PRINCETON, N. J. ShelJ A'umber / ■' THE Parables of Our Lord EXPLAINED AND APPLIED. BY THE EEV. EEANCIS BOUEDILLON, IM. k. IJECTOU OF WOOLBEDING, SUSSEX. 'fS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN TEACT SOCIETY, 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK. 'S\ 1' I^REFACE. , ,.^HE aim of tbis work is not critical elu- cidation, but simple, practical explaiia- n tioii and application. The chapters arc ^ intended to be read, either privateh', or in any of the various "ways in ■which plain family sermons are found to be useful. In each parable the main scope has been regarded, rather than those more minute points, which, in many eases at least, must be looked on as mere accesso- ries; nor has the author gone into those refine- ments of application in which an ingenious fancy is apt to indulge, but which often tend to draw away the mind from the great lesson intended to be taught. Long words and involved sentences have been avoided, and the author's aim has been to use " great plainness of speech," in the earnest hope that the book maj- be of use to the poor and unlearned, as Avell as to those of more cultivated minds. And. now he sends it forth with the hum- ble prayer that it may be blessed by God for the 4 PEEFACE. setting forth of the teaching of our Lord, and for the extension of " the kingdom of heaven." The words, " the kingdom of heaven is Kke," or similar words, are found at the beginning of a large number of the parables ; and if this work were to be read through continuously^ it might have been enough to explain, once for all, what those Avords mean. But as each chapter is meant to be read by itself, and independently of the rest, it has been thought necessary to give a short exjjlanation of these words almost as often as they occur. Occa- sional repetitions will therefore be noticed, for which allowance is asked on the ground just stated. As a general rule, the parables have been ar- ranged in the order in Avhich they may be believed to have been spoken ; not, however, without excep- tion, when there seemed any good reason for de- parting from this plan. Indeed, strict accuracy in this respect is not attainable, nor is it of any great moment. CONTKNTS. j>f Introduction'. The Nutuve and Design of our Lord's Para- l)leS - PAGE 7 I. Fields White to the Harvest 13 II. The House on the Eock, and the House on thu Sand- i!0 III. The Two Debtoi-s • - - - 27 IV. The Foolish Ptich Man - 3.') V. Serwints Waiting for their Lord — ■12 VL The Unfruitful Fig-tree '.1 VII. The Sower ; in four parts : 1. The Seed that Fell by the Wayside - ',1 2. The Seed that Fell on Stony Ground O:'. 3. The Seed that Fell among Thorns G7 4. The Seed that Fell on Good Ground I'.i VIII. The Tares of the Field - - 79 IX. The Soi-d, the Blade, and the Ear - - 8-3 X. The Grain of ilustard Seed - - - 92 XL The Leavon in the Meal 98 XII. The Hidden Treasure - - - - 101 XIIL The Pearl of Great Price- - 109 XIV. The Gospel Net -- 114 XV. Tlie New Cloth, and the New Wine 118 XVL True Defilement 125 XVII. The Blind Leading the Blind - - - - 130 XVIIL The Unforgiving Servant - -- 135 XIX. The Good Samaritan 142 XX. The Importunate Prayer - 150 XXL The Father's Gift 15ti XXIL Christ, the Door - l<"-i fi CONTENTS. XXIII. The Good Shepherd page 170 I,, XXIV. The Strait Gate, aud the Shut Door - 178 XXV. The Guest who Chose the Chief Eooms - - 18(3 XXVI. The Great Supper -- - 192 ■^ XXVII. The Man without a Wedding Garment 203 ■ XXVIII. The Tower-Builder - 208 V' XXIX. The Lost Sheep, and the Lost Piece of Silver 213 XXX. The Prodigal Son 221 XXXI. The Unjust Steward - 22!) XXXII. The Eich Man and Lazarus 239 XXXIIL The Unjust Judge 248 XXXIV. The Pharisee and the Publican 253 XXXV. The Laborers in the Vineyard 259 XXXVI. The Pounds - 269 J XXXVIL The Talents - 278 XXXVIII. The Two Sous 2SG XXXIX. The Wicked Husbandmen 290 XL.. The Budding Fig-tree - 298 XLI. The Wise and Foolish Virgins 30 ! XLII. The Vine aiad the Branches 310 INTRODUCTION. The Nature and Design of our Lord's ^ARABLES. Our Lord taught mucli in parables; and many of his most important and solemn lessons arc in this form. There is, however, considerable differ- ence of o])inion as to what is a parable and Avhat is not; and some who take the stricter view would confine the parables oi our Lord to a comparatively small number. The author of this work has gone on a wider principle, and has considered as parables all those parts of our Lord's teaching in which reli- gious lessons are conveyed under the form of a his- tory, a tale, or a similitude ; excluding, however, those similitudes which are mere figures of speech or illustrations. It is difficult to draw the line ex- actly. He has preferred the wider principle, as furnishing a greater variety of spiritual truth, and as giving a more comprehensive view of the figura- tive teaching of our Lord. The reason for which our Lord made use of this way of teaching seems to have been twofold. First, his hearers were accustomed to figurative speaking, for it was much in use at that time, and in that part of the world. They would therefore be more likely to l)e attracted by it than by direct 8 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. instniction. Indeed, in many cases a truth is more easily understood