no wish that his friends should suffer also, and he supposed that if one went from the dead they would hear him. 29. Moses. The writings of Moses. The first five books of the Bible. ¶ The prophets. The remainder of the Old Testament. What the prophets had written. Hear them. Hear them speak in the scriptures. Read them, or hear them read in the synagogues, and attend to what they have delivered. 30. Nay. No. They will not hear Moses and the prophets. They have heard them so long in vain, and there is no prospect now that they will attend to the message. But if one should go to them directly from eternity, they will hear him. The novelty of the message would attract their attention, and they would listen to what he would say. 31. Be persuaded. Be convinced of the truth, and of the danger and folly of their way, and the certainty of their suffering hereafter, and be induced to turn from sin to holiness, and from Satan unto God. From this impressive and instructive parable we may learn: 1st. That the souls of men do not die with their bodies. 2d. That the souls of men are conscious after death; that they do not sleep, as some have supposed, till the morning of the resurrection. 3d. That the righteous are taken to a place of happiness immediately at death, and the wicked consigned to misery. 4th. That wealth does not secure from death. "How vain are riches to secure Their haughty owners from the grave!" The rich, the beautiful, the gay, as well as the poor, go down to the grave. All their pomp and apparel; all their honors, their palaces, and their gold cannot save them. Death can as easily find his way into the splendid mansions of the rich as into the cottages of the poor; and the rich shall turn to the same corruption, and soon, like the 30 And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. 31 And he said unto him, If ' b 2 Cor.4.3. poor, be undistinguished from common dust, and be unknown. 5th. We should not envy the con dition of the rich. "On slippery rocks I see them stand, Now let them boast how tall they rise! Are but a prelude to their pain." 6th. We should strive for a better in heritance than can be possessed in thi life. "Now I esteem their mirth and wine Too dear to purchase with my blood: Lord, 'tis enough that thou art mineMy life, my portion, and my God." 7th. The sufferings of the wicked in what is represented by torment, by hell will be indescribably great. Think by that state where a single drop of burning flame, by insupportable thirst water would afford relief. Remember that all this is but a representation of the pains of the damned, and that this will have no intermission, day or night, but will continue from year to year, and age to age, without any end, and you have a faint view of the sufferings of those who are in hell. 8th. There is a place of sufferings beyond the grave a hell. If there is not, then this parable has no meaning. It is impossible to make any thing of it unless it be designed to teach that. 9th. There will never be any escape from those gloomy regions. There is a gulf fixed-fixed, not movable. Nor can any of the damned beat a pathway across this gulf to the world of holiness. 10th. We see the amazing folly of those who suppose there may be an end to the sufferings of the wicked, and who, on that supposition, seem willing to go down to hell to suffer a long time they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead. TH CHAPTER XVII. HEN said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him through whom they come! 2 It were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. a Jno.12.10,11. b Matt.18.6,7. Mar.9.42. c Le.19.17. rather than go at once to heaven. If man were to suffer but a thousand years, or even one year, why should he be so foolish as to choose that suffering, rather than go at once to heaven, and be happy at once when he dies? 11th. God gives us warning sufficient to prepare for death. He has sent his word, his servants, his Son; he warns us by his Spirit and his Providence; by the entreaties of our friends, and by the death of sinners; he offers us heaven, and he threatens hell. If all this will not move sinners, what would do it? There is nothing that would. 12th. God will give us nothing further to warn us. No dead man will come to life to tell us of what he has seen. If he did, we would not believe him. Religion appeals to man, not by ghosts and frightful apparitions. It appeals to their reason, their conscience, their hopes, and their fears. It sets life and death soberly before men, and if they will not choose the former, they must die. If you will not hear the Son of God, and the truth of the scriptures, there is nothing which you will or can hear; you will never be persuaded, and will never escape the place of torment. CHAPTER XVII. 1, 2. It is impossible. It cannot but happen. Such is the state of things that it will be. See these verses explained in Matt. xviii. 6, 7. 3, 4. See Matt. xviii. 15, 21, 22. Trespass against thee. Sin against thee, or does any thing that gives you an offence or does you an injury. Rebuke. Reprove. Go and tell him his fault, 3 Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. 