570

exi.

they can do.

that have no more that

5 But I will fore

shall fear: fear him,

Christ encourages his disciples against the fear of men. SECT. everlasting welfare, Fear not those, who at the not afraid of them that worst can only kill the body, and after that have kill the body, and after Luke nothing more which they can do, the immortal XII. 4. soul being entirely out of their reach as soon as 5 it has quitted the body. But I will point out to you the great Object whom you shall fear, while warn you whom ye I exhort you most reverentially to fear the great which, after he hath Almighty God, even him, who, after he has killed killed, hath power to the body, has power to cast both that and the cast into hell; yea, I soul into hell; yea, knowing that I cannot too say unto you, Fear often inculcate it, I say unto you again, Fear him, and rather choose to venture on the greatest dangers, and to sacrifice your lives, than to do any thing which may offend his Divine Majesty. (Compare Mat. x. 28, p. 397.)

him.

6 Are not five

sparrows sold for two of thein is forgotten farthings, and not one before God?

7 But even the very hairs of your bead are

6 In the mean time remember, that your enemies cannot hurt even your bodies without his knowledge and permission; for his Providence extends itself even to the meanest works of his hanis: for instance, Are not five sparrows sold for so inconsiderable a sum as two farthings? and yet not one of them, minute and worthless as they are, is forgotten before God; but he attends to all the circumstances of their lives and deaths. 7 Surely then you will not be overlooked by him: but may justly conclude that he has such a spe- all numbered. Fear cial and particular concern for you, as that even not therefore: ye are the very hairs of your head are all numbered, so of more value than that not one of them can perish without his no- many sparrows. tice. Fear not therefore; for as men, and much more as my servants and friends, you are more valuable than many sparrows, and will be more 8 remarkably his care than they. But howsoever he may now permit you to be persecuted by you, Whosoever shall your enemies for your fidelity to me, though he him shall the Son of should even suffer you to sacrifice your lives in man also confess beso honourable a cause, you will be far from be- fore the angels of God. ing losers by it in the end: for I say unto you, That if any one shall freely acknowledge his faith in me before men, the Son of man himself shall also acknowledge his complacency in such a perand his relation to him, even before the angels

son,

b For two farthings, accapiwv duo.] This
was a Roman coin, that was then current
in Judea, called as, or anciently assarius,
which was the tenth part of the denarius or
Roman penny, in value about three farthings
of our money.
Two sparrows might be
bought for one, and five for two of these.
Compare Mat. x. 29, sect. lxxvi.

8 Also I say unto

confess me before men,

c If any one shall acknowledge me, &c.] The idioms of languages differ so much, that what is very elegant and proper in one, grammar in another. This verse and the may, if verbally translated, be contrary to following are instances of it. It seems to me a kind of superstition to scruple such little changes as I have here made.

Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven.

571

cxi.

Luke

gels of God, when they come to attend on his SECT.
final triumph. But as for him that basely and
perfidiously renounces me before men, and is
ashamed or afraid of maintaining so good a cause, XII. 9.
him will I also renounce before the holy angels
of God, when they appear in a radiant circle
around me, and wait, with solemn and observant
silence, the important event of that awful day.
(Comp. Mat. x. 23—33, p. 399, 400.)

Nothing can therefore be more dangerous and 10
fatal, than to oppose my cause, and that especi-
ally when the Spirit is sent down on my follow-
ers after my resurrection and ascension: for
whosoever shall speak a reflecting word against
the Son of man in this present state of his humi-
liation and suffering, he may possibly hereafter
repent, and on that repentance it may be forgiven
hime: but as for him that blasphemeth the Holy
Spirit, who shall then display his most glorious
agency as my great Advocate and Witness; as
for the wretch that maliciously imputes to diabo-
lical operation the most convincing evidences of
Divine power and goodness, that shall be given
by the Spirit after his effusion, his crime is of
such a nature, that it shall not be forgiven him;
for he has thus opposed the last method of God's
recovering grace, and shall, as utterly incorri-
gible, be abandoned to final destruction. (See
Mat. xii. 31, and note p, p. 324.)

