in peace2  
but brutal laughter surged round the    
silent sufferer1 and showers of barbed  
sarcasms were flung at ,him4 ,the       
throwers fancied them exquisite jests1  
and demonstrations of the absurdity of  
,christ's claims2 but they were really  
witnesses to ,his claims1 and           

explanations of ,his sufferings4 ,look  
at them in turn1 with this thought in   
our minds4 ',he saved others2 ,himself  
,he cannot save1' was launched as a     
sarcasm which confuted ,his alleged     
miracles by ,his present helplessness4  
,how much it admits1 even while it      
denies6 ,then1 ,he did work miracles2   
and they were all for others1 never for 
,his own ends2 and they were all for    
saving1 never for destroying4 ,then1    
too1 by this very taunt ,his claim to be
 the ',saviour' is presupposed4 ,and so1
 ',physician1 heal ,thyself1' seemed to 
them an unanswerable missile to fling4  
,if they had only known what made the   
'cannot1' and seen that it was a 'will  
not1' they would have stood full in     
front of the great miracle of love which
 was before them unsuspected1 and would 
have learned that the not saving        
,himself1 which they thought blew to    
atoms ,his pretensions to save others1  
was really the condition of ,his saving 
a world4 ,if ,he is to save others ,he  

cannot save ,himself4 ,that is the law  
for all mutual help4 ,the lamp burns out
 in giving light1 but the necessity for 
the death of ,him who is the life of the
 world is founded on a deeper 'must4'   
,his only way of delivering us from the 
burden of sin is ,his taking it on      
,himself4 ,he has to 'bear our griefs   
and carry our sorrows1' if ,he is to    
bear away the sin of the world4 ,but the
 'cannot' derives all its power from    
,his own loving will4 ,the rulers' taunt
 was a venomous lie1 as they meant it4  
,if for 'cannot' we read 'will not1' it 
is the central truth of the ,gospel4    
,nor did they succeed better with their 
second gibe1 which made mirth of such a 
throne1 and promised allegiance if ,he  
would come down4 ,o blind leaders of the
 blind6 ,that death which seemed to them
 to shatter ,his royalty really         
established it4 ,his ,cross is ,his     
throne of saving power1 by which ,he    
sways hearts and wills1 and because of  
it ,he receives from the ,father        

universal dominion1 and every knee shall
 bow to ,him4 ,it is just because ,he   
did not come down from it that we       
believe on ,him4 ,on ,his head are many 
crowns2 but1 however many they be1 they 
all grow out of the crown of thorns4    
,the true kingship is absolute command  
over willingly submitted spirits2 and it
 is ,his death which bows us before ,him
 in raptures of glad love which counts  
submission1 liberty1 and sacrifice      
blessed4 ,he has the right to command   
because ,he has given ,himself for us1  
and ,his death wakes all-surrendering   
and all-expecting faith4  ,nor was the  
third taunt more fortunate4 ,these very 
religious men had read their ,bibles so 
badly that they might never have heard  
of ,job1 nor of the latter half of      
,isaiah4 ,they had been poring over the 
letter all their lives1 and had never   
seen1 with their microscopes1 the great 
figure of the ,innocent ,sufferer1 so   
plain there4 ,so they thought that the  
,cross demonstrated the hollowness of   

,jesus' trust in ,god1 and the rejection
 of ,him by ,god4 ,surely religious     
teachers should have been slow to scoff 
at religious trust1 and surely they     
might have known that failure and       
disaster even to death were no signs of 
,god's displeasure4 ,but1 in one aspect1
 they were right4 ,it is a mystery that 
such a life should end thus2 and the    
mystery is none the less because many   
another less holy life has also ended in
 suffering4 ,but the mystery is solved  
when we know that ,god did not deliver  
,him1 just because ,he 'would have      
,him1' and that the ,father's delight in
 the ,son reached its very highest point
 when ,he became obedient until death1  
and offered ,himself 'a sacrifice       
acceptable1 well pleasing unto ,god4'   
,,iii4 ,we pass on to the darkness1     
desolation1 and death4 ,matthew         
represents these three long hours from  
noon till what answers to our #c ,p4,m4 
as passed in utter silence by ,christ4  
,what went on beneath that dread veil1  

we are not meant to know4 ,nor do we    
need to ask its physical cause or       
extent4 ,it wrapped the agony from cruel
 eyes2 it symbolised the blackness of   
desolation in ,his spirit1 and by it    
,god draped the heavens in mourning for 
man's sin4 ,what were the onlookers     
doing then8 ,did they cease their       
mocking1 and feel some touch of awe     
creeping over them8    ',his brow was   
chill with dying1    ,and ,his soul was 
faint with loss4'  ,the cry that broke  
the awful silence1 and came out of the  
darkness1 was more awful still4 ,the    
fewer our words the better2 only we may 
mark how1 even in ,his agony1 ,jesus has
 recourse to prophetic words1 and finds 
in a lesser sufferer's cry voice for    
,his desolation4 ,further1 we may       
reverently note the marvellous blending 
of trust and sense of desertion4 ,he    
feels that ,god has left ,him1 and yet  
he holds on to ,god4 ,his faith1 as a   
man1 reached its climax in that supreme 
hour when1 loaded with the mysterious   

burden of ,god's abandonment1 ,he yet   
cried in ,his agony1 ',my ,god6' and    
that with reduplicated appeal4          
,separation from ,god is the true death1
 the 'wages of sin'2 and in that dread  
hour ,he bore in ,his own consciousness 
the uttermost of its penalty4 ,the      
physical fact of ,christ's death1 if it 
could have taken place without this     
desolation from the consciousness of    
separation from ,god1 would not have    
been the bearing of all the consequences
 of man's sins4 ,the two must never be  
parted in our grateful contemplations2  
and1 while we reverently abjure the     
attempt to pierce into that which ,god  
hid from us by the darkness1 we must    
reverently ponder what ,christ revealed 
to us by the cry that cleft it1         
witnessing that ,he then was indeed     
bearing the whole weight of a world's   
sin4 ,by the side of such thoughts1 and 
in the presence of such sorrow1 the     
clumsy jest of the bystanders1 which    
caught at the half-heard words1 and     

pretended to think that ,jesus was a    
crazy fanatic calling for ,elijah with  
his fiery chariot to come and rescue    
,him1 may well be passed by4 ,one little
 touch of sympathy moistened ,his dying 
lips1 not without opposition from the   
heartless crew who wanted to have their 
jest out4 ,then came the end4 ,the loud 
cry of the dying ,christ is worthy of   
record2 for crucifixion ordinarily      
killed by exhaustion1 and this cry was  
evidence of abundant remaining vitality4
 ,in accordance therewith1 the fact of  
death is expressed by a phrase1 which1  
though used for ordinary deaths1 does   
yet naturally express the voluntariness 
of ,christ4 ',he sent away ,his spirit1'
 as if ,he had bid it depart1 and it    
obeyed4 ,whether the expression may be  
fairly pressed so far or no1 the fact is
 the same1 that ,jesus died1 not because
 ,he was crucified1 but because ,he     
chose4 ,he was the ,lord and ,master of 
,death2 and when ,he bid ,his           
armour-bearer strike1 the slave struck1 

and the ,king died1 not like ,saul on   
the field of his defeat1 but a victor in
 and by and over death4     ,,the       
,,blind ,,watchers ,,at ,,the ,,cross   
',and sitting down they watched ,him    
there4'     --,,matt4 xxvii4 #cf4  ,our 
thoughts are1 rightly1 so absorbed by   
the central ,figure in this great       
chapter that we pass by almost unnoticed
 the groups round the cross4 ,and yet   
there are large lessons to be learned   
from each of them4 ,these rude soldiers1
 four in number1 as we infer from       
,john's ,gospel1 had no doubt joined    
with their comrades in the coarse       
mockery which preceded the sad          
procession to ,calvary2 and then they   
had to do the rough work of the         
executioners1 fastening the sufferers to
 the rude wooden crosses1 lifting these1
 with their burden1 filing them into the
 ground1 then parting the raiment4 ,and 
when all that is done they sit stolidly 
down to take their ease at the foot of  
the cross1 and idly to wait1 with eyes  

that look and see nothing1 until the    
sufferers die4 ,a strange picture2 and a
 strange thing to think of1 how they    
were so close to the great event in the 
world's history1 and had to stare at it 
for three or four hours1 and never saw  
anything6  ,the lessons that the        
incident teaches us may be very simply  
gathered together4  ,i4 ,first we infer 
from this the old truth of how ignorant 
men are of the real meaning and outcome 
of what they do4  ,these four ,roman    
soldiers were foreigners2 ,i suppose    
that they could not speak a word to a   
man in that crowd4 ,they had no means of
 communication with them4 ,they had had 
plenty of practice in crucifying ,jews4 
,it was part of their ordinary work in  
these troublesome times1 and this was   
just one more4 ,think of what a         
corporal's guard of rough ,english      
soldiers1 out in ,northern ,india1 would
 think if they were bidden to hang a    
native who was charged with rebellion   
against the ,british ,government4 ,so   

much1 and not one whit more1 did these  
men know of what they were doing2 and   
they went back to their barracks1 stolid
 and unconcerned1 and utterly ignorant  
of what they had been about4  ,but in   
part it is so with us all1 though in    
less extreme fashion4 ,none of us know  
the real meaning1 and none of us know   
the possible issues and outcome of a    
great deal of our lives4 ,we are like   
people sowing seed in the dark2 it is   
put into our hands and we sow4 ,we do   
the deed2 this end of it is in our      
power1 but where it runs out to1 and    
what will come of it1 lie far beyond our
 ken4 ,we are compassed about1 wherever 
we go1 by this atmosphere of mystery1   
and enclosed within a great ring of     
blackness4  ,and so the simple lesson to
 be drawn from that clear fact1 about   
all our conduct1 is this--let results   
alone4 ,never mind about what you cannot
 get hold of2 you cannot see to the     
other end1 and you have nothing to do   
with it4 ,you can see this end2 make    

that right4 ,be sure that the motive is 
right1 and then into whatever           
unlooked-for consequences your act may  
run out at the further end1 you will be 
right4 ,never mind what kind of harvest 
is coming out of your deeds1 you cannot 
forecast it4 ',thou soweth not that body
 that shall be1 but bare grain4444 ,god 
giveth it a body as it pleaseth ,him4'  
,let alone that profitless              
investigation1 the attempt to fashion   
and understand either the significance  
or the issues of your conduct1 and stick
 fast by this--look after your motive   
for doing it1 and your temper in doing  
it2 and then be quite sure1 ',thou shalt
 find it after many days1' and the fruit
 will be 'unto praise and honour and    
glory at the appearing of ,jesus        
,christ4'  ,,ii4 ,take another very     
simple and equally plain lesson from    
this incident1 viz41 the limitation of  
responsibility by knowledge4  ,these    
men1 as ,i said1 were ignorant of what  
they were doing1 and1 therefore1 they   

were guiltless4 ,christ ,himself said   
so3 ',they know not what they do4' ,but 
it is marvellous to observe that whilst 
the people who stood round the cross1   
and were associated in the act that led 
,jesus there1 had all degrees of        
responsibility1 the least guilty of the 
whole were the men who did the actual   
work of nailing ,him to the cross1 and  
lifting it with ,him upon it4 ,these    
soldiers were not half as much to blame 
as were many of the men that stood by2  
and just in the measure in which the    
knowledge or the possibility of         
knowledge increased1 just in that       
measure did the responsibility increase4
 ,the high priest was a great deal more 
to blame than the ,roman soldiers4 ,the 
rude tool that nailed ,christ to the    
cross1 the hammer that was held in the  
hand of the legionary1 was almost as    
much to blame as the hand that wielded  
it4 ,for the hand that wielded it had   
very little more knowledge than it had4 
,in so far as it was possible that these

 men might have known something of what 
they were doing1 in so far were they to 
blame2 but remember what a very1 very   
little light could possibly have shone  
upon these souls4 ,if there is no light 
there cannot be any shadow2 and if these
 men were1 as certainly they were1 all  
but absolutely ignorant1 and never could
 have been anything else1 of what they  
were doing1 then they were all but      
absolutely guiltless4 ,and so you come  
to this1 which is only a paradox to     
superficial thinkers1 that the men that 
did the greatest crime in the whole     
history of the world1 did it with all   
but clean hands2 and the people that    
were to be condemned were those who     
delivered 'the ,just ,one' into the     
hands of more lawless1 and therefore    
less responsible1 men4  ,so here is the 
general principle1 that as knowledge and
 light rise and fall1 so responsibility 
rises and falls along with them4 ,and   
therefore let us be thankful that we    
have not to judge one another1 but that 