by people in general wlien set forth by means of a simple figure. And perhaps in all cases a figure or parable, when once its spir- itual meaning and application are perceived, greatly helps the memory to retain the lesson, and tends also to fix the impression on the heart. One rea- son, therefore, why our Lord taught by parables was, that he might dj;aw attention, and be more easily understood, and that his teaching might make a more lasting impression. But this was not all. There Avas a second, and, as would seem at first sight, a contradictory rea- son. But it was not contradictory really ; nothing that our Lord did or said was so. If he used par- ables in part to make his teaching more interest- ing and plain, he certainly did so also to veil or ^ concccdjiis, jueaning. This we learn from his own words. When he had ended the parable of the sower, which was spoken to the multitude at large, his disciples said to him : " Why speakest thou unto them in parables?" His answer was in these words : " Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to fJtcm it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance : but who- soever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in para- y bles, because they seeing see not ; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith. By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand ; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive : for this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears INTllODUCTION. 9 are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed ; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them." In St. Mark the words are given yet more strongly : " That seeing they may see, and not perceive ; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them." And the passage in St. Luke is in the same form : " That seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand." Having given this answer, our Lord went on to explain the parable fully to his disciples ; not how- ever without a gentle rebuke, as if ilivy too were in a measure gross in heart and dull of hearing: " Know ye not this parable ? and how then will ye know all parables ?" Our Lord, therefore, in this and other parables, concealed the meaning from some, while he ex- plained it to others. To the former, the parable Avas a mere tale or figure, the spiritual meaning being hidden ; to the latter, the meaning was made known, and the lesson was all the more deeply impressed on their minds from being taught by way of parable. But who were these last? The disciples. All who really wished to learn were taught plainly. Not only the twelve apostles, but the far larger number of the disciples ; for this number comprised those who had joined themselves to our Lord, and placed themselves under his teaching: the very word means learners or pupils. Now our Lord never turned away any who wished to become his 1* 10 THE PARABLES OF OUIl LORD. disciples. " Him that cometli to me," said he, " I Avill ill no wise cast out." On the contrary, he invited all to come and learn of him : " Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon j'ou, and learn of me." " Learn of me ;" it is the very same word as disciples ; learn of me, become my learners or disciples. None, therefore, were shut oat from the knowl- edge of the truth but by their own fault. If any one from among the multitude who heard the parable of the sower, for instance, had come liumblj^ to Jesus as a disciple or learner, seeking instruction, doubtless he would have received it. The mean- ing of the parable would not have been kept hid- den from him. He would at once have become one of those of whom our Lord said : " Blessed are your eyes, for they see ; and your ears, for they hear." It was because the people did not do this that they remained in ignorance. They were like those of whom the prophet spoke. Their heart was gross, and their ears dull of hearing, and their eyes they had closed. They did not seek, and therefore they did not find. Some things ind(;ed our Lord said so plainly that all who heard them could under- stand them; and often what he said seemed to make a general impression. On one occasion, just after he had spoken one of the parables, " the peo- ple," Ave read, " Avere astonished at his doctrine, for he taught them a.s one having authority, and not as the scribes." But few Avere so much impressed as to become his disciples and to seek farther instruc- tion. The multitude remained the maltitude still ; the disciples Averc still but a fcAV, though doubtless INTEODUCTION. 