And he said also to the people, When ye fee a 54

cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye tay, There 55 cometh a shower ; and fo it is. And when ye lee

the south-wind blow, ye fay, There will be heat, and 56 it cometh to pass. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern

the face of the sky, and of the earth: but how is it, 57 that ye do not discern this time (u)? Yea, and why,

even of yourselves, judge ye not what is right? 58. When thou gợest with thine adversary to the ma

giftrate (w), as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him, left he hale thee

to the judge, and the judge deliver thce to the offi59 cer, and the officer cast thee into prison. I tell thee,

thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the

very last mite.

THERE

HERE were present at that season, some that

told him of the Galileans, whole blood Pilate had 2 mingled with their facrifices (a). And Jesus answer.

ing, said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were finners above all the Galileans, because they 3

suffered such things (6)? I tell you, Nay: but ex

(*) You are attentive enough to the common occurrences of nature, and form just conclusions from them; how then can you be indifferent to this time, when the Messiah is come, and your rejection of bim will bring destruction upon you.

(w) It is too late for a man to clear himself when sentence is passed upon him. So is it likewise with such as die in a state of impenitence. Sentence will then be past, and it will be impossible to escape. Trust not then to the deceitful inyentions of such as pretend to have power to controul, and set aside, the juft judgment of God: but repent in time, as the only way to avoid the divine wrath.

(a) for refusing to pay tribute to the emperor, Pontius Pilate had caused them to be flain as they were facrificing in the temple,

(b) Judge not censoriously of those who fuffer by the common accidens and misfortunes of life: but let fuch examples teach you to amend your own lives, knowing that it is a fearful thing to die in your fins, and 10 fall into the hands of the liviug God., 4

4 cept

4 cept ye repent, ye shall all likewise perih. Or those

eighteen, upon whom the tower of Siloam fell, and

flew them, think ye that they were finners above all 5 men that dwelt in Jerusalero? I tell you, Nay: but

except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perih. 6 He spake also this parable : A certain man had a

fig-tree planted in his vineyard, and he came and 7 fought fruit (c) thereon, and found none. Then

said he unto the dreffer of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come feeking fruit on this fig

tree, and find none: cut it down, why cumbereth it 8 the ground ? And he answering, said unto him, - Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about git, and dung it. And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down(d).

And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the 11 fabbath. And behold there was a woman which had a

{pirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed 12 together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And *** when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said

unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infir13 mity.' And he laid his hands on her, and immedi14 ately she was made straight, and glorified God. And

the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jefus had healed on the fabbath-day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which

men ought to work: in them, therefore, come and 15 be healed, and not on the fabbath-day. The Lord

then answered him, and faid, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the fabbath loose his ox or his ass from the fall, and lead him away to wa

IO

(c) In this parable is shewn the lang-suffering and forbearance of Almighty God. Let it teach us, not only to reverence and glorify the divine mercy, but to imitate it, by shewing compassion and tenderness on every occasion towards each other.

(d) If we do not prove fruitful in good works under the culture of God's providence and patience, we shall at latt be cut down in his wrath,

L

16 tering?

16 tering? And ought not this woman (e), being a

daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo

these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the 17 fabbath-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. 18 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God 19

like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? It is like a grain .of mustard-seed which a man took and cast into his garden, and it grew (f), and waxed a great tree;

and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches 20 of it. And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken 21 the kingdoin of God? It is like leaven which a

woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till

the whole was leavened (s): 22 And he went through the cities and villages teaching, 23 and journeying towards Jerusalem. Then said one

unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved ? And he 24

said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate (b):

for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and thall 25 not be able (i). When once the master of the house is

risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to rstand without; and to knock at the door, saying, Lord,

Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer, and say

(e) See Mark ii. 27. f) See Mat. xiii. 32.

(g) As a liule leaven serves to ferment a large heap of meal, so shall my religion, from a small beginning, very quickly spread through all the world.

(h) Our blessed Saviour cautions us against unnecessary curiosity concerning the salvation of others: but teacheth us to be careful in working out our own with fear and trembling, Phil. ii. 12. i. e. with diligence and humility, truiting not to our own merits, but to

(ii They shall not be able, because they do not strive to enter in until it is too late. The work piety and religion is not to be wilfully delayed to o!d age, or the bed of sickness, but ought to be begun early, and carried on through every stage of life.

26 unto

God's mercy:

26 unto you, I know you not whence you are: Then

fhall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in

thy presence, and thou haft taught in our streets (k). 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence

you are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye

shall see Abraham, and Ifaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you your29 selves thrust out. And they shall come from the eart,

and from the west, and from the north, and from the

south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And behold, there are last which shall be first, and

there are first which shall be last (2). 31

The same day, there caine certain of the Pharisees, saying unto him, Get thee out and dep art hence: 32 for Herod will kill thee (nn). And he said into thein,

Go ye and tell that fox (n), Behold, I cait out devils,

and I do cures to-day and to-motrow, and the third 33 day I thall be perfected. Nevertheless, I must walk

to-day and to-morrow, and the day following (o):

for it cannot be that a prophet perifh out of Jerusalem. 34 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killeft the prophets,

and stoneft thein that are sent unto thee : how often

would I have gathered thy children together, as a (k) The means of grace that God is pleased to give us, will be our condemnation unless we make a right use of them.

(l) The Gentiles, who now cnjoy the fewest advantages, shall be moft diftinguished; whereas the Jews, by not making a right use of the benefits they enjoy, shall be left far behind.

(71) This was faid in craft; not with any good-will towards him, but with a design to affright him.

(n) Tbat crafty and cruel prince.

10) He tells them, that neither their dissimulation, nor Herod's fratagems, should prevent his continuing to preach and work mitacles until the proper time should come that God had appointed. At that time he would willingly resign his life in the place where so many prophets had been slain before him, viz. at Jerusalem, towards which he was then going, with perfect knowledge of what was to befal him.

hen

L 2

hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye 35 would not? Behold, your house is left unto you de

solate: And verily I say unto you, ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall fay(), Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

I

сн А Р. XIV. AN ND it came to pass, as he went into the house of

one of the chief Pharisees to eat bread on the fab2 bath-day, that they watched him. And behold there

was a certain man before him which had the dropsy. 3

And Jesus answering, spake unto the lawyers and

Pharisees, faying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath4 day (a)? And they held their peace. And he took 5 him, and healed him, and let him go: And answered

them, saying, Which of you shall have an ass or an

ox fallen into a pit, and will not straightway pull 6 him out on the fabbath-day? And they could not

answer him again to these things. 7 And he put forth a parable to those which were

bidden, when he marked how they chose out the 8 chief rooms (b), saying unto them, When thou art

bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in

the highest room, left a more honourable man than 9 thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee

and him, come and say to thee, Give this man place;

and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the

lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thce, Friend, go up higher : then shalt thou have worship (c) in the presence of them

(D) Until

your calamities shall oblige you to acknowledge that I act by the authority of God. See Mat. xxiii. 39. Note.

(a) See Mark ii. 27:

6) Chriftian humility ought to extend to the moft ordinary occasions.

(6) Thou shalt have respect.

IJ that