we have all to stand before that        
merciful and loving tribunal of the ,god
 who is a ,god of knowledge1 and by whom
 actions are weighed1 as the ,old ,book 
has it--not counted1 but weighed4 ,and  
let us be thankful1 too1 that we may    
extend our charity to all round us1 and 
refrain from thinking of any man or     
woman that we can pronounce upon their  
criminality1 because we do not know the 
light in which they walk4  ,,iii4 ,and  
now the last lesson1 and the one that ,i
 most desire to lay upon your hearts1 is
 this1 how possible it is to look at    
,christ on the cross1 and see nothing4  
,for half a day there they sat1 and it  
was but a dying ,jew that they saw1 one 
of three4 ,a touch of pity came into    
their hearts once or twice1 alternating 
to mockery1 which was not savage because
 it was simply brutal2 but when it was  
all over1 and they had pierced ,his     
side1 and gone away back to their       
barracks1 they had not the least notion 
that they1 with their dim1 purblind     

eyes1 had been looking at the most      
stupendous miracle in the whole world's 
history1 had been gazing at the thing   
into which angels desired to look2 and  
had seen that to which the hearts and   
the gratitude of unconverted millions   
would turn for all eternity4 ,they laid 
their heads down on their pillows that  
night and did not know what had passed  
before their eyes1 and they shut the    
eyes that had served them so ill1 and   
went to sleep1 unconscious that they had
 seen the pivot on which the whole      
history of humanity had turned2 and been
 the unmoved witnesses of ',god manifest
 in the flesh1' dying on the cross for  
the whole world1 and for them4 ,what    
should they have seen if they had seen  
the reality8 ,they should have seen not 
a dying rebel but a dying ,christ2 they 
should have looked with emotion1 they   
should have looked with faith1 they     
should have looked with thankfulness4   
,any one who looks at that cross1 and   
sees nothing but a pure and perfect man 

dying upon it1 is very nearly as blind  
as the ,roman legionaries4 ,any one to  
whom it is only an example of perfect   
innocence and patient suffering has only
 seem an inch into the ,infinite2 and   
the depths of it are as much concealed  
from him as they were from them4 ,any   
one who looks with an unmoved heart1    
without one thrill of gratitude1 is     
nearly as blind as the rough soldiers4  
,he that looks and does not say--       
',my faith would lay her hand    ,on    
that dear head of ,thine2    ,while like
 a penitent ,i stand    ,and there      
confess my sin1'  has not learned more  
of the meaning of the ,cross than they  
did4 ,and any one who looks to it1 and  
then turns away and forgets1 or who     
looks at it and fails to recognise in it
 the law of his own life and pattern for
 his own conduct1 has yet to see more   
deeply into it before he sees even such 
portion of its meaning as here we can   
apprehend4  ,oh6 dear friends1 we all of
 us1 as the apostle says in one of his  

letters1 have had this ,christ          
'manifestly set forth before us as if   
painted upon a placard upon a wall' 7for
 that is the meaning of the picturesque 
words that he employs74 ,and if we look 
with calm1 unmoved hearts2 if we look   
without personal appropriation of that  
,cross and dying love to ourselves1 and 
if we look without our hearts going out 
in thankfulness and laying themselves at
 ,his feet in a calm rapture of         
life-long devotion1 then we need not    
wonder that four ignorant heathen men   
sat and looked at ,him for four long    
hours and saw nothing1 for we are as    
blind as ever they were4  ,you say1 ',we
 see4' ,do you see8 ,do you look8 ,does 
the look touch your hearts8 ,have you   
fathomed the meaning of the fact8 ,is it
 to you the sacrifice of the living     
,christ for your salvation8 ,is it to   
you the death on which all your hopes   
rest8 ,you say that you see4 ,do you see
 that in it8 ,do you see your only      
ground of confidence and peace8 ,and do 

you so see that1 like a man who has     
looked at the sun for a moment or two1  
when you turn away your head you carry  
the image of what you beheld still      
stamped on your eyeball1 and have it    
both as a memory and a present          
impression8 ,so is the cross            
photographed on your heart2 and is it   
true about us that every day1 and all   
days1 we behold our ,saviour1 and       
beholding ,him are being changed into   
,his likeness8 ,is it true about us that
 we thus bear about with us in the body 
'the dying of the ,lord ,jesus'8 ,if we 
look to ,him with faith and love1 and   
make ,his ,cross our own1 and keep it   
ever in our memory1 ever before us as an
 inspiration and a hope and a joy and a 
pattern1 then we see4 ,if not1 'for     
judgment am ,i come into the world1 that
 they which see not may see1 and that   
they which see might be made blind4'    
,for what men are so blind to the       
infinite pathos and tenderness1 power1  
mystery1 and miracle of the ,cross1 as  

the men and women who all their lives   
long have heard a ,gospel which has been
 held up before their lack-lustre eyes1 
and have looked at it so long that they 
cannot see it any more8  ,let us pray   
that our eyes may be purged1 that we may
 see1 and seeing may copy1 that dying   
love of the ever-loving ,lord4          
,,taunts ,,turning ,,to ,,testimonies   
'444 ,the chief priests mocking ,him 444
 said1 #db4 ,he     saved others2       
,himself ,he cannot save4 ,if ,he be the
     ,king of ,israel1 let ,him now come
 down from the cross1     and we will   
believe ,him4 #dc4 ,he trusted in ,god2 
let     ,him deliver ,him now1 if ,he   
will have ,him4'     --,,matt4 xxvii4   
#da-dc4  ,it is an old saying that the  
corruption of the best is the worst4    
,what is more merciful and pitiful than 
true religion8 ,what is more merciless  
and malicious than hatred which calls   
itself 'religious'8 ,these priests1 like
 many a persecutor for religion since1  
came to feast their eyes on the         

long-drawn-out agonies of their ,victim1
 and their rank tongues blossomed into  
foul speech4 ,characteristically enough1
 though they shared in the mockeries of 
the mob1 they kept themselves separate4 
,the crowd pressed near enough to the   
cross to speak their gibes to ,jesus2   
the dignified movers of the ignorant    
crowd stood superciliously apart1 and   
talked scoffingly about ,him4 ,whilst   
the populace yelled1 ',thou that        
destroyest the ,temple and buildest it  
in three days1 come down1' the chief    
priests1 with the scribes1 looked at    
each other with a smile1 and said1 ',he 
saved others2 ,himself ,he cannot save4'
   ,now1 these brutal taunts have       
lessons for us4 ,they witness to the    
popular impression of ,christ1 and what 
,his claims were4 ,he asserted ,himself 
to be a worker of miracles1 the         
,messiah-,king of ,israel1 the ,son of  
,god1 therefore ,he died4 ,and they     
witness to the misconception which ruled
 in the minds of these priests as to the

 relation of ,his claims to the ,cross4 
,they thought that it had finally burst 
the bubble1 and disposed once for all of
 these absurd and blasphemous           
pretensions4 ,was it credible that a man
 who possessed miraculous power should  
not1 in this supreme moment1 use it to  
deliver ,himself8 ,did not ',physician1 
heal ,thyself1' come in properly there8 
,would any of the most besotted         
followers of this pretender retain a rag
 of belief in ,his ,messiahship if ,he  
was crucified8 ,could it be possible    
that1 if there was a ,god at all1 ,he   
should leave a man that really trusted  
in ,him1 not to say who was really ,his 
,son1 to die thus8 ,a cracked mirror    
gives a distorted image4 ,the facts were
 seen1 but their relation was twisted4  
,if we will take the guidance of these  
gibes1 and see what is the real         
explanation to the anomaly that they    
suggest1 then we shall find that the    
taunts turn to ,him for a testimony1 and
 that 'out of the mouths of mockers     

there is 'perfected praise4' ,the stones
 flung at the ,master turn to roses     
strewed in ,his path4  ,i4 ,so1 then1   
first the ,cross shows us the ,saviour  
who could not save ,himself4  ,the      
priests did not believe in ,christ's    
miracles1 and they thought that this    
final token of his impotence1 as they   
took it to be1 was clear proof that the 
miracles were either tricks or mistakes4
 ,they saw the two things1 they fatally 
misunderstood the relation between them4
 ,let us put the two things together4   
,here1 on the one hand1 is a ,man who   
has exercised absolute authority in all 
the realms of the universe1 who has     
spoken to dead matter1 and it has       
obeyed2 who by ,his word has calmed the 
storm1 and hushed the winds by ,his     
word1 has multiplied bread1 has         
transmuted pale water into ruddy wine2  
who has moved omnipotent amongst the    
disturbed minds and diseased bodies of  
men1 who has cast ,his sovereign word   
into the depth and darkness of the      

grave1 and brought out the dead1        
stumbling and entangled in the          
grave-clothes4 ,all these are facts on  
the one side4 ,and on the other there is
 this--that there1 passive1 and1 to     
superficial eyes1 impotent1 ,he hangs   
the helpless ,victim of ,roman soldiers 
and of ,jewish priests4 ,the short and  
easy vulgar way to solve the apparent   
contradiction was to deny the reality of
 the one of its members2 to say         
',miracles8 ,absurd6 ,he never worked   
one1 or ,he would have been working one 
now4'  ,but let their error lead us into
 truth1 and let us grasp the relation of
 the two apparently contradictory facts4
 ',he saved others1' that is certain4   
,he did not 'save ,himself1' that is as 
certain4 ,was the explanation 'cannot'8 
,the priests by 'cannot' meant physical 
impossibility1 defect of power1 and they
 were wrong4 ,but there is a profound   
sense in which the word 'cannot' is     
absolutely true4 ,for this is in all    
time1 and in all human relations1 the   

law of service--sacrifice2 and no man   
can truly help humanity1 or an          
individual1 unless he is prepared to    
surrender himself in the service4 ,the  
lamp burns away in giving light4 ,the   
fire consumes in warming the hearth1 and
 no brotherly sympathy or help has ever 
yet been rendered1 or ever will be1     
except at the price of self-surrender4  
,now1 some people think that this is the
 whole explanation of our ,lord's       
history1 both in ,his life and in ,his  
death4 ,i do not believe that it is the 
whole explanation1 but ,i do believe it 
carries us some way towards the central 
sanctuary1 where the explanation lies4  
,and yet it is not complete or adequate1
 because1 to parallel ,christ's work    
with the work of any of the rest of us  
to our brethren1 however beautiful1     
disinterested1 self-oblivious1 and      
self-consuming it may be1 seems to      
me--,i say it with deference1 though ,i 
must here remember considerations of    
brevity and be merely                   

assertive--entirely to ignore the unique
 special characteristic of the work of  
,jesus ,christ--viz41 that it was the   
atonement for the sins of the world4 ,he
 could not bear away our sins1 unless   
the burden of them was laid on ,his own 
back1 and ,he carried our griefs1 our   
sorrows1 our diseases1 and our          
transgressions4 ',he saved others1      
,himself ,he cannot save4' ,but the     
impossibility was purely the result of  
,his own willing and obedient love2 or1 
if ,i put it in more epigrammatic form1 
the priests' 'cannot' was partially     
true1 but if they had said 'would not'  
they would have hit the mark1 and come  
to full truth4 ,the reason for ,his     
death becomes clear1 and each of the    
contrasted facts is enhanced1 when we   
set side by side the opulence and ease  
of ,his manifold miracles and the       
apparent impotence and resourcelessness 
of the passive ,victim on the cross4    
,that 'cannot' did not come from defect 
of power1 but from plenitude of love1   

and it was a 'will not' in its deepest  
depths4 ,for you will find scattered    
throughout ,scripture1 especially these 
,gospels1 indications from our ,lord's  
own lips1 and by ,his own acts1 that1 in
 the truest and fullest sense1 ,his     
sufferings were voluntary4 ',no man     
taketh it from me'--,he says about ,his 
life--',i have power to lay it down1 and
 ,i have power to take it again4' ,and  
once ,he did choose to flash out for a  
moment the always present power1 that we
 might learn that when it did not       
appear1 it was not because he could not1
 but because he would not4 ,when the    
soldiers came to lay their hands upon   
,him1 ,he presented ,himself before     
them1 saving them all the trouble of    
search1 and when ,he asked a question1  
and received the answer that it was ,he 
of whom they were in search1 there came 
one sudden apocalypse of ,his majesty1  
and they fell to the ground1 and lay    
there prone before ,him4 ,they could    
have had no power at all against ,him1  

except ,he had willed to surrender      
,himself to them4 ,again1 though it is  
hypercritical perhaps to attach         
importance to what may only be natural  
idiomatic forms of speech1 yet in this  
connection it is not to be overlooked   
that the language of all the            
,evangelists1 in describing the supreme 
moment of ,christ's death1 is congruous 
with the idea that ,he died neither from
 the exhaustion of crucifixion1 nor from
 the thrust of the soldier's spear1 but 
because ,he would4 ,for they all have   
expressions equivalent to that of one of
 them1 ',he gave up ,his spirit4' ,be   
that as it may1 the 'cannot' was a 'will
 not'2 and it was neither nails that    
fastened ,him to the tree1 nor violence 
that slew ,him1 but ,he was fixed there 
by ,his own steadfast will1 and ,he died
 because ,he would4 ,so if we rightly   
understand the 'cannot' we may take up  
with thankfulness the taunt which1 as ,i
 say1 is tuned to a testimony1 and      
reiterate adoringly1 ',he saved others1 

