all individuals, He that loveth father or mother, son or daughter, more than me, is not worthy of me.

The design of the whole passage is, to admonish the disciples that they must "count the cost" of following him faithfully, for it would be great ; and then to encourage them to pay this cost, for great would be the reward. And as this is true perpetually and universally, so it is enforced by an universal declaration: whosoever shall confess me before men, in spite of the difficulties or losses he may encounter, him will I confess before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever (through fear of these present trials, or through loss of present advantages) shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

40. He that receiveth you, receiveth me; and he that receiveth me, receiveth him that sent me.

41. He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward.

42. And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

As the apostles were going forth upon a mission new and unpopular, there would be many who opposed and rejected them; there would be others who received them with the disposition of Lydia, (Acts xvi. 15,) who "besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she con

strained us." This would be a proof of faith and love towards the Saviour in whose name they came: and as such it would be rewarded.

But we must observe the stress which is laid upon the spirit in which such kindness is shown. The prophet must be received in the name of a prophet, because he is a prophet. Some might entertain the apostles, because they looked for miraculous assistance from them. If the widow of Zarephath, (1 Kings xvii. 10,) who received the prophet Elijah, had received him only that her barrel of meal and her cruise of oil might not fail, she might have been wise in her generation, and have had her reward here; but she would not have had a prophet's reward in heaven. If Lot had received the strangers in Sodom only that he might ensure their support against the people of the city, he would not have been recorded as one who "entertained angels unawares."

So when we apply this passage practically to our own days, we cannot avoid seeing that various motives may cause a disciple of Christ now to be received with favour. The disciples of Christ may appear to be, as they really are, those who can be best depended on in the business of the world. They may be, as relations, those who are most disinterested and self-denying. They may prove, as teachers of religion, those who best maintain order in their neighbourhoods, and most successfully repress such vices as are injurious to the comfort of society. For all these reasons they are valuable; and for all these reasons they may be valued. But meanwhile they may not be valued on account of

the motives which produce these qualities. They may be despised, rather than esteemed, as disciples of Christ. They may be deemed mistaken and enthusiastic in their principles, even while it is acknowledged that those principles make them useful to others. Our Lord, therefore, who "knew what was in man," distinguishes between this favour, which is of the world, worldly; and the favour which arises from sympathy with the feeling and principles of Christians. A cup of cold water shall not be without recompense, when it is given in the name of a disciple; that is, as explained in St. Mark, "because they believe in me."

This love to the faithful followers of Christ, because they are his followers, is always a characteristic of the sincere Christian; and belongs to him in proportion as he is really a lover of his Saviour. One whose faith is weak, or cold, or doubtful, has a sort of latent dislike towards those who are more evidently advanced "in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ." One whose faith is active and ardent, finds himself drawn by an instinctive feeling towards all those who are animated by the same spirit.

It is a good test by which to try ourselves. St. John has proposed it when he writes, "Every one that loveth him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him." Every one that loveth the Father, loveth also the children. Men are dear to us in proportion as they are dear to our friends. "David said, Is there any yet that is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 1 John v. 1.

(2 Sam. ix. 1.) When our Lord, from his cross, said to his beloved disciple, "Behold thy mother!" he knew that he was imposing upon him a duty which affection would make delightful. And we may thus learn to put the question to our own hearts, Are we disposed to receive men with favour, esteem, and affection, in proportion as we believe that they are "one with Christ, and Christ is one with them?"

LECTURE XXVIII.

MESSAGE OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

MATT. xi. 1-19.

1. And it came to pass, when Jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their cities.

2. Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3. And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

4. Jesus answered and said unto them, Go, and show John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5. The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6. And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me.

It had been clearly revealed to John, when Jesus was baptized, that he was "the Lamb of God, which

Luke vii. 18-35.

taketh away the sin of the world:" he that should come, and "redeem Israel." But the nature of our Lord's ministry, as it now appeared, so unlike what John as a Jew expected, may have surprised and perplexed him. And his own misfortune coming upon this disappointment and perplexity, would increase his doubt and embarrassment. Can this be the Son of God, who allows me, "the messenger who prepared his way before him," to lie unavenged in prison? These things shook his faith, the question implies no more, and he sent that his doubts might be removed and his faith confirmed. Trials require this, and are often the means by which it is effected.

Jesus merely referred John to the miracles which he was doing, and the prophecies which spoke of him, and were fulfilled by those miracles.1 These might assure John that this was he that should come, and they need look for no other.

Then he added, Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me. Blessed is he who shall not be offended, because I do not exercise royal power or assume worldly greatness, but grow up as a "tender plant," a "root out of a dry ground." Blessed is he who shall not be offended, because I am "despised and rejected of men," and have "no form or comeliness," "no beauty that men shall desire me." For thus was my character described; and these prophecies might have forewarned you, that "my kingdom is not of this world."

Let this be our support in difficulties and trials. If we meet with them, they do but accomplish that 1 Isaiah xxxv. 6; lxi. 1.