XIX.

The Raising of Jairus Daughter.

It is more than probable that Matthew, otherwise called Levi, in leaving all to follow Christ, left more of this world's substance, than either of the other disciples. He certainly abandoned a lucrative pursuit; for the profits of the Roman tax-gatherers were proportioned to the odium with which their office was regarded by the Jews. Among the early hearers of Christ, Matthew must have been, and it is not unlikely that he was, one of the hearers of John the Forerunner. The circumstance that he instantly left all to follow Jesus, may be regarded as arguing some previous knowledge of his teaching; and few of the residents in Galilee could have failed to have heard the fame of the Great Teacher.

Matthew was deeply grateful that Jesus had condescended to call him from a profession and from a class which were held in contempt among his countrymen. Those among the Jews who claimed superior sanctity, denounced Matthew and his companions, and there were "in the days of the taxing" pretended Messiahs, who drew great multitudes after them by inveighing against the Roman rule, and avoiding and persecuting in every form

of social tyranny, those who upheld it-and especially such as consented to accept office under a foreign dominion. The surprise of Matthew, nearly, we may infer, equalled his joy, and he testified both in the alacrity with which he answered the call of the Redeemer.

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But it was not enough that he had found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write. He was desirous that his old associates and friends, should know something of the more excellent way. He made Jesus a great feast, to which he invited a great company of publicans and others. And the fame of the event, that Matthew the publican, had become a disciple of Jesus, and that he had given him a feast, must have attracted a large concourse of people. To appreciate the transactions recorded in the holy Scriptures, we must that the actors in them were men-subject to the same influences of hope, fear, hate, ambition, wonder and censoriousness as ourselves. If the holder of a lucrative post in one of our cities abandoned his position, and became the follower of a new teacher, preferring rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, such an act of self-denial would unquestionably draw all men's eyes, both to the preacher and to the convert.

The Scribes and Pharisees could not be unmindful of what was passing. Filled with supercilious disdain for at teacher, whose purity of life and of doctrine shamed their hypocrisy, and whose simplicity rebuked their ritual formality, they nevertheless followed to the feast, given by

Matthew the Publican to Jesus of Nazareth. They were solicitous to find pretext for carping, and sought occasion to disparage Jesus before the people. They commenced by asking the disciples, "Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?" Jesus, hearing that question, rebuked their self-righteousness, and said unto them, "They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy and not sacrifice; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." The elevation of the ritual and ceremonial over the religion. of the heart; the substitution indeed of the form for the substance, was the great sin of the Pharisees, and for this Jesus often rebuked them; not indeed releasing them from the lesser duties, but enjoining the weightier matters of the law.

Many of the Pharisees were disciples of John, or partial disciples. They found in the custom of him who came neither eating nor drinking, a course which they were willing to adopt, as fulfilling their whole duty, though John ceased not to direct them to Christ. To this point they were willing, as the Saviour told them, to "rejoice in John's light," but when he preached Christ they turned from him. The next cavil against Jesus came from certain of the disciples of John, and of the Pharisees.

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Why," they asked, "do the disciples of John and of the Pharisees fast, but thy disciples fast not?" Jesus said unto them, "Can the children of the bride-chamber fast while the bridegroom is with them? But the days will

come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days." Jesus taught as one having authority, and of his own power introduced innovations which John did not attempt. He discerned the thoughts and the hearts of men, and John referred his disciples to Christ for their full instruction. John stood between the old covenant and the new; Jesus is the messenger of the new covenant. His disciples rejoiced in his coming, and Matthew, in the joy of his heart, had made a feast. While he was with them, therefore, it was not fitting that they should mourn; for the day was coming when he should be taken from them, and then should they fast.

Jesus closed the whole subject with a parable. No man, he saith, putteth a piece of new cloth into an old garment, for that which is put in it to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles, else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. The new kingdom which Jesus came to establish, could not be engrafted upon the formalism and ceremonials of the Scribes and Pharisees. The types were superseded in the advent of him whom they prefigured. The prophecies were fulfilled in him. Taught of Christ, the apostles, after his death, released Christians from the yoke which they declared that neither they nor their fathers were able to bear. But more especially did Jesus refer in this simile, to the peculiar doctrines of the Pharisees, to which this truth was opposed. By their traditions they had rendered

the word of God of none effect; and the Gospel of the kingdom could not be taught with the traditions of the elders. Old things are done away in the Gospel dispensation, and all things become new; for he that is in Christ is a new creature.

While Jesus spake these things, there came to him a ruler of the Synagogue, beseeching him to come and heal his daughter, who was at the point of death. Thus was the preaching of Jesus to be confirmed by a miracle in the sight of the Pharisees, who had turned discomfited from his words; and their unbelief was rebuked in the faith of the ruler of the Synagogue. The sickness of his daughter, like that of Lazarus, was that the power of God might be showed forth in her resurrection. Jesus and the disciples arose to follow the agonized father; for he who was given as our example, never passed unheeded the calls of mercy, and never, for the house of feasting, neglected that of mourning. While the wealthy and honourable thus besought him, Jesus gave to the people a miracle teaching that God is no respecter of persons; for a poor woman who had spent all she had upon physicians, and was nothing bettered, but rather made worse, when she heard. of Jesus, came in the crowd behind, and touched his garment. For she said, If I may but touch his clothes I shall be made whole. And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt that she was made whole. Jesus, knowing the miracle that had been wrought, said, "Who touched me?" The disciples answered that the multitude thronged and pressed him; but the woman