,himself ,he cannot save4'  ,,ii4 ,the  
,cross shows us the ,king on ,his       
throne4  ,to the priests it appeared    
ludicrous to suppose that a ,king of    
,israel should1 by ,israel1 be nailed   
upon the cross4 ',let ,him come down1   
and we will believe ,him4' ,they saw the
 two facts1 they misconceived their     
relation4 ,there was a relation between 
them1 and it is not difficult for us to 
apprehend it4  ,the ,cross is ,christ's 
throne4 ,there are two ways in which the
 tragedy of ,his crucifixion is looked  
at in the ,gospels1 one that prevails in
 the three first1 another that prevails 
in the fourth4 ,these two seem          
superficially to be opposite2 they are  
complementary4 ,it depends upon your    
station whether a point in the sky is   
your zenith or your nadir4 ,here it is  
your zenith2 at the antipodes it is the 
nadir4 ,in the first three gospels the  
aspect of humiliation1 degradation1     
inanition1 suffering1 is prominent in   
the references to the ,crucifixion4 ,in 

the fourth gospel the aspect of glory   
and triumph is uppermost4 ',even so must
 the ,son of ,man be lifted up'2 ',i1 if
 ,i be lifted up1 will draw all men unto
 ,me'2 ',now the hour is come that the  
,son of ,man should be glorified4' ,and 
it is ,his glory1 for on that ,cross    
,jesus ,christ manifests1 in            
transcendent and superlative form1 at   
once power and love that are boundless  
and divine4 ,the ,cross is the          
foundation of ,his kingdom4 ,in his     
great passage in ,philippians the       
,apostle brings together1 in the closest
 causal connection1 ,his obedience unto 
death1 the death of the ,cross1 and ,his
 exaltation and reception of 'the name  
that is above every name1 that at the   
name of ,jesus every knee should bow4'  
,the title over the ,cross was meant for
 a gibe4 ,it was a prophecy4 ,by the    
,cross ,he becomes the ',king1' and not 
only the ',king of the ,jews4' ,the     
sceptre that was put in ,his hand1      
though it was meant for a sneer1 was a  

forecast of a truth1 for ,he rules1 not 
with a rod of iron1 but with the reed of
 gentleness2 and the crown of thorns1   
that was pressed down on ,his wounded   
and bleeding head1 foretold for our     
faith the great truth that suffering is 
the foundation of dominion1 and that men
 will bow as to their ,king and ,lord   
before ,him who died for them1 with a   
prostration of spirit1 a loyalty of     
allegiance1 and an alertness of service1
 which none other1 monarch or superior1 
may even dream of attaining4 ,the ,cross
 establishes1 not destroys1 ,christ's   
dominion over men4  ,yes2 and that      
,cross wins their faith as nothing else 
can4 ,the blind priests said1 ',let ,him
 come down1 and we will believe ,him4'  
,precisely because ,he did not come     
down1 do sad and sorrowful and sinful   
hearts turn to ,him from the ends of the
 earth1 and from the distances of the   
ages pour the treasures of their trust  
and their love at ,his feet4 ,did you   
ever think how strange it is1 except    

with one explanation1 that the gibes of 
the priests did not turn out to be true8
 ,why is it that ,christ's shameful     
death did not burst the bubble1 as they 
thought it had done8 ,why is it that in 
,his case--and ,i was going to say1 and 
it would have been no exaggeration1 in  
,his case only--the death of the leader 
did not result in the dispersion of the 
led8 ,why is it that ,his fate and      
future were the opposite of that of     
multitudes of other pseudo-,messiahs1 of
 whom it is true that when they were    
slain their followers came to nought8   
,why8 ,there is only one explanation1 ,i
 think1 and that is that the death was  
not the end1 but that ,he rose again    
from the dead4 ,my brother1 you will    
either have to accept the ,resurrection1
 with all that comes from it1 or else   
you will have to join the ranks of the  
priests1 and consider that ,christ's    
death blew to atoms ,christ's           
pretensions4 ,if we know anything about 
,him1 we know that ,he asserted         

miraculous power1 ,messiahship1 and a   
filial relation to ,god4 ,these things  
are facts4 ,did ,he rise or did ,he not8
 ,if ,he did not1 ,he was an enthusiast4
 ,if ,he did1 ,he is the ,king to whom  
our hearts can cleave1 and to whom our  
loyalty is due4  ,,iii4 ,now1 lastly1   
the ,cross shows us the ,son1 beloved of
 the ,father4  ,the priests thought that
 it was altogether incredible that ,his 
devotion should have been genuine1 or   
,his claim to be the ,son of ,god should
 have any reality1 since the ,cross1 to 
their vulgar eyes1 disproved them both4 
,like all coarse-minded people1 they    
estimated character by condition1 but   
they who do that make no end of         
mistakes4 ,they had forgotten their own 
,prophecies1 which might have told them 
that 'the ,servant of the ,lord in whom'
 ,his 'heart delighted1' was a suffering
 ,servant4 ,but whilst they recognised  
the facts1 here again1 as in the other  
two cases1 they misconceived the        
relation4 ,we have the means of         

rectifying the distorted image4  ,we    
ought to know1 and to be sure1 that the 
,cross of ,christ was the very token    
that this was ,god's 'beloved ,son in   
whom ,he was well pleased4' ,if we dare 
venture on the comparison of parts of   
that which is all homogeneous and       
perfect1 we might say that in the moment
 of ,his death ,jesus ,christ was more  
than ever the object of the ,father's   
delight4  ,why8 ,it is not my purpose   
now to enlarge upon all the reasons     
which might be suggested4 ,let me put   
them together in a sentence or two4 ,in 
that ,cross ,jesus ,christ revealed ,god
 as ,god's heart had always yearned to  
be revealed1 infinite in love1          
pitifulness1 forbearance1 and pardoning 
mercy4 ,there was the highest           
manifestation of the glory of ,god4     
',what8' you say1 'a poor weak ,man1    
hanging on a cross1 and dying in the    
dark--is that the very shining apex of  
all that humanity can know of divinity8'
 ,yes1 for it is the pure manifestation 

that ,god is ,love4 ,therefore the whole
 sunshine of the ,father's presence     
rested on the dying ,saviour4 ,it was   
the hour when ,god most delighted in    
,him1 if ,i may venture the comparison1 
for the other reasons that then ,he     
carried filial obedience to its utmost  
perfection1 that then ,his trust in ,god
 was deepest1 even at the hour when ,his
 spirit was darkened by the cloud that  
the world's sin1 which ,he was carrying1
 had spread thunderous between ,him and 
the sunshine of the ,father's face4 ,for
 in that mysterious voice1 which we can 
never understand in its depths1 there   
were blended trust and desolation1 each 
in its highest degree3 ',my ,god6 my    
,god6 ,why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8'    
,and the ,cross was the complete        
carrying out of ,god's dearest purpose  
for the world1 that ,he might be 'just1 
and the justifier of him that believeth 
in ,jesus4' ,therefore1 then--,i was    
going to say as never before--was       
,christ ,his ,son1 in whom ,he          

delighted4  ,brethren1 let us1 led by   
the errors of these scoffers1 grasp the 
truths that they pervert4 ,let us see   
that weak ,man hanging helpless on the  
cross1 whose 'cannot' is the impotence  
of omnipotence1 imposed by ,his own     
loving will to save a world by the      
sacrifice of ,himself4 ,let us crown    
,him our ,king1 and let our deepest     
trust and our gladdest obedience be     
rendered to ,him because ,he did not    
come down from1 but 'endured1 the       
cross4' ,let us behold with wonder1 awe1
 and endless love the ,father not       
withholding ,his only ,son1 but         
'delivering ,him up to the death for us 
all1' and from the empty grave and the  
occupied ,throne let us learn how the   
,father by both proclaims to all the    
world concerning ,him hanging dying on  
the cross3 ',this is ,my beloved ,son1  
in whom ,i am well pleased4'     ,,the  
,,veil ,,rent       ',behold1 the veil  
of the ,temple was rent in twain from   
the top to the bottom4'--,,matt4 xxvii4 

#ea4  ,as ,i suppose we are all aware1  
the ,jewish ,temple was divided into    
three parts3 the ,outer ,court1 open to 
all2 the ,holy ,place1 to which the     
ministering priests had daily access to 
burn incense and trim the lamps2 and the
 ,holy of ,holies1 where only the ,high 
,priest was permitted to go1 and that   
but once a year1 on the great ,day of   
,atonement4 ,for the other three hundred
 and sixty-four days the shrine lay     
silent1 untrodden1 dark4 ,between it and
 the less sacred ,holy ,place hung the  
veil1 whose heavy folds only one man was
 permitted to lift or to pass4 ,to all  
others it was death to peer into the    
mysteries1 and even to him1 had he gone 
at another time1 and without the blood  
of the sacrifice1 death would have      
ensued4  ,if we remember all this and   
try to cast ourselves back in           
imagination to the mental attitude of   
the ordinary ,jew1 the incident of my   
text receives its true interpretation4  
,at the moment when the loud cry of the 

dying ,christ rung over the heads of the
 awestruck multitude1 that veil was1 as 
it were1 laid hold of by a pair of giant
 hands and torn asunder1 as the         
,evangelist says1 'from the top to the  
bottom4' ,the incident was a symbol4 ,in
 one aspect it proclaimed the end of the
 long years of ,israel's prerogative4   
,in another it ushered in an epoch of   
new relations between man and ,god4 ,if 
,jesus ,christ was what ,he said ,he    
was1 if ,his death was what ,he declared
 it to be1 it was fitting that it should
 be attended by a train of subordinate  
and interpreting wonders4 ,these were1  
besides that of my text1 the darkened   
sun1 the trembling earth1 the shivered  
rocks1 the open graves1 the rising      
saints--all of them1 in their several   
ways1 illuminating the significance of  
that death on ,calvary4  ,not less      
significant is this symbol of my text1  
and ,i desire now to draw your attention
 to its meanings4  ,i4 ,the rent veil   
proclaims the desecrated temple4  ,there

 is a striking old legend1 preserved by 
the somewhat mendacious historian of the
 ,jewish people1 that1 before ,jerusalem
 fell1 the anxious watchers heard from  
within the sanctuary a great voice      
saying1 ',let us depart hence6' and     
through the night were conscious of the 
winnowing of the mighty wings of the    
withdrawing cherubim4 ,and soon a ,roman
 soldier tossed a brand into the most   
,holy ,place1 and the 'beautiful house  
where their fathers praised was burned  
with fire4' ,the legend is pathetic and 
significant4 ,but that 'departing' had  
taken place forty years before2 and at  
the moment when ,jesus 'gave up the     
ghost1' purged eyes might have seen the 
long trail of brightness as the winged  
servitors of the ,most ,high withdrew   
from the desecrated shrine4 ,the veil   
rent declared that the sacred soil      
within it was now common as any foot of 
earth in ,galilee2 and its rending1 so  
to speak1 made way for a departing ,god4
  ,that conception1 that the death of   

,christ ,jesus was the                  
de-consecration--if ,i may coin a       
word--of the ,temple1 and the end of all
 its special sanctity1 and that         
thenceforward the ,presence had departed
 from it1 is distinctly enough taught us
 by ,himself in words which move in the 
same circle of ideas as that in which   
the symbol resides4444 ,you remember1 no
 doubt1 that1 if we accept the testimony
 of ,john's ,gospel1 at the very        
beginning of our ,lord's ministry ,he   
vindicated ,his authority to cleanse the
 sanctuary against the cavils of the    
sticklers for propriety by the          
enigmatical words1 ',destroy this       
,temple1 and in three days ,i will build
 it up1' to which the ,evangelist       
appends the comment1 ',he spake of the  
,temple of ,his body1' that body in     
which 'all the fulness of the ,godhead' 
dwelt1 and which was1 and is to-day1 all
 that the ,temple shadowed and foretold1
 the dwelling-place of ,god in humanity1
 the place of sacrifice1 the            

meeting-place between ,god and man4 ,but
 just because our ,lord in these dark   
words predicted ,his death and ,his     
resurrection1 ,he also hinted the       
destruction of the literal stone and    
lime building1 and its rearing again in 
nobler and more spiritual form4 ,when   
,he said1 ',destroy this ,temple1' ,he  
implied1 secondarily1 the destruction of
 the house in which ,he stood1 and laid 
that destruction1 whensoever it should  
come to pass1 at their doors4 ,and1     
inasmuch as the saying in its deepest   
depth meant ,his death by their violence
 and craft1 therefore1 in that early    
saying of ,his1 was wrapped up the very 
same truth which was symbolised by the  
rent veil1 and was bitterly fulfilled at
 last4 ,when they slew ,christ they     
killed the system under which they      
lived1 and for which they would have    
been glad to die1 in a zeal without     
knowledge2 and destroyed the very       
,temple on the distorted charge of being
 the destroyer of which1 they handed    

