SERMON VIII.

DAVID'S LORD AND DAVID'S SON.

While the Pharifees were gathered together, Jefus asked them,

Saying, What think ye of Chrift? whofe fon is He? They fay unto Him, The Son of David.

He faith unto them, How then doth David in fpirit call Him Lord, faying,

The Lord faid unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool?

N

If David then call Him Lord, how is He his Son?

And no man was able to anfwer Him a word, neither durft any man from that day forth afk Him any more questions.-Matt. xxii. 41-46.

THRICE in this chapter did the cavilling enemies of Chrift feek to perplex and overthrow Him by their captious questions.

The Pharifees fought to entangle Him in His talk, but were fignally overthrown in His reply touching the tribute money. Next the Sadducees endeavoured to confute Him on the question of the refurrection, and were answered fully, as well as reproved for their ignorance of holy Scripture. Afterwards a fcribe, "tempting Him," inquired, Which was the great commandment of the law? With fingular patience (for our Lord knew the irritating motives which

led to these inquiries) He anfwered each and all, exhibiting, at the fame time, ftill more remarkable wifdom in His dealings with them. Having then received and dispofed of their fophiftries, He, in His turn, leaves the defensive, and takes up aggresfive weapons. Having kept off the enemy in three separate attacks on His pofition, He now follows him up with the two-edged fword of the Spirit into his own entrenched camp, and fo victoriously did He fmite and baffle him, that "no man was able to anfwer Him a word, neither durft any man from that day forth afk Him any more queftions."

Our Lord here gives us an example of meekness and of boldness: the meeknefs of true wisdom the boldness of conscious truth. Herein is indicated the conduct which His followers fhould endeavour to purfue. We should be able to give to

every man that afketh us a reason for the hope that is in us, with meekness and fear." We should do fo, even though it is evident that those who oppose themselves are not seeking for instruction to themselves, but for victory over us. Let us remember, when befet by captious antagonists, the conduct of the Scribes, Pharifees, and Sadducees, towards our Redeemer, and His treatment of them. But, as good foldiers of Jefus Chrift, we may not stop here. Truth is pofitive as well as negative; and the Christian armoury is fupplied with weapons of attack as well as of defence. There is a girdle, breastplate, fandals, fhield, and helmet; but there is alfo a fword.

fuch as our Lord ever wielded with skill and effect the fword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With this He drove off Satan in his onset of temptation. "It is written," scared Apollyon; and, in the cafe