in honour; from this, Jesus would shew the danger of that vain-glory, which prompts a man "to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; "* and so keeps him back from the kingdom of God.

How much of pride and of this vain-glory lies unsuspected in our hearts! The more we live alone, the less we are likely to find it out. We learn to think ourselves better than our neighbours, and are surprized, and even angry, when told to give place," and find that others are esteemed better than ourselves. Yet this is a lesson of great value, and if with true, repentant shame for our self-ignorance and pride of heart, we begin "to take the lowest place;" then we may thank God for the mortification we have received; for, by such lessons we are made fit for his kingdom, in which "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."

It is among our fellow-creatures that, if watchful over ourselves, we best learn to know what manner of spirit we are of.

The Lord Jesus spoke this lesson of humility to the guests in the Pharisee's house, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; now turning to the master of the house, who had bidden them, He said,

Verses 12-15. "When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

The poor man, by his very poverty, is spared from this temptation which so often misleads the rich.

Rom. xii. 3.

†The Arabs when they kill a sheep, dress the whole, and call in the neigh bours to share it.

Hospitality, the liberal hand which shares with others the good things God has given, is pleasant to every kindly heart; but the worldly pride which, like a canker, destroys the healthful nature of all things over which it has power, changes that which should be hospitality, into a game of self-interest and ambition.

One man invites another, not from any kindly motive, but that, in some sort, "a recompense may be made to him again." He bids the rich, the noble, to his house, because it sounds well that they should be his guests, and he hopes "they will also bid him again :" but a higher reward awaits him, who, following the counsels of his Lord, welcomes to his house those who can make him no return, and deals his bread to the poor and hungry. There is a higher motive than even our natural love for our kinsmen ; and all who love God will, for his sake, share his gifts with his poor children, the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind. Our Lord, as was his wont when teaching a strong lesson of right, went to the very furthest point from the evil against which He would warn us. He upheld in the strongest light the principle He would teach, and as it were, answering the pride of heart of those who sought the chief rooms, and of him who filled his rooms with the chief people, He said,-"Sit down in the lowest room." "When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind; and thou shalt be blessed, . . . . thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just."

Could we but always keep that resurrection-day before our thoughts, how unworldly should we become! The more we strive to do so, the more gladly shall we take our Lord for our guide, and mixing with our fellow-men, our motives shall be pure, and we shall seek first, above all things, to do his will who hath chosen for each of us our lot in life, being therewith content, not seeking the praise of men.

Prayer.

O God, my Saviour, let the Spirit of thy Gospel be the temper of my mind. Go with me into all places, keep me "in the secret of thy presence, as in a pavilion, from the strife of tongues, from the provoking of all men." Give me that true humility which marks thy disciples, that earnestness of purpose which seeks to serve thee in every scene of life. When I am a guest in other men's houses, or when my table is spread for others, be thou with me, to guard me from that pride of heart which turns all into sin. Fill me with such love for thee, that to serve thee may be my ruling motive for all I do, and for all I leave undone.

Hear me, my God, for Jesus' sake. Amen.

XLVI.

LUKE XIV. 15.

Thoughts of heaven followed the words of our Lord.

LUKE xiv. 15. "And when one of them that sat at meat with Jesus, heard these things, he said unto him, Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God."

:

While Jesus was there, he, for a time seemed to bring down heaven to earth and one of the guests who sat and listened to him, was so filled with the joy of his presence, that he could not help speaking aloud his thoughts. If this happiness was given even by the invitation He brought to God's kingdom, what must be the blessedness of those who should enter therein ? Blessed, indeed, shall they be; yet the Saviour knew how lightly men esteemed the promise of "things not seen as yet." He knew the power the affairs of life had over their hearts,

making them deaf to the call, to seek first the kingdom of God, believing that all good things should be added unto themtherefore, following the idea of the Pharisee, who had said, "Blessed is he that shall eat bread in the kingdom of God," our Lord, under the figure of a man who made a feast, to which he invited many who would not come, shewed how few care to enter the kingdom to which all are invited.

Verses 16-20. "Then said He unto him, A certain man made a great supper, and bade many : And sent his servant at supper-time to say to them that were bidden, Come; for all things are now ready. And they all with one consent began to make excuse. The first said unto him, I have bought a piece of ground, and I must needs go and see it I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them, I pray thee have me excused. And another said, I have marrieda wife, and therefore I cannot come.”

We must consider this parable in its natural sense, that we may the better understand its spiritual meaning. Among the people of old times the supper was always the principal meal. The business of the day might be considered as over: in the cool of the evening men might sit down to enjoy themselves, and with quiet minds repay the kindly welcome of the master of the house, by their grateful enjoyment of the pleasures he had prepared for them. Therefore, in describing this feast, the Lord Jesus said, "A certain man made a great supper." He bade, that is, he invited, many but those he had invited were full of other things; they had plans of their own, and they could not attend to the invitation.

The answers of three only are given, but these are the representatives of all the guests who refused. One had bought an estate, and was going to take possession of it. The pleasures of his property were far greater in his eyes, than any thing that

could be offered by the master of the feast. Another had bought five yoke of oxen, and he must go and prove them; that is, he must try whether they be fit for his work, and worth the money he had given for them. This was a business which to him was of the first importance. The feast might be a good thing in itself, but it was very certain that he could not attend to the invitation at that time. These two, however, felt that some excuse was needful. They knew very well that neither the possession of land, nor the business of life, need really hinder them from accepting the invitation, therefore, they with fair words, excused themselves for the present.

In the first of these two we see, all whose thoughts are filled by the things they possess. In the second, all whose time and attention are taken up by business, by the labour to win that which the others already enjoy, possession of the good things of this life. They both, however, seem to acknowledge that the invitation they have not just then time to accept, is good; and, not scornfully but courteously, they say, "I pray

thee have me excused."

Very different is the third guest, who bluntly says, "I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." He has, he thinks, no need of any excuse. He must stay at home and attend to his domestic duties. He has secured to himself a happiness in his own family, which makes him quite independent of all other good. He is the type of that large class of people, who content themselves with all that is amiable and affectionate, seeking no higher happiness than that they find in family enjoyment, dreaming of no duties beyond the ties of nature. Good husbands, good fathers, good sons, they seem to be all that can be desired; yet they are living without one thought of God in the world. How can they care for the promises of the gospel, when they feel no need of them? These are, in truth, in a more dangerous state than the others, for they do not dream that they need offer any excuse.