,him over to the ,roman power4  ,the    
death of ,christ is1 then1 the          
desecration and the destruction of that 
,temple4 ,of course it is2 because when 
a nation that had had millenniums of    
education1 of forbearance1 of           
revelation1 turned at last upon the very
 climax and brightest central light of  
all the ,revelation1 standing there     
amongst them in a bodily form1 there was
 nothing more to be done4 ,god had shot 
,his last arrow2 ,his quiver was empty4 
',last of all ,he sent unto them ,his   
,son1 saying1' with a wistful kind of   
half-confidence1 ',they will reverence  
,my ,son1' and the divine expectation   
was disappointed1 and exhaustless ,love 
was empty-handed1 and all was over4 ,he 
could turn to themselves and say1       
',judge between ,me and ,my vineyard4   
,what more could have been done that ,i 
have not done to it8' ,therefore1 there 
was nothing left but to let the angels  
of destruction loose1 and to call for   
the ,roman eagles with their            

broad-spread wings1 and their bloody    
beaks1 and their strong talons1 to      
gather together round the carcase4 ,when
 ,he gave up the ,ghost1 'the veil of   
the ,temple was rent in twain from the  
top to the bottom4'  ,a time of         
repentance was given4 ,it was possible  
for the most guilty participator in that
 judicial murder to have his gory hands 
washed and made white in the very blood 
that he had shed2 but1 failing          
repentance1 that death was the death of 
,israel1 and the destruction of         
,israel's ,temple4 ,let us take the     
lesson1 dear brethren4 ,if we turn away 
from that ,saviour1 and refuse the      
offered gifts of ,his love1 there is no 
other appeal left in the power of       
,heaven2 and there is nothing for it    
after that except judgment and          
destruction4 ,we can 'crucify the ,son  
of ,god afresh and put ,him to an open  
shame4' ,and the hearts that are        
insensitive1 as are some of our hearts1 
to that great love and grace1 are       

capable of nothing except to be         
pulverised by means of a judgment4      
,repentance is possible for us all1 but1
 failing that1 the continuance of       
rejection of ,christ is the pulling     
down1 on our own heads1 of the ruins of 
the ,temple1 like the ,israelitish hero 
in his blindness and despair4  ,,ii4    
,now1 secondly1 the rent veil means1 in 
another way of looking at the incident1 
light streaming in on the mystery of    
,god4  ,let me recall to your           
imaginations what lay behind that heavy 
veil4 ,in the ,temple1 in our ,lord's   
time1 there was no presence of the      
,shekinah1 the light that symbolised the
 divine presence4 ,there was the        
mercy-seat1 with the outstretched wings 
of the cherubim2 there were the dimly   
pictured forms on the tapestry hangings2
 there was silence deep as death2 there 
was darkness absolute and utter1 whilst 
the ,syrian sun was blazing down        
outside4 ,surely that is the symbol of  
the imperfect knowledge or illumination 

as to the divine nature which is over   
all the world4 ',the veil is spread over
 all nations1 and the covering over all 
people4' ,and surely that sudden1 sharp 
tearing asunder of the obscuring medium1
 and letting the bright sunlight stream 
into every corner of the dark chamber1  
is for us a symbol of the great fact    
that in the life1 and especially in the 
death1 of ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 we  
have light thrown in to the depths of   
,god4  ,what does that ,cross tell us   
about ,god that the world did not know8 
,and how does it tell us8 and why does  
it tell us8 ,it tells us of absolute    
righteousness1 of that in the divine    
nature which cannot tolerate sin2 of the
 stern law of retribution which must be 
wrought out1 and by which the wages of  
every sin is death4 ,it tells us not    
only of a divine righteousness which    
sees guilt and administers punishment1  
but it tells us of a divine love1       
perfect1 infinite1 utter1 perennial1    
which shrinks from no sacrifice1 which  

stoops to the lowest conditions1 which  
itself takes upon it all the miseries of
 humanity1 and which dies because it    
loves and will save men from death4 ,and
 as we look upon that dying ,man hanging
 on the cross1 the very embodiment and  
consummation of weakness and of shame1  
we have to say1 ',lo6 this is our ,god6 
,we have waited for ,him'--through all  
the weary centuries--'and ,he will save 
us4' ,how does it tell us all this8 ,not
 by eloquent and gracious thoughts1 not 
by sweet and musical words1 but by a    
deed4 ,the only way by which we can know
 men is by what they do4 ,the only way  
by which we know ,god is by what ,he    
does4 ,and so we point to that ,cross   
and say1 ',there6 not in words1 not in  
thoughts1 not in speculations1 not in   
hopes and fears and peradventures and   
dim intuitions1 but in a solid fact2    
there is the ,revelation which lays bare
 the heart of ,god1 and shows us its    
very throbbing of love to every human   
soul4' ',the veil was rent in twain from

 the top to the bottom4'  ,the ,cross   
will reveal ,god to you only if you     
believe that ,jesus ,christ was the     
,incarnate ,word4 ,brethren1 if that    
death was but the death of even the very
 holiest1 noblest1 sweetest1 perfectest 
soul that ever lived on earth and       
breathed human breath1 there is no      
revelation of ,god in it for us4 ,it    
tells us what ,jesus was1 and by a very 
roundabout inference may suggest        
something of what the divine nature is1 
but unless you can say1 as the ,new     
,testament says1 ',in the beginning was 
the ,word1 and the ,word was with ,god1 
and the ,word was ,god4444 ,and the     
,word was made flesh1 and dwelt among   
us1 and we beheld ,his glory1 the glory 
as of the only ,begotten of the ,father1
 full of grace and truth1' ,i fail to   
see how the death of ,christ can be a   
revelation of the love of ,god4  ,i need
 not occupy time in dilating upon the   
contrast between this solid certitude1  
and all that the world1 apart from      

,jesus ,christ1 has to lay hold of about
 ,god4 ,we want something else than mist
 on which to build1 and on which to lay 
hold4 ,and there is a substantial1 warm1
 flesh-and-blood hand1 if ,i may so say1
 put out to us through the mist when we 
believe in ,christ the ,son of ,god1 who
 died on the cross for us all4 ,then1   
amidst whirling mists and tossing seas1 
there is a fixed point to which we can  
moor2 then our confidence is built1 not 
on peradventures or speculations or     
wishes or dreams or hopes1 but on a     
historical fact1 and grasping that firm 
we may stand unmoved4  ,dear friends1 ,i
 may be very old-fashioned and very     
narrow--,i suppose ,i am2 but ,i am     
bound to declare my conviction1 which ,i
 think every day's experience of the    
tendency of thought only makes more     
certain1 that1 practically for this     
generation1 the choice lies between     
accepting the life and death of ,jesus  
,christ as the historical ,revelation of
 ,god1 or having no knowledge of        

,him--knowledge1 ,i say1--of ,him at    
all2 you must choose between the barred 
sanctuary1 within which lies couched a  
hidden ,something--with a capital ,s--or
 perhaps a hidden ,someone whom you     
never can know and never will2 or the   
rent veil1 rent by ,christ's death1     
through which you can pass1 and behold  
the mercy-seat and1 above the           
outstretched wings of the adoring       
cherubim1 the ,father whose name is     
,love4  ,,iii4 ,lastly1 the rent veil   
permits any and every man to draw near  
to ,god4  ,you remember what ,i have    
already said as to the jealous guarding 
of the privacy of that inner shrine1 and
 how not only the common herd of the    
laity1 but the whole of the priesthood1 
with the solitary exception of its      
titular head1 were shut out from ever   
entering it4 ,in the old times of       
,israel there was only one man alive at 
once who had ever been beyond the veil4 
,and now that it is rent1 what does that
 show but this1 that by the death of    

,jesus ,christ any one1 every one1 is   
welcome to pass in to the very innermost
 sanctuary1 and to dwell1 nestling as   
close as he will1 to the very heart of  
the throned ,god8 ,there is a double    
veil1 if ,i may so say1 between man and 
,god3 the side turned outward is woven  
by our own sins2 and the other turned   
inwards is made out of the necessary    
antagonism of the divine nature to man's
 sin4 ,there hangs the veil1 and when   
the ,psalmist asked1 ',who shall ascend 
into the hill of the ,lord2 or who shall
 stand in ,his holy place8' he was      
putting a question which echoes         
despairingly in the very heart of all   
religions4 ,and he answered it as       
conscience ever answers it when it gets 
fair play3 ',he that hath clean hands   
and a pure heart1 who hath not lifted up
 his soul unto vanity4' ,and where or   
who is he8 ,nowhere2 nobody4 ,access is 
barred1 because it is impossible that a 
holy and righteous ,god should          
communicate the selectest gifts of ,his 

love1 even the sense of ,his favour1 and
 of harmony and fellowship with ,him1 to
 sinful men1 and barred1 because it is  
impossible that men1 with the           
consciousness of evil and the burden of 
guilt sometimes chafing their shoulders1
 and always bowing down their backs1    
should desire to possess1 or be capable 
of possessing1 that fellowship and union
 with ,god4 ,a black1 frowning wall1 if 
,i may change the metaphor of my text1  
rises between us and ,god4 ,but ,one    
comes with the sacrificial vessel in    
,his hand1 and pours ,his blood on the  
barrier1 and that melts the black blocks
 that rise between us and ,god1 and the 
path is patent and permeable for every  
foot4 ',the veil of the ,temple was rent
 in twain' when ,christ died4 ,that     
death1 because it is a sacrifice1 makes 
it possible that the whole fulness of   
the divine love should be poured upon   
man4 ,that death moves our hearts1 takes
 away our sense of guilt1 draws us      
nearer to ,him2 and so both by its      

operation--not on the love of ,god--but 
on the government of ,god1 and by its   
operation on the consciousness of men1  
throws open the path into ,his very     
presence4  ,if ,i might use abstract    
words1 ,i would say that ,christ's death
 potentially opens the path for every   
man1 which being put into plain         
,english--which is better--is just that 
by the death of ,christ every man can1  
if he will1 go to ,god1 and live beside 
,him4 ,and our faith is our personal    
laying hold of that great sacrifice and 
treading on that path4 ,it turns the    
'potentiality' into an actuality1 the   
possibility into a fact4 ,if we believe 
on ,him who died on the cross for us    
all1 then by that way we come to ,god1  
than which there is none other given    
under heaven among men4  ,so all        
believers are priests1 or none of them  
are4 ,the absolute right of direct      
access to ,god1 without the intervention
 of any man who has an officially       
greater nearness to ,him than others1   

and through whom as through a channel   
the grace of sacrament comes1 is        
contained in the great symbol of my     
text4 ,and it is a truth that this day  
needs4 ,on the one hand there is        
agnostic unbelief1 which needs to see in
 the rent veil the illumination         
streaming through it on to the depths of
 ,god2 and on the other hand there is   
the complementary error--and the two    
always breed each other--the            
superstition which drags back by an     
anachronism the old ,jewish notions of  
priesthood into the ,christian ,church4 
,it needs to see in the rent veil the   
charter of universal priesthood for all 
believers1 and to hearken to the words  
which declare1 ',ye are a chosen        
generation1 a spiritual house1 a royal  
priesthood1 that ye should offer up     
spiritual sacrifices acceptable unto    
,god by ,jesus ,christ4' ,that is the   
lesson that this day wants4 ',having1   
therefore1 brethren1 boldness to enter  
into the holiest of all1 by the blood of

 ,jesus1 by a new and living way1 which 
,he has consecrated for us through the  
veil1 that is ,his flesh1 let us draw   
near with true hearts in full assurance 
of faith4'     ,,the ,,prince ,,of      
,,life       ',in the end of the        
,sabbath1 as it began to dawn toward    
the first day of the week1 came ,mary   
,magdalene and the     other ,mary to   
see the sepulchre4 #b4 ,and1 behold1    
there     was a great earthquake3 for   
the angel of the ,lord     descended    
from heaven1 and came and rolled back   
the     stone from the door1 and sat    
upon it4 #c4 ,his countenance     was   
like lightning1 and his raiment white as
 snow3     #d4 ,and for fear of him the 
keepers did shake1 and became     as    
dead men4 #e4 ,and the angel answered   
and said unto the     women1 ,fear not  
ye3 for ,i know that ye seek ,jesus1    
which     was crucified4 #f4 ,he is not 
here3 for ,he is risen1 as ,he     said4
 ,come1 see the place where the ,lord   
lay4 #g4 ,and go     quickly1 and tell  

