He also, in his white suit, found his way into the houses of evangelical dissenters, though they profess to have a book which exhibits his devices. Notwithstanding all the watching that had been at the doors, he rushed in to the communion table, as he had done to the consecrated altar of the cathedral, and sowed discord between the minister and the deacons; and he himself undertook the managing matters between them, seated in his chair and vested in his white robe. He forced many to assume a profession, like tares of the field; and some also of his best beloved servants, who were utterly destitute of the love of Christ and the fear of God, he raised into the pulpit, while they were living in secret sins; but they all had a white robe, as white as the sepulchres of the Pharisees, covering all these things. Satan held these up to deceive before the eye of God, and all the terrors of eternity. To sustain them from fainting, he administered unto them his potions from the pitcher of presumption; and hardened their consciences with the hot iron of hypocrisy, heated in the fire of hell. He taught them to persecute religion in the garb of an angel.
Let us not give room to the devil in his white raiment! When he attempts to destroy the character of a brother, he assumes his white robe, and not his murdering garment, pretending to vindicate the glory of God and the cause of justice, asserting that the cause of religion must be cleared; while all this time envy rankles in his heart, notwithstanding his fair pretences, as when the Jews delivered Jesus to be crucified. It was his white garment that Satan wore in the court of Caiaphas, when he charged the true God with blasphemy. This garb, also, his servant Judas wore, when he displayed such zeal and sympathy for the poor, in the case of the ointment at Bethany. Let us ask grace, that we may be able to recognise the devil in his white raiment, as well as in his old black-red garb. He is not so easily distinguished in his borrowed white, as in his own proper suit. Let us cleanse out hypocrisy. Such is our instruction.
V. THE YOUNG CHILD.
Herod said to the wise men, “Go and search diligently for the young child.” The magi immediately commenced their inquiries, according to the instructions they received. I see them approaching some village, and when they come to the gate they inquire, “Do you know any thing of the young child?” The gateman comes to the door; and, supposing them to have asked the amount of the toll, says, “O, three halfpence an ass is to pay.” “We do not ask what is to pay,” reply they, “but, do you know any thing of the young child?” “No; I know nothing in the world,” answers he; “but there is a blacksmith’s shop a little farther on; inquire there, and you will be very likely to obtain some intelligence concerning him.”
The wise men proceed, and when they come to the blacksmith’s shop, they ask, “Do you know any thing of the young child?” A harsh voice answers, “There is no such thing possible for you, as having the asses shod now; you shall in two hours hence.” “We do not ask you to shoe the asses,” say they; “but inquire for the young child, if you know any thing of him?” “Nothing in the world,” says the blacksmith; “but inquire at the tavern that is on your road, and probably you may hear something of him there.”
On they go, and stand opposite the door of the tavern, and cry, “Do you know any thing of the young child?” The landlord, thinking they call for porter, bids the servant attend, saying, “Go, girl; go with a quart of porter to the strangers.” “We do not ask for either porter or ale,” say the wise men; “but something about the young child that is born.” “I know nothing in the world of him,” says the landlord; “but turn to the shop on the left hand; the shopkeeper reads all the papers, and you will be likely to hear something respecting him there.”
They proceed accordingly towards the shop, and repeat their inquiry, “Do you know any thing of the young child, here?” The shopkeeper says to his apprentice, “Reach half a quarter of tobacco to the strangers.” “We do not ask for tobacco,” say the wise men; “but for some intelligence of the young child.” “I do not know any thing of him,” replies the shopkeeper; “but there is an old Rabbi living in the upper end of the village; call on him, and very probably he will give you all the information you desire respecting the object of your search.”
They immediately direct their course towards the house of the Rabbi; and having reached it, they knock at the door; and being admitted into his presence, they ask him if he knows any thing of the young child. “Come in,” says he; and when they have entered and are seated, the Rabbi refers to his books and chronicles, and says he to the wise men, “There is something wonderful about to take place; some remarkable person has been or is to be born; but the best thing for you is to go down yonder street; there is living there, by the river side, the son of an old priest; you will be sure to know all of him.”
Having bid the old Rabbi a respectful farewell, on they go; and reaching the river’s side, they inquire of the by-standers for the son of the old priest. Immediately he is pointed out to them. There is a “raiment of camel’s hair about him, and a leathern girdle about his loins.” They ask him if he knows any thing of the young child. “Yes,” says he, “there he is: behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world! There he is; he will bruise the dragon’s head, and bring in everlasting righteousness to every one that believeth in his name.”