live in the face of the church, and make use of his ordinances, and yet be as excusably barren of all the fruits of holiness, as if they grew upon a common heath: it is strange they should not perceive their own folly, and know that God reckons otherwise, and according to the ground he hath set them in, and manuring he bestows on them, looks for some suitable fruit. Oh, what joy and glory were it to our God, to have unobserved, obscure Christians abounding in sweet spiritual fruits, loaded with fruit, and hanging down the head, stooping the lower, still the more humble for it, referring all to himself, living to him, doing all for him. Now, for this are requisite, -first, much prayer, for though he speaks here as an ordinary master, yet it is his secret influence does all, "From me is thy fruit found," and prayer draws down that: secondly, much faith in Christ, living to him and drawing sap from him; such as do all in his strength, and are much in application and attraction, shall be found the most abundant in all choice of sweet fruits.-LEIGHTON. Lord, let it alone this year also, &c. -It is the voice of every mercy thou dost possess. If thou couldst but hear and understand them, they all cry out unto thee, Turn. Why doth the earth bear thee, but to seek and serve the Lord? Why doth it afford thee its fruit, but to serve him? Why doth the air afford thee breath but to serve him? Why do all the creatures serve thee with their labours and their lives, but that thou mightest serve the Lord of them and thee? Why doth he give thee time, and health, and strength, but to serve him? Why hast thou meat, and drink, and clothes, but for his service? Hast thou anything which thou hast not received? And if thou didst receive them, it is reasonable thou shouldst bethink thee, from whom, and to what end and use, thou didst receive them? Didst thou never cry to him for help in thy distress? and didst thou not then understand that it was thy part to turn and serve him if he would deliver thee? He hath done his part, and spared thee yet longer, and tried thee another and another year; and yet dost thou not turn? You know the parable of the unfruitful fig tree, Luke xiii. 6-9. When the Lord had said, Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? he was entreated to try it one year longer, and then, if it proved not fruitful, to cut it down. Christ himself there makes the application twice over, 'Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish," ver. 3-5. How many years hath God looked for the fruits of love and holiness from thee, and hath found none! and yet he hath spared thee. How many a time by thy wilful ignorance, and carelessness, and disobedience hast thou provoked justice to say, Cut him down, why cumbereth he the ground? and yet mercy hath prevailed, and patience hath forborne the killing blow to this day. If thou hadst the understanding of a man within thee, thou wouldst know that all this calleth thee to turn. Rom. ii. 3—6. -BAXTER. HYMN. The Lord of earth and sky, The God of ages, praise, Who reigns enthron'd on high, Ancient of endless days, Who lengthens out our trial here And spares us yet another year. Barren and wither'd trees We cumber'd long the ground; No fruit of holiness On our dead souls was found: Yet doth he us in mercy spare Another and another year. When justice rais'd the sword To cut the fig-tree down, Cried "Let it still alone:" Jesus, thy speaking blood From God obtain'd the grace, Then dig about our root, To thy great praise abound; So shall we all thy blessings share And fruit unto perfection bear. CC. WESLEY. CHAP. XIII. 10-21. Christ healeth the crooked woman; and sheweth the powerful working of the word in the hearts of his chosen, by the parable of the grain of mustard seed, and of leaven. 10 And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. e 15 The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? 16 And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo, these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath day? 17 And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. 318 Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and cast into his garden; and it grew, and waxed a great tree; and the fowls of the air lodged in the branches of it. 20 And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God? 21 It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three "measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. 10.-Mark iii. 2. ch. vi. 7; and xiv. 3.-ech. xiv. 5. 6 Mark xvi. 18. Acts ix. 17.-c Ex. xx. 9.-d Mat. xii. xix. 9.-g Mat. xiii. 31. Mark iv. 30.- See Mat. xiii. 33. a READER. And behold, there was woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, &c.-Consider this woman's infirmity.-What was its origin? Sin. Had this never entered into the world, there had not been either pain, distortion, or death. Who was the agent in it? Satan; ver. 16. God has often permitted demons to act on and in the bodies of men and women. What was the nature of this infirmity? She was bowed together, bent down to the earth, a situation equally painful and humiliating; the violence of which she could not support, and the shame of which she could not conceal. What was the duration of this infirmity? Eighteen years; a long time to be under the constant and peculiar influence of the devil. What was the effect of it? The woman was so bowed together that she could in no case stand straight, or look toward heaven. Jesus saw her, &c.