Here the first line is related to the fourth, and the second to the third, and each related pair of lines are in the original of the same length; the first and fourth lines being short, the second and third lines long. The sense of the passages becomes perfectly clear on thus adjusting the parallelism :Give not that which is holy unto the dogs; Lest they turn about and rend you: Neither cast your pearls before the swine; Lest they trample them under their feet. There may be an important reason, however, for the order in which our blessed Saviour uttered this maxim. The inverting of the latter part of the verse, "lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you," may have been intended to teach us that we should be more zealous about THE TRUTH than about our own safety. Thus, in the very figures of Scripture, there is moral and religious in struction to be found. We must now examine into the important lessons contained in the direction given in this verse. They show that we should exercise great prudence and judgment as to the persons we should address upon spiritual things. Dogs and swine were considered unclean by the Jewish law, and hence were used as fit emblems of hardened and inveterate sinners. It is a loss of time and labour to urge those who have treated the truths of the gospel with mockery and profane derision, to accept of spiritual blessings for which they thus prove themselves to possess a desperate and unconquerable aversion. Such persons should be left to that fate in which, by the wilful hardening of their own hearts, they have recklessly involved themselves, and we should not, by persisting in casting the pearls of the gospel before them, expose its sacred and holy truths to derision, and the Lord Jesus Christ to contempt and a fresh crucifixion. Such persons prove their salvation to be impossible, because they trample upon the only means of salvation, and sin against the only remedy for sin. In mercy to themselves, that they may not aggravate their condemnation, and in mercy to others who are perishing for lack of knowledge and crying out "Come over and help us," such persons must be left to their destiny, and the messenger of God must address them as Paul addressed the Jews at Antioch," Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish....it was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles," Acts xiii. 41, 46. There is, however, much caution required in the application of this precept, lest we should be at any time disposed to use it as an excuse for indolence or unwillingness to speak of Christ and his gospel to sinners. We should be careful not to consider any as coming under the designation of " dogs and swine," until they have clearly shown themselves to be so; we should never pass by a sinner, refusing or declining to urge upon him to flee from the wrath to come, until he has proved himself, by his reckless and persevering rejection of our message, to be unworthy of eternal life. What a representation is given in this verse of the insensibility and depravity of the natural heart of man! As dogs have no perception, much less a relish for what is holy, as swine can see no difference between pearls and stones, so "the natural man discerneth not the things of the Spirit, for they are foolishness unto him." But to the believer, the Scriptures are as a casket full of pearls of inestimable value—the promises, precepts, doctrines, and examples it contains are to him "more precious than rubies,” and the Saviour whom it reveals is to him "the pearl of great price." Those who obstinately reject the gospel are here divided into two classes, each manifesting that rejection in a different manner. The one class is represented by "dogs"they treat the messenger with reproach and persecution. The other class is represented by " swine"-they treat the message itself with profane contempt. In the former class we shall generally find all those who are invested with power and authority: in the latter, those who are devoted to the pursuits of worldly pleasure or sensual gratification. 7. Ask, and it shall be given you: seek, and ye shall find: knock, and it shall be opened unto you: 8. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. 9. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he | his children. Even the natural and instinc give him a stone? tive affection of a father, independently of all moral goodness or religious feeling, will 10. Or if he ask a fish, will he lead him to give to his child those needful give him a serpent? 