The parables of the grain of mustard-seed and of the leaven. 13

bound, lo these eigh whom Satan, by the Divine permission, has SECT. teen years, be loosed bound in this cruel manner, lo, for these eighteen

from this bond on the sabbath-day?

the glorious things that

cxvii.

years together, should be loosed from this bond Luke
even on the sabbath-day, especially when it XIII. 16
might be effected without any labour, by no
more than a word and a touch.

17 And when he
had said these things,
all his adversaries were opposers were ashamed, and perfectly confound-
ashamed: and all the ed by the strength of such obvious and conclu-
people rejoiced for all sive reasoning: and all the multitude who were
were done by him. present rejoiced in his triumph; for they were
greatly delighted with all the wonderful and
glorious things that were done by him, in which
there was so amiable a display of his goodness as
well as his power.

And when he had said these things, all his 17

18 Then said he, Unto what is the king

Now on this occasion, for the farther encou-18 dom of God like? and ragement of his friends, and confusion of his whereunto shall I re- enemies, our Lord thought proper to intimate

semble it?

of mustard-seed, which a man took, and cast

great tree: and the

the great increase of his kingdom, notwithstand-
ing the malignant opposition it should meet with,
which he illustrated by two parables formerly
delivered elsewhere: and he said, To what is the
kingdom of God like, and what shall I compare
it to? or how is it that I shall represent the pro-

19 It is like a grain pagation of the gospel in the world? It is like 19
a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and
into his garden, and it sowed in his garden: and from so minute a seed
grew, and waved a it grew to a prodigious bulk, and became such a
lowis of the air lodg- great tree, that the birds of the air came and
ed in the branches of lodged in its branches. So shall my kingdom,
which in its first beginning seems to be contemp-
tible, diffuse itself in time over the whole world,
and the inhabitants of distant nations shall seek
their shelter in it. (Compare Mat. xiii. 31, 32.
and Mark iv. 30-32. Vol. VI. p. 353, 354.

it.

20 And again he

said, whereunto shall

I liken the kingdom of

God?

and hid in three mea

whole was leavened.

And again he said, To what else shall I liken 20 the kingdom of God, of which I have now been

speaking? or how shall I describe the efficacy of 21 It is like leaven, its doctrine? It is like a little quantity of 21 which a woman took leaven, which a woman took and covered up in a sures of meal, till the mass of dough, consisting of no less than three measures of meal; and yet it insinuated and diffused itself thoughout till the whole lump was leavened. So shall the gospel make its way, and, by a secret influence, shall spread its efficacy through the hearts of men, till it has changed them into a likeness to itself. Compare Mat. xiii. 33. Vol. VI. p. 354.)

22 And he went

And thus he went through all the principal cithrough the cities and villages, ties and villages of Galilee, teaching them where

B2

14

Reflections on the cure of the crooked woman

rusalem.

SECT. soever he came, and travelling on toward Jeru- villages, teaching and
cxvii. salem; to which he had now begun to steer his journeying towards Je
Luke course, as he intended to be there at the ap-
XI11.22. proaching feast of the dedication, John x. 22.

Ver.

sect. cxxxiv.) and to spend the little remainder
of his time during his continuance upon earth
in that city, or the neighbouring parts; no more
returning to these northern regions, till he ap-
peared here after his resurrection.

IMPROVEMENT.

AGAIN do we see, in a very instructive instance, the power 12 and goodness of Christ. It wrought on a poor despised creature ; 16 but our Lord considered her as a daughter of Abraham, and honoured, even in her, whatever traces of her father Abraham's faith and piety his penetrating eye might discern. Her zeal and willingness to attend on public worship brought her out, though 11 she could not stand upright, and had probably in that respect a much better excuse for staying at home than many could make, who now often absent themselves from the much nobler services of the Christian sanctuary.

10,13

She met with Christ in the synagogue, and returned with a cure. And oh, how many, as the effect of such a pious zeal, though they have not been loosed from their infirmities, have at least been greatly strengthened to bear them.

16 Our Lord says that Satan had bound her. That malignant enemy to our bodies and souls rejoices in any opportunity of hurting either. But it is pleasing to think, that his power is always under the controul of Christ; and therefore shall never be exercised on his people any farther than their gracious Redeemer sees it consistent with their good, and will take care to render it subservient to it.

14

How gravely does this ruler of the synagogue instruct the people in a point of ceremony, while his heart was full of enmity to Christ, and hardened against every sentiment of human compas. 15 sion! Justly was his hypocrisy confounded and exposed.

We should with pleasure see this Sun of Righteousness thus victoriously breaking through those clouds, which envy and malice had raised to obscure him, and diffusing his sacred light from one 18, 21 end of the heavens to the other. With pleasure should we view the accomplishment of these parables, which represent the success of his gospel as so great; and we should daily pray, with increasing earnestness, that all the remaining nations and kingdoms of this world may at length become the kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ: and sincere converts flock to him from every side, even as doves to their windows! Rev. xi. 15. and Isa. lx. 8.)

SECT.

Heaven should be sought with great and early care.

SECT. CXVIII.

Christ warns his hearers of the difficulty and importance of entering into the kingdom of heaven: and is not intimidated by the fear of Herod from pursuing his work. Luke XIII. 23, to the end.

LUKE XIII. 23.

THEN said one unto

LUKE XIII. 23.

him, Lord, are there AND, as Jesus was proceeding in his journey S

few that be saved?