11 some did from time to time join themselves to the number. The words, "Whosoever hath, to him shall l)e given, and he shall have more abundance," throw great light on the subject. Whosoever hath in him, through grace, the beginning of true religion, an awakened conscience, a desire for spiritual instruc- tion, a spirit of sincere inquir}-, to him shall be given. That light and knowledge of which he stands in need shall not be withheld from him. He shall receive, and receive abundanth'. The word of God will not be a dark word to him. The more he searches, the naore will he find. God himself will teach him. This applies as much to us as to those who heard our Lord. AVhat are we with regard to his teaching? Are we disciple-^, or are we only of the mnltitiide ? If we are careless about spiritual things, or if we hear or read the word of God merely as a matter of form or custom, or only because the miud is interested in it, as distinguished from the heart, then sve are like the multitude who heard our Lord's parables. Even though the word may reach the understanding, there is no spiritual impression made on the heart. In this state we are little hkeiy to receive a blessing. But if, on the other hand, we place ourselves as learners at our Saviour's fei;!, and come to the word of God with an earnest de- sire to be taught, then Ave are disciples, as much as they Avho went about with him from place to place to hear his words ; then he reckons us among those who take his yoke upon them, and learn of him ; and he will bless us, and teach us, and give us the light of his truth in " more abundance.'' Let us 12 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. be disciples indeed. Let ns be humble and dili- gent learners of Christ our Lord. We cannot go about with him from place to place, but he has left us his word and the means of grace, and has prom- ised us the Holy Spirit. Let us make full use of all that he has given. The parables of our Lord differ greatly from one another. Some are short and plain, others much longer and more difficult. Some teach a simple moral lesson, others a deep spiritual truth. A large number of them relate to " the kingdom of heaven," or "the kingdom of God." These form a class by themselves. They represent to us God's govern- ment on earth under the gospel in a great variety of points. They show Avhat takes place now, and what is to take place hereafter. They set forth the first beginning of the gospel on the earth, its spread, its hinderances, its success, and what will happen at the end. They show how God deals with men under the gospel dispensation, and how men receive the message of salvation, and how they act with regard to the Saviour. They declare very solemnly what will take place at the end of the M'orld, the close of the present dispensation. This class of our Lord's parables, therefore, is most solemn and important ; and perhaps it is to this class especially that the distinction betvreen "the multitude" and "the disciples" applies. Let us give Earnest heed to them. In causing us to live in gospel times and in a Christian land, God has given us a deep, per- sonal concern in " the kingdom of heaven," There is not a parable on this subject that does not con- tain some lesson of vital consequence to us. THE PxVllABLES OF OUR LOUD. I. fiELDS White to the j^arvest. "Hay uot ye, There are yet four mouths, and then conieth har- vest? behold,': say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields ; for they are -ft-hite already to harvest. And he that reai)eth rcceiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal : that both he that soweth and he that reapcth may rejoice together. And hereiu is that saying true. One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor : other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors." John i : 3.3-38. 'HIS sliort parable was spoken by our Lord to his disciples just after Lis con- rersation with the Avoman of Saraaria, and diile she was gone into the city to tell le people of the wonderful things she had heard. It was winter time, answering perhaps to our November or December, for it wanted four months to harvest; and in that country the harvest is much earlier than with us. TIjc fields bore no appear- 14 THE PARxVBLES OF OUU LORD. ance of harvest yet ; they "were not even green ; the seed was probably but just sown ; for four months is about the time there between sowing and reap- ing. Every one knew this. So- our Lord said, " Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then Cometh harvest?" But then he added, "Behold, I say unto jou, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields ; for they are Avhite already to harvest." What did he mean ? Did not the very appearance of the fields contradict his Avords? He meant not the natural harvest, but the har- vest of souls. Li the natural harvest there is always a time of waiting between sowing and reaping. It is so generally in the spiritual harvest too, but not alwaj's. It was not so in this case. Seed had been sown, and the harvest was about to follow direct!}', Jesus had spoken to the woman of Samaria the words of eternal life, and she had received them. And now she had gone into the neighboring city, to tell to others what she had heard. Jesus knew Avhat would follow. He knew that the Samaritans would come out to him at the word of the woman, and hear the gospel from his lips. He knew that many would believe on hiin for the saying of the woman, " He told me all that ever I did ;" and many more because of his own word. No sooner did they hear his word than they believed it. No sooner did he come to them, than they received him, and begged him to stay with them. Here was indeed a speedy harvest. Here was a field ripe as soon as sown. Our Lord drew the attention of his disciples to FIELDS WHITE TO THE HAKVEST. 