sense of his own manifold shortcomings, and of the impossibility of ever meriting any recompense by his own works, or of obtaining justification by his own obedience. It is this experience, which renders the Gospel doubly precious. A Saviour is at hand to renew our hearts, to purify our souls, and to clothe us in His own spotless righteousness. All who flee to Him for refuge shall find a hearty welcome. For "He is the end of the law for righteousness unto every one that believes." He was animated by a spirit of unwearied love, perfect even as His heavenly Father, and "obedient unto death, even the death of the cross," as our Mediator and Representative. His work is finished; faith leans upon it, and imparts life and peace to the renewed soul; which having "received Christ Jesus," in all His offices and fulness, now "walks in Him," in the habitual pursuit of holy obedience. For the elect of God are "chosen unto salvation, through sanctification of the Spirit," even "unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ."*

* See 2 Thess. ii. 13; 1 Peter i. 2. and strikingly illustrates 1 John i. 7;

The order here is important, which so clearly implies the

imperfection and sin still inherent in the children of light, even when they walk in the light. See also Exod. xxviii. 38.

CHAPTER V.

On not setting All Truth indiscriminately before all men.

UR Lord proceeds; "give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." (v. 6.)

Both dogs and swinet were unclean animals, the objects of general abhorrence and disgust amongst the Jews, so that they became familiar emblems of bitter contentious spirits, and of reckless sensualists; who might, perhaps, exhibit hopeful signs of repentance, but who after a while invariably revert to their former courses, whether of folly or of lust, because strangers to the renewing power of the Holy Spirit. Under such circumstances, they ordinarily show themselves more desperate railers at virtue, and scoffers at holiness, openly displaying their odious colours, and nailing them

* Phil. iii. 2; Rev. xxii. 15; Prov. xxvi. 11.

† 2 Peter ii. 22.

to the mast, as if they were champions of some great cause, thus becoming more dangerous characters in every respect.

"The mysteries of the kingdom" are the holy things, precious as pearls, which the Father graciously reveals to babes, but which He altogether conceals from the wise and prudent,* who rely upon their own wisdom and righteousness. Now, although it is the duty, and most delightful privilege, of Christians, who have "this treasure in earthen vessels," that "the excellency of the power may (be manifested to) be of God, and not of themselves," to communicate the truth to others, "there is a time to keep silence," and persons to whom it would be evil and unbecoming to speak of divine things.

The rule against censorious judgments is not opposed to the exercise of that necessary discrimination, which the Lord here enjoins in this respect. For the duty of forbearance and of love is not to be strained, or pressed so far, as to endanger ourselves, or to weary our spirits in useless efforts.

The inspired proverbs are very explicit on this point. "He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame; and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. Reprove not a scorner lest he hate thee." And, "speak not in the ears of a fool; for he

* Matt. xi. 25; xiii. 11. Tertullian applied the words of Jesus to the impropriety of baptising all indiscriminately. De Bapt. c. 18. † 2 Cor. iv. 7.

will despise the wisdom of thy words."* But such lessons are easily perverted.

A decided aristocratical feeling pervaded the literature and philosophy of the ancient world,† and not only led the refined Greeks to regard themselves as nationally so superior to other nations, as to be entitled to hold them in bondage, but prompted the more intellectual of their number to look down with contempt even upon the less highly favoured of their own countrymen.§ This notion was too eagerly adopted by Christian teachers at an early period, under the paramount and mischievous influence of Platonism. The philosopher thought it difficult to attain to the knowledge of the Creator,|| and impossible to make Him generally known, and dangerous to explain a pure scheme of doctrine to an ignorant multitude. "Beware," a Platonist exclaimed, "beware lest these things be laid before uneducated persons. They will treat that with ridicule, which the noble-minded account admirable; and regard with delight."** The celebrated distinction between esoteric

*Prov. ix. 7, 8; xxiii. 9.

† Bildungsaristokratismos.

(Neander.)

In the language of

Friar Bacon, every writer of reputation agreed in despising the

ignorance and folly of the masses.

Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 12, c. 37.

§ Illustrated by the familiar anecdote in the history of Phocion, and the celebrated line of Horace, “odi profanum vulgus et arceo.” Tertull. Apol. c. 46.

Euseb. Præp. Evang. 1. 8, c. 8.

** Ib. 1. 12, c. 7. The Bishop quotes as parallel Matt. vii. 6, and 1 Cor. ii. 14.

and exoteric doctrines naturally arose from such views; all were not adapted for general use; deeper secrets could be entrusted to the initiated alone.*

Philo describes lessons even of trivial importance as sacred mysteries, or divine orgies, which must not be communicated to the uninitiated; because the wise man has many secrets above the comprehension of the multitude, which he ought not to divulge, without first testing the capacity and character of his hearers, lest they should be the cause of death rather than of life to them.†

The Christian fathers, Origen, Eusebius and Theodoret, supposed, that only a few were capable of understanding the evidences of Christianity, receiving its higher mysteries, and giving a sufficient reason of their hope. The rest must acquiesce in an unexamined and untried faith, and simply receive what is set before them by their teachers on their authority; being regarded by them as patients in the hands of skilful physicians! Passages applicable to profane and carnal unbelievers were perversly applied to this case; and the necessity of appeals to the senses, and therefore of fictitious miracles, and

* See Wyttenbach on Plato Phodon § 6, (= § 16, p. 62.)

† Quæst. in Gen. 1. 4, § 67; (non omnem veritatem convenit dicere apud omnes) fragm. p. 651; 658, 659; de Cherub. § 12-14; Quæst. in Gen. 1. 4, § 35. See Leg. Alleg. 1. 3, § 77. On this principle Chrysostom left 1 Cor. xv. 29, unexplained; because he was preaching in the presence of some unbaptised persons! Beausobre on Matt. vii. 6.

Eusebius Præp. i. 1; 5; xii. 7, with Heinichen's notes.