them be found to have abandoned the faith, and wantonly ask, "where is the promise of his coming?"

The blessed Jesus next rebuked the self-righteous pharisees. But as these particulars are better illustrated by their opposites, he placed the character of this species of men in opposition to those of the humble; describing the reception each class met with from the Almighty, in a parable of the pharisee and publican, who went up together to the temple, at the time when the sacrifice was offered, to direct their petitions to the God of their fathers.

The pharisee, having a high opinion of his own righteousness, went far into the court of the temple, that he might be as near the place of divine residence as possible. Here he offered his prayer, giving God the praise of his supposed righteousness; and, had he been possessed of any, he would have acted properly. "God," said he, "I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tythes of all that I possess." Luke, xviii. 11, 12.

Having thus commended himself to God, he wrapped himself up in his own righteousness: and giving the poor publican a scornful look, walked away, perhaps to transgress some of the weightier matters of the law; judgment, justice, and truth: and to devour the houses of distressed widows and helpless orphans. But how different was the behaviour of the humble publican! Impressed with a deep sense of his own unworthiness, he would not even enter the courts of the temple; but stood afar off, and smote upon his breast, and in the bitterness of his soul, earnestly implored the mercy of Omnipotence. "And the publican standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast saying, God be merciful to me a sinner." Luke, xviii. 13.

Specious as the pharisee's behaviour may seem, his prayer was an abomination to the Lord; while the poor publican, who confessed his guilt, and implored mercy, was justified in the sight of God, rather than this arrogant boaster.

This parable sufficiently indicates that all the sons of men stand in need of mercy. Both the strict pharisee, and the despised publican, with the whole race of mankind, are sinners; and consequently all must implore pardon of their benevolent Creator. We must all ascend to the temple, and there pour fourth our prayers before the throne of grace; for there he has promised ever to be present, to grant the petitions of all who ask in sincerity and truth through the Son of his love.

These parables were spoken in the town of Ephraim and during his continuance in that city, the pharisees asked him, Whether he thought it lawful for a man to put away his wife for

every cause? Our Saviour had twice before declared his opinion of this particular, once in Galilee, and once in Perea; it is therefore probable that the pharisees were not ignorant of his sentiments, and that they asked that question then, to find an opportunity of incensing the people against him, well knowing that the Israelites held the liberty which the law gave them of divorcing their wives, as one of their chief privileges. But however that be, Jesus was far from fearing the popular resentment, and accordingly declared the third time against arbitrary divorces. The pharisees then asked him, why they were commanded by Moses to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? Insinuating, that Moses was so tender of their happiness, that he gave them liberty of putting away their wives, when they saw occasion. To which Jesus answered, "Because of the hardness of your hearts, Moses suffered you to put away your wives; but from the beginning it was not so." As unlimited divorces were not permitted in the state of innocence, so neither shall they be under the Gospel dispensation. "And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery. And whoso marrieth her which is put away, doth commit adultery." Matt. xix. 9.

The disciples were greatly surprised at their Master's decision; and though they held their peace, while the pharisees were present, yet they did not fail to ask him the reason on which he founded his determination, when they were returned home. "And in the house his disciples asked him again of the same matter: and he saith unto them, whosoever shall put away his wife, and marry another, committeth adultery against her. And if a woman shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery." Mark, x. 10, &c.

The practice of unlimited divorces, which prevailed among the Jews, gave great encouragement to family quarrels, were very destructive of happiness, and hindered the education of their common offspring. Besides, it greatly tended to make their children lose that reverence for them which is due to parents, as it was hardly possible for the children to avoid engaging in the quarrel.

Our Lord's prohibition, therefore, of these divorces is founded on the strongest reasons, and greatly tends to promote the welfare of society.

Our Saviour having, in the course of his ministry, performed innumerable cures, in different parts of the country, several persons, thinking, perhaps, that his power would be as great in preventing as in removing distempers, brought their children to him, desiring that he would put his hands upon them and bless them. The disciples, however, mistaking the intention, were angry with the persons, and rebuked them for endeavoring to

JESUS BLESSING LITTLE CHILDREN.

[Page 265.3

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me; for of

such is the kingdom of heaven."-Matt. XIX. 14.

give this trouble to their master.

But Jesus no sooner saw it,

than he was greatly displeased with his disciples, and ordered them not to hinder parents from bringing their children to him. "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God." Luke, xviii. 16. .

Such are those, in a spiritual light, who are brought to a sense of their sins, and humbled for them in the sight of God.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Our Lord departs from his retirement.-Declares the only way of salvation.-Shews the duty of improving the means of grace by the Parable of the Vineyard.-Prediction of his suffering, and contention of the Disciples about precedence in his kingdom.

THE period of our blessed Saviour's passion now approaching, he departed from Ephraim, and repaired, by the way of Jericho, towards Jerusalem: but before he arrived at Jericho, a ruler of the synagogue came running to him, and kneeling down before him, asked him, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life ?" Matt. xix. 16.

Though this young ruler pretended to pay great honor to our dear Redeemer, yet the whole was no more than a piece of raillery. For though he styled him "good," yet he did not believe that he was sent from God, as sufficiently appears from his refusing to observe the counsel given him by Jesus: nor could his artful insinuations escape the piercing eye of the great Saviour of the world. He well knew his secret intentions, and beheld the inmost recesses of his soul: and accordingly rebuked him for his hypocritical address, before he answered his question. "Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is God." Matt. xix. 17. But as he had desired the advice of our blessed Jesus, who never refused it to any of the sons of men, he readily answered his question, by telling him that he must observe all the moral precepts of the law; there being a necessary connexion between the duties of piety towards the Almighty, and of justice and temperance towards men; the latter of which were much more difficult to counterfeit than the former. "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder; Thou shalt not commit adultery; Thou shalt not steal; Thou shalt not bear false witness; Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.