Going from the Pharisee's house, where he had dined, he was attended by a vast concourse of people, whom he informed what they must expect, if they intended to be his disciples. "He* that doth not prefer me, says he, before all that is nearest to him, nay and life too, is not worthy to be my disciple. And whosoever doth not come with a preparation of mind to suffer any thing rather than part with me, is not fit to engage with me. For as he that begins to build, and hath not a stock to hold out, leaves his work imperfect: or as he that designs a war, and hath not men and money enough to go through with it, had better never engage in it; so he that undertakes to be a Christian, must resolve to renounce all that is precious to him in this world, or else he will not be able to persevere to the end.

The winter now approaching, and the Jews' feast of dedication being at hand, Jesus went up to Jerusalem to the feast, where he preached in Solomon's porch.† The Jews still jealous of the great influence he had over the people, attempted to seize him; but he was aware of their design for retiring from thence, he went beyond Jordan, where he taught the people in an elegant and persuasive discourse concerning the mercy of God in accepting penitents, in that admirable parable of the prodigal Son; whose father having heaped up a fortune, at the importunity of his youngest son, divided his substance between his two children. The youngest took his part, and immediately set out to visit distant countries, where in a short time and in luxurious living he spent that wealth his parent had given him. When he had spent all, a dreadful famine afflicted that country; in vain he applied to those that had shared in the consumption of his fortune; they are as much strangers to him now, as he was to grace in the midst of his prodigality. Hunger, an excellent monitor, soon instructed him what to do; he addressed him

* He. Luke xi. 26. Matt. x. 37.

† Porch. Solomon's porch was that part of the temple which stood intire from the first ruins.

self to a person, from whom he received no other comfort than an offer of tending his swine. Want of bread compelled him, and he accepted the offer, and would gladly have shared with them in their diet of husk's and acorns. Whilst he meditated on his sad condition, necessity reduced him to his reason, and the only means left to redress his misery. He acknowledged his sin against his heavenly and earthly fathers, then his own unworthiness to be admitted to mercy, and lastly to be restored to favour. Armed with this resolution, he directed his steps towards his injured father's house. The tender parent discovered the miserable object, and with eager fondness ran to him, embraced and kissed him, and reinstated him in his paternal love; proclaiming a jubilee in his family for the return of this prodigal, who having been dead and lost in sin, was now alive again to repentance and holiness of

life.

Then he discourses of the design of the Messiah coming into the world, to recover men from their sin and danger, in the parables of the lost sheep and piece of money. After this he taught them to employ their present opportunities and estates, by laying them out in acts of mercy and religion, that when their souls shall be dismissed from this life, they may be entertained in everlasting habitations. This he inforced under the figure of an unjust, but prudent steward, "who having abused his trust by wasting and embezzling his master's goods, is called to make up his accounts, for he was no longer to be retained under the character of steward. This summons presented to his anxious thoughts the sad prospect of a miserable poverty. He thought it below the dignity of his character to work, and he was ashamed to beg. To provide therefore against the approaching storm, he sends for his master's debtors, and asked them what they owed in goods or rent. The first tells him he owed a hundred measures of oil. He bids him take his bill with speed and make it only fifty; and so in proportion he accounts with the rest. This the unjust steward did in hopes of being relieved by his master's debtors when he was discarded his service." By which parable our Saviour shews, how much more provident worldly

men are to secure something for the remainder of their life, than the sons of light who are born to be injured and abused here; yet from hence, he teaches them how to secure friends, which shall continue long beyond this transitory world. Therefore he advises them to make provision for themselves, by so using the fading wealth, with which they are intrusted here, that when these transitory comforts shall forsake them, they may be received into heaven.

Wherever the blessed Saviour of the world went, the fame of his miracles and doctrine attracted to him a vast retinue, some out of curiosity, others out of necessity still following him, but none so diligently watched, or rather pursued him, as the Pharisees, who most industriously laid hold on all opportunities to accuse him. The most ensnaring question they could think of, was that of divorces; whether it was lawful for a man upon every occasion to put away his wife. Jesus limiting the permissions of these separations to the case of fornication only, tells them, "Ye cannot but remember the strict union between man and wife, which was appointed by God in the creation; where as soon as they were both created, this was determined, that man was to forsake all and cleave to his wife, continuing as inseparably with her as if she were part of his own flesh. And therefore since they are thus directed by God, this divine institution ought not to be altered by man." The Pharisees. thinking they now had the advantage of the argument, object to the precept † of Moses, wherein he allowed the

Provision: See Luke xvi. 9.