11. If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him! The Saviour here returns to the all-important subject of prayer, upon which he had spoken in the preceding chapter. It is a privilege, the taking advantage of which cannot be too frequently or imperatively insisted upon. The nature, earnestness, fervency, and perseverance of genuine supplication are here emphatically denoted by these three words" ask-seek-knock." We should come as mendicants and paupers to a throne of grace, to "ask" for those gifts which are necessary for our support and happiness. We should "seek" as those who are conscious that they have blessings of inestimable value to find. We should "knock" with the earnestness of those who are importunately desirous of being admitted into the full enjoyment of the favour of God. And our prayers should manifest a progressive and gradually-increasing earnestness. We should wrestle with God as Jacob did, with a licensed but humble determination to be blessed. We have only to set our hearts upon spiritual and eternal mercies, in order to obtain them; for this is the principle on which God dispenses them, that "every one that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." This promise—for it is a promise -as effectually binds God to give to him that asketh, as the command in the former verse binds his people to ask for what he is willing to give. A condition so easy as that which is specified in the seventh and eighth verses, required an illustration to enforce it, in order to anticipate and guard against the astonishment of unbelief, and to add to the faith of the humble suppliant a sense of filial confidence in the paternal goodness of God. Accordingly, Christ draws an illustration from the conduct of our earthly fathers towards and salutary supplies of food which he asks for: : how much more then shall God, who is in an infinitely higher sense the Father of his reconciled children, give good things to them that ask him. An illustration so beautiful as this requires to be more fully explained. We shall find that it contains-1. A statement of the character in which we are permitted to address God in prayer;—2. A reference to the dispositions with which we should approach him in prayer ; —and 3. An account of the expectations which we are permitted to entertain when we come to him in prayer. We shall endeavour to guide the reflections of the reader into some profitable meditations on these three particulars. May the Spirit of Christ enable us to do so! 1. We have a statement of the character in which we are permitted to address God in prayer- -as our Father. This is one of the many beautiful titles which are used in Scripture to set forth the goodness of God. He is a sun-a shield- —a shepherd-a Father. The object of using these and other similar expressions, with reference to the Divine Being, is evidently to put his mercy and his love, as it were, in the fore-ground, and thus to overcome our feelings of distress, and to attract us to rest with confidence upon his promises. God is our Father because he has created and preserves us, but above all, because he has redeemed us. They that have faith in Christ Jesus are all the children of God, for the Spirit beareth witness with their spirits that they are so, Gal. iii. 26, Rom. viii. 16. This privilege includes every other: If God is our Father, he is pledged to care for us, to support us, to provide for us to be our joy in the time of sorrow, our succour in distress, our comfort in affliction, our strength in weakness, our hope in death, our glory and portion in eternity! How cheering to the Christian to contemplate God in this character, in every stage and season of his earthly pilgrimage, but more especially in the time of trial!-to feel, that "like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him,” Psalm ciii. 13. It was from the consciousness of this relationship that THE MAN OF SORROWS derived strength in the days of his flesh. He always spake of God under this | to an unconverted man. It may be thus title; and what was such an unfailing re-expressed" If even the natural instinct of source for comfort to himself, he prescribes to his believing people, in order that, if they must suffer with him, they may not only have the prospect of reigning with him hereafter, but may also be, as it were, comforted together with him now, by having the same consolations to support them, which he himself enjoyed. man will lead him to attend to the wants of his children, how much more will the inexhaustible loving-kindness of our Heavenly Father lead him to confer upon us such good things as he knows to be necessary for us!" HOW MUCH MORE? as much more as God is greater than man; as much more as his love immeasurably surpasses all our conceptions; as much more as he is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think! 66 66 We must notice the contrast which is instituted here between our Heavenly Father and an earthly one. God is our Father in a vastly higher sense than "fathers of our 3. We have here an account of the exflesh," for he is the Father of our spirits, and pectations which we are permitted to enteralso the Father of that divine nature of which tain when we approach God in prayer. We we are made partakers through faith in Christ. should expect to receive "good things" from He knows the wants of his people, however him. This is natural and reasonable, for if numerous they may be, and is always able to those who are evil give good things, how supply them, whilst earthly parents are often much more shall he who is good, even infiunacquainted with the necessities of their nitely good, give good things! A bad man children, or may not have it in their power may give what is good, but a good man can to relieve them. He is always near his peo- never give what is bad. Now, by good things ple, and with them; and whilst an earthly we are to understand what are good in his father dies, and frequently leaves his family estimation, not in ours; for