261

SERMON XIII.

GOD'S ADVERSARIES HIS INSTRUMENTS.

JOHN xi. 49-53.

"And one of them, named Caiaphas, being the high priest that same year, said unto them, ye know nothing at all;

"Nor consider, that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not.

"And this spake he not of himself, but being high priest that year, he prohecied that Jesus should die for that nation; and not for that nation only, but that he should gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death."

"THE Lord is king, be the people never so impatient: he sitteth between the cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet."*" The kings

Ps. xcix. 1, 2.

of the earth indeed stand up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed: but he that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn.' ""* Let them do what they will, they cannot defeat his purposes, but on the contrary, they shall defeat their own schemes against him, and bring to pass his decrees by the very devices. by which they attempt to frustrate them; "for he taketh the wise"+" in their own craftiness," and the "wrath of man shall praise him." By his sovereign power and wisdom, and in his infinite love, he overrules the opposition of his adversaries to the benefit of his people, and to the manifestation of his own glory.

The last day will show this to his everlasting honour; but in the mean time, enough stands recorded for the illustration of so consolatory a truth. I purpose to consider now the chief and most marvellous instance of all:

The text contains the advice of Caiaphas the high priest to the Jewish council; the most atrocious advice it is ever given upon earth, and as wickedly taken as maliciously delivered. Yet, out of the horrible deed which ensued ↑ 1 Cor. iii. 19.

* Pз. ii. 2-4.

Ps. lxxvi. 10.

in consequence, the Almighty knew how to bring, and in fact did bring "glad tidings of great joy to all people, and glory to God in the highest.

I. The Lord Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. Of those who saw the miracle, some believed on him; but others went their way to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done. Upon this they convoked a council, and said, "What do we? for this man doeth many miracles; if we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come, and take away both our place and nation."

The wicked obstinacy of these men is manifest at the first glance. If, as they confessed, they could not but admit the miracle to have been wrought by him, it is clear what they should have done in common honesty: they should have confessed also, "Thou art, thou canst not but be what thou callest thyself; thou art the Christ;" therefore, "the Son of the living God:" they should have become his disciples, have received and obeyed his word, and sought salvation by him. But they had precisely the same reason for refusing this, which all wicked men to whom the gospel is preached

* Luke ii. 10.

have at this day. They were sufficiently acquainted with his doctrine to know, that it required holiness, and could be of no benefit to the impenitent: they knew, that taking him for their king, in the only sense in which he demanded their allegiance, was equivalent to the renouncing of their evil lusts; and they were resolved on no account to agree to this their sin and worldliness they would keep, therefore they would make no league with him. But, if they would not accept and honour him, others might; and, seeing what mighty works he did, it was clear they would. And here lay the grievance; they could not bear to think of it, that the people should believe on one, whom they chose to treat with scorn; yea, should respect and be guided by one, whose life and doctrine was a standing reproach to their wickedness, and served so effectually to expose their hypocrisy. He must be got rid of, therefore; and in order to this, they represent him as dangerous to the nation.

"The Romans will come," they say that is, this Jesus sets himself up to be a king; if he is not checked, the people will follow him, a sedition will ensue, and the Roman emperor will have a pretence for bringing us into worse bondage than ever: this is the meaning of their words.

But the whole was mere hypocrisy and falsehood: they were far from being so very submissive to Cæsar's government. But if they had cared for it, Jesus, as they very well knew, sought no temporal authority; and truly, this was one of the grounds on which they quarreled with him. Had he wrought his miracles in confirmation of pretensions to an earthly kingdom, and in proof of his having earthly preferments to bestow, they would have attended to him; for then his doctrine would have been altogether to their taste-but no, Repent," he said," and be converted ;" and " yourselves treasures in heaven.”*

lay up for

However, much as they desired it, they knew not how openly to propose the putting of him to death as yet. Some even of their own council might oppose it; such men as Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimathæa, and Gamaliel, perhaps, from prudence, if not from honesty. So they hesitated till one, troubled with no scruples, helped them out.

Then said Caiaphas, "ye know nothing at all; nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not."†

Here are three things to be looked to: the + Mat. vi. 20.

* Acts iii. 19.