,his disciples that ,he is risen from   
the dead2 and1 behold1 ,he goeth before 
you into ,galilee2     there shall ye   
see ,him3 lo1 ,i have told you4 #h4 ,and
 they     departed quickly from the     
sepulchre with fear and great     joy2  
and did run to bring ,his disciples     
word4 #i4 ,and as     they went to tell 
,his disciples1 behold1 ,jesus met them1
     saying1 ,all hail4 ,and they came  
and held ,him by the     feet1 and      
worshipped ,him4 #aj4 ,then said ,jesus 
unto them1     ,be not afraid3 go tell  
,my brethren that they go into          
,galilee1 and there shall they see ,me4 
#aa4 ,now1 when     they were going1    
behold1 some of the watch came into     
the city1 and shewed unto the chief     
priests all the     things that were    
done4 #ab4 ,and when they were assembled
     with the elders1 and had taken     
counsel1 they gave large     money unto 
the soldiers1 #ac4 ,saying1 ,say ye1    
,his     disciples came by night1 and   
stole ,him away while we     slept4 #ad4

 ,and if this come to the governor's    
ears1 we     will persuade him1 and     
secure you4 #ae4 ,so they took the      
money1 and did as they were taught3 and 
this saying is     commonly reported    
among the ,jews until this day4'        
--,,matt4 xxviii4 #a-ae4  ,the attempts 
at harmonising the resurrection         
narratives are not only unsatisfactory1 
but they tend to blur the distinctive   
characteristics of each account4 ,we    
shall therefore confine ourselves       
entirely to ,matthew's version1 and     
leave the others alone1 with the simple 
remark that a condensed report of a     
series of events does not deny what it  
omits1 nor contradict a fuller one4 ,the
 peculiarities of ,matthew's last       
chapter are largely due to the purpose  
of his gospel4  ,throughout1 it has been
 the record of the ,galilean ministry1  
the picture of the ,king of ,israel1 and
 of ,his treatment by those who should  
have been ,his subjects4 ,this chapter  
establishes the fact of ,his            

resurrection2 but1 passing by the       
,jerusalem appearances of the risen     
,lord1 as being granted to individuals  
and having less bearing on ,his royalty1
 emphasises two points3 ,his rejection  
by the representatives of the nation1   
whose lie is endorsed by popular        
acceptance2 and the solemn assumption1  
in ,galilee1 so familiar to the reader1 
of universal dominion1 with the         
world-wide commission1 in which the     
kingdom bursts the narrow national      
limits and becomes co-extensive with    
humanity4 ,it is better to learn the    
meaning of ,matthew's selection of his  
incidents than to wipe out instructive  
peculiarities in the vain attempt after 
harmony4  ,first1 notice his silence 7in
 which all the four narratives are      
alike7 as to the time and circumstances 
of the resurrection itself4 ,that had   
taken place before the grey twilight    
summoned the faithful women1 and before 
the earthquake and the angel's descent4 
,no eye saw ,him rise4 ,the guards were 

not asleep1 for the statement that they 
were is a lie put into their mouths by  
the rulers2 but though they kept jealous
 watch1 ,his rising was invisible to    
them4 ',the prison was shut with all    
safety1' for the stone was rolled away  
after ,he was risen1 'and the keepers   
standing before the doors1' but there   
was 'no man within4' ,as in the evening 
of that day ,he appeared in the closed  
chamber1 so ,he passed from the sealed  
grave4 ,divine decorum required that    
that transcendent act should be done    
without mortal observers of the actual  
rising of the ,sun which scatters for   
ever the darkness of death4  ,matthew   
next notices the angel ministrant and   
herald4 ,his narrative leaves the       
impression that the earthquake and      
appearance of the angel immediately     
preceded the arrival of the women1 and  
the ',behold6' suggests that they felt  
and saw both4 ,but that is a piece of   
chronology on which there may be        
difference of opinion4 ,the other       

narratives tell of two angels4          
,matthew's mention of one only may be   
due either to the fact that one was     
speaker1 or to the subjective           
impressions of his informant1 who saw   
but the one1 or to variation in the     
number visible at different times4 ,we  
know too little of the laws which       
determine their appearances to be       
warranted in finding contradiction or   
difficulty here4 ,the power of seeing   
may depend on the condition of the      
beholder4 ,it may depend1 not as with   
gross material bodies1 on optics1 but on
 the volition of the radiant beings     
seen4 ,they may pass from visibility to 
its opposite1 lightly and repeatedly1   
flickering into and out of sight1 as the
 ,pleiades seem to do4 ,where there is  
such store of possibilities1 he is rash 
who talks glibly about contradictions4  
,of far more value is it to note the    
purpose served by this waiting angel4   
,we heard much of a herald angel of the 
,lord in the story of the ,nativity4 ,we

 hear nothing of him during the life of 
,christ4 ,now again he appears1 as the  
stars1 quenched in the noontide1 shine  
again when the sun is out of the sky4   
,he attends as humble servitor1 in token
 that the highest beings gazed on that  
empty grave with reverent adoration1 and
 were honoured by being allowed to guard
 the sacred place4 ,death was an        
undreaded thing to them1 and no hopes   
for themselves blossomed from ,christ's 
grave2 but ,he who had lain in it was   
their ,king as well as ours1 and new    
lessons of divine love were taught them1
 as they wondered and watched4 ,they    
come to minister by act and word to the 
weeping women's faith and joy4 ,their   
appearance paralyses the guards1 who    
would have kept the ,marys from the     
grave4 ,they roll away the great        
circular stone1 which women's hands1    
however nerved by love1 could not have  
moved in its grooves4 ,they speak tender
 words to them4 ,there by the empty     
tomb1 the strong heavenly and the weak  

earthly lovers of the risen ,king meet  
together1 and clasp hands of help1 the  
pledge and first-fruits of the standing 
order henceforth1 and the inauguration  
of their office of 'ministering spirits1
 sent forth to minister for 444 heirs of
 salvation4' ,the risen ,christ hath    
made both one4 ,the servants of the same
 ,king must needs be friends of one     
another4  ,the angel's words fall into  
three parts4 ,first1 he calms fears by  
the assurance that the seekers for      
,christ are dear to ,him4 ',fear not ye'
 glances at the prostrate watchers1 and 
almost acknowledges the reasonableness  
of their abject terror4 ,to them he     
could not but be hostile1 but to hearts 
that longed for their and his ,lord1 he 
and all his mighty fellows were         
brethren4 ,let us learn that all ,god's 
angels are our lovers and helpers1 if we
 love and seek for ,jesus4 ,superstition
 has peopled the gulf between ,god and  
man with crowds of beings2 revelation   
assures us that it is full of creatures 

who excel in strength4 ,men have cowered
 before them1 but 'whether they be      
thrones1 or dominions1 or               
principalities1 or powers1' our ,king   
was their ,creator1 and is their        
,sovereign1 and1 if we serve ,him1 all  
these are on our side4 ,the true        
deliverer from superstitious terrors is 
the risen ,christ4 ,again1 the angel    
announces in simplest words the glorious
 fact1 ',he is risen1' and helps them to
 receive it by a double way4 ,he reminds
 them of ,christ's own words1 which had 
seemed so mysterious and had turned out 
so simple1 so incredible1 and now had   
proved so true4 ,he calls them with a   
smile of welcome to draw near1 and with 
him to look into the empty place4 ,the  
invitation extends to us all1 for the   
one assurance of immortality2 and the   
only answer to the despairing question1 
',if a man die1 shall he live again8'   
which is solid enough to resist the     
corrosion of modern doubt as of ancient 
ignorance1 is that empty grave1 and the 

filled throne1 which was its necessary  
consequence4 ,by it we measure the love 
that stooped so low1 we school our      
hearts to anticipate without dread or   
reluctance our own lying down there1 we 
fasten our faith on the risen           
,forerunner1 and rejoice in the         
triumphant assurance of a living        
,christ4 ,if the wonder of the women's  
stunned gaze is no more ours1 our calm  
acceptance of the familiar fact need be 
none the less glad1 and our estimate of 
its far-reaching results more complete  
than their tumult of feeling permitted  
to them4  ,no wonder that1 swiftly1 new 
duty which was privilege followed on the
 new1 glad knowledge4 ,it was           
emphatically 'a day of good tidings1'   
and they could not hold their peace4 ,a 
brief glance1 enough for certitude and  
joy1 was permitted2 and then1 with      
urgent haste1 they are sent to be       
apostles to the ,apostles4 ,the         
possession of the news of a risen       
,saviour binds the possessors to be its 

preachers4 ,where it is received in any 
power1 it will impel to utterance4 ,he  
who can keep silence has never felt1 as 
he ought1 the worth of the word1 nor    
realised the reason why he has seen the 
,cross or the empty grave4 ',he goeth   
before you into ,galilee2 there shall ye
 see4' ,it was but two complete days and
 one night since ,christ had said to the
 disciples that ,he would rise again1   
and1 as the ,shepherd of the scattered  
flock1 go before them into ,galilee4    
,how long ago since that saying it would
 seem6 ,the reasons for ,matthew's      
omission of all the other appearances of
 our ,lord in ,jerusalem1 with the      
exception of the one which immediately  
follows1 and for the stress he lays on  
this rendezvous in their native         
,galilee1 have already been touched on1 
and need not detain us now4  ,the next  
point in the narrative is the glad      
interview with the risen ,jesus4 ,the   
women had been at the grave but for a   
few moments4 ,but they lived more in    

these than in years of quiet4 ,time is  
very elastic1 and five minutes or five  
seconds may change a life4 ,these few   
moments changed a world4 ,haste1 winged 
by fear which had no torment1 and by joy
 which found relief in swift movement1  
sent them running1 forgetful of         
conventional proprieties1 towards the   
awakening city4 ,probably ,mary         
,magdalene had left them1 as soon as    
they saw the open grave1 and had hurried
 back alone to tell the tidings4 ,and   
now the crowning joy and wonder comes4  
,how simply it is told6--the            
introductory ',behold6' just hinting at 
the wonderfulness1 and perhaps at the   
suddenness1 of our ,lord's appearance1  
and the rest being in the quietest and  
fewest words possible4 ,note the deep   
significance of the name ',jesus' here4 
,the angel spoke of 'the ,lord1' but all
 the rest of the chapter speaks of      
',jesus4' ,the joy and hope that flow   
from the ,resurrection depend on the    
fact of ,his humanity4 ,he comes out of 

the grave1 the same brother of our      
mortal flesh as before4 ,it was no      
phantom whose feet they clasped1 and ,he
 is not withdrawn from them by ,his     
mysterious experience4 ,all through the 
,resurrection histories and the         
narrative of the forty days1 the same   
emphasis attaches to the name1 which    
culminates in the angel's assurance at  
the ,ascension1 that 'this same ,jesus1'
 in ,his true humanity1 who has gone up 
on high our ,forerunner1 shall come     
again our ,brother and our ,judge4 ',it 
is ,christ that died1 yea rather1 that  
is risen again'2 but that triumphant    
assurance loses all its blessedness1    
unless we say too1 ',jesus died for our 
sins according to the ,scriptures1 and  
444 rose again the third day4'  ,note1  
too1 the calmness of ,his greeting4 ,he 
uses the common form of salutation1 as  
if ,he had but been absent on some      
common occasion1 and met them in        
ordinary circumstances4 ,he speaks out  
of ,his own deep tranquillity1 and      

desires to impart it to their agitated  
spirits4 ,he would calm their joy1 that 
it may be the deeper1 like ,his own4 ,if
 we may give any weight to the original 
meaning of the formula of greeting which
 ,he employs1 we may see blessed        
prophecy in it4 ,the lips of the risen  
,christ bid us all 'rejoice4' ,his      
salutation is no empty wish1 but a      
command which makes its own fulfilment  
possible4 ,if our hearts welcome ,him1  
and our faith is firm in ,his risen     
power and love1 then ,he gives us a deep
 and central gladness1 which nothing    
',that is at enmity with joy    ,can    
utterly abolish or destroy4'  ,the rush 
to ,his feet1 and the silent clasp of   
adoration1 are eloquent of a tumult of  
feeling most natural1 and yet not       
without turbid elements1 which ,he does 
not wholly approve4 ,we have not here   
the prohibition of such a touch which   
was spoken to ,mary1 but we have        
substantially the same substitution1 by 
,his command1 of practical service for  

mere emotion4 ,that carries a lesson    
always in season4 ,we cannot love       
,christ too much1 nor try to get too    
near ,him1 to touch ,him with the hand  
of our faith4 ,but there have been modes
 of religious emotion1 represented by   
hymns and popular books1 which have not 
mingled reverence rightly with love1 and
 have spoken of ,him1 and of the        
emotions binding us to ,him1 in tones   
unwholesomely like those belonging to   
earthly passion4 ,but1 apart from that1 
,jesus taught these women1 and us       
through them1 that it is better to      
proclaim ,his ,resurrection than to lie 
at ,his feet2 and that1 however sweet   
the blessedness which we find in ,him   
may be1 it is meant to put a message    
into our lips1 which others need4 ,our  
sight of ,him gives us something to say1
 and binds us to say it4 ,it was a      
blessing to the women to have work to   
do1 in doing which their strained       
emotions might subside4 ,it was a       
blessing to the mournful company in the 