we are the very in poverty and distress, our Heavenly Fa- worst judges of what is good for ourselves. ther is always acting as the guardian and God is the best judge in this matter, for he protector of his children: He never leaves alone can form a correct estimate of what is them orphans, but for ever continues to ma- beneficial, as well as of what is detrimental. nifest his paternal goodness towards them, If he should consider prosperity good for us, adapting his mercies to their peculiar cir- he will give it; or if he should consider adcumstances, and drawing upon all the re-versity good for us, he will give it. He will sources of his wisdom, omnipotence, and not give a serpent" or a stone," when we love, in order to contribute to their happi- ask for "bread" or "fish ;"-nor, on the other ness and joy. Such is the character in which hand, if we should be so shortsighted as to ask God reveals himself as the object of prayer. for what is here symbolized by the "stone" or 2. We have here a reference to the dis- the "serpent," will HE, who knows our necespositions with which we should approach sities before we ask, and our ignorance in God in prayer. We should come in hum- asking, give us what is sure to be injurious ble but confident persuasion of our relation- for us, but will substitute a real blessing for ship to him. It is necessary that we should what we had asked for. These remarks appossess this, in order that we may call him ply more particularly to temporal blessings; Our Father in sincerity. We should come in reference to spiritual blessings, there can with a deep sense of our dependence upon him not be the same mistakes. We want all -such a sense of dependence as an obe- spiritual blessings, and these God has condient child entertains towards its parent. But ferred upon us in Christ. We always reabove all, we should come with a filial reli- quire the blessings of pardon, of holiness, ance upon his paternal kindness. It is the and strength: but chiefly do we stand in great object of Christ, in the passage before need of the Holy Spirit, which includes within us, to insist upon this. The argument which it every other gift connected with the perhe employs for this purpose is a very simple, sonal enjoyment of the Saviour's grace. All and, at the same time, a powerful one. It these good things God will assuredly give to is not derived from any lofty or deep con- them that ask him—" for he that spared not ceptions of the love of God, as an attribute his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, of his nature, but seems to have been se- how shall he not with him also freely give lected on account of its being intelligible even us all things?" Reader, this appeal is addressed to you, to encourage you to pray. Who could have supplied an easier condition than it prescribes -"Ask, and it shall be given you"?-who could have employed a more impressive and persuasive argument than it contains" If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?" This argument has the double advantage of addressing itself to our judgments and our feelings. Oh that men were as willing to pray as God is to give! then, indeed, would mercy flow down in ceaseless streams into every heart, and this world would become the highly-favoured receptacle of those good things which God hath prepared for them that love him. gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat. 14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the which way, leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it. In these verses Christ contrasts the course of the godly with that of the ungodly, by employing an illustration of the simplest kind. The one he explains in the 13th verse, by comparing it to a "wide gate" and "a broad way" leading to destruction; and the other, in the 14th verse, by comparing it to a "strait gate" and a narrow way" leading to life. Amongst the Jews 12. Therefore all things, what-there were two kinds of roads, public and soever ye would that men should do to do you, ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets. This has been called THE SAVIOUR's GOLDEN RULE, and it well deserves the name. It is concise, intelligible, and comprehensive it requires no formal proof to establish its equity: it appeals to that legitimate principle of self-love which God has given to man, and at the same time it would effectually correct the abuse of that principle which prevails so universally amongst men. The meaning of it is-that we should always do to others, what we would desire them to do to us if we were in their place, attending, of course, to what would be consistent with the law of God in general, and those principles of justice, mercy, and truth by which we should ever be guided in all our actions. private; the former were sixteen cubits broad, and the latter only four: from this arrangement our Lord probably derived the illustration before us. --- In each case there are four circumstances worthy of notice the entrance upon the road, the road itself, the destiny to which it leads,—and the number of persons who travel along it. The entrance upon a course of sin is easy. The gate that leads upon this road is as wide as human nature, for ALL have sinned and come short of the glory of God. The