But let me add, that however others may be 11 affected by this testimony of the Spirit, one happy effect of its operation shall be to furnish you, my apostles, for an honourable discharge of your office in its most difficult parts: and therefore, in the opposition you shall meet with from your enemies and persecutors, when they shall bring you before the judicial courts which assemble in the synagogues, and even before greater magistrates, and the supreme powers, whether Jewish or heathen; though they may have, not only

d Him will I also renounce, &c.] Nothing can be more majestic than this view which Christ gives of himself. To be renounced by him is spoken of as a circumstance which would expose a man to the contempt of the whole angelic world, and leave him no remaining shelter or hope. Compare Mat. vii. 23, sect. xliii. noted, p. 239. and John v. 22, & seq. sect. xlvii. note h, p. 260.

• It may be forgiven him.] The common

572

SECT.

cxi.

Luke

Reflections on the fear of God, and courage in his cause.

ye shall say:

shall answer, or what

12 For the Holy Ghost shall teach you

your liberty, but your life in their hands, yet how or what thing ye be not anxious how to behave, or what apology you shall make for yourselves,f, or what you shall say XII. 12. in defence of the gospel you preach: For the Holy Spirit himself shall teach you in that very in the same hour, what hour, or in the season of the greatest difficulty ye ought to say, and extremity, what you ought to say, and what answer you should make to their most captions inquiries, or most invidious charges: (compare Mat. x. 19, 20, sect. lxxv.) Proper thoughts and expressions shall freely flow in upon you as fast as you can utter them; so that with undaunted courage you shall be able to vindicate the honour of my gospel, and to confound the most artful or most potent of your enemies.

Ver.

IMPROVEMENT.

LET us from this discourse, which we have been reading, learn 1 the folly of hypocrisy, as well as the wickedness of it. Alying tongue is but for a moment (Prov. xii. 19); and the great approaching judgment-day will shew all in their true colours. May 2, 3 we live as those, who are then to be made manifest! May the leaven of deceit, by Divine grace, be entirely purged out of our hearts; and all our conduct be so fair and equal, that it may ap pear more honourable and lovely, in proportion to the accuracy with which it is examined; as the whitest garments are recom. mended by being seen in the strongest light!

If we would preserve such an integrity of soul, let us endeavour 4 to get above the servile fear of man; of man, that shall die, and of the son of man, that shall be made as grass; as if the oppressor had us in his power, and were ready to destroy: and where is the fury of the oppressor? (Isa. li. 12, 13.) With what infinite ease can God restrain it; and, when it is let loose in all its violence, how little can it do to hurt his faithful servants! Let this mean passion 5 be over-awed by the fear of that God, who has our eternal all in his hands; whose vengeance, or favour, will reach far beyond the grave, and determine our final misery or felicity, as we are the objects of the one or the other.

f Be not anxious how to behave, or what apology you shall make for yourselves.] It is not without reason that Christ so often touches on this topic. The apostles, being poor and illiterate men, would naturally have been thrown into confusion when they appeared as criminals in the presence of perSuns in the highest stations of life; and

While

Christ will not interpose in a dispute about property.

573

exi.

While we are in the world, let us labour after a firm faith in SECT. the universality of Divine Providence; from which the least of his creatures are not exempted, nor are they forgotten by it. Let us Ver.6,. 7 endeavour to enjoy the pleasure and comfort of such a thought; assuring ourselves, that He, who regards the life of birds and of insects, will not neglect the care and preservation of his children.

In a steady persuasion of this, let us determine courageously to 8, 9 confess and maintain his gospel in the extremest danger; knowing that thus only we shall secure the honour of being owned by Christ, amidst all the glories of his final appearance.

And, in a word, to animate us to this holy courage, and to assist us in every other duty, let us earnestly pray for the Holy 11, 12 Spirit; by whose influence the apostles were instructed and supported in the discharge of their difficult and various offices; whose grace therefore must be abundantly sufficient for us, to cause us to abound in every good word and work. (2 Cor. ix. 8.)

SECT. CXII.

