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have liberty to quit the joys of heaven to go on this errand to his kindred, than himself could be released from his irremediable pains.

The conclusion of this affecting parable, besides the moral of the wise distribution of our goods to the necessitous, declares also this important truth, that the ordinary means of salvation are the express revelation of Scripture, and the ordinances of God's appointment; and whosoever neglects these shall not be supplied with means extraordinary; or if he were indulged with them, they would be totally ineffectual.

Among the many instances of human frailty which daily came under his inspection, he took special notice of the pharisaical pride, which, through a conceited opinion of mistaken perfection, made men carelessly overlook their own faults, and superciliously censure and condemn others. This the blessed Jesus severely ⚫ condemns in the following parabolical discourse. Two men went up into the temple* to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a Publican. The Pharisee approaches with praise to God, but contempt of his brother; and boasting of his virtues, but forgetting his sins, he thus presumptuously addressed himself: I thank thee, O God, that I am not like other men, guilty of extortion, injustice, or adultery; or like this vile publican, unworthy to approach thee: I fast twice every week, and pay duly my tithes of every thing which I possess. Such was the detail of his goodness, such the only foundation of his hope

Temple. In the temple there were two courts, one for the Jews, and another for the Gentile Proselytes that lived among them. Of these Gentile Proselytes there were two sorts; the proselytes of righteousness, who were those that had undertaken the whole law, and were circumcised; and the Gentile proselytes of the gate. The former of these were admitted with the Jews into the innercourt; but the latter, which were not circumcised, were by the Jews so far accounted unclean, according to the law, that they were not permitted to come into that court of the temple called Holy, where the Jews were; and in that court, where these latter Gentiles worshipped the Jews kept a market.

† Twice. That is, every Monday and Thursday, the second and fifth days of the week, on which they were wont to hear the law read in their synagogues.

towards God. His devotions, if such they may be called, contained not a single petition; and, though he pretended to thank God, his object was only to compliment himself. But such a sacrifice as this is an abomination to the Lord, who has determined that "no flesh shall glory in his presence."

The humble publican, standing at an awful distance in the court of the Gentiles, with a dejected heart and modest penitence deploring his sins, not daring so much as to lift up his guilty eyes to heaven, but laying his hand upon his unworthy, yet contrite heart, implores God's mercy on him a sinful wretch. The mercy which he asked, he obtained, for he went down to his house justified, rather than the other; he returned to his habitation in peace, having obtained acceptance with God. To such contrite, broken-hearted persons, the promises of the gospel are peculiarly addressed: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." Such was the encouraging design of our Saviour in this parable, which he concluded by saying, "Every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

The multitude, perceiving by daily experience, the great benefit that persons of adult years received by the bare touch of our blessed Lord, desirous that their tender babes might also share in the blessing, brought their infants to partake of his divine benediction. But the disciples, thinking it below the dignity of their master to take notice of such little children, at first refused admittance to those who brought them. But Jesus, calling for the children, chides his disciples for their mistake in refusing them, charging them to introduce them for the future, adding this encouraging observation, "That of such was the kingdom of heaven;" intimating by it, that none but such as were endued with infant simplicity could enjoy any share in the privileges of his kingdom. Then laying his hands upon them, he gave them his blessing. Happy infants! who so early received their Saviour's benediction in order to a larger share of his grace for the future.

VOL. II.

Xx

As he was departing from the place, in which the last occurrence happened, a certain person came running to him, evidently with much eagerness, and with profound veneration, acknowledging him as a divine teacher; for he kneeled down at his feet, and desired information from him on a subject of all others the most important.* "Good master," said he, "what good thing shall I do, that I may inherit eternal life?" Here, then, was a candidate for heaven, of a most promising appearance indeed. He was young, yet not addicted to sensual pleasures, for he attended with great exactness to the duties of morality, and discovered a serious concern about his future state. He was a ruler, a magistrate of some consequence, and possessed of considerable wealth. Yet, very unlike the generality of those in high life, he applied to Jesus, not with a disposition to cavil, but, as it should seem, with a desire of being instructed in the way of salvation.

