which perished between the altar and the temple:1 verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation.

52. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye enter not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.

53. And as he said these things unto them, the Scribes and the Pharisees began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak of many things:

54. Laying wait for him, and seeking to catch something out of his mouth, that they might accuse him.

The spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees here, is the spirit of all irreligious persons. They turn their indignation, not against their sin, but against him who points out their sin. They will endeavour to find in him some inconsistency, something whereof to accuse him. Their conscience is irritated their heart not subdued. The Pharisees could not deny that they had perverted the law of God by their traditions. The interpreters of the law could not deny that they tried the consciences of men with burthens of ceremonies and observances grievous to be borne, and not required of God, nor respected by themselves: they had kept out of view the real will of God, and taken away the key of knowledge, not to use but to conceal it, like those who withhold the Scriptures from the people. This they could not deny. But though convicted, they were not converted. The heart was still the heart of stone. Instead of humbling themselves before God, they laid wait for some cause to accuse their accuser. They were filling up the measure of their fathers; and who could wonder

7 See the account of his death, 2 Chron. xxiv. 20.

if the long-suffering of God were at an end, and a flood was now preparing, which, while they knew not, and heeded not, should come and sweep them all away?

LECTURE XLIV.

THE DISCIPLES ARE CHARGED AND ENCOURAGED TO FEAR GOD AND NOT MAN.

LUKE xii. 1-12.

(Matt. x. 26-32.)

1. In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, ho began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.1

2. For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.

3. Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.

4. And I say unto you, my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

5. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell: yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

1 Matt. xvi. 6.

Our Lord is here looking forward to the time, when, as he well knew, his disciples should be brought into synagognes, and unto magistrates, and powers, and charged with the crime of believing that Jesus was the Christ. So he warns them to beware of that spirit, into which such circumstances might betray them. Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. The Pharisees, caring only for the opinion of men, would maintain or deny a truth, according as the prevailing current of advantage flowed. The leaven of insincerity was mixed up with whatever they said and did, and corrupted all.

But there is a consideration, which may exclude such leaven: the anticipation of that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be disclosed, and when whatever has been concealed, or denied, or alleged, through fear of present evil or hope of present good, shall be made known and publicly proclaimed, before God and the holy angels. Fix therefore in your minds the fear of God as a security against the fear of man. Provide not to save the body, but

the soul.

The disciples would be placed in situations when nothing could preserve them from apostasy, except a prevailing conviction that the anger of God is of all things the most to be dreaded and avoided. Others had been in like circumstances before. The three Jewish youths among the captives in Babylon had set a noble example. (Dan. iii.) The king had taunted them, saying, "If ye worship not the image which I have set up, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery fur

nace and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands? Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said unto the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thy hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." The prophet Daniel had done the same, when, though aware of the snare which had been laid for him, yet "his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime." (Dan. vi. 10.)

A fear had influenced these men, superior to the present terrors which encompassed them: the fear of "Him who is invisible." And this fear Jesus approves and encourages. It is not such fear which the gospel is intended to remove: such fear has no "torment" with it: and "perfect love" does not cast out, but cherish, that filial awe which shrinks from God's displeasure more sensibly than from any other evil which can be presented to the mind: and, in reply to all temptations, has the answer ready, "How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"

That the fear of God ought to overcome every other fear, is avowed by all who believe in a day of judgment. The difficulty is, so to realise that day to our minds, that it shall surmount present

21 John iv. 18.

impressions. The fiery furnace waves before the eye: the den of lions shows its immediate horrors: while the judgments of God are far above out of our sight, and can only be represented by the power of FAITH. And the prayer of every man must be that this faith may be so strengthened, as to enable him to forego good forbidden, or endure threatened evil.

A merciful encouragement is contained in the words that follow.

6. Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

7. But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

The time might come, when it should almost appear that God had forgotten his church and people. But let nothing persuade them of this. Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the condition of his saints. An angel is not always sent to release them, as when Peter was delivered from prison. The mouths of lions are not always stopped, nor the violence of fire quenched. An earthquake would not ordinarily be commissioned to break open the doors in which apostles were confined, and loose their bands, and bring their jailor on his knees before them.3 But the providence of God is as surely over those who fall, as over those who are preserved. Not the meanest of his creatures is forgotten before God: how much less

3 See Acts xvi. 30.