dially embrace it, should be opposed with all the violence of persecution, and be the means of introducing strife and division! How monstrous is it, that any should hate their neighbours, yea, and their nearest relatives, for that disinterested piety, and regard to conscience, which might recommend strangers to their esteem and affection !— Yet let not those who meet with such injurious treatment be discouraged; knowing they have a Father and a Saviour in heaven, whose love is ten thousand times more than all: nor let others be offended, as if Christianity had been the occasion of more evil than good; for such is the nature of eternity, that the salvation of one immortal soul will be more than equivalent for the greatest and most lasting temporal evils which the greatest number of persons can suffer for conscience sake.

Let this awaken our zeal to save souls, however great and terrible the sufferings are to which it may expose us, in proportion to the rage with which the enemy is endeavouring their destruction. May we be animated in it by the example of the blessed Jesus, who, with a view to this, even longed for those sufferings which innocent nature could not but regard as the object of strong aversion! May we at all times be so wise as to discern the evidences, and to comply with the purposes of the gospel, else our knowledge in natural things, should it extend not only to the most common but the most curious appearances on the face of the earth or the heavens, will turn to no other account but to shame and condemn us!

If we have any reason to fear that, through obstinate impenitence, the blessed God is still an adversary to us, let us make it our first and greatest care that, by an humble submission of soul to him in the methods of his gospel-grace, that strict scrutiny of his justice may be prevented, and that sentence of his wrath averted, which would otherwise plunge us into endless ruin and misery; for when could we pretend to have paid the last farthing of the debt of ten thousand talents, which we have been daily contracting, and which is charged to our account in the book of his remembrance!

SECTION CXVI.

Christ, on the mention of some calamities which had befallen others, warns his hearers of their danger if they did not repent, and illustrates it by the parable of the barren fig-tree. LUKE xiii. 1—9.

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OW some who were present at that time with Jesus, told him of those unhappy Galileans*, whose blood Pilate had 2 mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus in reply, said to them, Do you think that these Galileans were sinners above all the Ga3 lileans, that they suffered such things? I tell you, No: but, except you repent, you shall all perish thus; vengeance will over* The followers of Judas Gaulonites. He was at the head of a sect who asserted God to be their only sovereign, and accounted it unlawful to pay tri bute to Cæsar. Probably this Judas is the person referred to Acts v. 37. This story of the Galileans might be now mentioned to Christ with a design of leading him into a snare.

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4 take you, and your whole nation. Or (to instance in another unhaphy case) that of those eighteen men on whom the tower of Siloam fell, and slew them; do you think they were greater offenders 5 than all the other inhabitants of Jerusalem? I tell you, No; but except you repent, you shall all perish thus, under the ruins of that holy city in which you trust.

6 And to awaken them to such repentance, he spake this parable : A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he 7 came searching for fruit upon it, but he found none. And he said. to the keeper of the vineyard, Behold these three years I have come to look for fruit upon this fig-tree, and still I find none; cut 8 it down, why does it cumber the ground? But he said to him in reply, Sir, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and lay dung to it: Perhaps it may bear fruit; but if not, after this thou shalt cut it down.

REFLECITONS.

Which of us may not learn a lesson for himself from this instructive parable of the fig-tree? Have we not long been planted in God's vineyard, and favoured with the cultivation of his ordinances, yea, with the dews of his grace too; and yet how little fruit have we borne in proportion to those advantages? How long has he come seeking it in vain, while we have frustrated the most reasonable expectations, perhaps not only for three, but several of us for more than thirty years ? Wonderful is it that the dreadful sentence has not long since gone forth against us, Cut them down, why cumber they the ground? We owe it to the intercession of our blessed Redeemer, the great keeper of the garden of God, that this has not long since been our case. Let us not be high-minded, but fear! Let barren sinners reflect that this may be the last year, perhaps indeed the last month, or last day of their trial; for even now also is the axe laid to the root of the tree! And let them remember, that though there be hope of a tree, when it is cut down, that it may sprout again, yet, when the doom is executed on them, their root will be as rottenness, and their blossom will go up like dust; and every tree which brings not forth good fruit will be hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Let such therefore meditate terror when the judgments of God are abroad in the earth; and, when others are ovewhelmed in ruin, let them not harshly censure the sufferers, as if they were greater sinners than any others; but let them apply that salutary, though awful, admonition to their own souls, repeating it again and again, till they are pricked to the heart by it, Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. Terrible indeed was the case of those whose blood Pilate mingled with their sacrifices, and of those who were dashed to pieces in a moment by the fall of Siloam's tower: but infinitely more dreaful will be the condition of them that fall into the hands of the living God, especially of those deceivers who, having surrounded his altars with the hypocritical forms of devotion, shall themselves be made the victims of his justice, and be crushed by the resistless weight of his almighty vengeance.

SECTION CXVII.

Christ cures a crooked woman in the synagogue on the sabbath-day; and repeats the parables of the grain of mustard-seed, and of the leaven. LUKE xiii. 10-22.

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ND as he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath-day, Behold there was a woman, who had a spirit of weakness* eighteen years, and was bowed together, so that she 12 was utterly unable to raise herself upright. And Jesus seeing her, called her to him, and said to her, Woman, thou art loosed from 13 thy weakness. And he laid his hands upon her, and immediately 14 she was made straight; and she glorified God. But a ruler of the synagogue, moved with indignation, because Jesus had healed on the sabbath-day, answered and said unto the people, There are six days on which common work must be done; on these 15 therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath-day. Then the Lord answered him and said, Thou hypocrite, Does not every one of you loose his ox or his ass from the manger, and lead him 16 away to drink on the sabbath-day? Now was it not fit that this woman, who is a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound, lo these eighteen years, should be loosed from this bond on the sabbath17 day? And when he had said these things, all his opposers were ashamed, and all the multitude rejoiced, for all the glorious things that were done by him.