15 this. "Lift up your 03-08," said he, "and look on the fiehls; for they aro white already to harvest." They ■\vcrc to observe the readiness of the Samari- tans to receive the gospel. But that was not all. This was but one field ; there Avere other fields equally ripe for the sickle. The disciples were to go forth to their Avork of preaching the gospel, with the encouraging belief that souls were ready to hear and to believe. They were to take what happened among the Samaritans as a sample of the success which would follow their labors among other peo- ple. There was great need of the gospel. Souls Avere perishing for lack of knowledge. In great numbers there Avas a Avork of preparation already going on. From among both Joavs and Gentiles many Avould hear and receive the Avord. There Avas a great field for the disciples to labor in, and there Avas every thing to encourage them. Let them put in the sickle of the gospel, and gallier in souls to Christ, for the harvest Avas ripe. > Other men had labored before them — other teachers had prepared men's minds for the gospel. The ancient prophets, the JeAvish teachers, John the Baptist, had all done so. And noAV the disci- ples, the preachers of the gospel, Avere to go forth and finish Avluit they had begun, and thus to enter into their labors. "One soweth, and another rea[)- eth," Avas a proA'erb. It Avas to be fulfilled in this case. Those other teachers had soAvn ; the preach- ers of the gospel Avere to reap. The fields Avcre Avhite for the harvest then, and the same may be said noAv. The greater part of 16 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. the world is still without the gospel. But the need of the gospel, as God's appointed instrument for bringing souls to him, is still as great as ever; and in every part of the heathen world there are some at least who are prepared to receive it. In every quarter of the world there are now openings for the gospel; and to no heathen land do our missiona- ries go without finding some to welcome their mes- sage. The field is wide indeed. The heathen and Mohammedans together are reckoned at not less than seven hundred millions in number. Here and there in this great field some labor has been be- stowed, some seed has been sown, and some first- fruits have been gathered in — enough, at least, to stir up and encourage the sowers and the reapers. In some parts of the world the people are eagerly asking for the word of life ; in others, old hinder- ances are being broken down and old prejudices are becoming softened ; while others have not yet been reached by the gospel at all. True, there are many hinderances and difficulties still ; j-et never was the way so open, never did the fields seem so white to the harvest. Our Lord bade the disciples lift up their eyes and look on the fields. In like manner he would liave his disciples now 'to take notice of and care for the state of the heathen Avorld. We are not to be indifferent to the case of the heathen. We are not to turn away our eyes from them, and attend only to home claims, as if our duty Avere confined to them. We arc to lift tip our eyes and look on FIELDS WHITE TO THE HARVEST. 17 other fields, on other lands beside our own. Wo are to care for souls wherever they are found. Though far off, yet the heathen are our neighbors in the sight of God. We must not pass by on the other side, or merely come and look at them ; wo must look and help. For the disciples were not only to lift up their eyes and look on the fields; they were to go in and reap ; they were to carry the gospel to those who were thus in need of it, and ready to receive it. Such is our duty too. As disciples of Christ, we are to acquaint ourselves with the state of the hea- then, to take an interest in their state, to pity them, and to help them. All may do something. At harvest time there is work for all. One reaps, another binds, a third loads the wagon. Men, women, and children work together. None need be idle. The old, whose reaping days are over, can yet help to gather up what is left; and even the little ones, whose work- iug days have not begun, may be seen at harvest time returning from the field, each with his little bundle of gleanings. So it is in the spiritual har- vest. The missionary who crosses the sea to carry the news of salvation b}' Jesus Christ to some dark land, //e is the chief laborer in the field, the reaper in the harvest. But those who stay at home may be fellow-workers with him. The preacher, the speaker, the collector, the giver, the smallest con- tributor, are all engaged in the harvest field, each doing something in the great work. There is work for all, and to all the word comes, "Lift up your 18 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. eyes, and look on the fields; for tliev are white already to harvest." The reaper works. for wages; and the laborer in the spiritual harvest has his reward too. Yes, a reward — yet not of works, but of grace ; a gift, not a paj'ment. But it will surely be received ; for even a cup of cold water given for Christ's sake shall not go without a reward. What is this reward ? We are not told fully ; but this parable throws some light on the subject. Part at least of the reward will be joy for souls saved. As there is rejoicing among us every year at harvest-home, so will there be joy at the great spiritual harvest-home. When the corn is all gath- ered in, and the last load