of moral conduct. This, in particular, appears to have been the diftinguifhing fpirit of the Jewish nation, at the period in which our Saviour lived: and the Pharifees and Scribes being the chief conductors and examples of this popular fuperftition, were therefore followed with an implicit admiration, by the people of Jerufalem.-Had then Jefus intended to procure the favour of the Jewish nation, and to have ambitiously employed it to his own private reputation, or advantage; he must have easily perceived, that the proper measure, was to flatter this prevailing inclination; and to adapt the religion which he taught, to that exceffive fondnefs for external form, for which the Jewish nation was at that period fo remarkable.-Jefus however obferved a very different and oppofite plan. The religion which he taught, was of a very fimple nature, and of a moral tendency; confifting in the exercise of virtuous and good affections towards God and man, and in obe-'. dience to the important and eternal laws of 'juftice, faithfulness, and mercy.' Thefe with him were the weightier matters of the law; which he fet in oppofition to all external forms, and in particular to the forms to which the Jewish people and their most admired inftructors, were at that time moft zealously attached. Hence, instead of gaining the applause and leading of the populace, his inftructions were exceedingly disgusting and unpopular; and therefore as an enemy to true religion, he was perfecuted, and reproached, and put to death. What puts this part of our Saviour's character in the strongest light, is this remarkable circumftance; that not only in the general strain of his inftructions, he declared against the errors of the age and place in which he lived; but took every proper occafion to declare against the particular errors and corrup tions of the perfons to whom his difcourfes were immediately addreffed.-An interefted and defigning teacher artfully accommodates his doctrine to the prejudices of his hearers, and tries to captivate their favour and applause, by flattering their favourite corrupti ons. But the bleffed Jefus always chofe fuch topics of inftruction, and treated them in fuch a manner, as was most directly calculated to expofe the favourite corruptions and mistakes. of the perfons to whom they were addreffed; whether they were his profeffed friends, or his open adverfaries. Many ftriking inftances of this kind occur in the history of the gospel.—* When the Pharifees were watching him, and fought for an occafion of accuf *Luke xiv. I. F ing him, as a violator of the fabbath-day; he took the opportunity, both by his instructions and example, to correct their superstitious views of that religious inftitution, and to give them a rational account of its nature and defign. Obferving among the Pharifees with whom he was in company, the marks of an immoderate ambition, he took occafion to inftruct them in the nature and importance of humility, and defcribed the unlawfulness. and folly of their pride.—On the fame occafion, when a man of eminence among the Pharifees had given an entertainment at his houfe; (and probably thought that such expreffions of his hofpitality were a fufficient proof of the goodness of his character) Jefus took occafion to reprefent their infignificance, when they were bestowed on those to whom they could be of little or of no importance, and who had it in their power to make a suitable return; whilft the most important offices of mercy to perfons in indigence and diftrefs, and from whom no return could be received, were neglected and forgot.-On another occafion, we are informed, † that when he was difcourfing to the Pharifees, who were noted for their covetoufnefs, he taught them in a very candid and intrepid manner, the Luke xiv 7.- + Luke. xvi. 13. guilty and deftructive nature of their crime, and its utter inconfiftency with that service of almighty God, to which they made very high -- pretenfions. In the fame light we are to confider the explications which he gave in his fermon on the mount, * of the genuine extent and meaning of the moral law, in oppofition to the explications which had been given by the popular and artful teachers of the times. As Jefus thus candidly and intrepidly expofed the errors and corruptions of his countrymen, who were his open and avowed adverfaries, he no lefs candidly opposed the favourite mistakes and errors of his friends. Their fond and fanguine expectations of temporal profperity,—the vain imaginations they had got, about the external pomp and power of the Meffiah;-their ambitious contentions for pre-eminence and place;-these he fairly and faithfully exposed; engaging them to follow him, and embrace the gospel which he taught, by no one idea that was fuited to the taste of a vain and corrupt heart. The motives and encouragements which he fet before them, could have no attractive, but with persons whose taste and temper was refined from every selfish, or ambitious paffion: nay Jefus Mat. v. 20.——— fairly told his friends, that they should not be able to obtain the rewards and honours of his fervice, but by a voluntary refignation of all thofe interefts and honours, which are purfued with the greatest eagerness, by the felfishness and vanity of man; and by a patient fubmiffion to all the oppofite afflictions which the hatred and malice of the world could inflict. If we confider the many inftances of this kind which occur in the life of Jefus, we muft undoubtedly perceive, in a very strong light, the integrity and candour of his character; and that without defiring any favour, or affiftance from the world, nay in spite of every oppofition which the world could give; he refted the fuccefs of his caufe on the bafis of its own evidence and moment, and the peculiar protection of Almighty God. To this openness and intrepidity, in declaring against the errors and corruptions of the world, Jefus added the moft amiable tendernefs and fenfibility.-Whilft he was making his laft public journey to Jerufalem, the facred hiftorian informs us, † that coming near the city, 'He beheld it, and wept over it, say - Mat. x. 16.—34.— xvi. 24 · - XX. 25. xxiv. 9.Mark viii. 34.- Luke ix. 23.-57.— Luke xiv. 25. — xviii. 18. John xvi. 1.— Luke xix. 41. |