Reflections on the kind regard of Christ to children. XIX. 15. LUKE 101 cxxxvi. Mark called them unto him, tle children, but having called them to him, and SECT. and] took them up in his arms [and] put his ordered the infants to be brought, he took them hands upon them, and up in his arms, tenderly embracing them with blessed them; [and de- a holy complacency and love; and, as a farther X. 16. parted thence] [MAT: token of the overflowing kindness and benevolence of his heart towards them, he laid his hands upon them, and blessed them, recommending them in a solemn manner to the Divine blessing and favour; which accordingly descended upon them, to strengthen their constitutions, and to sanctify their hearts. And, after this, he departed from thence to another place in the neighbourhood, where the young ruler attended him, as will be presently related. IMPROVEMENT. X. 16. LET us make a pause here, that we may more attentively re- Mark view this delightful and instructive sight; that we may see this compassionate Shepherd of Israel, thus gathering the lambs in his arms and carrying them in his bosom with all the tokens of tender regard, (Isa. xl. 11.) rebuking his disciples who forbade their coming and laying his gracious hands upon them to bless them. How 14 condescending and engaging a behaviour! how encouraging and amiable an image! Let his ministers view it, to teach them a becoming regard to the lambs of their flock, who should early be taken notice of and instructed; and for and with whom they should frequently pray; remembering how often Divine grace takes possession of the heart in the years of infancy, and sanctifies the children of God almost from the womb. Let every first impression made upon their tender minds be cherished; and let not those whom Christ himself is ready to receive be disregarded by his servants, who upon all occasions should be gentle unto all, and apt to teach. (2 Tim. ii. 2.) Let parents view this sight with pleasure and thankfulness : let 13 Let children especially observe this. The great and glorious 14 N 2 102 cxxxvi. A rich young man inquires the way to eternal life. SECT. Redeemer did not despise these little ones; nay, he was much displeased with those who would have prevented their being brought to him. As kindly would he, no doubt, have received you, ye dear children, who read or hear this; as kindly will he still receive you, if you go to him in the sincerity of your hearts, and ask his blessing in humble and earnest prayer. Though you see not Christ, he sees and hears you; he is now present with you, to receive you, to bless you, and to save you. Happy the weakest of you when lodged in the arms of Christ! nothing can pluck you from thence, or ever hurt you there. 15 In a word, let us all commit ourselves to him; and let us be disposed to become as little children, if we desire to enter into his kingdom. Let us not govern ourselves by the vain maxims of a corrupt and degenerate age. Let not pride, ambition, lust, or avarice, possess, torment, and enslave our minds; but, with the amiable simplicity of children, let us put ourselves into the wise and kind hands of Jesus, as our Guardian, and refer ourselves to his pastoral and parental care, to be clothed and fed, to be. guided and disposed of, as he shall see fit. For this purpose, O God, may we be born again by thy Spirit, and formed anew by thy grace! since by this method alone we can be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, (Col. i. 12.) and be so the children of God, as to be at length the children of the resurrection. SECT. cxxxvii. Mark SECT. CXXXVII. A rich young man applying himself to Christ for direction in the way to eternal life, and afterwards parting with him out of regard to his possessions, gives our Lorde occasion of cautioning his disciples concerning the danger of riches. Mat. XIX. 16, to the end. Mark X. 17-31. Luke XVIII. 18-30. MARK X. 17. MARK X. 17. gone forth into the and AND as he went out from thence, into the AND when he was way to some other place which he designed way, [behold,] there to visit, behold, a most remarkable occurrence came one [Luke, a X. 17. happened; for there came one, even a certain certain ruler] running, magistrate, or ruler, who was a young person in very plentiful circumstances, running with an eager desire to converse with Jesus before he left that place; and he no sooner was come near a As he went out from thence.] Both Matthew and Luke relate this story of the young ruler immediately after that in the preceding section; but Mark is more de him, terminate than either of them in the connection, and more circumstantial in the narration. b Good Reflections on the curc of him that was born blind. Jews: for the Jews CXXX. 75 Cause they feared the as wronght by Jesus, but because they were afraid SECT. bad agreed already, of the Jews: for the Jews, in this their highest that if any man did con- court, had already agreed, that if any one should fess that he was Christ, shew such regard to Jesus of Nazareth as to con- IX. 22, he should be put out of fess him to be Christ, he should immediately be the synagogue. ask him. excommunicated and cast out of the synagogue; a censure which was reckoned very infamous, and attended with many civil incapacities and 23 Therefore said his penalties. Not knowing therefore but such an 23 parents, He is of age, interpretation might be put on their owning the truth of this miracle, his parents declined giving any particular testimony concerning it ; and rather chose to refer them to their son, and said, He is of age sufficient to be heard as an evidence, and it will therefore be most proper that you should ask the particulars from him. John IMPROVEMENT. OH that the zeal of our great Master might quicken us his too Ver.5. negligent servants! Still is he the light of the world, by his doctrines, precepts, and example. May our eyes by Divine grace be opened to see, and our hearts be disposed to love and to follow this light! It was a