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magnitude of importance which attaches itself to the second equally with the first. The second is like unto it. The second is great, that is to say, in the same manner as the first is great. Here, then, is another instance, in which the interests of man are considered as deserving attention equally with the honour and love of God. From the close proximity, therefore, of these two commandments to each other, and from the first order which we always find allotted to the duty which we owe to God, we can only infer that the performance of the first and great commandment can only be attained, by preparing a way to arrive at it, through the performance of the second. The love of God, therefore, altogether depends upon the love of our neighbour. And it was with this conviction that St. John gives the following recommendation to those to whom his first general epistle was addressed: "Beloved," says the devout Apostle, "let us love one another." And then, farther on, he declares the impossibility of loving God without attending to this necessary preparatory step: "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar and this commandment have we from God, that he who loveth God, love his brother also.”

It cannot therefore be denied, brethren, that the duties of men towards each other, are one of the two leading precepts in the gospel of Christ. And though the love of God may be the first and great commandment in the gospel, in the same manner as it is in the law, yet is the importance of the love of

our neighbour, which is designated as the second, most fully established, as being a necessary preliminary to the performance of the first. And in these duties, which are enforced in the words of our text, as well as in various other portions of the Scriptures, if properly considered, we have a most striking internal testimony of the truth of the gospel as delivered by Jesus. The duties, indeed, are essentially different-one being the love of God, and the other the love of our neighbour. They are likewise different as to the degree of love which is due to either party. Yet is the importance of the second considerably enhanced by its being necessary to arrive at the first. Well, therefore, did our Saviour act, when he directed the lawyer thus, in the words of the text, "Go and do thou likewise." This injunction, as we must have already seen, applied solely to the second of the two duties which have so frequently forced themselves upon our notice. The interrogator of our Lord was enjoined to follow the example of the good Samaritan, in shewing a humane and benevolent disposition to his fellow creatures, without any reference whatever either to the place of their abode, or the degree of hatred or friendship which might have existed between their respective countries. By so doing, he would be giving encouragement to a practice which, if brought into general use, could not fail to alleviate, in a most material degree, the ills and misfortunes to which our common nature is subject. By so doing, he would the most effectually prepare within himself

that disposition towards God, by which, or as the inevitable consequence of which, the love of God would be so perfected in him as to provide him with every thing necessary to his immortal happiness hereafter. And herein, as I before hinted, is to be perceived the divine source from which the gospel has emanated. There is no inconsistency or discrepancy between the feeling which applies to our happiness as members of the human family, and that which directs itself to the homage and adoration of God. How different is this from those institutions of mere human appointment, in which the homage paid to the Deity, or perhaps to a number of deities, is productive of human suffering, as well as from those institutions of an opposite character, in which the interests of mankind are provided for exclusively to the worship of God. In the Christian dispensation, the two duties are equally enjoined, and such harmony and consistency is there between them, that one cannot exist without the other. Reflect, then, on the instructive parable which has been submitted to your consideration; and, having done this, I have only to exhort each individual, in the language of our text, "Go and do thou likewise."

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SERMON XX.

CASUALTIES AND MISFORTUNES NO PROOF OF NOTORIOUS SIN.

LUKE, xiii. 1—5.

"There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they

were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

THE foregoing words, if duly and discreetly considered, will be found to contain matter of the most serious and awful import. They may not imparts; the first of

properly be divided into two which would have reference to the information which certain persons not named conveyed to our Saviour, respecting some inhabitants of Galilee who

had been slaughtered, by order of the governor Pilate, when in the act of offering sacrifices; the second part would refer to the answer which was given by our Saviour in reply to the information here implied.

Let us, brethren, in the first place, consider the information which St. Luke relates to have been conveyed to our Saviour: "There were present at that season," says the Evangelist, "some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices."

You are aware that, during the ministry of our Saviour, Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, the southern of the three divisions of the Holy Land, on the west side of the river Jordan, formerly allotted to the residence of the twelve tribes of Israel, which, at the time in question, was a province of the Roman Empire. To the north of Judea lay Samaria, which was likewise subject to the government of Pilate; and northward of Samaria was the division or district of Galilee, which was governed by Herod Antipas.

The Galileans, therefore, mentioned in the former portion of our text, were natives of this last mentioned district, and in all probability were Jews, both by religion and hereditary descent. According to the custom of their religion, a custom which, indeed, prevailed not among Jews only, but over the entire world, they were engaged in offering sacrifices; in presenting to heaven the blood of slaugh

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