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to carry on their shoulders the very instrument of their persecution 2. And the serious, resolute determination that is required, Jesus illustrates by two examples.

Which of you, who might desire to build a tower, would not first make a calculation what might be the cost of the building that he was planning? otherwise his inconsiderateness on such a matter would occasion the labour of it to be suddenly suspended, and would expose him to the derision of his friends; or, what prince, meditating a hostile expedition against another, would not previously inquire into the power of his enemy? for it would be better not to provoke an attack, than hastily to rush into battle, and then be driven to cowardly flight, or to a dishonourable peace. By these similitudes, Christ cautioned those who would be His disciples, seriously to weigh and consider beforehand, whether they possess the qualities that His service demands; whether they possess the requisite perseverance, fortitude, and patience, to meet and to endure persecution, if it should come upon them; that so they might not be induced to swerve from their Christian course. He says, further, As salt is, in its nature, antiseptic, preserving from putrefaction, so the pure and holy doctrine they will be required to preach, must purge the world of

Bishop Mann.

3 Dr. Robinson.

its corruption; but as salt, when it has lost its savour, becomes of no use, so the Christian, who does not live by the precepts of the Gospel, can do no good to himself or to others; wholly useless to every good end, he must be rejected and cast off, as unsavoury salt is cast to the dunghill. Thus the disciples of Christ are the salt of the earth; and, when their influence is good, they shall keep the world from corruption; but if, in the time of temptation, they fall away,-if, as soon as tribulation or persecution arise, they are offended,-wherewith shall the earth be seasoned?

SECT. XCIV.-Parables of the Lost Sheep and Piece of Silver.-Matt. xviii. 12-14; Luke xv. 1-10. THE Scribes and Pharisees were, as has been shown, continually seeking occasion to diminish our Lord's credit and authority. They had themselves no reality of religion, though they desired to derive honour from the appearance of it.

They deemed publicans to be gross sinners and heathens, unfit to be conversed with, even though it might be for the purpose of reforming them from their evil courses; for they considered that God had cast off all care for such persons, and had no design of granting them repentance unto life. When, therefore, not exclude them

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from His instruction, instead of being gratified by His condescension, they made it a ground of accusation against Him: "This Man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." Surely, to shut them out from the benefit of His presence, and then blame Him for it, is much the same as to accuse a physician, because he received into his house those who most required the benefit of the aid he could give them. Our Lord vindicates His conduct by the following parables, to show that the conversion of sinners is highly acceptable to God; and, therefore, that the embracing of every opportunity for effecting this important purpose ought not to be displeasing to men': and He addresses them to the "publicans and sinners, who drew near unto Him to hear Him.”

As men are more sensibly affected with joy at the recovery of any possession which had been lost, than in the continued enjoyment of what is incomparably more valuable; so the examples of the joy afforded to a shepherd, by the recovery of a sheep that had strayed, and was lost; and that of a woman, who had lost a piece of money, and was overjoyed at the recovery of it, after all her care and trouble in seeking after it; are given by Jesus as showing the triumph in His kingdom in the recovery of a sinner from his evil way, as being a peculiar Archbishop Sumner and Dr. Whitby.

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Dean Stanhope.

acquisition, even more grateful to Him than the continued felicity of established believers, of whose righteousness He was fully assured.

SECT. XCV.-Parable of the Prodigal Son.-
Luke xv. 11-32.

STILL further to urge on His hearers how acceptable such a recovery is to God, Jesus relates the story of the prodigal son, and his welcome reception on his return home again', in a parable, remarkably beautiful, even in the letter of it, for the variety of its incidents, and the affecting manner in which they are related'.

A younger son claims of his father the portion he was entitled to expect; and as the father was no doubt acquainted with the dissipated inclinations of his son, he had every inducement to refuse compliance; but he does not do so: notwithstanding that the application looks more like a demand than a request. It is probable that the custom was, that, in movable property, or "goods," the younger sons were entitled to demand their "portions," before the decease of their father, in order to establish themselves in life. Thus Abraham, in his lifetime, gave his other sons their portions, and let them go away; whilst Isaac, who had the birthright, that is, the larger share of the inheritance, like the elder son in this parable, remained with

8 Dr. Robinson.

• Sterne.

1

Bishop Horne.

him, in order to succeed to it at the father's death. The text, indeed, seems to say, that here the father gave both his sons their proportions;

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"he divided unto them his living;" but this would have been to strip himself of his possessions, which it is clear, from what follows, was not done 2. And the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living." What a lively picture does this story present of a sinner in his wilful and ungrateful degeneracy and revolt from God, our Father both by creation and protection, and in thus departing from his known duty, to comply with his vicious affections 3! This description of the prodigal is, alas! that of too many of God's family ;-they take "the portion of goods that falleth to them;" they take their health, and their strength, and their understanding, and their fortune, and spend it, not in the service of their heavenly Father, but in the search how best to please, and serve, and amuse themselves. The prodigal son soon found the disappointment and dissatisfaction, which is sure to accompany evil courses, in the treachery of a deceitful and wicked world: he was soon reduced to the most infamous servitude, and to such a degree of wretched

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2 Pictorial Bible.
Archbishop Sumner.

Dr. Jortin.

Dr. Jortin.

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