has been brought to the barn, then the Avages are paid, and all rejoice to- gether, master and men, all who have had part in the harvest, from the highest to the lowest. So will it be in the harvest of souls. Even now there is jo}' in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. HoAv great will be the joy when all the redeemed of the Lord are gathered in ! Haj)py then all who have labored for God — every sower, every reaper, every gleaner in the field of the world. What joy to have borne a part, how- ever humble, in sncli a work, and now to see the fruit! What happiness to meet all fellow-workers, and rejoice Avitii them ! No jealousy now, no sus- , picion or distrust, no cold cooperation or doubting- sympathy. Now all is love and joy. Now he who began in great discouragement, and saw but little fruit, meets him who came after him, and brought FIELDS WHITE TO THE HARVEST. 19 the work to a liappj end. Now helpers at home, and preachers abroad, and those who have prayed, and thoee who have given, and those who have spent anxious hours in the cause — now they meet together and rejoice. They are happy, because the Kedeemer is glorified— happy, because souls are saved — happy, because it has been their honor and blessing to bear part in such a Avork. Let none who know the preciousness of Christ refuse to bear a part, and thus neglect so plain a duty, so blessed a work, and lose a share in this joyful harvest- home. 20 THE PAYABLES OF OUE LORD. If. Thf: House on the ^ock, and the House ON THE Sand. •'Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock : and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house ; and it fell not : for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his hoiise upon the sand : and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall thereof.' Matt. 7 : 24-27 ; see also Luke G : 47-49. ^^^^^ "Yi^^y&^TJCK a tiling might happen in our land ; vtT^ but it was much more likely to happen in that eastern country, in Avhicli our Lord spoke the parable. For that part of the world is more liable to sudden storms and floods. Generally the climate is more dry than ours, and many of the streams are quite Avithout water in the summer; but these dry water-courses are rapid rivers in the winter, and even at other seasons a change in the weather may suddenly fill them. The sky becomes overcast, the rain comes down in torrents, rivers overflow their banks, and spread themselves over the country, often doing great damage. In this parable our Tjord supposes two houses ON THE HOCK, AND ON THE SANU. 21 to be built, both probably near a stream. The builder of tlie one "svas a Avise man. Knowing that storms and floods -svere likely, he chose the firm rock for the site of his house, and there he du£r deep for a foundation. The builder of the other house was not so wise. Ho was a foolish man. A level and pleasant situation on the sand presented itself, and there he built his house. The wcatlier, we may suppose, was fine at the time; the sun shone, the air was calm, the neighboring stream was almost dry — no danger threatened. ^Vh}' build on the hard rock when the sand was so much easier? Why dig into the ground for a foundation, Avhen the house on that level surface would stand so Avell Avithout one ? He did not look forAvard, he thought only of the present. He made no provision for dangers that might come. They did come. The fine season passed away, or the Aveather suddenly changed. The Avise man had foreseen this, and prepared for it. "The rain descended, and the floods came, and the Avinds bleAA% and beat upon that house; and it fell not." " The stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it Avas founded on a rock." Meanwhile, Iioav did the other house fare '? " The rain descended, and the floods came, and the Avinds blcAV, and beat upon that house ; and it fell," *' innnediately it (ell," " and great Avas the fall of it." As long a,s the fine Aveather lasted, one house ^ perhaps looked as strong and safe as the other. It Avas the storm that tried them. Then Avas seen the difference. The house on the rock stood it well; 22 THE PARABLES OF OUll LOKD. and Avlien tlie tempest was past, and tlie floods had gone down, tliere it stood, upviglit and safe. Not so the house on the sand. The same storm burst on it, the same winds blew, and the same torrent beat against it. "When all w-as past, where was the house ? Gone, swept away ; nothing left but wreck and ruin. A foolish man, indeed; a fair-weather builder. "What is a house worth that Avill not stand a storm? for storms are sure to come. The wisdom of the one man and the folly of the other in this story are plain enough. But this is more than a story ; it is a parable, a story with a spiritual meaning. We shall see wisdom and folly still more strikingly set forth in the application than in the stor}'. Our Lord does not, as he does in some cases, • explain this parable at large. Yet he shows us how to understand it by what he says about the two men. By the wise man he represents "who- soever heareth these sayings of mine, and doetli them ;" by the foolish man, " every one that hear- eth these sayings of mine, and doetli them not." This distinction is exactlj' the same as that con- tained in the words of