24 And what reason did he he assign for all this?

25 Of course, they began to rejoice; but in the midst of their rejoicings, we read of some one coming near to the house-who?

26 Hearing the rejoicings, what did he do?

27 And what did the servants tell him?

28 How delighted he ought to have felt!-but how did he feel? And what would he not do? What a wicked temper this was!-when the father knew how angry his eldest son was, what did he do?

29 In reply to this intreaty, what did this son say, about himself? And what, about his father's treatment of him?

30 And what did he say respecting the father's conduct to the younger son, whom he onght to have called his brother? What a striking picture is this of the scribes and Pharisees-in what? ANS. In their murmuring at Jesus, for receiving sinners. Where are we told that they did murmur at Jesus for receiving sinners?

31 In answer to this boasting and reproachful speech, what did the father say to this elder brother respecting himself?

32 And then he accounts for the rejoicings in such a way as ought to have removed all prejudice-how? What should we learn from these parables? ANs. That, instead of

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looking down with contempt on those who are worse sinners than ourselves, we should rejoice in every opportunity of doing them good, and welcome every appearance of repentance.

CHAP. XVI.

1 THIS chapter, like the last, is full of interesting parables-by whom were they delivered? And to whom? What was the first parable about? And what kind of a character had this steward?

2 Calling his servant to account, what did the rich man require him to do? Why?

3 It was very bad for him to be turned out of his place for what could he not do? And what was he ashamed to do?

4 Then he resolved what he would do what end had he in view, in making this resolution?

What

5 And what did he do? did he ask the first of these debtors?

6 This debtor, it seems, owed the steward's master some oil— how much? That is, nearly sixteen hundred gallons-but what did the steward tell this man to do?

7 Then the steward called another of the debtors-what did he say to him? And what did this debtor owe? That is, about fifteen hundred bushels-what did the steward tell him to do?

8 And, what may at first seem very astonishing, the lord of the steward commended him-why?

But really, was not the conduct of this steward very wicked? ANS. Certainly it was, and it was the prudence, not the wickedness of it, that was commended: and our Saviour meant to tell the people that it would be well if they acted with the same prudence and foresight in trying to obtain heaven, as this man did to obtain an earthly habitation.

9 In the 9th verse, what does Jesus direct his disciples to do? Why were they to do this? Then did Jesus mean, that in order to get to heaven, they were to hoard up as much money as they could? ANS. Certainly not: but he meant that those who have riches should use them in the service and to the glory of God; which, though no more than their duty, would in a sense introduce them to those heavenly mansions which Jesus will kindly provide for all who love him.

10 But many of Christ's disciples are poor, and have not much to be faithful with-then what is said to encourage them in being faithful with that little? And some people, who are very covetous, try to excuse themselves, by saying they have not much with which they can do good-but what is said of those who are unjust even in little? And what may we learn from this? ANS. That God does not require us to do impossibilities; but that he will judge of us according to the disposition we show in the use of such mercies as we have.

11, 12 What did Jesus tell his disciples, in the 11th & 12th verses? And what did he mean? ANS. That if they were unfaithful in the perishable riches of this world, they were not likely to do good with the gospel, which is here called, The true riches.

13 Still, some might think it possible to live under the dominion of the love of money, and yet be the servants of God-what did Jesus say men could not do? Why not! And to what services was this particularly applied? Can you tell me the meaning of mammon? 14 Hearing all this, what did the covetous Pharisees do? Whom did they deride?

15 Still, they were what people would call very respectable kind of men; but of what did Jesus remind them?

16-18 What did Jesus tell the Pharisees, in the 16th and two following verses? And what did Jesus mean by this? ANS. That with all their boasted righteousness, they were opposed, not only to him, but to the law of Moses itself, to that law in which they so much prided themselves.

19 The chapter ends with a parable about a wicked rich man, and a pious poor man-why do people call the rich man Dives? ANS. Because DIVES is a latin word for RICH, or, A RICH MAN. In the 19th verse, what are we told of this rich man?

20 And at his gate lay a certain diseased beggar, by what name does

with Abraham, a feast of eternal blessedness. After a while, the rich man died-and what then? 23 But what then?

24 And then, poor wretch! per

21 Poor Lazarus! And what did he wish for? A scanty pittance at best, we should think-and would they have been sufficient to satisfy his hunger? ANs. Very likely they would; for in Judea, rich people, after dinner, instead of using a napkin, wiped their hands clean with the crumby part of a loaf of bread, and then threw it under the table for the dogs.

