Thus God maketh the wrath of man to praise Him. In this way the devil involuntarily is promoting the progress of humanity. In His providence, God watches over both the individual and the Church. He strengthens Paul in the prison, and sends a glorious letter to the Church at Ephesus. Portsmouth. WILLIAM JONES.

SUBJECT: The Unjust Judge.

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: and there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily."-Luke xviii. 1—8.

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Analysis of Homily the Seven Hundred and Forty-Third.

HIS parable has its key hanging at the door," says an old and quaint expositor. And so it has, for the point to be illustrated is stated at the outset, "Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”

We see in this parable three things; the picture of a distressed world-a recognised deliverer-and a successful invocation.

I. Here is a picture of a DISTRESSED WORLD. "The widow" here may fairly be regarded as representing humanity everywhere as afflicted by the fall.

First, it is desolate. It is a "widow" left alone without its loving companion and protector. Few of all the miserable. conditions in life are more pitiable than the widowed one, left with a bleeding heart to struggle alone in a cold, selfish world. Man's condition as a sinner is poor, miserable, blind, and naked.

Secondly, it is oppressed. The widow had an "adversary"some hard-hearted creature, who took advantage of her weakness, and outraged her rights. Fallen man has an adversary. His adversary is the devil. "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter v. 8.) This is an adversary mighty, malignant, cunning, unremitting. Do you pity the poor "widow," and have you no pity for a desolate and oppressed world lying in wickedness?

II. Here is a picture of a RECOGNISED DELIVERER. In the society to which this widow belonged there was a man appointed for the purpose of helping the oppressed. There was a "judge." From Deut. xvi. 18, we learn that the Israelites were to have judges in all the gates of their towns, who were bound to judge the people with just judgment, without respect of persons. Such town tribunal existed in the days of our Lord. (Matt. v. 21, 22.) These judges were specially commanded by God to take widows and orphans under their protection. (Isa. i. 23; Jer. i. 6.) Samuel was a fine example of a good judge: "I am old and grey headed; behold, here I am, witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken ?" &c., &c.

There was nothing good, however, about this "judge" but his office; that was divine. Both his official and personal character were bad in the extreme. He was an unjust judge, and neither "feared God nor respected man." (1.) It is in his office, not in his character, that he represents the Great Deliverer of the race. Just as in the circle of that widow there was one whose office it was to help, so there is in the great world of men One whose office it is to deliver-namely, the Redeeming God. Unlike the judge, He is not only righteous, but full of tenderness and compassion, able and willing to save. To his seat, the throne of grace, we must repair for help. (2.) It is in his unhastiness, not in his reluctance, that he represents the Great Deliverer of the race. appears to us to move very slowly. How long He seemed

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to disregard His people in Egypt. How long in preparing the way for Christ. How slowly the Gospel seems to move. He is not in a hurry: He has plenty of time, &c.

III. Here is a picture of SUCCESSFUL INVOCATION. This widow said, "Avenge me of mine adversary!" "and he would not for a while but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me." Her success depended not upon the justice or mercy of the judge, for he had none, but simply on her importunity-selfishness moved him at last. It is not the DUTY of prayer that is taught here, nature teaches that man has an ineradicable instinct for it, an instinct which danger has never failed to excite! Hence the prayer of theoretic Atheists in peril. Nor is it the privilege of prayer that is here taught, the philosophy of mind and the experience of the good in all ages teach that; the point here is the certain efficacy of importunate prayer. Three remarks may serve to throw light upon the subject: first, importunity is the essence of all true prayers. Prayer does not consist in words or occasional services-prayer is an abiding and deeply-felt consciousness of dependence upon God. Hence it is something "without season." A man that does not always pray never prays. Secondly, importunity is an essential qualification for the enjoyment of Divine favours. Unless we are brought to feel the need of a thing we shall neither properly value nor rightly use it. The Syro-Phoenician mother is a case in point. Thirdly, importunity insures the interposition of Heaven. This point Christ here teaches by a sort of à fortiori argument. The famous John Howe fully illustrates this in a discourse on this text. He points out the difference between the petitioned -the petition-and the petitioner. The gist of the argument here implied is to show the certainty that God will answer the importunate prayer of His people. Their prayer is "day and night"-it is the breathing spirit of the soul, and this is sure to be answered-in truth, is answered every day.

Biblical Criticism.

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.-EMENDATIVE RENDERINGS.

Chap. xix.—1. And it came to pass, while Apollos was in Corinth, that Paul, going through the upper regions, came to Ephesus and found certain disciples.

2. And he said unto them, Did ye receive the Holy Ghost when ye believed? And they [said] to him, On the contrary, we did not even hear whether the Holy Ghost was.

3. And he said, To what, then, were ye baptized? And they said, To the baptism of John.

4. And Paul said, John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people, that they should believe on Him cho was coming after him, that is, on Jesus.

5. And having heard, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus.

6. And when Paul had put hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spake with tongues and prophesied.

7. And all the men [avopes] were about twelve.

8. And entering into the synagogue, he spake boldly for three months, disputing and persuading concerning the kingdom of God.

9. But when certain were hardened and believed not, speaking evil of the way before the multitude, going from them he separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of Tyrannus.

10. And this was done for two years, so that all the dwellers in Asia heard the word of the Lord, both Jews and Greeks.

11. And God did extraordinary mighty works by the hands of Paul.

12. So that to the sick there were brought from his body (properly, skin) napkins or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out.

13. But certain also of the wandering Jews, exorcists,

undertook to name over those that had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, I adjure you by Jesus, whom Paul preacheth.

14. And there were seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chiefpriest, doing this.

15. And the evil spirit answering said, Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but who are ye?

16. And the man in whom was the evil spirit, leaping upon them, having got the mastery of both, prevailed against them, so that nåked and wounded they fled out of that house.

17. And this became known to all, both Jews and Greeks that were dwelling in Ephesus, and there fell fear upon all of them, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified.

18. And many of them that had believed came confessing and announcing their practices.

19. And considerable numbers of those that had practised magical doings, having brought the books together, burned [them] up before all; and reckoned together the values of them, and found fifty thousand of silver.

20. Thus mightily the Lord's word grew and prevailed.

21. When these things were fulfilled, Paul settled in the spirit, having gone through Macedonia and Achaia, to journey to Jerusalem, saying, after I have been there, I must see Rome also.

22. And having sent into Macedonia two of those that ministered unto him, Timotheus and Erastus, himself remained a time at Asia.

23. And there came to pass at that season a disturbance not small concerning that way.

24. For a certain man, Demetrius by name, a silversmith, making silver temples of Artemis, occasioned to the artisans' earnings not small.

25. Whom having assembled, and the workers about such like things, he said, sirs [avdpes], ye understand that from this art is the wealth to us.

26. And yo see and hear that not only of Ephesus, but