path itself of the ungodly is broad enough to contain all the race of Adam. It presents no obstructions or impediments, for there is no difficulty in being a sinner. A man has only to follow the tendencies of his nature, and to give a loose rein to that corruption which dwells within him. The entrance upon a life of faith and godliness is, on the other hand, narrow and difficult; not, however, on account of anything connected with a life of holiness itself, but entirely on account of the depravity of the heart, and the perverse obliquity of man's understanding. As in nature all bodies gravitate towards a common centre, and cannot receive a contrary inclination unless by an intervention of the physical omnipotence of God; so is it with man: his natural tendency, in consequence of the fall, is downwards to destruction, and this moral gravitation cannot be changed unless 13. Enter ye in at the strait by an exercise of the power of the Spirit. If this rule were universally acted on, it would have the effect of banishing from society, selfishness, injustice, covetousness, envy, and all the vices, and of introducing in their stead, candour, kindness, humanity, equity, and all the virtues. By saying, "This is the law and the prophets," the Saviour evidently means that all precepts contained in the Old Testament Scriptures, which refer to our duty to each other, are reducible to this one general rule. When once, however, the sinner has been clothing, but inwardly they are conducted by the grace of God, through ravening wolves, the door of conversion, into the narrow way, he finds a joy which passeth all under- 16. Ye shall know them by their standing; and although many difficulties fruits. Do men gather grapes of and trials may meet him in his path, still he will soon discover that the ways of godliness are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. But striking as is the contrast between the course of the godly and of the ungodly in this world, it is but slight in comparison with the extreme difference which there shall be between their circumstances in another state. The end of the one is destruction—of the other, life; the end of the one is judgment of the other, glory; - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." 66 The number of those who walk in the narrow way is said to be "few," whilst those who walk in the broad way are many." The Saviour here speaks by comparison, and this comparison refers only to relative characters of men during this present dispensation. There is nothing in this passage to warrant the belief that the number of the lost shall ultimately exceed the number of the saved. For there is no reference made here to the immense numbers who die in infancy, nor are those taken into account who shall be converted during the millenial reign of Christ, when the Spirit shall be poured forth with more than Pentecostal power, and when it shall be a common occurrence that a nation shall be born in a day. The ransomed and glorified church shall be a great multitude which no man can number. Nothing less than this could accomplish the prophecy that Christ" shall see of the travail of his soul, and be satisfied." We may here observe, from these verses, that there are but two paths along which all men are travelling into eternity, in the one or other of which every child of Adam will be found; that these roads are perfectly distinct, and that those who would leave the broad way of unrighteousness in order to walk upon the other path, must "enter in by the strait gate," they must lay the foundation of a godly life in the exercise of "repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." 15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's thorns, or figs of thistles? 17. Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 18. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 19. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. These cautions against false prophets are given very appropriately after the foregoing verses, as so much depends upon the guides whom we follow, whether we walk in the broad or in the narrow way. By false prophets we are to understand false teachers. By their coming in sheep's clothing, is meant their assumption of the external garb and profession of truth. By their being ravening wolves, is meant that the prime motive and object of their appearing as false teachers is to gratify their covetous desire of worldly gain. As there is no necessary connection between the outward dress and profession of a man, and his inward principles, it must be a fallacious mode of judging of the character of teachers to admit such things as a test. We must look to something that follows as an inevitable consequence from their principles-we must look to the abiding course and tenor of their practice; for "by their fruits ye shall know them." This does not refer to the influence of their doctrine upon others, but upon themselves. It is by far the surest test which could be adopted, for it enables us to detect two kinds of false teachers-1st, Those who teach error, whose practice cannot be correct, for right practice can only Those who teach the truth as a theory, spring from right principle; and 2dly, whilst their practice is inconsistent with its |