upper room to have their hearts prepared
 for ,his coming by these heralds4 ,it  
was a wonderful token of ,his unchanged 
love1 and an answer to fears and doubts 
of how they might find ,him1 that ,he   
sends the message to them as brethren4  
,in the hurry of that ,easter morning1  
they had no time to ponder on all that  
it had brought them4 ,the ,resurrection 
as the demonstration of ,christ's       
divinity and of the acceptance of ,his  
perfect sacrifice1 or as the pledge of  
their resurrection1 or as the type of   
their ,christian life1 was for future   
experience to grasp4 ,for that day1 it  
was enough to pass from despair to joy1 
and to let the astounding fact flood    
them with sunny hope4  ,we know the vast
 sweep of the consequences and          
consolations of it far better than they 
did4 ,there is no reason1 in our        
distance from it1 for its diminishing   
either in magnitude1 in certitude1 or in
 blessedness in our eyes4 ,no fact in   
the history of the world stands on such 

firm evidence as the resurrection of    
,jesus ,christ4 ,no age of the world    
ever needed to believe it more than this
 one does4 ,it becomes us all to grasp  
it for ourselves with an iron tenacity  
of hold1 and to echo1 in the face of the
 materialisms and know-nothing          
philosophy of this day1 the old ringing 
confession1 ',now is ,christ risen from 
the dead6'  ,we need say little about   
the last point in this narrative--the   
obstinate blindness of the rulers1 and  
their transparent lie to account for the
 empty grave4 ,the guard reports to the 
rulers1 not to the governor1 as they had
 been handed over by ,pilate for special
 service4 ,but they were ,roman         
soldiers1 as appears from the danger    
which the rulers provided against1 that 
of their alleged crime against military 
discipline1 in sleeping at their post1  
coming to his ears4 ,the trumped-up     
story is too puerile to have taken in   
any one who did not wish to believe it4 
,how could they tell what happened when 

they were asleep8 ,how could such an    
operation as forcing back a heavy stone1
 and exhuming a corpse1 have been       
carried on without waking them8 ,how    
could such a timid set of people have   
mustered up courage for such a bold act8
 ,what did they do it for8 ,not to bury 
their ,lord4 ,he had been lovingly laid 
there by reverent hands1 and costly     
spices strewn upon the sacred limbs4    
,the only possible motive would be that 
the disciples might tell lies about ,his
 resurrection4 ,that hypothesis that the
 ,resurrection was a deliberately       
concocted falsehood has proved too      
strong for the stomach of modern        
unbelief1 and has been long abandoned1  
as it had need to be4 ,when figs grow on
 thistles1 such characters as the early 
,christians1 martyrs1 heroes1 saints1   
will be produced by a system which has a
 lie1 known to be one1 for its          
foundation4 ,but the lame story is      
significant in two ways4 ,it confesses1 
by its desperate attempt to turn the    

corner of the difficulty1 that the great
 rock1 on which all denials of ,christ's
 resurrection split1 is the simple      
question--,if ,he did not rise again1   
what became of the body8 ,the priests'  
answer is absurd1 but it1 at all events1
 acknowledges that the grave was empty1 
and that it is incumbent to produce an  
explanation which reasonable men can    
accept without laughter4  ,further1 this
 last appearance of the rulers in the   
gospel is full of tragic significance1  
and is especially important to ,matthew1
 whose narrative deals especially with  
,jesus as the ,king and ,messiah of     
,israel4 ,this is the end of centuries  
of prophecy and patience6 ,this is what 
all ,god's culture of ,his vineyard has 
come to6 ,the husbandmen cast the ,heir 
out of the vineyard1 and slew him4 ,but 
there was a deeper depth than even that4
 ,they would not be persuaded when ,he  
rose again from the dead4 ,they         
entrenched themselves in a lie1 which   
only showed that they had a glimmering  

of the truth and hated it4 ,and the lie 
was willingly swallowed by the mass of  
the nation1 who thereby showed that they
 were of the same stuff as they who made
 it4 ,a conspiracy of falsehood1 which  
knew itself to be such1 was the last act
 of that august council of ,israel4 ,it 
is an awful lesson of the penalties of  
unfaithfulness to the light possessed1  
an awful instance of 'judicial          
blindness4' ,so sets the sun of ,israel4
 ,and therefore ,matthew's ,gospel turns
 away from the apostate nation1 which   
has rejected its ,king1 to tell1 in its 
last words1 of ,his assumption of       
universal dominion1 and of the passage  
of the glad news from ,israel to the    
world4     ,,the ,,risen ,,lord',s      
,,greetings ,,and ,,gifts       ',and as
 they went to tell ,his disciples1      
behold1 ,jesus     met them1 saying1    
,all hail4'--,,matt4 xxviii4 #i4        
',then the same day at evening 444 came 
,jesus and stood     in the midst1 and  
saith unto them1 ,peace be unto you4'   

--,,john xx4 #ai4  ,so did our ,lord    
greet ,his sad followers4 ,the first of 
these salutations was addressed to the  
women as they hurried in the morning    
from the empty tomb bewildered2 the     
second to the disciples assembled in the
 upper room in the evening of the same  
day4 ,both are ordinary greetings4 ,the 
first is that usual in ,greek1 and      
literally means ',rejoice'2 the second  
is that common in ,hebrew4 ,the         
divergence between the two may be owing 
to the ,evangelist ,matthew having      
rendered the words which our ,lord      
actually did speak1 in the tongue       
familiar to ,his time1 into their       
equivalent ,greek4 ,but whatever account
 may be given of the divergence does not
 materially affect the significance     
which ,i find in the salutations4 ,and  
,i desire to turn to them for a few     
moments now1 because ,i think that1 if  
we ponder them1 we may gain some        
precious lessons from these ,easter     
greetings of the ,lord ,himself4  ,i4   

,first1 then1 notice their strange and  
majestic simplicity4  ,he meets ,his    
followers after ,calvary and the ,tomb  
and the ,resurrection1 with the same    
words with which two casual             
acquaintances1 after some slight        
absence1 might salute one another by the
 way4 ,their very simplicity is their   
sublimity here4 ,for think of what      
tremendous experiences ,he had passed   
through since they saw ,him last1 and of
 what a rush of rapture and disturbance 
of joy shook the minds of the disciples1
 and then estimate the calm and calming 
power of that matter-of-fact and simple 
greeting4 ,it bears upon its very front 
the mark of truth4 ,would anybody have  
imagined the scene so8 ,there have been 
one or two great poets who might        
conceivably have risen to the height of 
putting such words under such           
circumstances into the mouths of        
creatures of their own imagination4     
,analogous instances of the utmost      
simplicity of expression in moments of  

intense feeling may be quoted from      
schylus or ,shakespeare1 and are        
regarded as the high-water marks of     
genius4 ,but does any one suppose that  
these evangelists were exceptionally    
gifted souls of that sort1 or that they 
could have imagined anything like       
this--so strange in its calm1 so        
unnatural at first sight1 and yet       
vindicating itself as so profoundly     
natural and sublime--unless for the     
simple reason that they had heard it    
themselves1 or been told it by credible 
witnesses8 ,neither the delicate pencil 
of the great dramatic genius nor the    
coarser brush of legend can have drawn  
such an incident as this1 and it seems  
to me that the only reasonable          
explanation of it is that these         
greetings are what ,he really did say4  
,for1 as ,i have remarked1 unnatural as 
it seems at first sight1 if we think for
 a moment1 the very simplicity and calm1
 and1 ,i was going to say1 the          
matter-of-factness1 of such a greeting1 

as the first that escaped from lips that
 had passed through death and yet were  
red and vocal1 is congruous with the    
deepest truths of ,his nature4 ,he has  
come from that tremendous conflict1 and 
,he reappears1 not flushed with triumph1
 nor bearing any trace of effort1 but   
surrounded as by a nimbus with that     
strange tranquillity which evermore     
enwrapped ,him4 ,so small does the awful
 scene which ,he has passed through seem
 to this divine-human ,man1 and so      
utterly are the old ties and bonds      
unaffected by it1 that when ,he meets   
,his followers1 all ,he has to say to   
them as ,his first greeting is1 ',peace 
be unto you6'--the well-worn salutation 
that was bandied to and fro in every    
market-place and scene where men were   
wont to meet4 ,thus ,he indicates the   
divine tranquillity of ,his nature2 thus
 ,he minimises the fact of death2 thus  
,he reduces it to its true              
insignificance as a parenthesis across  
which may pass unaffected all sweet     

familiarities and loving friendships2   
thus ,he reknits the broken ties1 and1  
though the form of their intercourse is 
hereafter to be profoundly modified1 the
 substance of it remains1 whereof ,he   
giveth assurance unto them in these ,his
 first words from the dead4 ,so1 as to a
 man standing on some mountain plateau1 
the deep gorges which seam it become    
invisible1 and the unbroken level runs  
right on4 ,so1 there are a marvellous   
proof of the majesty and tranquillity of
 the divine ,man1 a glorious            
manifestation of ,his superiority over  
death2 a blessed assurance of the       
reknitting of all ancient ties1 after it
 as before it1 coming to us from        
pondering on the trivial words--trivial 
from other lips1 but profoundly         
significant on ,his--wherewith ,he      
greeted ,his servants when ,he rose     
again from the dead4  ,,ii4 ,then note1 
secondly1 the universal destination of  
the greetings of the risen ,lord4  ,i   
have said that it is possibly a mere    

accident that we should have the two    
forms of salutation preserved for us    
here2 and that it is quite conceivable  
that our ,lord really spoke but one1    
which has been preserved unaltered from 
its ,hebrew or ,aramaic original in     
,john1 and rendered by its ,greek       
equivalent by the ,evangelist ,matthew4 
,but be that as it may1 ,i cannot help  
feeling that in this fact1 that the one 
salutation is the common greeting among 
,greek-speaking peoples1 and the other  
the common greeting amongst ,easterns1  
we may permissibly find the thought of  
the universal aspect of the gifts and   
greetings of the risen ,christ4 ,he     
comes to all men1 and each man hears    
,him1 'in his own tongue wherein he was 
born1' breathing forth to him greetings 
which are promises1 and promises which  
are gifts4 ,just as the mocking         
inscription on the ,cross proclaimed1 in
 ',hebrew and ,greek and ,latin1' the   
three tongues known to its readers1 the 
one kingdom of the crucified ,king--so  

in the greetings from the grave1 the one
 declares that1 to all the desires of   
eager1 ardent1 sensuous1 joy-loving     
,westerns1 and all the aspirations of   
repose-loving ,easterns1 who had had    
bitter experience of the pangs and pains
 of a state of warfare1 ,jesus ,christ  
is ready to respond and to bring        
answering gifts4 ,whatsoever any        
community or individual has conceived as
 its highest ideal of blessedness and of
 good1 that the risen ,christ hath in   
,his hands to bestow4 ,he takes men's   
ideals of blessedness1 and deepens and  
purifies and refines them4  ,the ,greek 
notion of joy as being the good to be   
most wished for those dear to us1 is but
 a shallow one4 ,they had to learn1 and 
their philosophy and their poetry and   
their art came to corruption because    
they would not learn1 that the corn of  
wheat must be cast into the ground and  
die before it bring forth fruit4 ,they  
knew little of the blessing and meaning 
of sorrow1 and therefore the false      

glitter passed away1 and the pursuit of 
the ideal became gross and foul and     
sensuous4 ,and1 on the other hand1 the  
,jew1 with his longing for peace1 had an
 equally shallow and unworthy conception
 of what it meant1 and what was needed  
to produce it4 ,if he had only external 
concord with men1 and a competency of   
outward good within his reach without   
too much trouble1 he thought that       
because he 'had much goods laid up for  
many years' he might 'take his ease2 and
 eat1 and drink1 and be merry4' ,but    
,jesus ,christ comes to satisfy both    
aspirations by contradicting both1 and  
to reveal to ,greek and ,jew how much   
deeper and diviner was his desire than  
he dreamed it to be2 and1 therefore1 how
 impossible it was to find the joy that 
would last1 in the dancing fireflies of 
external satisfactions or the delights  
of art and beauty2 and how impossible it
 was to find the repose that ennobled   
and was wedded to action1 in anything   
short of union with ,god4  ,the ,lord   

