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perceive him not. He whispers, It is I, be not afraid. It is I who have directed this trial, that your faith might be proved; and I too will give you strength to bear it rely on me; be not afraid,

This comfort makes the anxieties and distresses of a Christian more tolerable, than the ease and prosperity of a man who lives without Christ in the world.

One certain trial awaits us all. In other respects men differ. Some escape the pains of sickness; and some escape the troubles of poverty; and to some God gives the rich enjoyment of domestic comforts. But in this all are equal; that there is one trial which none escape. The hour of death must come upon every individual. A fearful hour; when the soul is about to leave this world, and all that is known and dear to it, and to enter on a strange country; and when illness makes the body weak, and less able to stand up against a man's own fears, and the grief of surrounding friends. A fearful hour; when the present feeling is the feeling of pain and misery; and the next step will lead to the throne of God, when we shall be called to give account of our works, and to " receive according to the things done in the body."

This then is the hour, when every man who has the faculty of thought, must stand in need of comfort. And the Lord Jesus affords that comfort to the sincere Christian. He whispers, It is I, be not afraid. You could not be summoned from the world, except as I see fit; your pain, your illness, is a messenger from me; I have witnessed your faith, and heard your earnest prayers; and now I call you

out of the world of trial, to inherit the kingdom prepared for all who trust in me; that where I am, you may be also. Be not afraid. It is I who shall preside at the judgment-seat; God will "judge the world by that man whom he hath ordained,”' and "whoever shall confess me before men, him will I also confess before my Father which is in heaven.”

Such is the support which Christ furnishes to all his faithful servants in the day of their trials. Under his protection sorrow loses its bitterness, and death is disarmed of its sting. Learn daily to make him more and more your friend, by meditating more on what you owe to him; by dwelling on your sinfulness, till you increase your sense of the value of his mediation; by desiring to learn his will, and studying to perform it faithfully. Thus draw nigh to him, and he will draw nigh to you.

53. And when they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret, and drew to the shore.

54. And when they were come out of the ship, straightway they knew him,

55. And ran through that whole region round about, and began to carry about in beds those that were sick, where they heard he was.

56. And whithersoever he entered, into villages, or cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch if it were but the border of his garment and as many as touched him were made whole.

Thus easily is attention drawn to temporal blessings; thus readily do men avail themselves of present advantages. We need that faith which is "the evidence of things not seen," that we may be no

2 John xvii. 24.

3 Acts xvii. 31.

less earnest in applying the remedy, which is offered for the diseases of the soul; that we may pray to him whom "God sent to bless us," "Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin." "Deliver me from guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation; and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness."4

LECTURE LXXXIX.

THE REPROOF OF THE DISCIPLES BY THE PHA-
RISEES, BECAUSE THEY ATE WITH UNWASHEN
HANDS, GIVES OCCASION FOR SHOWING THE
DANGER OF SUBSTITUTING THE COMMAND-
MENTS OF MEN FOR THE WORD OF GOD.-
THE REAL DEFILEMENT OF THE HEART EX-
PLAINED.

MARK Vii. 1-23.

1. Then came together unto him the Pharisees, and cer- Matt. xv. tain of the Scribes, which came from Jerusalem.

2. And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwushen, hands, they found fault.

3. For the Pharisees, and all the Jews, except they wash their hands oft, eat not, holding the tradition of the elders. 4. And when they come from the market, except they wash, 4 Ps. li. 2, 14.

1-20.

they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brazen vessels, and of tables.'

5. Then the Pharisees and Scribes asked him, Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?

6. He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.

7. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

8. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups; and many other such like things ye do.

God had given strict command, that nothing should be added to his law. (Deut. xii. 32.) "Whatsoever thing I command you, observe to do it: thou shalt not add thereto, nor diminish from it." And with great reason. Whenever his word is added to, in the end the real commandment is laid aside, and gives place to the addition. So it had been with these purifications and ablutions, which the Pharisees had added to the law. The question is, Why do ye eat bread with unwashen hands? not, Why do ye not cultivate purity of heart?

Thus it has proved with regard to other corrup tions. It was once a rule with a great part of the Church, and still is a rule with some Christians, to abstain from meat on certain days. This might seem innocent; nay laudable: it is good to accus

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St. Mark wrote his gospel for circulation in heathen countries. Therefore he explains the Jewish customs to those who were strangers to them. This St. Matthew did not.

tom men to self-denial. The apostle allows, concerning these things, that they "have indeed a show of wisdom in will-worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body." Soon, however, appears the evil of adding to the divine word. Not to fast on certain days, became an offence no less heinous, than the transgression of a moral duty. Sometimes the pride, and sometimes the interests of men are concerned in exaggerating such offences; till by degrees "the weightier matters of the law" are neglected; the commandment of God is laid aside; the tradition of men observed.

Our Lord proceeds to show how this process had actually taken place among the Jews. It was an acknowledged command of God that men should honour their parents. The Pharisees would avow this. But in practice, they made it a graver offence to forego the gift to the treasury, than to deny support to a parent.

9. And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

10. For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death.

11. But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free.

12. And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother;

13. Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

2 See Col. ii. 23.

3

A Syriac word: it is devoted to the treasury.

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