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And he said, To what is the kingdom of God like, and what 19 shall I compare it to? It is like a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew, and became such a great tree, that the birds of the air lodged in its branches. So shall my kingdom, which in its beginning seems contemptible, diffuse 20 itself in time over the whole world. And again he said, To what 21 shall I liken the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and covered up in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. So shall the gospel, by a secret influence, spread its 22 efficacy through the hearts of men. And he went through the cities and villages teaching, and travelling on toward Jerusalem.

REFLECTIONS.

Again do we see, in a very instructive instance, the power and goodness of Christ. It wrought on a poor despised creature; but our Lord considered her as a daughter of Abraham, and honoured, even in her, whatever traces of her father Abraham's faith and piety his penetrating eye might discern. Her zeal and willingness to attend on public worship brought her out, though she could not stand upright, and had probably in that respect a much better excuse for staying at home, than many could make who now often absent themselves from the much nobler services of the Christian sanctuary.

* The Jews apprehended that all remarkable disorders of body proceeded from the operation of some malignant demon.

She met with Christ in the synagouge, and returned with a cure. And oh, how many, as the effect of such a pious zeal, though they have not been loosed from their infirmities, have at least been greatly strengthened to bear them. Our Lord says that Satan had bound her. That malignant enemy to our bodies and souls rejoices in any opportunity of hurting either. But it is pleasing to think that his power is always under the controul of Christ; and therefore shall never be exercised on his people any further than their gracious Redeemer sees it consistent with their good, and will take care to render it subservient to it.

How gravely does this ruler of the synagogues instruct the people in a point of ceremony, while his heart was full of enmity to Christ, and hardened against every sentiment of human compassion! Justly was his hypocrisy confounded and exposed. We should with pleasure see this Sun of Righteousness thus victoriously breaking through those clouds which envy and malice had raised to obscure him, and diffusing his sacred light from one end of the heavens to the other. With pleasure should we view the accomplishment of these parables which represent the success of his gospel as so great; and we should daily pray, with increasing earnestness, that all the remaining nations and kingom of this world may at length become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ; and sincere converts flock to him from every side, even as doves to their windows!

SECTION CXVIII.

Christ warns his hearers of the difficulty and importance of entering into the kingdom. He is not intimidated by the fear of Herod. His lamentation over Jerusalem. LUKE xiii. 23, &c.

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23 ND as Jesus was proceeding in his journey towards Jerusalem attended by several of his disciples, one of them said to him, Lord, are there but few that shall be saved? But he said to them, 24 Instead of amusing yourselves with such curious enquiries, exert your utmost strength to enter in at the straight gate: for I tell 25 you many will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. As soon as ever the Master of the family shall have risen up, and shall have shut the door, and you shall begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us, and he shall reply 26 to you, I know you not whence you are, then you shall begin to say, We have eaten and drank in thy presence, and thou hast 27 taught in our streets: Nevertheless, he will disown you and say, I

tell you, I know you not whence you are; depart from me, all ye 28 that practise iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves cast out. 29 Yea, they shall come from the east, and the west, and from the north, 30 and the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. And,

behold there are many who are now last in point of religious advan

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tages, that shall then be first in honour and happiness, and there are many who now appear first, that shall then be found last.

On that day some of the Pharisees came and said to him, Go forth, and depart from hence; for Herod is determined to kill 32 thee. But, far from being alarmed, he said to them, Go, and tell that fox (that crafty, voracious prince) Behold, I cast out demons, and perform cures to-day and to-morrow, and the third day I shall 33 be perfected* ; quickly I shall finish my course. Nevertheless, I must go on to-day, and to-morrow, and the third day: nor do I fear the effects of Herod's malice; for it cannot be supposed that 34 a prophet should perish any where out of Jerusalem. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who slayest the prophets, and stonest those who are sent unto thee! How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings? Yet you 35 would not. Behold your house is left unto you desolate; and I assuredly say unto you, that you shall see me no more, till the time come when you shall say, Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

REFLECTIONS.

And who would not welcome such a Saviour, when he appears on so kind a design! who would not bless him that cometh in the name of the Lord, to gather our souls with the tenderest care, and to shelter us from wrath and ruin! that Saviour whose bowels yearned over us, and whose heart poured forth its blood for us! Too many reject him, and will not hearken to the kindest calls of his compassionate voice. Unhappy creatures! the time will come when they too late will be convinced of their fatal error. Let each of us be solicitous for himself. Away with those vain curiosities which serve only to amuse and distract our thoughts. Let us call, and fix them down to the great concerns of our own salvation : and, if we would secure it, let us prepare to encounter difficulties, and strive, as for our lives, to break through all the opposition of our enemies, and resolutely to enter in at the straight gate. How many have sought it when the door has been barred? and how soon may the great Master of the house arise, and shut it for ever against those who are yet trifling!

Let not hypocrites trust in vain words. The workers of iniquity shall be disowned by Christ at last, though they may have eaten and drank in his presence. But oh, who can express the disappointment, the rage, and despair, of those who fall from such towering hopes, and plunge, as from the very gates of heaven, into the lowest abyss of darkness and horror! Their hearts will endeavour to harden themselves in vain; their doleful cries shall be distinguished in that region of universal horror! but they shall not penetrate the regions of the blessed, nor interrupt the delight with which even the dearest of their pious relatives shall sit down in the kingdom of God.

* Many suppose that our Lord is not to be understood as speaking exactly of three days, but of a little period of time. See Hos. vi. 2. [Perhaps by perfected" he meant, that he should have finished his course in Herod's dominions. See § 119. v. 1.]