,christ comes out of the grave in which 
,he lay for every man1 and brings to    
each man's door1 in a dialect           
intelligible to the man himself1 the    
satisfaction of the single soul's       
aspirations and ideals1 as well as of   
the national desires4 ,his gifts and    
greetings are of universal destination1 
meant for us all and adapted for us     
each4  ,,iii4 ,then1 thirdly1 notice the
 unfailing efficacy of the ,lord's      
greetings4  ,look at these people to    
whom ,he spoke4 ,remember what they were
 between the ,friday and the ,sunday    
morning2 utterly cowed and beaten1 the  
women1 in accordance with the feminine  
nature1 apparently more deeply touched  
by the personal loss of the ,friend and 
,comforter2 and the men apparently1     
whilst sharing that sorrow1 also touched
 by despair at the going to water of all
 the hopes that they had been building  
upon ,his official character and        
position4 ',we trusted that it had been 
,he which should have redeemed ,israel1'

 they said1 'as they walked and were    
sad4' ,they were on the point of        
parting4 ,the ,keystone withdrawn1 the  
stones were ready to fall apart4 ,then  
came something--let us leave a blank for
 a moment--then  came something2 and    
those who had been cowards1 dissolved in
 sorrow and relaxed by despair1 in      
eight-and-forty hours became heroes4    
,from that time1 when1 by all reasonable
 logic and common sense applied to men's
 motives1 the ,crucifixion should have  
crushed their dreams and dissolved their
 society1 a precisely opposite effect   
ensues1 and not only did the ,church    
continue1 but the men changed their     
characters1 and became1 somehow or      
other1 full of these very two things    
which ,christ wished for them--namely1  
joy and peace4  ,now ,i want to         
know--what bridges that gulf8 ,how do   
you get the ,peter of the ,acts of the  
,apostles out of the ,peter of the      
,gospels8 ,is there any way of          
explaining that revolution of character1

 whilst yet its broad outlines remain   
identical1 which befell him and all of  
them1 except the old-fashioned one that 
the something which came in between was 
the ,resurrection of ,jesus ,christ1 and
 the consequent gift of joy and peace in
 ,him1 a joy that no troubles or        
persecutions could shake1 a peace that  
no conflicts could for a moment disturb8
 ,it seems to me that every theory of   
,christianity which boggles at accepting
 the ,resurrection of ,jesus ,christ as 
a plain fact1 is shattered to pieces on 
the sharp-pointed rock of this one      
demand--',very well6 ,if it is not a    
fact1 account for the existence of the  
,church1 and for the change in the      
characters of its members4' ,you may    
wriggle as you like1 but you will never 
get a reasonable theory of these two    
undeniable facts until you believe that 
,he rose from the dead4 ,in ,his right  
hand ,he carried peace1 and in ,his left
 joy4 ,he gave these to them1 and       
therefore 'out of weakness they were    

made strong1 waxed valiant in fight1    
turned to flight the armies of the      
aliens1' and when the time came1 'were  
tortured1 not accepting deliverance1    
that they might obtain a better         
resurrection4' ,there is omnipotent     
efficacy in ,christ's greetings4  ,the  
one instance opens up the general law1  
that ,his wishes are gifts1 that all    
,his words are acts1 that ,he speaks and
 it is done1 and that when ,he desires  
for us joy1 it is a deed of conveyance  
and gift1 and invests us with the joy   
that ,he desires if we observe the      
conditions4  ,christ's wishes are       
omnipotent1 ours are powerless4 ,we wish
 for our friends many good things1 and  
the event turns wishes to mockery1 and  
the garlands which we prepared for their
 birthdays have sometimes to be hung on 
their tombs4 ,the limitations of human  
friendship and of our deepest and       
sincerest wishes1 like a dark           
background1 enhance the boundless       
efficacy of the greetings of the        

,master1 which are not only wishes but  
bestowments of the thing wished1 and    
therein given1 by ,him4  ,,iv4 ,so1     
lastly1 notice our share in this twofold
 greeting4  ,when it was first heard1 ,i
 suppose that the disciples and the     
women apprehended the salutation only in
 its most outward form1 and that all    
other thoughts were lost in the mere    
rapture of the sudden change from the   
desolate sense of loss to the glad      
consciousness of renewed possession4    
,when the women clung to ,his feet on   
that ,easter morning1 they had no       
thought of anything but--'we clasp ,thee
 again1 ,o ,soul of our souls4' ,but    
then1 as time went on1 the meaning and  
blessedness and far-reaching issues of  
the ,resurrection became more plain to  
them4 ,and ,i think we can see traces of
 the process1 in the development of     
,christian teaching as presented in the 
,acts of the ,apostles and in the       
,epistles4 ,peter in his early sermons  
dwells on the ,resurrection all but     

exclusively from one point of           
view--viz41 as being the great proof of 
,christ's ,messiahship4 ,then there came
 by degrees1 as is represented in the   
same ,peter's letter1 and abundantly in 
the ,apostle ,paul's1 the recognition of
 the light which the ,resurrection of   
,jesus ,christ threw upon immortality2  
as a prophecy and a pattern thereof4    
,then1 when the historical fact had     
become fully accepted and universally   
diffused1 and its bearings upon men's   
future had been as fully apprehended as 
is possible here1 there came1 finally1  
the thought that the ,resurrection of   
,jesus ,christ was the symbol of the new
 life1 which from that risen ,lord      
passed into all those who loved and     
trusted ,him4  ,now1 in all these three 
aspects--as proof of ,messiahship1 as   
the pattern and prophecy of immortality1
 and as the symbol of the better life   
which is accessible for us1 here and    
now--the ,resurrection of ,jesus ,christ
 stands for us even more truly than for 

the rapturous women who caught ,his     
feet1 or for the thankful men who looked
 upon ,him in the upper chamber1 as the 
source of peace and of joy4  ,for1 dear 
brethren1 therein is set forth for us   
the ,christ whose work is thereby       
declared to be finished and acceptable  
to ,god1 and all sorrow of sin1 all     
guilt1 all disturbance of heart and mind
 by reason of evil passions and burning 
memories of former iniquity1 and all    
disturbance of our concord with ,god1   
are at once and for ever swept away4 ,if
 ,jesus ,christ was 'declared to be the 
,son of ,god with power by ,his         
,resurrection from the dead1' and if in 
that ,resurrection1 as is most surely   
the case1 the broad seal of the divine  
acceptance is set to the charter of our 
forgiveness and sonship by the blood of 
the ,cross1 then joy and peace come to  
us from ,him and from it4  ,again1 the  
resurrection of ,jesus ,christ sets ,him
 forth before us as the pattern and the 
prophecy of immortal life4 ,this ,samson

 has taken the gates of the prison-house
 on ,his broad shoulders and carried    
them away1 and now no man is kept       
imprisoned evermore in that darkness4   
,the earthquake has opened the doors and
 loosened every man's bonds4 ,jesus     
,christ hath risen from the dead1 and   
therein not only demonstrated the       
certainty that life subsists through    
death1 and that a bodily life is        
possible thereafter1 but hath set before
 all those who give the keeping of their
 souls into ,his hands the glorious     
belief that 'the body of their          
humiliation shall be' 'changed into the 
likeness of the body of ,his glory1     
according to the working whereby ,he is 
able even to subdue all things unto     
,himself4' ,therefore the sorrows of    
death1 for ourselves and for our dear   
ones1 the agitation which it causes1 and
 all its darkness into which we shrink  
from passing1 are swept away when ,he   
comes forth from the grave1 serene1     
radiant1 and victorious1 to die no more1

 but to dispense amongst us ,his peace  
and ,his joy4  ,and1 again1 the risen   
,christ is the source of a new life     
drawn from ,him and received into the   
heart by faith in ,his sacrifice and    
,resurrection and glory4 ,and if ,i     
have1 deep-seated in my soul1 though it 
may be in imperfect maturity1 that life 
which is hid with ,christ in ,god1 an   
inward fountain of gladness1 far better 
than the effervescent1 and therefore    
soon flat1 waters of ,greek or earthly  
joy1 is mine2 and in my inmost being    
dwells a depth of calm peace which no   
outward disturbance can touch1 any more 
than the winds that rave along the      
surface of the ocean affect its unmoved 
and unsounded abysses4 ,jesus ,christ   
comes to thee1 my brother1 weary1       
distracted1 care-laden1 sin-laden1      
sorrowful and fearful4 ,and ,he says to 
each of us from the throne what ,he said
 in the upper room before the ,cross1   
and on leaving the grave after it1 ',my 
joy will remain in you1 and your joy    

shall be full4 ,my peace ,i leave to    
you1 ,my peace ,i give unto you2 not as 
the world giveth1 give ,i unto you4'    
,,on ,,the ,,mountain       ',then the  
eleven disciples went away into         
,galilee1 into     a mountain where     
,jesus had appointed them4 #ag4 ,and    
when     they saw ,him1 they worshipped 
,him3 but some doubted4'     --,,matt4  
xxviii4 #af1 #ag4      ',after that1 ,he
 was seen of above five hundred brethren
     at once4'--#a ,,cor4 xv4 #d  ,to   
infer an historian's ignorance from his 
silence is a short and easy1 but a rash1
 method4 ,matthew has nothing to say of 
our ,lord's appearances in ,jerusalem1  
except in regard to that of the women in
 the early morning of ,easter ,day4 ,but
 it does not follow that he was ignorant
 of these appearances4 ,imperfect       
knowledge may be the explanation2 but   
the scope and design of his ,gospel is  
much more likely to be so4 ,it is       
emphatically the ,gospel of the ,king of
 ,israel1 and it moves1 with the        

exception of the story of the ,passion1 
wholly within the limits of the         
,galilean ministry4 ,what more probable 
than that the same motive which induced 
,jesus to select the mountain which ,he 
had appointed as the scene of this      
meeting should have induced the         
,evangelist to pass by all the other    
manifestations in order to fix upon this
 one8 ,it was fitting that in ,galilee1 
where ,he had walked in lowly           
gentleness1 'kindly with ,his kind1' ,he
 should assume ,his sovereign authority4
 ,it was fitting that in ',galilee of   
the ,gentiles1' that outlying and       
despised province1 half heathen in the  
eyes of the narrow-minded ,pharisaic    
,jerusalem1 ,he should proclaim the     
widening of ,his kingdom from ,israel to
 all nations4  ,if we had ,matthew's    
words only1 we should suppose that none 
but the eleven were present on this     
occasion4 ,but it is obviously the same 
incident to which ,paul refers when he  
speaks of the appearance to 'five       

hundred brethren at once4' ,these were  
the ,galilean disciples who had been    
faithful in the days of ,his lowliness1 
and were thus now assembled to hear ,his
 proclamation of exaltation4 ,apparently
 the meeting had been arranged          
beforehand4 ,they came without ,him to  
'the mountain where ,jesus had          
appointed4' ,probably it was the same   
spot on which the so-called ,sermon on  
the ,mount1 the first proclamation of   
the ,king1 had been delivered1 and it   
was naturally chosen to be the scene of 
a yet more exalted proclamation4 ,a     
thousand tender memories and            
associations clustered round the spot4  
,so we have to think of the five hundred
 gathered in eager expectancy2 and we   
notice how unlike the manner of ,his    
coming is to that of the former         
manifestations4 ,then1 suddenly1 ,he    
became visibly present where a moment   
before ,he had been unseen4 ,but now ,he
 gradually approaches1 for the doubting 
and the worshipping took place 'when    

they saw ,him1' and before ',he came to 
them4' ,i suppose we may conceive of    
,him as coming down the hill and drawing
 near to them1 and then1 when ,he stands
 above them1 and yet close to them--else
 the five hundred could not have seen   
,him 'at once'--doubts vanish2 and they 
listen with silent awe and love4 ,the   
words are majestic2 all is regal4 ,there
 is no veiled personality now1 as there 
had been to ,mary1 and to the two on the
 road to ,emmaus4 ,there is no greeting 
now1 as there had been in the upper     
chamber2 no affording of a demonstration
 of the reality of ,his appearance1 as  
there had been to ,thomas and to the    
others4 ,he stands amongst them as the  
,king1 and the music of ,his words1 deep
 as the roll of thunder1 and sweet as   
harpers harping with their harps1 makes 
all comment or paraphrase sound thin and
 poor4 ,but yet so many great and       
precious lessons are hived in the words 
that we must reverently ponder them4    
,the material is so abundant that ,i can

 but touch it in the slightest possible 
fashion4 ,this great utterance of our   
,lord's falls into three parts3 a great 
claim1 a great commission1 a great      
promise4  ,i4 ,there is a ,great ,claim4
  ',all power is given unto ,me in      
heaven and in earth4' ,no words can more
 absolutely express unconditional1      
unlimited authority and sovereignty4    
,mark the variety of the gift--'all     
power'2 every kind of force1 every kind 
of dominion is in ,his hands4 ,mark the 
sphere of sovereignty--'in heaven and in
 earth4' ,now1 brethren1 if we know     
anything about ,jesus ,christ1 we know  
that ,he made this claim4 ,there is no  
reason1 except the unwillingness of some
 people to admit that claim1 for casting
 any sort of doubt upon these words1 or 
making any distinction in authority     
between them and the rest of the words  
of graciousness which the whole world   
has taken to its heart4 ,but if ,he said
 this1 what becomes of ,his right to the
 veneration of mankind1 as the ,perfect 