Why

Precept. Deut. xxiv. 1, 2, 3. The words in St. Matt. xix. 7, are, " then did Moses command to give a writing of divorce?" In Deut. xxiv. 1, they are somewhat different, "Let him write her a bill of divorcement." These ver sions seem to make Moses and our blessed Saviour to authorize the giving of bills of divorce; whence Libertines and Jews may think they have a liberty to put away their wives, and look upon that custom as an express command of God. But the translators have not been exact enough in rendering the words of the original, which signifies sometimes a command, sometimes a permission. As when David says, 2 Sam. xvi. 10, "What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? Let him curse, &c." And as when God says, Isai. xiii. 3, "That he

husband in some cases to give a bill of divorce to the wife, in this manner permitting him to put her away. In answer to this Jesus replies thus; "God in the Mosaical economy, knowing your obstinacy and perverse inclinations, lest you should run into greater sins, allowed a dispensation in this point, by tolerating divorces. But this you see was very different from the appointment of God in the first institution of marriage. And accordingly I now determine, that whosoever shall use that liberty so frequent among you, to put away his wife for any lesser cause than that of fornication, and then thinks himself free to marry again, that man is guilty of adultery in so doing, and so is he that marrieth her that is divorced, for he marrieth another man's wife, which is committing adultery.”

After this, discoursing on God's wise dispensation of the good things of this world, he shewed by way of parable that we cannot easily enjoy a heaven here and hereafter; and that the infelicities of our lives, if we are pious, shall end in a blessed condition. This he exemplified in the parable* of a rich man and a poor one. "The rich man

commanded his sanctified ones, and called his mighty ones for his anger." Where it is impossible they can signify command, since God so expressly forbids to curse the king, and since he is not capable of commanding tyranny, as some have well observed. These words also sometimes signify a promise, as Psal. cxxxiii. 3, where it is evident we must translate, "For God has promised the blessing, and not God has commanded the blessing." The same amendment must be made John x. 18, "This promise (not this commandment) I received of my Father." And John xii. and xv. " And I know that his promise is everlasting life." For it was not a commandment which the Son received from the Father, "That if he did lay down his life he might take it up again," but a promise mentioned, Ps. xvi. 10, « Thou wilt not suffer thine holy one to see corruption;" and life eternal is also a promise and not a commandment. Therefore when these expressions, which signify different things, do occur, we ought to have regard to the subject treated on, and since our Saviour expressly calls what Moses did in this matter only a permission, Matt. xix, 8, and mentions the first marriage, which was quite contrary to a divorce, we should translate, "Why then did Moses suffer to give a bill of divorcement ?"

* Parable. Some will have this to be a true story, and not a similitude; of which number is Euthymius, who from the tradition of the Hebrews nameth

abounded in all the comforts the world could afford, which he selfishly applied to the purposes of his own pride and luxury, squandering away the wealth of princes to gratify his wanton appetite. Whilst on the contrary, Lazarus, poor, sick and afflicted, in vain begs the fragments of his extravagancies to support him. At length wearied with cares and worn out with diseases, Lazarus dies, and is by a guard of angels safely conveyed to Abraham's bosom, where he receives the recompence of the reward. Nor can the rich man's wealth bribe the impartial hand of Divine Justice; all his earthly power cannot screen him from the all-searching eye of that just Judge, who without regard to his superior station, summoned him to appear at his awful tribunal. He also dies, but a scene ensues far different from that of Lazarus. Horrible fiends instantly drag him down to the abyss of horror and eternal pain; where lifting up his eyes to heaven he sees Lazarus enfolded in the arms of Abraham, whilst himself is afflicted with unintermitting torments. In vain he begs for water to cool his scorched tongue; his doom is passed, which nothing can reverse. Abraham rebukes his importunate request with a mild reply: Son, says he, all thy portion of abundance and prosperity, of uninterrupted ease and felicity, thou hast already enjoyed in thy life-time, and spent upon thyself without communicating them to any that wanted relief; and on the other side, Lazarus has had all his portion of afflictions already, and now it is but just that he should have his bliss, and thou thy torment. But besides, there is an

irreversible decree passed upon thee, and it is impossible for any to release thee." Finding no hopes for himself, he interceded for his relations left behind him, who by some seasonable admonition might be cautioned from coming into this place of torment. Abraham tells him, they have Moses and the prophets for their guides and instructors; besides, Lazarus could no more

him Nymensis. But there are more of a contrary opinion, and who can prove that the title of this passage of Luke xvi. 19, is called, « a parable of a king of flesh and blood."