how much of pride and revenge there in this pretended zeal for my glory."

Yet were the Samaritans punished at the same moment, and by the same act, that instructed the Apostles. "They (Jesus, and his disciples,) went to another village." The kingdom of heaven had come nigh unto them, they had refused it, and so it passed them by.* Jesus went on his way.

LUKE xvii. 11, 12. And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off."

They dared not come near. By the law they were commanded to lift up their voices and cry aloud, " Unclean, unclean," that all might be warned to pass by at a distance from them. Was this the doleful cry that met the Saviour on his way? No, these lepers

Verse 13. "Lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us."

It is clear that they knew the wonderful works He had done, -they knew both his goodness and his power,—they felt their terrible need, ali the ten cried earnestly to him for help.

Verse 14. "And when He saw them, He said unto them, Go, shew yourselves unto the Priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.”

He did not lay his hands upon them, He did not even speak aloud the command for the leprosy to depart from them. The power of his will was enough; and when these men heard the words, "Go, shew thyself to the Priests," they knew the purport, they knew they must do this to prove that the terrible

* No. XXXVI. Vol. IIJ.

disease was actually gone. They showed their faith by their obedience; immediately they went, and as they went, they found that they were healed.

Verses 15-19. "And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks; and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but were are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. And He said unto him, Arise, go thy way, thy faith hath made thee whole."

It is very interesting and useful to read these two passages placed thus side by side. We have seen the hatred between the Jews and the Samaritans, in the refusal our Lord met with from the people of the Samaritan village, who would not suffer him to rest among them, because He was on his way to Jerusalem; but in this history of the ten lepers, we behold how misfortune makes men brothers. Nine Jews and one Samaritan sat down together in their misery. As they had but one sorrow, so had they but one hope. They all called upon Jesus to have mercy upon them. And so it is in the trials that daily come upon men. Grief is a great softener, a great destroyer of prejudice and passion, and whatever may have been the life, whatever may have been the opinions of a man while in health and happiness, in the hour of sorrow the thought of the merciful Redeemer will bring to him hope, when all other things shall fail. Let none then hesitate to speak to him of Christ. It may be that he who scoffed before, will then gladly listen, and that his adoring gratitude, when he finds that mercy has been shewn him, may bring him to the feet of Jesus, to glorify God; while others, whose state of mind seemed to have been more hopeful, will go on their way little changed from what they had been before distress had overtaken them.

"Were there not ten cleansed?" said the Saviour, "but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger."

These few touching words must have spoken to the hearts of the Apostles, who largely shared in the prejudices of their countrymen. Let them speak to us. Have not dangers swept over us?* Have we not been preserved by the especial mercy of God? Can we say, that even one in every ten who has survived, has paused in the joy of his preservation, to offer the first fruits of his health to the glory of God? May not the Saviour still say, "of the tens of thousands who call upon me in the day of their calamity, where are the nine?"

XXXIX.

LUKE X. 38-42.

There is at this day, on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives, about three miles from Jerusalem, a little village, which in the old times was called Bethany. In it a family dwelt whom the Saviour loved. They were his friends.

To their house, when He was at Jerusalem, He seems often to have retired for the night. "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but He had not where to lay his head." Home of his own He had none. Two sisters, Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus dwelt there together, and they delighted to receive Jesus, to hear from him the words of truth, and to offer to his use such things as they possessed. The first time this family is mentioned, it is simply thus:

LUKE X. 38—42. "Now it came to pass, as they (Jesus and his Apostles) went, that He entered into a certain vil

* Cholera, famine, fever! how many public as well as private calamities bear witness to this truth.

lage: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

The love of Christ was in the heart of both sisters; but the active temper of Martha led her to show her reverence and affection, in a way that filled her mind with needless cares. It was right to provide for the comfort of her Lord; it was right even to show her respect for him in offering for his use the best of all that she possessed; but this might have been done in the simplicity of good will. There was no need to be "cumbered about much serving," for it was not possible that any thing she could do, should really add to the honors of him, who was Lord of heaven and earth. Martha's was a thankful heart, eager to shew its love, by freely using in his service whatever He would accept; but even our good is apt to turn to evil; and being mistress of the house, she allowed herself to be so beset by needless household cares, that her temper was vexed, and she saw that she was missing the golden opportunity of Christ's blest society. This, her sister Mary richly enjoyed, for she was all the while sitting at his feet, and listening to his word. Martha was so disturbed, that she complained to her Lord, in words that almost blamed him as well as Mary.

She came to him and said, "Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her, therefore, that she help me."

The answer of Jesus should be ever remembered by every one of us. "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things; but one thing is needful, and Mary hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken away from her.”

It was not that Jesus did not feel for her trouble-did not know that her cares were to do him honor, but they were more than were needful. The need of her own soul was that for which He was anxious. She must try to understand him better. It would please and honor him more, did she, like Mary, seek first, and chiefly, the spiritual things belonging to his kingdom; then she would know better how her household duties might all be duly done, and yet how she might never more "be cumbered about much serving." Let her now sit down with Mary to listen, and she will arise from thence more able for the battle of life. Having received from Christ himself the one thing needful, she will the better understand how all other things have their right place. Mary was already choosing that good part. Would it be right to disturb her mind, while actually receiving the spirit which was to be the life of her soul, and to send her into a turmoil of outward things, vainly imagined to do him honor. No, "that good part which she hath chosen, shall not be taken from her."

Let each of us remember this.

There is a natural activity and restlessness of mind in some -a natural love of show in others- a too great value for the outward signs of inward feeling, all of which are apt to bring confusion into the family in which the Saviour delights to dwell, even into the beloved Church of God. Let each watch over his own heart and life, and see that when we would honor the Saviour, it is really in the way He has approved. When tempted to disturb ourselves and others, by an over-attention to outward show, let the warning of Jesus sound in our ears, as spoken to ourselves. "Martha, Martha, thou art careful and

* John iv 34.