ence, even in essentials of religion, justifies any one from withholding their legal tribute to the maintenance and service of the National Temple. SECT. LXXII.-Christ exhorteth to Humility.-Mark xviii. 1-14; Mark ix. 33-37; Luke ix. 46-48.

It may be, that Christ, having so recently shown a particular mark of favour to Peter, James, and John, whom He took apart from the rest into the Mount to witness His Transfiguration, gave occasion to some "reasoning" or "disputing" among themselves, as to which should be greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It is evident, from the many instances we meet with of the fact, that our Lord's disciples could not divest themselves of the opinion, so universally prevalent among the Jews, as to the nature of the Messiah's kingdom. They were convinced that, at some time or other, He must become a Prince of great power and splendour; and that they, of course, should enjoy the largest share in His favour, and be placed in situations of great distinction. But when He inquired the subject of their dispute, He could not get them to acknowledge it, for, in reply to His question, "they all held their peace;" He then spoke to their secret thoughts, and gave them a rebuke to their worldly pride, and a lesson to their humility, by placing "a little child in the midst of them," saying, Unless a total change Bishop Porteus.

Dr. Lightfoot.

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takes place in the temper and dispositions of your minds; unless ye cease from these ambitious and aspiring thoughts; unless ye become as meek, as humble, as unconcerned about worldly honours and distinctions as the child before you, ye can never be considered as the true subjects of Christ's kingdom here, or be capable of inheriting heaven hereafter.

The Roman Church, which continually allows itself to be drawn aside from the point of the illustration or parable to the trifling and unimportant subject of it, has entertained a tradition, that Ignatius was the child here selected by Christ. That he was an eminent disciple of our Lord Himself, that he has recorded in his writings that he had seen Him in the flesh after His resurrection; that he lived to be ordained the first Bishop of Antioch, and to suffer martyrdom for the faith, is believed to be the truth; but nothing of any importance belongs to the child here selected, only that such an one was a fitting type of the dispositions that assorted with the kingdom of heaven. On a subject of so much importance to His Church, Jesus goes on to enforce the affection that we ought to entertain for these guileless members of it. He observed even such an

that we ought not to despise

infant, upon which the very angels are com

missioned to attend: much less then should we disdain the weakest in the faith; for that to rescue these from destruction was the end for which He came into the world: "For the Son of Man is come to save that which was lost." He is that good Shepherd who seeks the wandering sheep, and rejoiceth more upon the recovery of it, than of those which went not astray: not that He sets a greater value on the straying sheep than on those that are safe; for no shepherd does that: but that God's parental tenderness extends even to the sinner; and that He rejoices at the recovery and conversion of the most grievous offender'.

SECT. LXXIII.—Christ teacheth Forgiveness by a Parable. -Matt. xviii. 15-35.

FROM this glorious attribute of "our Father, which is in heaven," our Lord proceeds to instruct His disciples how we are to act as to the forgiveness of trespasses against one another. He says, We ought not to proceed to extreme severity and rigour against "thy brother that shall trespass against thee;" but first try the effects of private, and gentle, and friendly admonition; if that fail, then go to the civil magistrate, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter in dispute may be determined and settled: and, if he shall neglect to hear thee, tell it to the whole society of Chris

Bishop Porteus.

tian brethren, and let the offender be put out of the Church, and his company be avoided, as the Jews avoid that of a "heathen man, and a publican." And that discipline may be maintained in the Church, He says, The decisions of My ministers and people, acting in My name, and from a regard to My glory, shall be ratified in heaven,-whatever even two of you shall ask, in prayer for direction and assistance from above, in forming your judicial determinations, it shall be granted you; for even when so few in number as "two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I Myself in the midst of you, by My Holy Spirit, to guide, direct, and sanction your proceedings."

As our Lord had insisted on the manner in which dissensions between Christians should be healed, Peter took occasion to inquire how often forgiveness should be extended to an offending brother; as if some limits necessarily existed to human patience and forbearance. The Jewish Doctors inculcated a forgiving disposition by teaching that an injured person should forgive the offender three times, but that he need not do so the fourth. St. Peter, therefore, probably thought that he gave a large effect to his Lord's instructions, when he more than doubled the measure of forgiveness purposed by these Jewish teachers. This explanaBishops Porteus, Pearce, and Mann.

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tion gives greater effect to our Lord's reply, which must have greatly astonished the disciples'; that the duty of forgiving injuries has no limit: however frequently he is injured, if real penitence and contrition follow the offence, a Christian is always bound to forgive'. It is an excellency of our blessed Saviour's rules, that even if they sometimes recommend a disposition which seems to be almost unattainable, they are either never mistaken, or never so mistaken, as to do harm. Notwithstanding our Lord enjoined His followers "to forgive their enemies seventy times seven," the Christian world has suffered little by too much placability or forbearance 2.

Jesus here illustrated His doctrine by the parable of the unmerciful servant. No man, it is probable, ever heard or read this parable, without feeling his indignation rise against the ungrateful and unfeeling servant, who, after having a debt of ten thousand talents remitted to him by his indulgent lord, threw his fellowservant into prison for a debt of one hundred pence. Yet how frequently are we ourselves guilty of equal injustice! Who is there that has not had ten thousand talents forgiven him by his heavenly Father, which immense sum, if he has been a sincere penitent, had been all forgiven 'Bishop Porteus.

Dr. Lightfoot, and Pictorial Bible.

2 Archdeacon Paley.