The blessed Saviour came not as John had done. No visible marks of mortification noted his appearance. He had been brought up among men, and had been used to converse with them. He ate and drank the common food, and partook of entertainments provided for him, even of those where, according to custom, mirth and festivity were to be expected. He, too, called men to repentance and amendment of life. He, too, proclaimed the quick approach of the kingdom of God, and invited men into it. They who had reviled John as a madman, would surely regard the preaching of Jesus, whom no disgustful austerities rendered disagreeable to them. But, no: John was a madman, who had lost his senses by melancholy, or by diabolical possession; and Jesus was a glutton and a drunkard, the friend and companion of publicans and sinners; and his preaching was to them just what the pipe of the children in the markets, was to their churlish companions. Folly, not wisdom gave rise to this conduct. If the reservedness and mortification of John offended them, why be offended also at the more easy conduct and conversation of Jesus? Or if the free intercourse of the holy Jesus, and his living, in all appearance as others lived, was thought to partake too much of the world, and approach too near to levity, why censure the more reserved conduct of the pious Baptist? They both preached the same doctrine. They both declared the near approach of the kingdom of God, and called men to repentance that they might be worthy members of it, and thereby escape the vengeance of God, which both declared would overtake and destroy the obstinate and impenitent sinners. The one passed his life in rigid abstinence and mortification. The other lived according to the common mode. The one both fasted himself, and taught his disciples to fast also. The other fasted not, so far as we know, except at the season of his temptation; but declared it improper for his disciples to fast, while he was with them in the world. His devotions also were as private as possible: On these occasions he withdrew himself from all observation, even from the company of his constant attendants. Why now

should both be censured? Where is the wisdom or propriety of finding fault with one, for not pursuing that conduct which they condemned in the other?

This is the light in which Christ hath set that generation among which he lived. "John," said he, "came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil. The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold, a man gluttonous and a wine bibber, a friend of publicans and sinners: But wisdom is justified of her children."

By wisdom, in the Scripture, is meant that heavenly quality and disposition which the apostle saith is "from above," and is "pure, peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality," or wrangling," and without hypocrisy;" which David notes as arising from the "fear of the Lord," and which Solomon celebrates as being of more excellent value than all the riches, and honours, and pleasures of the world. In most places, it seems to be another name for divine knowledge and religion according to the revelation of God, and of those tempers and dispositions which flow from it. By this revelation we are instructed in the will of God, and in our duty to him and to one another. that to believe what God saith, and do what he commandeth in the revelation of his will to us, is our wisdom-the highest wisdom we can possess, seeing it will make us wise unto salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord.*

So

Wisdom, then, in the sense of the text, is to believe what God hath revealed, and to do what God hath commanded. Earnestly to seek this knowledge, and to labour sincerely to do what it directs, is to be the child of wisdom: And of her children-of those who seek to know the will of God and to do it-wisdom will be justified, that is, approved and vindicated from slander and misre presentation.

The meaning of the text is, therefore, this: In condemning both Jesus and John, the latter for his austerity and mortification; the former for his more free and social life;

* 2 Tim. iii. 15.

calling the one a madman, the other a glutton; the Scribes and Pharisees showed their folly, not their wisdom. The children of wisdom, who study to live in the knowledge and obedience of God, the only wisdom which is worth seeking, will see, and will justify the propriety of the conduct of both. They will see that the glory of God and the good of men were truly sought and promoted by both That though the Scribes and Pharisees reviled both for their manner of living, yet they who sought to know and obey the will of God applauded their conduct, knowing that it proceeded from a hearty desire to promote the glory of God, by promoting the happiness of his crea

tures.

We see, then, both the ground and the severity of our Saviour's censure, and let us avoid them. Many will readily join in condemning the conduct of the Scribes and Pharisees, and yet will too often imitate them. That we may not tread in their steps, we must avoid their principles. Let us, then, reflect on the subject that is before us, that we may guard ourselves against error, and remain the children of that wisdom which has God for its object, and is taught only in his school.

