guilty concerning our brother in a moral sense, as often as we tempt him by a want of proper seriousness in our own deportment, or forego availing ourselves of the advantage of a seasonable observation whenever it may be introduced with propriety.

Now it was foretold of Christ, that " grace should be poured into his lips,'—and that the Lord God had given him the tongue of the learned, that he should know how to speak a word in season to him that was weary.' It would be unnecessary to shew how satisfactorily these predictions were fulfilled in our Lord. Even the men of Nazareth, prejudiced as they were by local associations, and perplexed by the meanness of his supposed origin, all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth 5. My object is rather to direct attention to one very remarkable feature of that wisdom which Christ displayed in his ministry-the manner in which

6

4 Ps. xlv. 2. Is. l. 4.

s Luke, iv. 22.

he adapted incidental occurrences or expressions to the purpose of instruction. The consideration of this subject will perhaps afford some hints for the better discharge of that difficult duty to which allusion has been made.

One of the things occurring to a reader who perused the life of our Saviour for the first time, and who brought to it a mind alive to original impressions, would probably be the wisdom with which every incident in it was directed to the promotion of one common end. There is. an unity of design pervading the whole, never interrupted by inconsistencies or digressions which might have the effect of diverting the mind from the prominent subject of attention, or of diminishing the influence arising from the general tenor of his more serious discourses. It would seem as if every word and action were studied with a view of affording a kind of prophetic fulfilment of the apostolic rule-' Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God'.'

61 Cor. x. 31.

At the same time it is amongst the wonders of our Lord's ministry, that there is nothing forced in the transitions which are perpetually made from external circumstances to doctrinal or moral points. A casual expression, an incidental occurrence, the season of the year, a particular place, the vicinity of a building, or the imagery of the surrounding country, often served to introduce and illustrate matters of gravest import and replete with serious instruction.

This peculiarity has been remarked by writers on the life of Christ. Bishop Law, and Newcome have both given examples of it. Warburton alludes to it in the following passage: The properest season we can conceive for the institution of the last supper, was the instant of time between the celebration of the type, and the offering of the antitype. This time likewise corresponded with Christ's usual practice, who was wont to deliver his instructions by actions and expressions bearing allusion to what passed before his eyes, or presented

itself in the natural course of things to his observation". Jortin says- whosoever examines the discourses of our Lord with attention, may find in them a certain character and way of speaking peculiar to him. His manner, by which he may be distinguished, consists in raising matter of instruction and moral reflection from the things which were at hand, which presented themselves to him and to his audience. Hence it is that his sermons to the people and his conversations with his disciples allude perpetually to the time of year, or to the place where he was, or to the objects surrounding him, or to the occupation and circumstances of those to whom he addressed himself, or to the state of public affairs."

There seems to be some connexion between this adoption of occasional illustrations pro re nata, and the use of parables; and both modes of teaching were probably suggested to our

7 Div. Leg. vol. vi. p. 173.

8 Jortin's Discourses concerning the Truth of the Christian Religion, pp. 199, 200.

R

Lord by the same cause, the fondness of the oriental nations for figurative language. In selecting a few examples of the practice from the different Gospels, I shall first bring forward some which have reference to natural objects.

I. Much of our Lord's time, from the character of his occupation, was passed in the temple. Its beauty and magnificence were favourite subjects of remark among the Jews, and they frequently challenged admiration for the size and splendour of its buildings, as the boast of their city and the memorial of their national religion. It might be expected therefore that our Saviour would avail himself of so popular a topic to present, through a palatable medium, truths which could not but be unacceptable to many of his hearers. Allusions to it consequently are very frequent, and it was to one of these that the false witnesses suborned against him were indebted for the only subject even of false accusation which they could bring. For it was after he had purged the temple from the abuses with which it had been defiled, that he