governing maxim with him, and he meant it also for our admonition, I must work the works of him that sent 4 me while it is day; the night cometh, wherein no man can work. We are sent into the world on an important errand, to work out our own salvation, and that of others: may we improve the present day; and so much the rather, as we see the night approaching! On some the shadows of the evening are already drawing on; and as to others, their sun may go down at noon. Let us therefore, waving the curiosity of unprofitable speculations, apply ourselves seriously to the business of life, and zealously seize every oppor- 2, 3 tunity of usefulness. Our Lord, as it should seem unasked, and by the person on 6, 7whom it was wrought unknown, performed this important and extraordinary cure. And the manner in which he did it is worthy of notice: He anointed his eyes with clay, and then commanded him to wash. Clay laid on the eye-lids might almost blind a man that had sight; but what could it do towards curing blindness? It reminds character. It also farther appears from 76 CXXX. The man is called again before the sanhedrim. SECT. reminds us that God is no farther from the accomplishment of any purpose or event when he works with, than without means; 6,7- and that all the creatures are only that which his almighty ope ~7 ration makes them. The blind man believed, and received the immediate benefit of it. Had he reasoned, like Naaman on the impropriety of the means, he had justly been left in darkness. Lord, may our proud hearts be subdued to the methods of thy recovering grace! And may we leave it to thee to choose how thou wilt bestow favours, which it is our highest interest on any terms to receive. 15, 17 It must be a satisfaction to every true Christian to observe the 18, 19 curiosity and exactness with which these Pharisees inquired into the miracles of Christ, and how thoroughly they canvassed every circumstance of them. A truth like this need not fear any examination. Every new witness which they heard confirmed the case, and confounded the obstinacy of their unbelief.-But surely 20--23 the weakness of the parents was very pitiable, who, in the midst. of the evidence and obligation of such a miracle, were more afraid of incurring a human sentence than of offending God, by failing to own so great a favour, and to confess the blessed Person by whom it was wrought. The fear of man bringeth a snare (Prov. xxix. 25); but they whose eyes Christ has opened in a spiritual sense will see a glory and excellence in him which will animate them boldly to bear their testimony to him, in defiance of all the censures which men can pass, or of all the penalties by which they can enforce them. SECT. SECT. CXXXI. The man who was born blind that had received his sight is a second time examined before the sanhedrim, who, provoked by the freedom of his replies, excommunicate him; but Jesus meets him, and declares himself to be the Son of God. John IX. 24-38. cxxxi. NOW, John JOHN IX. 24. as the sanhedrim were not able to discover any fraud in the miracle mentioned JOHN IX. 24. THEN again called they the man that was blind, and said un this man is a sinner. in the preceding section by examining the pa- to him, Give God the IX. 24. rents, they therefore called a second time for the praise: we know that man who had been blind, and said to him, Give glory to God, by a free confession of the fraud, if there be any collusion or artifice in this affair; or, if the cure was really wrought in the a Give glory to God, by a free confession of the fraud, &c.] As it is greatly for the honour of the Divine omniscience and pro manner vidence that persons who are guilty of crimes not fully proved against them should freely confess them, and not presume, against 25 He answered and said, Whether he be a not: one thing I know, that whereas I was sinner, or no, I know blind, now I see. 26 Then said they to him again, What did he to thee? how opened he thine eyes? 27 He answered them, I have told you already, and ye did not hear: wherefore would They are provoked at his replies. 77 SECT. cxxxi. manner thou affirmest, acknowledge the Then answered he and said, If he be a sinner, I 25 But they again said to him, hoping that, in some 26 minute circumstance at least, he might contradict his former account, and give them some advantage against him, Tell us once more, as particularly as thou canst, what did he unto thee? and how did he open thine eyes? And as the man perceived that they intended 27 only to insnare him, he answered them eagerly, I have told you already, and ye have not regarded ye hear it again? will what I said, nor would at all believe me: why ve also be his disci- would you desire to hear it again? Would you become his disciples, as many have lately done, and some, perhaps, on occasion of this miracle which he has performed on me? ples? also The Pharisees then were filled with indigna- 28 tion, and were so greatly exasperated at what appeared to them so insolent a speech, that they reviled him in very opprobrious language, and said, Thou art indeed this fellow's disciple, as many of the herd of ignorant people are; but we would have thee to know that we scorn the imputation, for we are the disciples of Moses, and against the dictates of conscience, to maintain their own innocence; there is a great propriety in the phrase taken in this sense: (compare Josh. vii. 19, and Rev. xi. 13.) Yet some have taken it as a general adjuTation by the glorious name of God; as 1 Kings xxii. 16; 2 Chron. xviii. 15; and Mar. xxvi. 63.)-The words also admit another sense, which I have comprehanded in the paraphrase; but I prefer the former. This man is a sinner.] I cannot, with Mr. Locke (Reasonableness of Christianity, p. 28), imagine this any proof of a tradition among the Jews that the Messiah should be perfectly free from sin; but rather conclude that sinner here, as ver. 16, signifies a notoriously wicked man. It was certain We are the disciples of Moses.] Hereby d We |