it could not but have fallen otherwise. wisdom of having built it upon a rock. Here is seen the VER. 26.-Shall be likened.—Perhaps this form is used, in- * stead of "I will liken him," to intimate, that the view which he proceeds to present should be presented as the authoritative and unchallengeable judgment in the case. If he said, "I will liken," some might not recognise the justice and validity of the deliverance; but he says, "shall be likened,❞— the proper authority will pronounce, and will pronounce thus. VER. 27. Great was the fall of it.—The issue was emphatically and without mitigation disastrous. In this appeared the folly of having built upon the sand. Of whatever palliation this procedure might admit, if the case were such that the loss in any event would be inconsiderable, it admitted of none in the case actually described. VER. 28.-These sayings.-The sayings reported in the preceding context (v. 3-vii. 27.) This phraseology is evidently inconsistent with the theory that Matthew introduced into his report matter not originally contained in the sermon. (See Intro., sect. iii., par. 18.) -- They were astonished at his doctrine.—It is evident, from the cause of their astonishment assigned in the next verse, that it was not so much the matter of "his doctrine" that struck them, as the spirit and tone of his teaching, which, impressive and remarkable in themselves, were entirely new to them. VER. 29. He taught them as one having authority.-In this as in every respect "he taught" in the spirit of his office. His office invested him with "authority," and his teaching was in full accordance with this fact. It issued also from the clearest knowledge and the fullest appreciation of the entire case under treatment, and of the truth as bearing upon it-from thorough conviction and earnestness; and he that proclaims the truth from such conviction and with such earnestness, proclaims it with a degree of authority proportionate to the force of his character. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT AS AN EXAMPLE OF PREACHING. From the comprehensive character of the sermon on the mount, and from the fulness with which it is reported, it would be interesting and instructive to consider it as an example of preaching. At present, however, we shall only request attention to the fact, that, throughout this discourse, it was our Lord's great aim to undeceive his hearers, who were disposed to rely on the merely outward in religious service and privilege, as constituting them subjects of the kingdom of heaven, or proving them to be such. With this view, he distinctly and emphatically announced to them, that without righteousness-the righteousness of personal character they should in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. This announcement, however, was not sufficient for his purpose, for self-deceivers are very tenacious of their delusive peace. If he proceeded no further, and even though in general terms he represented the righteousness of which he asserted the necessity, as exceeding that of the scribes and Pharisees, his hearers would easily persuade themselves that they possessed it, or that by greater strictness or additional services they could speedily attain to it. It is at this point that self-deception is to be particularly apprehended. Those who practise it will admit the necessity of righteousness, and even of a high degree of righteousness; they may go any length short of purity of heart and motive. Our Lord, therefore, described and discriminated the true righteousness in detail and in its whole interest, giving special prominence to the dispositions, affections, and aims, in which it is realised within the sphere of the inward character, as its distinctive and fundamental elements. To this description and discrimination of it the whole body of the sermon is devoted. (See Part I., sect. i., par. 1, 3-8; Part III., sect. i., par. 1, 3–5, 7, 9, 11, 14; sect. ii., par. 1, 3–6, 9; sect. iii., par. 1-4; sect. iv., par. 1-4.) Here, it may be observed, we have the highest authority, -the authority of the Master's own example, for what has been called subjective preaching, and this authority for even. giving it precedence so far as self-deception obtains. Selfdeception must be dissipated that the gospel offer may be accepted, and that the life of faith may be led; and to dissipate it our Lord had recourse, and his servants must have recourse, to subjective preaching. Objective preaching, indeed,-full and copious objective preaching,—is not only essential to the integrity, but is the great distinctive element of the preaching of the gospel; and if hearers had already a just sense of their spiritual state, and were in no danger of deceiving themselves, it might perhaps constitute almost the entire preaching of it. But our Lord's example teaches us, and it is evident from the nature of the case, that, while self-deception obtains, and so far as it obtains, subjective preaching is necessary. Self-deceivers persuade themselves that they are already partakers or heirs of the blessings offered to them; or, if they have not deliberately and consciously adopted, they feel and proceed as if they entertained this view of their state, or, at least, the view,-meddling less with the present, and having reference more exclusively to the future, -that their position is such that they shall be admitted into heaven. And, to justify and support their entertainment of this view, they may appeal, and in their own bosoms at least they will appeal, to their faith, to their public and private religious services, to the part, perhaps the prominent part, they take in the efforts and enterprises of the church, and to their consistent or even examplary walk; and, in multitudes of cases, they have the faith, they perform the services, they take the part in the operations of the church, and they maintain the walk, to which they thus appeal. Still, they are self-deceivers; and how are they to be undeceived? They themselves traverse the whole external field, and bring facts from every part of it which go to prove, so far as they afford proof in the case, that they are, as they regard themselves, citizens of the kingdom of heaven. No course, therefore, is open but to resort to the internal field, and, by the requisite investigation there, to show that the facts on which they rely are not expressions and embodiments of the proper dispositions and exercises of soul, and are therefore fallacious. But self-deceivers, in collecting their proofs, by no means restrict themselves to the external field; they adduce also internal facts,-facts supplied by their inward experience. And when they adduce such facts, adducing at the same time the external facts already indicated, it becomes necessary, in dealing with their case, to analyse the experience to which they appeal, and to apply to it the proper Scripture tests, that its true character may be detected, and that it may be thus evidenced that, not at all such as they regard and represent it, it affords no support to the conclusion which they found upon it. We have hitherto viewed self-deception as affecting men's dealing with the momentous question of their personal interest in the blessings of salvation,—the question of their actual possession of them or title to them; but it affects also their dealing with the still more fundamental question of their ability to take possession of those blessings. Salvation has been procured for sinners, and is freely offered to them; they are called upon, exhorted, and commanded to receive it. In view of this great and glorious fact, the question arises, -and it arises not as a question of mere speculation, but with an immediate practical reference,—are sinners able to receive, in their own strength, or with such ordinary aid as is given to them under the dispensation of gospel ordinances, the salvation offered to them? To this question, the answer suggested by the consciousness which men have, that, while it is by faith that salvation is received, they can exercise faith, as they certainly can some kind of faith,-is too often returned. By those, indeed, who have not been savingly taught by the Spirit, it is always returned,-if we listen to the language of their hearts, and not to that of their understandings only. And those by whom it is returned, proceeding upon the view which it expresses, either receive salvation as they are able to receive it, and rest satisfied that all is well; or, unwilling to be at present embarrassed with its claims and requirements, defer the reception of it, intending, as they can receive it at any time, to receive it at a more convenient season. Those kindred forms of self-deception, which must be ruinous to the souls in which they continue to obtain, are unquestionably very prevalent, and how are they to be dealt with? It is, of course, undeniable that men in their natural state can exercise faith, and, when multitudes in their natural state regard the faith which they can and do exercise as saving faith, is it not necessary, if we would undeceive them, that we unfold the nature of saving faith, and thus discover to them that it is radically different from the faith on which they rely? Saving faith, indeed, may be known by its operation and fruits, but we cannot discriminate even its fruits without describing the affections and inward exercises from which they derive their character and flavour. And must not the same or a similar course be followed in dealing with those who, in their great blindness, persuade themselves that they can, in their own strength, and at their own time, exercise saving faith and do whatsoever else may be necessary to secure their salvation? Inability to exercise saving faith, and to appropriate salvation, is, however, but one element or result of the total depravity with which men are affected in their natural state; and self-deception prevails with respect to that depravity in its whole extent and as regards the whole of its operation. The prevalence of it over so wide a range is maintained, and plausibility and power are imparted to it as thus prevailing, |