The case was hopeful: and, from such a view of it, we might have been ready to conclude the man a real convert. But a little experience will teach us, not to be precipitate in our judgment, nor to rest with implicit confidence in any favourable circumstances. Jesus, who knew perfectly the bent of his mind, dealt with him in such a way as to shew his true character. He enquired, therefore, why he had given him the title of "good," since it properly belonged only to God. He did not thereby disclaim it, or in the least imply, that he possessed not the attributes of Deity, but examined on what ground the amiable youth had so addressed him, and whether he had done it on a full conviction of his dignity. The ruler, probably, was elated with a conceit of his own goodness, and his ability to do every thing required on which account, to detect his erroneous notions, and evince his deficiencies, Jesus referred him to the law, assuring him, that he must keep the commandments in order to attain eternal life. We cannot so interpret this declaration, as to set aside the necessity of

* Important. Matt. xix. 16, &c. Mark x. 17, 31. Luke xviii. 18, 30.

believing in the Son of God for salvation, or to ascribe to man a capacity, in himself, of yielding a complete obedience to God. But there is a peculiar propriety in putting those, who boast of their own righteousness and strength, upon considering the extent of their duty. We exhort them to bring forth their best performances, that they may compare them with the appointed rule, and to try what their most vigorous exertions can effect." Keep the commandments;" but let one precept as well as another be regarded, and that in the utmost extent, so as to regulate your inward affection, no less than your outward practice. Such an unfeigned and perfect compliance is required from you at all times and in all circumstances, without weariness or interruption, even to your latest hour. Upon the least failure, you are rendered in-. capable of being justified by the works of the law; and you, who are most decent and orderly in your conduct, can obtain forgiveness no otherwise than by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, through the blood of his cross.

This young person, not knowing himelf and the defects of his obedience, presumptuously boasted that he had, from his earliest years, performed every duty enjoined in the second table, to which particularly Jesus referred him and, in the vain confidence of his own sufficiency, he then asked, whether any thing further could be demanded of him. Ah! how gross the darkness, how fatal the delusion, by which men are so exalted in themselves, as to say, "I am innocent," or, "What lack I yet!" Jesus, however, looked with compassionate regard on the ruler, whose manners and disposition, in some respects, might be peculiarly engaging. But, as he resisted conviction in one way, he proved him in another, requiring him to give a special testimony of his entire submission to him. "One thing," said he, "thou lackest: go, and sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor; and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me." The strict injunction was more than the youth could bear, but not more than Jesus had a right to ordain: nor would those refuse to comply with it, who are truly sensible of their own demerit and the worth of the Saviour. The merchant,

who finds "the one pearl of great price," will sell all that he has, and buy it :* for he will say, "I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord." Not so this man of fortune. He was disappointed, grieved, confounded; and instantly he betrayed the secret insincerity of his heart, which Jesus meant to detect by the trial here proposed. He gave up all further enquiries about the religion of the gospel; he went away sorrowful," for this reason chiefly, that he was attached to the world, under all his mising appearances; and he foolishly preferred the enjoyment of his large possessions to the grace and salvation of Jesus.

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When the apostles heard their master commanding the young man to sell all, and give to the poor, and follow him, Peter, in the name of the rest, began to think it was their own case, and the promise also might concern them, and asking him this question, "What shall we have, who have forsaken all, and followed thee?" Jesus answered, "That they should sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel." And extending this blessing to every disciple that should forsake either house, wife, or children, or any advantage and possession in this life, for his or the gospel's sake, he promises them the reward of an hundred-fold by way of present comfort, and in the world to come glories and possessions in fruition and redundancy: "For they that are last shall be first, and the first shall be last." The despised people of this world shall reign like kings, and their contempt of it shall swell up to an endless glory, and their poverty to an eternal satisfaction. And these rewards shall not be accounted according to the privileges of nations, or priority of vocation, but readiness of mind and obedience, and sedulity of operation after being called.

But lest the disciples should not perfectly understand what he said of the "last being first, and the first last," he explains himself in the following parable: "A certain landlord, whose care was as early as the rising-sun,