not without the inclination of him who both gave this will and commends it. That will was before renewed no marvel if it choose the good; though this were not in a case of good and evil, but of good and better. We have still this holy freedom, through the inoperation of him that hath freed us. Happy are

we, if we can improve this liberty to the best advantage of our souls.

The stability or perpetuity of good adds much to the praise of it. Martha's part was soon gone; the thank and use of a little outward hospitality cannot long last: "but Mary's shall not be taken away from her." The act of her hearing was transient, the fruit permanent; she now hears that which will stick by her for ever. What couldst thou hear, O holy Mary, from those sacred lips, which we hear not still? That heavenly

doctrine is never but the same, not more subject to change than the author of it. It is not impossible that the exercise of the gospel should be taken from us; but the benefit and virtue of it is as inseparable from our souls as their being. In the hardest times that shall stick closest to us, and till death, in death, after death, shall make us happy.HALL.

HYMN.

Beset with snares on every hand,
In life's uncertain path I stand;
Saviour divine, diffuse thy light,
To guide my doubtful footsteps right.

Engage this roving, treacherous, heart
To fix on Mary's better part:
To scorn the trifles of a day,
For joys that none can take away.

Then, let the wildest storms arise,
Let tempests mingle earth and skies,
No fatal shipwreck shall I fear,
But all my treasure with me bear.
If thou, my Saviour, still be nigh,
Cheerful I live, and joyful die ;
Secure, when mortal comforts flee,
To find ten thousand worlds in thee.
Doddridge.

§ CXCI.

CHAP. XI. 1—13.

Christ teacheth to pray, and that instantly: assuring that God so will give us good things.

AND it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.

2 And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, "Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth.

3 Give us day by day our daily bread.

4 And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

5 And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend and shall go unto him at mid

lend me three loaves:

6 For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?

7 And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.

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9 And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

10 For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

11 If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?

12 Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?

13 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him.

- ch. xviii. 1. &c.-c Matt. vii. 7; & xxi. 22 Mark xi. 9.- Gr. give.

See § XIX.
Matthew VI. 9-13.

and § XXIV.

Matthew VII. 7-11.

17 "But 'he, knowing their thoughts, said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth.

18 If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his

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19 And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges.

20 But if I with the finger of God cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you.

21.' When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace:

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22 But when a stronger than he shall come upon him and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils.

23" He that is not with me is against me and he that gathereth not with me scattereth.

24 ° When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out.

25 And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished.

26 Then goeth he,and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and "the last state of that man is worse than the first.

27 And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain

up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked.

28 But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.

e Mat. ix. 32; & xii. 22.-ƒ Mat. ix. 34; & xil. 24.† Gr. Beelzebul, and so ver. 18, 19.-g Mat. xii. 38; & xvi. 1.-h Mat. xii. 25. Mark iii. 24.-i John ii. 25.-A Ex. viii. 19.- Mat. xii. 29. Mark iii. 27.—m Is. liii. 12. Col. ii. 15.-n Mat. xii. 30.-o Mat. xii. 43.-p John v 14. Heb. vi. 4; & x. 26. 2 Pet. ii. 20.-g ch. i. 28—48.— r Mat. vii. 21. ch. viii. 21. Jam. i. 25.

See § XLII.

Matthew XII. 22-30.

And & XLIII. §

Matthew XII. 43-50.

§ CXCIII.

CHAP. XI. 29–36.
Christ preacheth to the people.

29 ¶And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet.

30 For as 'Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.

31 "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with the men of this generation,

and condemn them: for she came from the utmost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here.

32 The men of Nineve shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it for they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.

33 'No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a 'bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.

34 The light of the body is the eye; therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when thine eye is evil, thy body also is full of darkness.

35 Take heed therefore that

the light which is in thee be not darkness.

36 If thy whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.

& Mat. xii. 38, 39.- Jonah i. 17; & ii. 10.-u I Kin. x. 1.- Jonah ii. 5.-y Mat, v. 15. Mark iv. 21. ch. viii. 16. See Mat. v. 15.-z Mat. vi. 22.—† Gr. a candle by it's bright shining.

See § XLIII.

Matthew XII. 28—42.

And Matthew V. 15 in § XV.

Matthew VI. 22, 23 in § XXI.

§ CXCIV.

CHAP XI. 37—54.

Christ reprehendeth the outward shew of holiness in the Pharisees, Scribes, and Lawyers.

37 And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat.

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38 And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.

39' And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness.

40 Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?

41 But rather give alms of such things as ye have; and, behold, all things are clean unto

you.

42 But woe unto you Pharisees for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.