15

towards Jerusalem, where he designed to And he said unto them, be present at the feast of the dedication, being Luke

in at the strait gate:

for many, I say unto you, will seek to en

ter in, and shall not be

abie.

attended by several of his disciples, in a pretty X111.23.
large compass which he took by the way, one of
them said to him, Lord, are there [but] few that
shall be saved? Surely, if thy kingdom be so
extensive as these parables intimate, see ver.
19, 21.) the number must be very considerable.

But he said to them, Instead of amusing your-
selves with such curious inquiries with relation
to others, attend to what more nearly concerns

you, and be solicitous to secure your own safe24 Strive to enter ty: And let me urge it upon you, that you 24 exert your utmost strength to enter in at the strait gate, which I formerly mentioned as leading to eternal life, (Mat. vii. 14. Vol. VI. p. 235.) and strain, as it were, every nerve to break your way through those enemies, who are always ready to oppose your passage: for I seriously tell you the time is coming, when many will importunately seek to enter in, and shall not be able to do it.

And, howsoever they may now despise and 25 Master of the house is trifle with the means of grace, this will hereafisen up, and bath shut ter be the case, even with the most stupid and negligent

16

cxviii.

Many at last shall cry in vain to be admitted.

SECT. negligent of mankind, as soon as ever the great shut to the door, and
ye begin to stand with-
Lord and Master of the family shall, as it were, out, and to knock at
Luke have risen up from his seat, and with his own the door, saying, Lord,
XIII. 25. authoritative hand shall have shut and barred the Lord, open unto us;

doord, and you among the rest, shall begin to
stand without, and to knock at the door, saying,
with great earnestness, Lord, Lord, we beseech
thee, open to us; but you will cry in vain, and
he who now so graciously invites and waits up-
on you, shall then reply to you, I know you not,
who you are, or from whence you are come; but
determine to treat you as strangers, for whom
I have no friendship or regard, and who have
never been approved by me.

and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence you are:

and drunk in

26 Some of you may perhaps then plead an inti- 26 Then shall ye
mate acquaintance and professed friendship, and begin to say, We have
urge the privileges that you once enjoyed, and thy presence, and thou
the conspicuous figure you made in his church: hast taught in
but if any of you can carry it so far as that you

shall begin to say, Lord, we have eaten and drank
in thy presence in a familiar manner, and thou
hast thyself lived among us, and often taught in
our streets andhouses, so that thou canst not sure

streets.

our

27 But he shall say,

27 have forgot us: Nevertheless, he will persist I tell you, I know you
in disowning you, and say, I tell you again, I not whence you are:
know you not, and, whatsoever you pretend to, I depart from me, all ye
regard not whence you are; all the former rela- workers of iniquity.
tion to which you refer, is (as it were) blotted

from my remembrance, since your hearts were
still insincere, and your lives unsuitable to your
fair professions; and therefore depart from me,
all ye that habitually practice iniquity; for none
of your character shall ever be admitted here.
(Compare Mat. vii. 22, 23, Vol. VI. p. 238, 239.)

28 This awful word, how little soever you may
now regard it, shall wound you to the heart,
and throw you into agonies of everlasting de-
spair: and there shall be the bitterest weeping
and gnashing of the teeth for madness and rage,
when you shall see your holy ancestors, Abraham,
and

28 There shall be

weeping and gnashing

of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and

all

Some think to terrify him with a threatening from Herod.

of God, and

17

all the prophets in the and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets of the SECT. kingdoorsee haust succeeding ages, in actual possession of the exvii. kingdom of God; and shall find yourselves cast out with contempt, and thrust back with just in-XIII. 28.

out.

and from the west, and

Luke

29 And they shall dignation. Yea, they shall come from the most 29 come from the east, distant heathen lands, even from the east and the from the north, and west, and from the north and the south, and shall from the south, and sit down in joyful multitudes, to partake of the shall sit down in the heavenly banquet with your pious ancestors in kingdom of God.

30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there

last.

the kingdom of God, while you are utterly ex-
cluded from it. (Compare Mat. viii. 11, 12,
and note, Vol. VI. p. 295.)

And, behold, this shall be the case, not only of 30

a few, but of great numbers; for there are many are first which shall be who are now last in point of religious advantages, that shall then be first in honour and happiness; and there are many who now appear first, that shall then be found last; and, on account of their abused privileges, shall appear as the most infamous and miserable of mankind. (Compare Mat. xix. 30, and Mark x. 31, sect. cxxxvii.)

31 The same day there came certain of

These things our Lord said in his journey 31 the ramseesaying through Galilee towards Jerusalem; making unto him, Get thee many pauses in his way, that, in consequence of out, and depart hence: the shortness of his stages, he might have an for Herod will kill opportunity of greater usefulness. And it came

thee.

to pass on that day, when he uttered these dis-
courses, some of the Pharisees came, and that they
might, if possible, intimidate and drive him to a
distance, they said to him, Go forth, and depart
from hence, with all possible speed into the ter-
ritories of some other prince; for Herod the
tetrarch, in whose dominions thou art, is at this
very time determined to kill thee, as he did John
the Baptist, thy friend and associate, and seeks
but an opportunity to effect it.

32 And he said unto them, Go ye and tell that fox, Behold I cast

But Jesus was so far from being at all alarmed 32 at this intimation, that he said to them with great out steadiness, Go, and tell that fox, that crafty, wicked,