To excite their negligence of the things of this life, he placed before them in the strongest light an example of the bewitching influence of wealth, in the parable of the rich glutton, who was cut off in the midst of his life projects, and became a remarkable example of the folly of amassing the goods of this without having any regard to the commands of the Almighty-This wretched man, forgetting his own mortality, made preparations for a long and luxurious life, pleasing himself with the thoughts of possessing an inexhaustible fund of sensual enjoyments. But, alas, while he was providing repositories for his riches, the inexorable king of terrors seized him, and that very night hurried him before the awful tribunal of Omnipotence. "And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided." Luke xii. 16, &c.

How solemn the appeal; while he lay waking on his bed in anxious solicitude, what he should do with his abundance, while his heart was dilated with the hopes of a variety of pleasures and indulgences; in that very moment the golden dream vanishes at once; all his thoughts perish; and, in their stead, a horrid account stares him in the face: a scene of Judgment presents itself to his terrified imagination! a dark night of horror, in an instant, overwhelms that soul to which he had promised so much ease, so

of eating, drinking, and making merry, eternal tortures, unspeakable thirst, weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth, must be the portion of this miserable soul to all eternity!

"So is he (added our blessed Saviour) that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God." Thus shall he be taken away from all his soul desireth; thus shall he be torn from all his temporal prospects and pleasures. None of his beloved enjoyments shall follow him; naked as he came shall he depart out of the world, nor shall all his riches be able to procure him the least comfort or respite in these scenes of terror. How should this reflection awaof terror. ken us to a due care of our immortal part! how would it alarm us, when planing fancied schemes of worldly pleasures, without the least regard to the great Disposer of all events! Without his assistance, all our promises of security are vain and foolish ; he will surely render all our labours abortive; and in a moment, when we think ourselves secure, the summons shall arrive, swift as the forky lightning's flash, convey us to the boundless regions of eternity, and present us, clothed in all our guilt, before the just, the mighty Author of our being!

This awakening parable exhibits a striking picture of the egregious folly of those who live only for themselves; laying up treasures for sensual enjoyments, but neglect the grace of God, and the immense treasure of salvation laid up in Jesus Christ.

Having spoken this parable, our Lord proceeded to caution his disciples against anxious cares for the things of this world; from a consideration, that the care of God's providence extends to every part of the creation. The fowls of heaven are fed by his bounty, and the lilies that adorn the vallies are supplied with rain from the clouds ofheaven;

If, therefore, said the blessed Jesus, Omnipotence so carefully provide for the inferior part of the creation, the children of men have surely reason to rely on his bounty, and depend for subsistence on his merciful hand. He added, that as God had destined them to everlasting happiness in a future life, he would surely provide for them all the necessaries of the present. "Fear not, little flock for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." At the same time he gave his disciples another precept, peculiarly calculated for those times in which the profession of the gospel exposed men to the loss of their substance. "Sell that ye have, and give alms: provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." Luke xii. 33, 34.

Having thus recommended to them the disengagement of their affections from the things of this world, he exhorted them to labour after improvement in grace. "Let

your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately." Luke xii. 35, 36.

This was spoken in allusion to the customs of the east, where anciently great entertainments were made in the evening; and on these occasions servants demonstrated their diligence by watching, and keeping their loins girded, and their lamps burning, that they might be ready, on the first knock of their master, to open the door. Nor was it uncommon for the master, in order to reward such a servant, to order him refreshment, and sometimes even give it him with his own hand. In allusion to which custom, our blessed Saviour added: "Blessed are those servants, whom the lord, when he cometh, shall find watching. Verily, I say unto you, that he shall gird himself,

and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Luke xii. 37.

Our Saviour enforced this constant watchfulness, and habitual preparation, by reminding them of the uncertainty of his coming; telling his disciples, that as every master of a family, if he knew the coming of the thief, would make some preparation against a surprise, so it would be highly requisite for them to make some preparation for the approach of their master, and be always ready to receive him, as the time of his coming was uncertain.

CHAP. XXII.

Our Lord reproves the Ignorance of the People in not understanding the Signs which preceded his appearance. Pertinently replies to an ignorant Question and inference concerning the Galileans. Teaches by Parable. Relieves a distres sed Woman; and is warned to depart the country, in Order to escape the Resentment of Herod.

HE Great Preacher of Israel having

delivered these salutary admonitions to his disciples and followers, directed his discourse to the unbelieving crowd. You can, said he, by the signs that appear in the sky, and on the earth, form a judgment of the weather; and why can ye not also discover the time of the Messiah's appearance, by the signs which have preceded it ?"When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, there cometh a shower; and so it is. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, there will be heat; and it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky, and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?" Luke xii. 54, &c.

The prediction of the Son of man coming to punish the Jews for their rebellion and

infidelity, delivered under the similitude of one who cometh secretly and unexpectedly to plunder a house, was a loud call to a national repentance. In order, therefore, to improve that prediction, he exhorted them to a speedy reformation; telling them, that the least degree of reflection would be sufficient to point out to them the best method they could possibly make use of for averting the impending judgments of the Almighty; illustrating what he had said, by the punishments commonly inflicted on the man who refuses to make reparation for the injuries he has done his neighbour. "When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite." Luke xii. 58, 59.

Some of his hearers thought proper to confirm this doctrine, by giving what they considered as an example of it. There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices; thinking, that Providence, for some extraordinary crime, had suffered these Galileans to be murdered

at the altar.