4 And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt for give him. 5 And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6 And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye might say unto the sycamine-tree, e He.12.2. Acquaint d Matt.6.12,14. Col.3.13. f Matt.17.20. 21.21. Mar.9.23. 11.23. and seek an explanation. him with what has been the effect of his conduct, and the state of your feelings, that he may acknowledge his errors and repent. 5. Increase our faith. This duty of forgiving offences seemed so difficult to the disciples, that they felt the need strongly of an increase of faith; they felt that they were prone themselves to harbor resentments, and that it required an additional increase of true religion to enable them to comply with the requirements of Jesus. We may learn from this, 1st. That Jesus had the power of increasing the faith of his people.Strength comes from him, and especi ally strength to believe the gospel Hence he is called the Author and Finisher of our faith. Heb. xii. 2. 2d. The duty of forgiving offences is one of the most difficult duties of the Christian religion. It is so contrary to our native feelings, and to proud, corrupt nature, it implies such true nobleness of soul, and elevation above the petty feelings of malice and revenge, and is so contrary to the received maxims of the world which teach us to cherish rather than forgive the memory of offences, that it is no wonder our Saviour dwells much on this duty, and so strenuously insists on it in order to our having evidence that our hearts have been changed. Some have thought that this prayer that he would increase their faith, refers to the power of working miracles, and especially to the case recorded in Matt. xvii. 16-20. 6. See Matt. xvii. 20. Sycamine-tres. This name, as well as sycamore 7. Having a servant, &c. This parable seems to have been spoken with reference to the rewards which the disciples were expecting in the kingdom of the Messiah. The occasion on which it was spoken cannot be ascertained. It does not seem to have any particular connexion with what goes before. It may be supposed that the disciples were somewhat impatient to have the kingdom restored to Israel (Acts i. 6), that , that he would assume his kingly power, and that they were impatient of the delay, and anxious to enter on the rewards which they expected, and which they not impropably were expecting in consequence of their devotedness to him. In answer to these expectations, Jesus spoke this parable, showing them: 1st. That they should be rewarded, as a servant would be provided for, but, 2d. That this was not the first thing; that there was a proper order of things, and thus it might be delayed, as a ser vant would be provided for, but at the proper time, and at the pleasure of the master; and, 3d. That this reward was not to be expected as a matter of merit, but would be given at the good pleasure of God, for they were but unprofitable servants. By and by. This should have been translated immediately. He would not as the first thing, or as soon as he returned from the field, direct him he is come from the field, Go, and went to Jerusalem, that he passed sit down to meat? through the midst of Samaria ana Galilee. 8 And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? 9 Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar ' off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. d 10 So likewise ye, when ye shall 14 And when he saw them, he nave done all those things which said unto them, Go shew yourare commanded you, say, We are "selves unto the priests. And it unprofitable servants; we have done came to pass, that, as they went, that which was our duty to do. they were cleansed. 11 And it came to pass as he a Job 22.3. 35.7. Ps.16.2,3. Is.64.6. Ro.11. 35. 1 Co.9.16,17. b c.9.51,52. Jno.4.4. to eat and drink. Hungry and weary he might be, yet it would be proper for him first to attend upon his master. So the apostles were not to be impatient because they did not at once receive the reward to which they were looking. To meat. To eat. Or rather, place thyself at the table. 8. I may sup. Make ready my supper. ¶ Gird thyself. See Note, Luke xii. 37. 9. I trow not. I think not; or I suppose not. e c Le.13.46. d Le.13.2. 14.3. Matt.8.4. c. 5.14. e 2 Ki.5.14. Is.65.24. will remember our iniquities no more. Heb. viii. 12. 11. The midst of Samaria and Galilee. He went from Galilee and probably travelled through the chief villages and towns in it, and then left it; and as Samaria was situated between Galilee and Jerusalem, it was necessary to pass through it. Or it may mean, that he passed along on the borders of each towards the river Jordan, and so passed in the midst, i. e. between Galilee and Samaria. This is rendered more proba10. Are unprofitable servants. We ble from the circumstance that as he have conferred no favor. We have mer- went from Galilee, there would have ited nothing, and have not benefited God, been no occasion for saying that he passor laid him under obligation. If he re-ed through it, unless it be meant through wards us, it will be matter of unmerited the confines or borders of it, or at least favor. This is true in relation to Christ- it would have been mentioned before ians in the following respects: 1st. Our Samaria. services are not profitable to God (Job xxii. 2); he needs not our aid, and his essential happiness will not be increased by our efforts. 