,example of the self-sacrificing1       
self-oblivious religious life8 ,it is a 
mystery that ,i cannot solve1 how any   
man can keep his reverence for ,jesus1  
and refuse to believe that beneath these
 tremendous words there lies a solemn   
and solid reality4  ,notice1 too1 that  
there is implied a definite point of    
time at which this all-embracing        
authority was given4 ,you will find in  
the ,revised ,version a small alteration
 in the reading1 which makes a great    
difference in the sense4 ,it reads1     
',all power has been given'2 and that   
points1 as ,i say1 to a definite period4
 ,when was it given8 ,let another       
portion of ,scripture answer the        
question--',declared to be the ,son of  
,god with power1 by the resurrection    
from the dead4' ,then to the ,man ,jesus
 was given authority over heaven and    
earth4 ,all the early ,christian        
documents concur in this view of the    
connection between the death and        
resurrection of ,jesus ,christ1 and ,his

 investiture with this sovereign power4 
,hearken to ,paul1 ',became obedient    
unto death1 even the death of the       
,cross2 wherefore ,god also hath highly 
exalted ,him1 and given ,him a name that
 is above every name4' ,hearken to      
,peter1 ',who raised ,him from the dead 
and gave ,him glory4' ,hearken to the   
writer of the ,epistle to the ,hebrews1 
',we see ,jesus crowned with glory and  
honour for the suffering of death4'     
,hearken to ,john1 ',to ,him that is the
 ,faithful ,witness1 and the ,first-born
 from the dead1 and the ,prince of the  
kings of the earth4' ,look with his eyes
 to the vision of the ',lamb as it had  
been slain1' enthroned in the midst of  
the throne1 and say whether this        
unanimous consent of the earliest       
,christian teachers is explicable on any
 reasonable grounds1 unless there had   
been underlying it just the words of our
 text1 and the ,master ,himself had     
taught them that all power was given to 
,him in heaven and in earth4 ,as it     

seems to me impossible to account for   
the existence of the ,church if we deny 
the ,resurrection1 so it seems to me    
impossible to account for the faith of  
the earliest stratum of the ,christian  
,church without the acceptance of some  
such declaration as this1 as having come
 from the ,lord ,himself4 ,and so the   
hands that were pierced with the nails  
wield the sceptre of the ,universe1 and 
on the brows that were wounded and      
bleeding with the crown of thorns are   
wreathed the many crowns of universal   
,kinghood4  ,but we have further to     
notice that in this investiture1 with   
'all power in heaven and on earth1' we  
have not merely the attestation of the  
perfection of ,his obedience1 the       
completeness of ,his work1 and the power
 of ,his sacrifice1 but that we have    
also the elevation of ,manhood to       
enthronement with ,divinity4 ,for the   
new thing that came to ,jesus after ,his
 resurrection was that ,his humanity was
 taken into1 and became participant of1 

'the glory which ,i had with ,thee1     
before the world was4' ,then our nature1
 when perfect and sinless1 is so cognate
 and kindred with the ,divine that      
humanity is capable of being invested   
with1 and bearing1 that 'exceeding and  
eternal weight of glory4' ,in that      
elevation of the ,man ,christ ,jesus1 we
 may read a prophecy1 that shall not be 
unfulfilled1 of the destiny of all those
 who conform to ,him through faith1     
love1 and obedience1 finally to sit down
 with ,him on ,his throne1 even as ,he  
is set down with the ,father on ,his    
throne4  ,ah6 brethren1 ,christianity   
has dark and low views of human nature1 
and men say they are too low and too    
dark4 ,it is ',nature's sternest        
painter1' and1 therefore1 'its best4'   
,but if on its palette the blacks are   
blacker than anywhere else1 its range of
 colour is greater1 and its white is    
more lustrous4 ,no system thinks so     
condemnatorily of human nature as it is2
 none thinks so glowingly of human      

nature as it may become4 ,there are bass
 notes far down beyond the limits of the
 scale to which ears dulled by the world
 and sin and sorrow are sensitive2 and  
there are clear1 high tones1 thrilling  
and shrilling far above the range of    
perception of such ears4 ,the man that  
is in the lowest depths may rise with   
,jesus to the highest1 but it must be by
 the same road by which the ,master     
went4 ',if we suffer with ,him1 we shall
 also reign with ,him1' and only 'if4'  
,there is no other path to the ,throne  
but the ,cross4 ,via crucis1 via        
lucis--the way of the ,cross is the way 
of light4 ,it is to those who have      
accepted their ,gethsemanes and their   
,calvarys that ,he appoints a kingdom1  
as ,his ,father has appointed unto ,him4
  ,so much1 then1 for the first point   
here in these words2 turn now to the    
second4  ,,ii4 ,the ,great ,commission4 
,one might have expected that the       
immediate inference to be drawn from    
',all power is given unto ,me in heaven 

and in earth' would have been some word 
of encouragement and strengthening to   
those who were so soon to be left1 and  
who were beginning to be conscious of   
their feebleness4 ,but there is nothing 
more striking in the whole of the       
incidents of those forty days than the  
prominence which is given in them to the
 work of the ,church when the ,master   
had left it1 and to the imperative      
obligations devolving upon it4 ,and so  
here1 not encouragement1 but obligation 
is the inference that is drawn from that
 tremendous claim4 ',because ,i have all
 power1 therefore you are charged with  
the duty of winning the world for its   
,king4' ,the all-ruling ,christ calls   
for the universal proclamation of ,his  
sovereignty by ,his disciples4 ,these   
five hundred little understood the sweep
 of the commandment1 and1 as history    
shows1 terribly failed to apprehend the 
emancipating power of it4 ,but ,he says 
to us1 as to them1 ',i am not content   
with the authority given to ,me by ,god1

 unless ,i have the authority that each 
man for himself can give ,me1 by willing
 surrender of his heart and will to     
,me4' ,jesus ,christ craves no empty    
rule1 no mere elevation by virtue of    
,divine supremacy1 over men4 ,he regards
 that elevation as incomplete without   
the voluntary surrender of men to become
 ,his subjects and champions4 ,without  
its own consent ,he does not count that 
,his universal power is established in a
 human heart4 ,though that dominion be  
all-embracing like the ocean1 and       
stretching into all corners of the      
universe1 and dominating over all ages1 
yet in that ocean there may stand up    
black and dry rocks1 barren as they are 
dry1 and blasted as they are black1     
because1 with the awful power of a human
 will1 men have said1 ',we will not have
 this ,man to reign over us4' ,it is    
willing subjects whom ,christ seeks1 in 
order to make the ,divine grant of      
authority a reality4  ,in that work ,he 
needs ,his servants4 ,the gift of ,god  

notwithstanding1 the power of ,his      
,cross notwithstanding1 the perfection  
and completeness of ,his great          
reconciling and redeeming work          
notwithstanding1 all these are vain     
unless we1 ,his servants1 will take them
 in our hands as our weapons1 and go    
forth on the warfare to which ,he has   
summoned us4 ,this is the command laid  
upon us all1 ',make disciples of all    
nations4' ,only so will the reality     
correspond to the initial and           
all-embracing grant4  ,it would take us 
too far to deal at all adequately1 or in
 anything but the most superficial      
fashion1 with the remaining parts of    
this great commission4 ',make disciples 
of all nations'--that is the first      
thing4 ,then comes the second step3     
',baptizing them into the name of the   
,father1 and of the ,son1 and of the    
,holy ,ghost4' ,who are to be baptized8 
,now1 notice1 if ,i may venture upon    
being slightly technical for a moment1  
that the word 'nations' in the preceding

 clause is a neuter one1 and that the   
word for 'them' in this clause is a     
masculine1 which seems to me fairly to  
imply that the command 'baptizing them' 
does not refer to 'all nations1' but to 
the disciples latent among them1 and to 
be drawn from them4 ,surely1 surely the 
great claim of absolute and unbounded   
power has for its consequence something 
better than the lame and impotent       
conclusion of appointing an             
indiscriminate rite1 as the means of    
making disciples6 ,surely that is not in
 accordance with the spirituality of the
 ,christian faith6  ',baptizing them    
into the ,name'--the name is one1 that  
of the ,father1 and the ,son1 and the   
,holy ,spirit4 ,does that mean the name 
of ,god1 and of a man1 and of an        
influence1 all jumbled up together in   
blasphemous and irrational union8       
,surely1 if ,father1 ,son1 and ,holy    
,spirit have one name1 the name of      
,divinity1 then it is but a step to say 
that three ,persons are one ,god6 ,but  

there is a great deal more here than a  
baptismal formula1 for to be baptized   
into the ,name is but the symbol of     
being plunged into communion with this  
one threefold ,god of our salvation4    
,the ideal state of the ,christian      
disciple is that he shall be as a vase  
dropped into the ,atlantic1 encompassed 
about with ,god1 and filled with ,him4  
,we all 'live1 and move1 and have our   
being' in ,him1 but some of us have so  
wrapped ourselves1 if ,i may venture to 
use such a figure1 in waterproof        
covering1 that1 though we are floating  
in an ocean of ,divinity1 not a drop    
finds its way in4 ,cast the covering    
aside1 and you will be saturated with   
,god1 and only in the measure in which  
you live and move and have your being in
 the ,name are you disciples4  ,there is
 another step still4 ,making disciples  
and bringing into communion with the    
,godhead is not all that is to flow     
from1 and correspond to1 and realise in 
the individual1 the absolute authority  

of ,jesus ,christ--',teaching them to   
observe all things whatsoever ,i have   
commanded you4' ,we hear a great deal in
 these days about the worthlessness of  
mere dogmatic ,christianity4 ,jesus     
,christ anticipated all that talk1 and  
guarded it from exaggeration4 ,for what 
,he tells us here that we are to train  
ourselves and others in1 is not creed   
but conduct2 not things to be believed  
or credenda but things to be done or    
agenda--'teaching them to observe all   
things whatsoever ,i have commanded     
you4' ,a creed that is not wrought out  
in actions is empty2 conduct that is not
 informed1 penetrated1 regulated by     
creed1 is unworthy of a man1 not to say 
of a ,christian4 ,what we are to know we
 are to know in order that we may do1   
and so inherit the benediction1 which is
 never bestowed upon them that know1 but
 upon them that1 knowing these things1  
are blessed in1 as well as for1 the     
doing of them4  ,that training is to be 
continuous1 educating to new views of   

duty2 new applications of old truths1   
new sensitiveness of conscience1        
unveiling to us1 ever as we climb1 new  
heights to which we aspire4 ,the        
,christian ,church has not yet          
learnt--thank ,god it is learning1      
though by slow degrees--all the moral   
and practical implications and          
applications of 'the truth as it is in  
,jesus4' ,and so these are the three    
things by which the ,church recognises  
and corresponds to the universal        
dominion of ,christ1 the making         
disciples universally2 the bringing them
 into the communion of the ,father1 the 
,son1 and the ,holy ,spirit2 and the    
training of them to conduct ever        
approximating more and more to the      
,divine ideal of humanity in the        
glorified ,christ4  ,and now ,i must    
gather just into a sentence or two what 
is to be said about the last point4     
,there is--  ,,iii4 ,the ,great         
,promise4  ',i am with you alway1 even  
unto the end of the world1' or1 as it   

might be read1 'with you all the days1  
even to the accomplishment of the age4' 
,note that emphatic ',i am1' which does 
not only denote certainty1 but is the   
speech of ,him who is lifted above the  
lower regions where ,time rolls and the 
succession of events occurs4 ,that ',i  
am' covers all the varieties of was1 is1
 will be4 ,notice the long vista of     
variously tinted days which opens here4 
,howsoever many they be1 howsoever      
different their complexion1 days of     
summer and days of winter1 days of      
sunshine and days of storm1 days of     
buoyant youth and days of stagnant1     
stereotyped old age1 days of apparent   
failure and days of apparent prosperity1
 ,he is with us in them all4 ,they      
change1 ,he is 'the same yesterday1 and 
to-day1 and for ever4' ,notice the      
illimitable extent of the promise--'even
 unto the end4' ,we are always tempted  
to think that long ago the earth was    
more full of ,god than it is to-day1 and
 that away forward in the future it will

 again be fuller1 but that this moment  
is comparatively empty4 ,the heavens    
touch the earth on the horizon in front 
and behind1 and they are highest and    
remotest above us just where we stand4  
,but no past day had more of ,christ in 
it than to-day has1 and that ,he has    
gone away is the condition of ,his      
coming4 ',he therefore departed for a   
season1 that we might receive ,him for  
ever4'  ,but mark that the promise comes
 after a command1 and is contingent1 for
 all its blessedness and power1 upon our
 obedience to the prescribed duty4 ,that
 duty is primarily to make disciples of 
all nations1 and the discharge of it is 
so closely connected with the           
realisation of the promise that a       
non-missionary ,church never has much of
 ,christ's presence4 ,but obedience to  
all the ,king's commands is required if 
we stand before ,him1 and are to enjoy  
,his smile4 ,if you wish to keep ,christ
 very near you1 and to feel ,him with   
you1 the way to do so is no mere        

cultivation of religious emotion1 or    
saturating your mind with religious     
books and thoughts1 though these have   
their place2 but on the dusty road of   
life doing ,his will and keeping ,his   
commandments4 ',if a man love ,me he    
will keep ,my words1 and ,my ,father    
will love ,him4 ,we will come to ,him1  
and make our abode with ,him4'