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a believer's heart to be anxious about the things of this world, and supplied His followers with comforting arguments against

care.

[Take no thought.] The same remark which has been already made on this expression may be repeated here. The meaning of the Greek word is, "Take no anxious thought,-be not anxiously careful."

[Life...body.] The maintenance of animal life and the clothing of the body, are the two primary objects of thought and care. St. Paul refers to this when he says, "Having food and raiment, let us be therewith content." (1 Tim. vi. 8.)

23.-[More.]

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This expression means more excellent,-more valuable." It is translated "greater" in Luke xi. 31, 32; and more excellent" in Hebrews xi. 4.

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24.-[Ravens.] Let it be noted that the ravens are specially mentioned in Psal. cxlvii. 9, and Job xxxviii. 41, as objects of God's care. In the history of Elijah, the Holy Ghost shows us the ravens providing for others, as well as providing for themselves. (1 Kings xvii. 6.)

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25-[To his stature, one cubit.] It admits of grave doubt whether the Greek word which we translate "stature," ought not to have been translated "life," or age."-It is so translated in John ix. 21 and 23, and Heb. xi. 11. The idea of a person being anxious to increase his stature is undoubtedly somewhat strange, and the addition of a cubit to it would hardly be called in the following verse "that thing which is least."-Anxiety about a longer term of life is much more common and intelligible. The application of the word "cubit" to an increase of life, is quite justified by the expression in the Psalms, "Thou hast made my days as an handbreadth." (Psal. xxxix. 5.) The figure is also used in classical writers.

27.-[The lilies.] It is not clear that the flowers which are translated "lilies," are the lilies of our climate. Major quotes Sir J. E. Smith's saying, "There is reason to suppose that the lily mentioned by our Saviour, is the Amaryllis Lutea or Autumnal Narcissus. The flower is described by travellers, as appearing in profusion in the fields of countries in the Levant, and covering them in autumn with a vivid golden brilliancy, so as to admit of a peculiarly apt comparison with Solomon in all his glory,"

[Solomon in all his glory.] Let it be observed that the kingdom and glory of Solomon are spoken of here as real and true things, and not as mere myths and fables.

28.-[The grass.] The word so translated signifies herbage in general, including flowers.

29.-[Neither be ye of doubtful mind.] The Greek word so translated is only found here in the New Testament. Its meaning has been variously explained, and our own translators seem to have felt its difficulty by their marginal reading "live not in careful suspense."

According to Hammond, the idea is borrowed from clouds or birds, high in the air, and tossed to and fro by the wind.

The vulgate translation appears to regard the expression as a warning against high and ambitious thoughts," be not lifted up on high."

The true idea is probably that which is given by Suicer. The expression is one borrowed from ships out at sea, which, especially when seen from the shore, appear lifted up, tossed to and fro and restless. Thucydides has a similar expression, when describing the condition of men's minds in Greece, just at the beginning of the Peloponnesian war. (Thuc. ii. 7.) It implies a state of suspense, doubt, and anxiety about the

future.

30.-[The nations.] Doddridge paraphrases this sentence thus, "The Gentile nations of the world, who know little of Providence or of a future state, seek after all these lower things with great solicitude; and they are more excusable in doing it."

LUKE XII. 32-40.

32 Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

35 Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning;

36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those servants, whom

the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.

38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

40 Be ye therefore ready also for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

LET us mark what a gracious word of consolation this passage contains for all true believers. The Lord Jesus knew well the hearts of His disciples. He knew how ready

they were to be filled with fears of every description, -fears because of the fewness of their number,—fears because of the multitude of their enemies,-fears because of the many difficulties in their way,-fears because of their sense of weakness and unworthiness. He answers these many fears with a single golden sentence," Fear not, little flock, it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Believers are a "little flock." They always have been, ever since the world began. Professing servants of God have sometimes been very many. Baptized people at the present day are a great company. But true Christians are very few. It is foolish to be surprised at this. It is vain to expect it will be otherwise until the Lord comes again. "Strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it." (Matt. vii. 14.)

Believers have a glorious "kingdom" awaiting them. Here upon earth they are often mocked, and ridiculed, and persecuted, and, like their Master, despised and rejected of men. But "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed." "When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory." (Rom. viii. 18. Coloss. iii. 4.)

Believers are tenderly loved by God the Father. It is "the Father's good pleasure" to give them a kingdom. He does not receive them grudgingly, unwillingly, and coldly. He rejoices over them as members of His beloved Son in whom He is well pleased. He regards them as His dear children in Christ. He sees no spot in them.

Even now, when He looks down on them from heaven, in the midst of their infirmities, He is well pleased, and hereafter, when presented before His glory, He will welcome them with exceeding joy. (Jude 24.)

Are we members of Christ's little flock? Then surely we ought not to be afraid. There are given to us exceeding great and precious promises. (2 Pet. i. 4.) God is ours, and Christ is ours. Greater are those that are for us than all that are against us. The world, the flesh, and the devil, are mighty enemies. But with Christ on our side we have no cause to fear.

Let us mark, secondly, what a striking exhortation these verses contain to seek treasure in heaven. "Sell that ye have," said our Lord, "and give alms." "Provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens which faileth not." But this is not all. A mighty, heart-searching principle is laid down to enforce the exhortation. "Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

The language of this charge is doubtless somewhat figurative. Yet the meaning of it is clear and unmistakeable. We are to sell,-to give up anything, and deny ourselves anything which stands in the way of our soul's salvation. We are to give,-to show charity and kindness to every one, and to be more ready to spend our money in relieving others, than to hoard it for our own selfish purposes. We are to provide ourselves treasures in heaven, to make sure that our names are in the book of life,-to lay hold of eternal life,-to lay up for ourselves evidences which will bear the inspection of the day of judgment. This is true wisdom. This is real prudence.

The man who does well for himself is the man who gives up everything for Christ's sake. He makes the best of bargains. He carries the cross for a few years in this world, and in the world to come has everlasting life. He obtains the best of possessions. He carries his riches with him beyond the grave. He is rich in grace here, and he is rich in glory hereafter. And, best of all, what he obtains by faith in Christ he never loses. It is "that good part which is never taken away." Would we know what we are ourselves? Let us see whether we have treasure in heaven, or whether all our good things are here upon earth.-Would we know what our treasure is? Let us ask ourselves what we love most? This is the true test of character. This is the pulse of our religion. It matters little what we say, or what we profess, or what preaching we admire, or what place of worship we attend. What do we love? On what are our affections set? This is the great question. "Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also."

Let us mark, lastly, what an instructive picture these verses contain of the frame of mind which the true Christian should endeavour to keep up. Our Lord tells us that we ought to be "like unto men that wait for their Lord." We ought to live like servants who expect their Master's return, fulfilling our duties in our several stations, and doing nothing which we would not like to be found doing when Christ comes again.

The standard of life which our Lord has set up here is an exceedingly high one,-so high, indeed, that many Christians are apt to flinch from it, and feel cast down. And yet there is nothing here which ought to make a be

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