2d. The grace to do his will comes from him only, and all the praise of that will be due to him. 3d. All that we do, is what is our duty; we cannot lay claim to having rendered any service that will bind him to show us favor; and, 4th, our best services are mingled with imperfections. We come short of his glory, (Rom. iii. 23); we do not serve him as humbly, and cheerfully, and faithfully as we ought; we are far, very far from the example set us by the Saviour, and if we are saved and ewarded, it will be because God will ae merciful to our unrighteousness, and. 12. There met him. They were in his way, or they were in his path, as he was entering the village. They were not allowed to enter the village while they were afflicted with the leprosy. Lev. xiii. 46. Num. v. 2, 3. Lepers. See Note on Matt. viii. 2. ¶ Stood afar off. At a distance, as they were required by law. They were unclean, and it was not lawful for them to come near to those who were in health. As Jesus was travelling, they were also walking in the contrary way, and seeing him, and knowing that they were unclean, they stopped, or turned aside, so that they might not expose others to the contagic 1. 14 Go show yourselves, &c. See Matt. viii. 4. By this command he gave them an implied assurance that they would be healed. For the design for which they were to go was to exhibit the evidence that they were restored, and to obtain permission from the priest to mingle again in society. It may also be observed that this required no small measure of faith on their part, for he did not first heal them, and then tell them to go; he told them to go without expressly assuring them that they would be healed, and without as yet any evidence to show to the priest. So sinners, defiled with the leprosy of sin, should put faith in the Lord Jesus, and obey his commands, with the fullest confidence that he is able to heal them, and that he will do it, if they follow his directions; and that in due time they shall have the fullest evidence that their peace is made with God, and that their souls shall by `him be declared free from the defilement of sin. Were cleansed. Were cured, or made whole. 15, 16. One of them, &c. This man, sensible of the power of God, and grateful for his mercies, returned to express his gratitude to God, for his goodness. Instead of obeying at once the letter of the command, he first expressed his thanks to God, and to his great benefactor. There is no evidence, however, that he did not, after he had given thanks to God, and had poured out his joy at the feet of Jesus, go to the priest as he was directed. Indeed he could not have been restored to society without doing it. But he first poured out his thanks to God, and gave him praise for his wonderful recovery. The first duty of sinners, after they have been forgiven, and have the hope of eternal life, is to prostrate themselves at the feet of their Great Benefactor, and to consecrate themselves to his service. Then let them go and show to others the evidence that they are cleansed. Let them go and mingle, like a restored leper, with their families and friends, and show by the purity and holiness of their lives how great is 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God save this stranger. c Ps. 106.13. the mercy that has cleansed them. TH was a Samaritan. See Note, Matt. x. 5. This rendered his conduct more remarkable and striking in the sight of the Jews. They considered the Samaritans as peculiarly wicked, and themselves as pe culiarly holy. This example showed them, like the parable of the good Samaritan, that in this they were mistaken. And one design of this seems to have been to break down the opposition between the Jews and Samaritans, and to bring the former to more charitable judgment respecting the latter. Jesus 17, 18. Where are the nine? had commanded them to go to the priest, and they were probably literally obeying the commandment. They were impatient to be healed, and selfish in wishing it, and had no gratitude to God, or the benefactor. Jesus did not forbid their expressing gratitude to him for his mercy. He railier seems to reprove them for not doing it.-One of the first feelings of the sinner cleansed from sin, is a desire to praise his great benefactor. And a real willingness to obey his com mandments, is not inconsistent with a wish to render thanks to him for his mercy. With what singular propriety may this question now be asked where are the nine? And what a striking illustration is this of human nature, and of the ingratitude of men! One had come back to give thanks for the favor bestowed on him; the others were heard of no more. men are restored from dangerous sickness, here and there one comes to give thanks to God-but where are the nine?' When men are defended from danger; when they are recovered from the perils of the sea; when a steamboat is destroyed and a large part of crew and passengers perish, here and there one of those who are saved acknowledg es the goodness of God, and renders him praise. But where are the mass of them? They give no thanks; they of fer no praise. They go about their usual employments, to mingle in the scener So now. When |