-Consider the woman's cure. Jesus saw her. Notwithstanding her infirmity was great, painful, and shameful, she took care While to attend the synagogue. she hoped for help from God, she saw it was her duty to wait in the apJesus saw her distress, and the desire pointed way, in order to receive it. she had both to worship her Maker and to get her health restored,—and his eye affected his heart. He called her to him. Her heart and her distress spoke loudly, though her lips were silent; and as she was then callthat she might receive help. Jesus ing for help, Jesus calls her to himself laid his hands on her. The hand of his holiness terrifies, and the hand of his power expels, the demon. Ordinances, however excellent, will be of no avail to a sinner, unless he apprehend Christ in them. Immediately she was was made straight. This cure was a speedy one, it was done in an instant; —a perfect one, she was made completely whole;--a public one, there were many to attest and render it credible;—a stable and permanent one, she was loosed, for ever loosed, from her infirmity. Her soul partook of the good done to her body, she glorified God. As she knew before that it was Satan who had bound her, she knew that it was only God who could loose her; and now, feeling that she is loosed, she gives God that honour which is due unto his name. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, &c.-Consider the conduct of the ruler of the synagogue on this occasion. He answered with indignation. It would seem as if the demon who had left the woman's body had got into his heart. It is not an unfrequent case to find a person filled with rage and madness, while beholding the effects of Christ's power upon others. Perhaps, like this ruler, he pretends zeal and concern for the honour of religion. "These preachings, prayer-meetings, convictions, conversions, &c., are not carried on in his way, and therefore they cannot be of God." Let such take care lest, while denying the operation of God's hand, they be given up to demonic influence.-He endeavours to prevent others from receiving the kind help of the blessed Jesus. Men of this character who have extensive influence do immense harm: they often hinder others from hearing that word which is able to save their souls. But for this also they must stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Reader, hast thou ever acted in this way?-Jesus retorts his condemnation with peculiar force; ver. 15, 16. Thou hypocrite! to pretend zeal for God's glory, when it is only the workings of thy malicious, unfeeling, and uncharitable heart. Wouldst thou not even take thine ass to water on the Sabbath day? And wouldst thou deprive a daughter of Abraham (one of thy own nation and religion) of the mercy and goodness of God upon the Sabbath? Was not the Sabbath in stituted for the benefit of man?-His adversaries were ashamed. The mask of their hypocrisy, the only covering they had, is taken away; and now they are exposed to the just censure of that multitude whom they deceived, and from whom they expected continual applause. The indignation and uncharitable censure of this chief of the synagogue not only turned to his own confusion, but were made instruments of the edification of the multitude. They rejoiced at all the glorious things which Jesus did. Thus, O Lord, the wrath of man shall praise thee, and the remainder thereof thou shall restrain !-A. CLARKE. These considerations are applicable to the spiritual malady of our fallen nature, and to our spiritual cure by the great physician of the soul. It is like a grain of mustard seed, &c. This parable is an image of the progress of the gospel in the world; of the growth of grace in the soul; of the increase of the church of Christ, established on the lowliness of God manifest in the flesh. The Saviour's abasement is impressed on all the transactions of his life, and on the hearts and lives of his followers. Let us cherish and cultivate this divine humility. The least of all seeds may represent truth, abased in this world to be exalted in the world to come. This is the joy of the saints, and their eternal rest; and they possess here below its first fruits in their heart. The lowlier in this world, the higher in heaven. Self abasement is our duty; it is with God to give us increase and elevation. What are often the first impressions of grace, the first motions of faith in the soul, but a little spark kindling the flame of love; a grain of mustard seed filling the heart with its strength and efficacy? Let us neglect nothing, despise nothing; the fruit must answer to the seed."-QUESNEL. It is like leaven, which a woman took, &c.-Whatsoever we do, every exercise of mind, soul, or body, is offensive unto God unless leavened by faith and charity. The union of God and man in Jesus Christ; the word of evangelical truth sent forth into the world; the spirit of God renewing the sinner's heart; may be compared to the effects of leaven; they are mysterious means, discovered by the wisdom of God, for making man spiritual, raising him to the love of heavenly things, and creating him anew in the image of God. May this divine leaven renew our hearts, and be within them a holy principle, changing their earthward tendency, and attracting them unalterably to heavenly things. Grace penetrates the soul, elevates and transforms it; changing the whole man into a new creature, the darkness of the mind into the light of heaven, the concupiscence of the heart into holy affections, and the corruption of the senses into a wise and sanctified restraint. O when shall we be thus, in all our faculties, filled with the light of God's glory, and with the power of his divinity! When shall the promised kingdom come, and the reign of God be complete in us!QUESNEL. HYMN. Holy Spirit, from on high |