Christ, being desired to interpose in a dispute between two brethren about property, declines the decision of the case; and takes occasion to advance a caution against covetousness, which he inforces by the parable of the rich fool. Luke xii. 13-21.

LUKE XII. 13.

AND one of the com

pany said unto him,

Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with

me.

14 And he said

made me a judge or a divider over you?

LUKE XII. 13.

cxii.

AND while he was discoursing thus to his SECT.
disciples, one of the crowd that was then
about Jesus, said to him, Master, I desire thou Luke
wouldst speak to my brother, that he would agree XII. 13.
to divide the inheritance with me, which since
the death of our father he injuriously detains to
himself; for thou art well known to be a Person
of such an extraordinary character, that I would
hope his reverence to thine authority may in-
duce him to do me justice.

But Jesus, as he did not come to meddle in 14
unto him, Man, who such matters, prudently replied, Man, what
dost thou mean by such a rash appeal to me?
Who constituted me a judge in temporal concerns,
or set me up as a divider over you? My kingdom
is of a spiritual nature; and as to the civil rights
and properties of men, I intermeddle not with

them

to property.-My rendering the phrase,
he said unto him, by the equivalent word
replied, will not, I hope, be thought to need
any apology.
b See

574

Christ delivers the parable of the rich fool.

SECT them, but leave them just as I found them.

cxii.

Luke

(Compare Exod. ii. 14.)

15 And he said unto

beware of covetous

And upon this occasion, though he would not XII. 15. interpose in the affair, yet, to prevent their being them, Take heed, and fond of the enjoyments of the world, and to pre- ness: for a man's life serve them from a covetous disposition, Jesus consisteth not in the said to his disciples, and to them that were pre- which he possesseta. abundance of the things sent, See to it, that with the utmost care and resolution you be upon your guard against all kinds and degrees of covetousness; for though it be a common, it is a very unreasonable vice; since it is evident, that the comfort and happiness of a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions; nor can the continuance of his life, even for the shortest period of time, be secured by that abundance.

16

16 And he spake a unto them,

parable

within himself, say.

no

And, to enforce and illustrate this remark, he spake a very instructive parable to them, and said, saying, The ground There was a certain rich man, whose ground bore of a certain rich man fruit so plentifully, that he had not room to re- brought forth plenticeive and lay up in store the vast produce of his fully. 17 harvest. And he found all his plenty an in- 17 And he thought cumbrance to him, so that he reasoned with him- ing, What shall I do self, not without some considerable anxiety of because I have mind, saying, What shall I do? for I have not room where to bestow room at present to store up my crop, should I stow my fruits? 18 it ever so close. And, after some pause, he 18 And he came to a resolution, and said, I will do this, as will pull down my what appears to me the wisest scheme; I will barns, and build greatpull down my old barns, and build new, which er; and there will I shall be larger, and much more commodious bestow all my fruits than they; and there I will gather in all my rich and my goods. increase this year, and all my goods that I already

This will I do :

said,

19 have in store: And then I will retire from 19 And I will say business, and sit down and enjoy the fruits of my thou hast much goods to my soul, Soul, former labours, and will say to my soul with com- laid up for many years; placency and confidence, O my soul, thou hast take thine ease, eat, now an abundance of goods laid up, on which thou drink and be merry. mayest comfortably subsist for many future. years; repose thyself therefore after all thy fatigues; eat and drink freely, without any fear of exhausting thy stores; and be as merry as corn, and wine, and oil, shared with thy most jovial 20 companions, can make thee. But God beheld him

b See to it, that with the utmost care you be upon your guard against all kinds and degrees of covetousness.] Opale xai Quad is a lively phrase, the fuli force of which I have endeavoured to express in the paraphrase, not being able exactly to do it in the version. (Compare note e, on Mat. xvi. 6, p. 457.)

with

20 But God said un

to

Some old versions and very good copies read it, from all covetousness; to which I have shewn so much regard, as to insert the word all in the paraphrase; as it is certain, at least, that our Lord intended the caution in this extent, whether he did or did not so particularly express it.

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