The great obstructions to receiving religious truth when it is fairly presented to us, are prejudice, party, misconstruction of Holy Scripture, and wickedness of heart, or

the love of sin.

Prejudice most commonly arises from education and habit. Opinions in which we have grown up, which we have long believed, and on which we have repeatedly acted, engage our affections, and hold our judginents in such subjection, that it is with difficulty we free ourselves from it. It is not my business to account for the rise or strength of prejudice; but only to point out its influence on the Scribes and Pharisees, in the time of our Saviour.

These people had been educated in a strict attention to the law of Moses, and to the traditions of their Elders. They believed both to be of divine authority, and of equal obligation, and would not bear to see the least deviation from them; or, more properly, from their construction of

them. Whatever tended to depreciate their character, or lessen their influence, excited their resentiment. Hence proceeded their accusation against Christ, as one who dis regarded the Sabbath, because he hesitated not to heal the sick on that day. Hence their complaint, that he neglected the traditions of the Elders, because he and his disciples washed not their hands before they ate, and fasted not as the Elders had directed. Hence it came, that the instructions and reproofs of Christ had so little effect on them. Their prejudices had closed their ears and hardened their hearts against him, and instigated them to put unnatural and malicious constructions on all he said and did. He taught the typical meaning and temporary continuance of their law-that it should all be fulfilled and pass away; and they thought him a blasphemer. He taught the necessity of purity of heart, and holiness of life, and called them to repentance and amendment: They thought themselves pure and holy through the external observance of their law and traditions, and looking on him as a depraver of both, they disregarded all his admonitions.

If we find similar prejudices prevailing in our own time -if we see Christians in bondage to religious errors which education hath begun, and habit confirmed; let us not be surprised at it. Human nature is the same in all ages and countries: Education and habit make nearly all the difference. Under the same circumstances, it will act in much the same manner. Our duty is with patience and meekness to set the truth before them, as clearly as we can, and in a manner the most likely to engage their attention. Their will and affections we cannot command; but to our efforts we can join our prayers to God for them, that he would pour the light of divine truth on their minds, and enable them to break the bonds of those prejudices by which they are held in subjection.

The next cause of error in religion is a party spirit. Whether this be a particular kind of prejudice or not, is not necessary for me to discuss: Its baneful influence on the mind is full as bad, if not worse than that of the prejudice of education, as it more directly leads to persecu

tion and violence. The sect of the Pharisees, in the time of our Saviour, had become numerous, and formed a strong party. Their great pretensions to holiness, and their exact obedience to the law and to the traditions of the Elders, gave them a high character with the people. Though full of pride, and hypocrisy, and oppression, such was their opinion of their own sanctity that they separated themselves from all familiar intercourse with other people, and thought themselves defiled by eating with, or even touching those whom they called sinners.

Their pride, and hypocrisy, and oppression were exposed and severely censured by the Baptist and by Christ. The resentment of the whole party was excited. It became necessary to support their character and consequence. This could be done only by lessening the influence which the preaching and conduct of Jesus and of John had on the people. To accomplish this purpose they exerted their utmost efforts.

John came, as hath been observed, in the spirit and power of Elias, with all the abstinence, self-denial, and mortification which had distinguished the old Prophet. His example was as illustrious, his preaching as powerful, and as much tending to the reformation of his countrymen, as the ministry of Elias had been. Had they compared him with the character which their Prophets had given of the fore-runner of Messiah, they must have perceived John to be that Elijah whom God had promised to them: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the Prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to the fathers; lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."* But then they must have become his disciples; and by establishing his character, have destroyed their own influence with the people. They therefore cut the matter short; and in the true spirit of party, pronounced John a lunatic, a demoniac, a fanciful madman, though he sustained the very character which their old Prophets had given of him. Then all was well

Malachi iv. 5, 6.