22 How different are the conditions of men, in this world and the next! Here Lazarus was denied a few crumbs-but when he died, what became of him? What are we to understand, by Lazarus being in Abraham's bosom? ANs. This expression alludes to the posture of the Jews at their feasts: instead of sitting as we do, they used to lean on one side, resting on their left elbow; so that each would seem to lay his head in the bosom of the one who was next to him; and the meaning is, that though on earth Lazarus was a beggar, thankful for a few crumbs, yet in heaven he was enjoying, in company

:

25 Ŏ what a change! A little time ago, Lazarus begged of him a crumb of bread; and now he prays that Lazarus might bring him a drop of water-but, in reply, of what did Abraham remind him?

26 And besides all that, it was not possible, either for Lazarus to go the rich man, or for the rich man to escape from the place of his misery-why not?

27 Finding that his first prayer could not be complied with, in the agony of his soul the rich man prayed again-what was his second prayer? Send whom?

28 And why did he wish for this? 29 But what did Abraham say, in reply to this second prayer?

30 Yet still the rich man urged his prayer, because he thoughtwhat?

31 In reply to that, what did Abraham say? And what may we learn from this? ANS. To attend to those means of becoming holy which God has already given us, such as the scriptures and the preaching of the gospel; since we shall not only have no other, but if we had, they would not be more convincing.

CHAP. XVII.

1 THE chapter begins with an assertion of our Lord, that the existence of offences in the world is certain—what does he pronounce on that person through whom they come?

2 And a most tremendous woe this must be--for what would be better for such a character? Whom, think you, did Jesus mean, by little ones? And what by offending them? ANS. Any thing that caused them to be offended with Christianity.

3 In the 3d verse, the subject is changed—if any one were to treat us ill, what would be our first duty? But if he repent-what then?

4 And what if he were to offend and repent several times in a day? 5 For what did the apostles pray, in the 5th verse?

6 Then, in the 6th verse, what did Jesus tell them?

7 That was a very extraordinary kind of faith, such as is not necessary to salvation. But now the subject changes-in the 7th verse, what does Jesus ask, respecting the conduct of a master towards his servant?

8. Certainly not-what would he rather say?

9 And even then does he consider himself under obligation to him for obeying his commands?

10 True; for though in a sense all ranks of men are under mutual

obligations, yet we do not consider that any one lays us under obligation if he only do that which is his duty to do but if this be true among men, what, in a much stricter sense, should the servants of Christ say, even if they were to obey his commands perfectly?

11 Now we have an account of a miracle, which Jesus performed on his way to Jerusalem, a short time before his death-through what countries did he pass?

12 Entering a village, he met ten men-what were they? And we are told that they stood afar off—why? ANS. Because, being lepers, the law of Moses forbade them to come near to any one, lest they should pollute him.

13 And being afar off, they cried aloud to Jesus-what did they desire of him? And what kind of mercy, think you?

14 And what did Jesus tell them to do? But what would be the good of that? Ans. It was the law, that when lepers were healed they were to show themselves to the priest; so that in telling those lepers to comply with this law, Jesus gave them to understand that they would be healed before they saw the priest. And they were cleansed when?

15 There were ten lepers, you know-what are we told of one of the ten?

16 At whose feet, think you, did this man fall down, and give

thanks? Very likely, the nine unthankful lepers were Jews what countryman was the one who returned to thank his kind benefactor?

17 Seemingly surprised to see only one of the ten, what questions did Jesus ask?

18 And what was he constrained to confess?

19 And to this stranger Jesus said something very encouragingwhat? And what may we learn from this interesting story? ANS. The folly, as well as the sin, of not being thankful for our mercies: the nine lepers were not only very wicked, but very great losers; since they were only healed of their leprosy; while the one who returned and gave glory to God, received the approbation of Jesus Christ, and was probably cleansed from

his sin.

20, 21 And now the subject changes again-what, in the 20th verse, did the Pharisees ask Jesus? And what, in that and the next verse, did Jesus say, in reply? And what did he mean, by this? ANS. That Messiah's kingdom was not like the kingdoms of this world, full of pomp and show and parade; and that it was then among them, notwithstanding their ignorance of it, through the modesty and quietness of its operations.

22 What, in the 22d verse, did Jesus tell his disciples would come to pass?

23 And what would men say to them? Then what were they not to do?

24 How would the coming of the Son of man be?

25 That is, it would be suddenly but what would first happen to the Son of man?

26 What days would the coming of the Son of man resemble, or be like?

27 And what are we told of the days of Noah?

28 And what are we told of the Now people in the days of Lot? you see all these things were in themselves proper enough-what then may we learn from this? ANS. That even lawful things should be attended to in the fear of God, and with a deep feeling of the greater importance of death and those things which come after death.

29 What awful judgment came upon the inhabitants of Sodom, as soon as Lot left the city?

30 And so unexpectedly, and when the Jews wonld be equally unprepared, would be the day of the Son of man: but now tell me to what ANS. To time does Jesus refer? the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans, about forty years after.

31 What directions did Jesus give, respecting such as would be at that time on the house-tops? But how could such escape, without coming down? ANs. By passing along the roofs to the end of the