Delaware State journal and statesman., 1864-12-13
"Prtssiag to hear Me wOrd cf Gods
a SEFLMHoN.

PREACHED IN ST. JOHNS CHURCH, RRAEDYwIHE
VILLAGE, ny THB REV. LEIGHTON COLEMAN,
JULY 10TH, 1864
cas- the people pressed upon Him to hear the
word Of Gods. Luke, V. l.
These words form a part of the intro
duction to an account Of the first miracu-
lous dTaught of fishes, when Simon, and
James, and John, were called to be among
the immediate disciples of Christ. They
belong to the beginning Of our Lords
public ministry to the same time when
such multitudes of sick and disabled per-
sons were brought to Him, and those that
were possessed of devils came to Him to
be healed of their infrmities. 1t was not
long after He had triumphantly resisted
the temptations of Satan. 1t was before
His enemies had begun 10 assail His
character, and throw stumbling-blocks in
the way Of His mission. all alike seemed
for the while astonished at the wisdom
and graciousness Of His discourse, and at
the powerful proofs He gave of His COM
ing from God. The Scribes, and Phari-
sees, and priests-most Of them, at least,
listened at distance, unwilling to join
the populace in the homage which they
spontaneously paid to this Divine In
structer; and yet not daring at once to
say publicly aught against His claims to
the Messahship. The common people,
but little taught in the word of God by
their synagogue and temple ministers /;
understanding less of what we might call
the theological controversies of the day
undisturbed as yet by the ungenerous in.
situations and calumnies Of His adver-
saries, were too much comforted by His
holy presence, and kind demeanor too
much edited by His simple truthful teach
ings-teachings that at once approved
themselves to their hearts and consciences,
liberating them from their hereditary su-
perstition and bondage, and opening to
them new and fresh hopes and promises
a life so different from what they had
hitherto been leading they were too
well persuaded of the genuineness of what
He said by His manifold acts of mercy
and Of strength, performed so freely and
50 lovingly towards the poorest and un.
worthiest of them;-These influences were
too great to keep them from a ready and
Confding needing of His gracious dis
courses, and we accordingly find that
they hocked from every quarter, even
hanging upon Him, and following Hin
up from place to place, as He journeyed
through their towns.
This was, as we have already remarked
before their rulers had sought to weaker
their confidence in Him by their doubt
and revilings, or had gone further in thei
opposition to Him by communicating
those who believed on His word. Blu
even after this, when it was not so safe t,
avow devotion to Him-when many hal
turned back from following Him, becaus
Of these offences, even yet we arc toll
that "the common people heard Hi
gladly" Nor in the subsequent days c
His apostles, were His enemies able t
prevent at times aohOte mulitudes frol
assembling to hear His word, and frol
becoming obedient unto it such wei
sti,r its power and grace, and such til
neon, % as thirst after he fountain of hVin
conse rs that this simple, incidents
mention Of +, We peoples pressing, cyolOdiI
around our Lo. VI W hear ms Pieaohilil
always tilIs mo W ith the most unboundC
admiration and iov. can readily unde
stand the additional >0icacy given to II
benignant words by lis gracious mic
and His inspired tones O, gentle, loviI
authority. When we cons. Ger 'oese
the light in which we view tn, sla nov
seems lOondcrJal to us that any D. We shou
have been able to resist them but,
doubt not, the chief weight aud ultra
tiveness of His speech was because o. IL
truths themselves, which He thus pL'l
lished; aided, Of course, as He alway
was by the influences of the Holy Spiri
cooperating aOiM Him in the hearts {
men. These truths, we must remember
were not altogether such as would, at fir;
hearing, appeal favorably to their feeling
They were in many instances at positiy
and unmistakable variance with the
hereditary instructions they were direc
ed against their most common maxim
and habits they were opposed to II
manners and teachings of their revere
leaders and doctors. Therefore the pc,
ple's adherence to our Lord could not |
from any agreement between them c
points where we would have suppose
agreement necessary for such adherenc
This makes mo admire and rejoice Il
j more. To think of Christ's person ar
word being SO powerful amidst opposite
N and persecution of extraordinary violenc
y as not only to arrest the eager attentiC
= of multitudes, but also to gather su,
= anxious throngs around Him that He W
:, obliged, as in the instance before us,
{ withdraw Himself somewhat from the
- SO as to instruct them the more co
4 veniently surely this is enough to fill
a. with surprise, and cause us to ask o.
s. another why it is that men no long
or crOiOd around the minister of God to he
n N His Blessed Word, and take part in Il
sacred worship but need rather to
| IL ..I.. =