But our Lord shewed them the error of their opinion and inference concerning this point, it being no indication that these Galileans were greater sinners than their countrymen, because they had suffered so severe a calamity, and at the same time exhorted them to improve such instances of calamity, as incitements to their own repentance; assuring them that if they neglected so salutary a work, they should all likewise perish. "And Jesus answering, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell

you, Nay; but except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke xiii. 2, &c.

He illustrated this doctrine, by putting them in mind of the eighteen persons, on whom the tower of Siloam feil, shewing them, by this instance, the folly of interpreting the dispensations of Providence in that manner; for though this calamity seemed to flow immediately from the hand of God, yet, in all probability, it had involved people who were remarkable for their piety and goodness. "Or those eighteen upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, them think ye that they were sinners above Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Luke xiii. 4, 5.

To rouse them from their indolence, and to induce them to seek the aid of God's grace and Spirit, he added the parable of the fig-tree, which the master of the vineyard, after finding it three years barren, ordered to be destroyed; but was spared one year longer, at the earnest solicitation of the gardener. "A certain man had a figtree planted in his vineyard, and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none: Then said he unto the dresser of his vine

yard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? And he answering, said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it; and if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." Luke xiii. 6, &c.

By this parable our blessed Saviour represented the goodness of the Almighty toward the Jews, in choosing then for his people, giving them the outward dispensations of religions, and informing them of the improvements he expected they should make of these advantages, and the punishments he would inflict upon them, in case they slighted such benevolent offers. He also represented by it, in a very beautiful manner, the

unbounded mercies of the Almighty in sparing them at the intercession of his Son, and giving them a farther time of trial, and still greater advantages, by the preaching of the blessed Jesus and his apostles; concluding with an intimation, that if they neglected this last opportunity, they should perish without remedy.

During Jesus' abode in the country of Perea, he observed, while he was preaching in one of the synagogues, on the sabbathday, a woman, who, during the space of eighteen years, had been unable to stand upright. A daughter of Israel, labouring under so terrible a disorder, could not fail of attracting the compassion of the Son of God.

He beheld this affecting object, he pitied her deplorable condition, he removed her complaint, She who came into the synagogue, bowed down with an infirmity, was by the all powerful word of the Son of God, restored to her natural health, and returned to her house upright and full of vigour.

Such a display of divine power and goodness, instead of exciting the gratitude, so highly offended the master of the synagogue, that he openly testified his displeasure, and reproved the people as sabbath-breakers, because they came on that day to be healed. "There are six days, (said this surly ruler to the people) in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath-day." Luke xiii. 14.

But our blessed Saviour soon silenced this hypocritical pharisee, by shewing that he had not deviated from their own avowed practice. They made no scruple of loosing their cattle, and leading them to water on the sabbath-day, because the mercy of the action sufficiently justified them for performing it. And surely his action of loosing, by a single word, a woman, a rational creature, a daughter of Abraham, No. 10.

that had been bound by an incurable distemper, during the tedious interval of eighteen years, was abundantly justified; nor could this bigotted ruler have thought otherwise, had not his reason been blinded by his superstition, "The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath-day, loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, To, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." Luke xiii. 15, &c.

From this instance we may form some idea of the pernicious effects of superstition, banishing compassion, and of eradieating which is capable of extinguishing reason, the most essential principles and feelings of the human breast.

Our Lord having reproved the superstition of the ruler of the synagogue, and observing the acclamations of the people, he reflected with pleasure on the reason and truth which so effectually supported his kingdom. For he repeated the parable of the grain of mustard-seed and of the leaven, to shew the efficacious operations of the gospel upon the minds of the children of men, and its standing all the opposition of its inveterate rapid progress through the world, notwith

enemies.

few that he saved?" In all probability the person who proposed this question, had heard the Son of God describe the success of the gospel, by the parables of the mustard-seed and the leaven; and his notions of the kingdom of the Messiah, being those that were then entertained by the Jews in general, he meant a temporal salvation. But Jesus, to convince him that he never intended to erect a secular kingdom, answered the question in a spiritual manner, and told him, That a small number only of the Jews would be saved; exhorting them to embrace the offers of mercy before it was too late, for that many, after the period of their trial was concluded, and their state finally andirreversibly determined, should earnestly desire these benevolent offers, but should be denied their request. "Strive to enter in at the strait gate; for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the Master of the house is risen up and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer, and say unto you, I know you not, whence you are." Luke xiii. 24, 25. He also repeated on this occasion, what he had before delivered in his famous sermon on the mount: and what he had observed to the multitude in commendation of the centurion's faith. "Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you I know you not whence ye are; depart from me all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last." Luke xiii. 26, &c.

Immediately after Jesus had thus preach

ed the kingdom of God to the multitude, certain of the pharisees came to him, and told him, that unless he departed thence, Herod would destroy him; but this concern for his safety was altogether feigned, and their real design was no other, than to intimidate him, hoping by that means to induce him to leave the country, and retire into Judea, where they did not doubt but the chief priests would find some method of putting him to death. Perhaps Herod himself was privy to this message, and desirous that Jesús should leave his territories; though the agonies he had suffered, on account of John the Baptist, hindered him from making use of force. That this was really the case seems evident, from the answer our blessed Saviour made to the pharisees, "Go ye (said he, to these hypocritical Israelites) and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures today and to-morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. Nevertheless, I must walk to-day and to-morrow, and the day following; for it cannot be, that a prophet perish out of Jerusalem." Luke xiii. 32, 33.

Having given this answer to the pharisees, he reflected on the treatment the prophets had received from the inhabitants of Jerusalem; pathetically lamented their obstinacy, and the terrible desolation that would in a short time overtake them.— "Oh! Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not? Behold, your house is left unto you desolate and verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me until the time come, when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." Luke xiii. 34, 35.