ARBITRATION.

abomination and uncleanness. The home-thrust thus made at their consciences had the effect which in their case might be expected. They were in the highest degree enraged, and they "began to urge him vehemently, and to provoke him to speak many things:" and this they did in the hope that in his wrath some words might fall from him which would give them matter for accusation against him, either before the Roman government or the Jewish council. But the prudence of Christ frustrated their malice, in the midst of all the plainness of his uncompromising reproofs.

While Jesus was thus engaged in the house of the Pharisee, a great crowd of people assembled outside, who trod one upon another in their eagerness to be in the way of seeing and hearing him on his coming forth. When he did come out, he began first in that large audience to caution his own disciples against those principles of action by which the character of the Pharisees was deformed; and instead of hypocritical appearances and pretences, to maintain a conscience void of offence, at whatever

cost.

While he spoke, one of the crowd implored him to use the authority which belonged to his character, to induce his brother to give to him that portion of the inheritance which, since the death of their father, he had withheld. It was not unusual among the Jews for men to submit their differences for arbitration to persons venerated for their religious character, but who had no legal power of enforcing their own decrees. In the present case the man might also have expected that Jesus, as the Messiah, would act in the character of a prince, and so decide controversies relating to property. But Christ always resisted this notion; and he answered, "Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?" Which was as much as to say,

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My kingdom is of a spiritual nature, and I meddle not with the civil rights and properties of men."

It is probable that the other brother was present, and that there was too eager a desire in both to obtain the largest possible portion of the property in dispute. These suppositions are suggested by the fact that Jesus, who was always ready to give to his discourses whatever point they might derive from instant circumstances, proceeded to warn the assembled people against avarice and worldly-mindedness, and to direct their wishes to divine attainments and heavenly felicities. In the course of which he put forth the significant parable of the prosperous man whose mind was fully occupied in planning larger barns wherein to store the increasing produce of his fields, when he was arrested by the awful intimation-“Thou fool! this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided?"

Most of those whom he addressed were, however, in such humble circumstances of life, as to be in less danger from setting their hearts upon earthly treasures, than from the cares of the passing day and overmuch solicitude about the necessary supplies of life. Against this also he therefore proceeded to caution them, and encouraged them to ease of mind in all these respects, by the consideration that divine Providence would not fail to make adequate provision for the real wants of all those who made the kingdom of God and his righteousness the first objects of their solicitude. "Consider the ravens," he said; "for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn: and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?" There is the more force in this, when we bear in mind how specially observable, in the opinion of the ancients, was the good providence of God with respect to ravens or crows. Several of

THE LILY.

them remark that young crows are driven away from the nest as soon as they are able to fly, and are afterwards supported, we scarce know how, by a remarkable providence of God. Philo, a learned Jew of those times, also remarks that many are naturally forgetful, and often fail to return to their nests; yet, by the wise and merciful providence of God, they instinctively heap together in their nests whatever may breed worms, by which their abandoned young are nourished and preserved. Some of these notions concerning crows are now known to be incorrect; and we mention them merely to show the emphasis which their existence in the popular mind must have afforded to the beautiful allusion which our Lord makes to these birds.

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Again, lilies are abundant in Palestine-and at the time of our Saviour's discourse they were probably in bloom. Referring to these, Jesus said, "Consider the lilies of the field "-not of the garden, cultivated with care-"how they grow. They toil not”—as men in their laborious employments,—"neither do they spin "-like women in their more sedentary occupations; "and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon, in all his glory, was not arrayed like one of these." And then came the forcible application : Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith!" This will be the better understood when it is remarked that, after the moisture of spring has been absorbed, all wild herbage and decayed plants become rapidly dry in Palestine under the fervent heat of summer, and are, with all other decayed and dry vegetable products, collected for fuel. There was, and is, much scarcity of fuel in Palestine; but, except in the depth of winter, there was little need of it but for cooking and baking bread. This is the reason that fuel is usually described as being "cast into the oven." And this

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phrase may be better understood if we remember that the oven was usually a pit in the floor, the fire in which served both for fuel and, in winter, for warmth. These dry stalks and twigs were particularly suitable for the baking of bread, and were therefore preferred for the oven when bread was to be baked.

Taking such facts as these into account, we begin to perceive that the discourses of Christ often received a strong emphasis from surrounding circumstances, or from the sentiments and manners of the people, which does not readily or immediately occur to us under the great differences in our social condition, our climate, and our age.

From this, by an easy transition, our Lord proceeds to dwell upon the necessity of a state of constant preparedness for removal from this world and for the awful solemnities of the world to come. This, according to his custom, he illustrates by comparisons and parables, mostly drawn from the condition of servants awaiting the return of their master. The good servants wait with their loins girded for ready service, and, if it be night, with their lamps burning, their very uncertainty as to the exact time of their master's return making them to be the more anxious to be ready whenever he does come. But the bad servants, thinking their master never will come, because his coming is delayed, begin to eat, to drink, and to quarrel-when suddenly the master arrives, to their shame and confusion, and inflicts upon them the due punishment of their misdeeds.

THE FOLLOWERS OF JUDAS OF GAULONITIS.

CHAPTER XV.

OUR LORD CONDEMNS THE HARSH JUDGMENT OF THE JEWS-HE TEACHES THE PEOPLE IN PARABLES -PARABLE OF THE SOWER-OF THE TARES-KINGDOM OF GOD COMPARED TO THE GROWTH OF CORN TO A GRAIN OF MUSTARD SEED,-TO A PIECE OF LEAVEN,-TO TREASURE HID IN A FIELD, TO A PEARL OF GREAT PRICE, AND TO A NET CAST INTO THE SEA-WHAT IS REQUIRED OF THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST.

HEN Jesus had concluded his discourse, some of the persons present began to speak of a matter which excited much attention at that time. A man named Judas of Gaulonitis went about asserting that God was the only sovereign of the Hebrew nation, and that consequently it was unlawful to acknowledge any human sove

reignty, much less to pay tribute and yield obedience to a heathen people like the Romans. He obtained many followers, chiefly in Galilee, who gave much trouble to the Roman government. Lately Pilate had slain a body of these men, when they had gone to Jerusalem at one of the public feasts, so that in effect, "their blood was mingled with (that of) their sacrifices."

Now the Jews believed that grievous disorders or heavy calamities were sent by God in punishment for sin. Perceiving that the case was mentioned by those present with this feeling, Jesus took occasion to contradict this notion; affirming that those who heard him were equally sinners before God, and should also perish unless they repented. With the same view he also referred to an accident which formed the talk of the day-the