souls may be refreshed and purified therein, and, unworthy though we be, grant to each of us, that receiving the fulness of thy spiritual blessings, through us thy mercy may flow on to others, in a stream ever increasing, till at length the knowledge and love of thee shall cover the earth, even as the waters cover the sea. Grant this, O Holy God, for thy dear Son's

sake.

Amen.

XXX.

JOHN VII. 45-43. VIII. 1, 2.

We here read, that when "the Pharisees heard that the people murmured such things concerning Jesus, they and the chief priests sent officers to take Him."

These messengers of theirs had stood and listened to the gracious words he spoke.

JOHN vii. 45-49. "Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought Him? The officers answered, Never man spake Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees But this people who knoweth not the law

like this man. also deceived? believed on Him? are cursed."

We here see that those gifts of station which men so greatly covet, are worse than useless, when the grace of God is not sought after to make them blessings.

The Pharisees were men of power and learning. The officers were their servants, and had to do their bidding. The people were held in light esteem, as in no way worthy of consideration, except as they could be moved to think and act by their rulers. The officers had listened to Jesus, and dared not to

lay hands on Him. They returned without Him, and gave for their reason, the important truth, "Never man spake as this man." The people, when they heard the sayings of the Lord, felt the conviction that He was sent of God,-that He was either the prophet they looked for before the coming of the Messiah, or the Messiah Himself.

Thus the ignorance of both officers and people, being free from that pride of heart which closed the ears and warped the judgment of the Pharisees, was better than all the learning of the schools.

In great wrath at being disobeyed, the Pharisees reproached their officers with having allowed themselves to be carried away by the same feelings as the untaught multitude, proudly declaring, that all who were not guided by their explanation of the law, were accursed. Had not Jesus been rejected by all the learned men of the country? Had any of the rulers or the Pharisees believed on Him? Was not this enough?

A voice arose from among their own members in answer to this question. Sitting in council with the rest, there was one, a ruler and a Pharisee, who had long since found his need of instruction, and had come to Jesus with the simplicity of a child to be taught.*

Verses 50, 51. "Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them.) Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?"

They had called the people accursed, because they knew not the law; and Nicodemus reminds them that they were themselves acting as if they knew not the law; which commanded that every man should have a fair trial before he could be judged. Nearly three years had passed, since Nicodemus had at mid

*John iii. 1-21.

night sat and listened to Jesus. The whole doctrine of Christian truth had then been revealed to him. He saw before his eyes, at the present moment, in the conduct of the other Pharisees, the truth of the words in which Jesus had ended that long discourse, when He had told him, that the reason why men should turn from Him, was, "that they loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."* Yet he had not, even now, boldness to confess himself His disciple. He only ventured to remind the others, that by the law of Moses they were bound at least to give to Jesus a fair hearing. Perhaps he hoped that, if they did, they might also be convinced.

It shows how great was the hatred of the Pharisees to Jesus and his cause, that even this reminding them of the duty of common justice in His case, was looked upon by them as siding with Him.

Verse 52. "They answered and said unto him (Nicodemus,) Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look; for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.”

In their angry haste they spoke a known untruth, for several of the prophets were of Galilee.† Little had Nicodemus said in defence of his Lord, but even that little broke up the council of the Pharisees. They saw that one at least of their number would not consent to unjust violence, and for a time they each went their way. It is written,

Verse 53. "And every man went unto his own house."

Where did Jesus pass the night? In Jerusalem he had no home, and the man who had just shown himself His friend, had not courage to face the scorn of his fellow-citizens. Nicodemus had once gone to Jesus by night. Why did he now lose the opportunity of again being taught by Him, by entreating Him

*John iii. 19-21.

† Jonah and Elijah, and also, it has been thought, Elisha and Nahum,

to spend this night in his house? We find he did not, for it

is written,

Chap. viii. 1.-" Jesus went unto the mount of Olives."

Here, on the mount, which lies east of Jerusalem, separated from it only by a narrow valley,* unsheltered from the cold night dews so heavy in these eastern lands, it seems the Saviour passed the night.

cr

Verse 2.-" And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down and taught them.”

XXXI.

JOHN VIII. 3—11.

JOHN viii. 3-11. "And the Scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, they say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said tempting him, that they might have to accuse him.”

The Scribes and Pharisees hurried this sinful woman into the presence of the Saviour, rejoicing in what they imagined was a snare from which He could in no way escape. They stated to him the law in its utmost severity, but not in its purity, for in the law it is written,-"The adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death." And they hoped, whatever His answer might be, to entrap him. It was not likely, after all they had seen and heard of His merciful dealings with sinners, that He should condemn the woman to death; but if He + Lev. xx. 10.

* The Valley of Jehoshaphat.

did so, they might accuse him of taking an undue authority upon himself. If, on the contrary, as must have seemed to them much more likely, He received her with compassion, then indeed they would have whereof to accuse him, for in this they would find a confirmation of their constant accusation, that He befriended sinners and set at naught the laws framed by Moses to hinder vice. Mark the conduct of Jesus:

Verse 6. "But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not."

Blessed Saviour! He would not even increase the confusion of the wretched woman, by looking upon her." Of purer eyes than to behold iniquity;" He bent them upon the ground, and with his finger wrote upon it. Who may guess what there was written?

Verse 7. "So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her."

These Scribes and Pharisees in their savage eagerness to entrap the holy Jesus, had thought little of the awful nature of the sin of her they had dragged before him. A sin abhorent in the eyes of God, whose pure and holy law had judged the man and the woman who committed it, to be worthy of death. They had rushed uncalled for into this case; they were not the appointed officers to apprehend this woman. Jesus had long since declared that He came not now as a Judge among them ;* but He is the Judge of the whole earth, and the consciences of men are his witnesses against them." He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." These were his words, and a searching power went with them to the hearts of these proud men.

*Luke xii. 13, 14.