St. James, " Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers onl}-, deceiving your oavii selves." But let none siippose that salvation by works is here taught. The contrast in this parable is not between grace and works, but between merely hear- ing the word on the one hand, and on the other believing, receiving, embracing it, and taking it as the guide of lif(\ This last is called .doing the ON THE HOCK, ANL> ON THE SAND. 23 word. Let us look a little more closely at both ways. I. The uuiu Avho is a hearer only, hears the word,' but it makes no impression on his heart. He may hear it regularly, and even take pleasure in hearing it; but he hears it oiLhj. He hears it, not so much to learn from it, to receive good from it, to be guided by it, as to be interested and pleased. No wonder then, that it makes no change in his heart or life, that he is the same man after hearinc; it as he was before. He hears the word, and then he has done with it. There is nothing more of it till he hears it again. Our Lord had many such hearers. Of the great multitudes who flocked to hear him from all parts of the country, numbers were hearers only, mere professors at the best, crying, " Lord, Lord !" but not doing the will of God, nor truly embracing the word. There are many such hearers always. Every congregation has them. There is great danger of being hearers only, great danger of mistaking hear- ing for doing, and of being satisfied with being pleased without seeking to be profited. All hear- ers should look well to it that they be not hearers only. Such are like the foolish man, builders on the sand, builders without a foundation. Their building will not stand. Hearing and professing will never save. II. The doer of the word is very different. His very hearing is a different kind of hearing ; for ho hears not merely to bo pleased, but in order that 24 THE PARABLES OF OUll LOED. lie may learn the way of salvation and the will of God. And what he hears he humbly receives, be- lieves it, feels it, and strives to follow and to prac- tise it. He has not done with the word when it ceases to sound in his ears. It is both food and light to him. He remembers it, and treasures it up in his mind as his light and guide. And, just as we take food at meal times, and are afterwards nourished and strengthened by what we have taken, so is his soul fed continually by the word of God. But there is a peculiar force in the figures liere used — the rock and the foundation. Christ is the rock of our salvation. The believer's hope is built on him alone. " Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." The doer of the word means, therefore, not merely a man who is sincere and in earnest in a general way, but one who truly believes on Jesus, builds every hope on him alone, and strives to show forth in his life the fruits of his faith. In other words, the doer of the word is a true and sincere Christian, taught by the word and Spirit of God. The mere hearer and the doer may make the same profession, and bear in the eyes of men much the same character, as long as the day of trial docs not come. As the two houses both stood firm Avliilo fine weather lasted, and one looked as safe as the other, so these two men may, to those who do not look very deep, or do not know them well, seem for a time much alike. But when the storm comes, how is it then? Ah, then the difference aj^pears. The hearer only has no comfort laid up against the ON THE HOCK, AND ON THE SAND. 25 day of trouble. When affliction visits bin), he knows not whither to flee for relief. AYhen persecution arises, he is little likely to stand firm, for he has no foundation. If errors in doctrine spring uy), and he becomes exposed to false teaching, he is liable to be swept away hj the torrent, because he has no firm hold on the truth ; it has not reached his heart, he is not rooted and built up in Christ. The doer of the w^ord, on the contrary, knows where to seek help and comfort in all trouble and difficulty. To him, " to live is Christ." Christ is his life. He is joined to Christ by a living faith. He can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth him. He does not expect to be without trial. The very word which he has heard bids him look for it. But he meets it and bears it in his Saviour's strength. Thus he faces persecution, thus he meets false doc- trine. His house is built upou a rock; it has a foundation; it will stand the storm. Christ is his rock. But is this all? Does the parable point to no storms, no troubles, but such as these ? There is a fiercer storm coming, a greater trial. "Every man's work shall be made manifest; for tlie day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire ; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." AYhat day is here meant? The great day, the day of the Lord, the last day, the day of trial and of judgment. In that passage the apostle is writing especially of ministers; but his "words may Avell be applied to all. For that day will try not oidy the work of the minister, but the 2C) THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. life and character and state of all. A different fig- ure is used in the two passages. In the parable it is a storm, liere it is a fire ; but the meaning is much the same. Every man's house, his spiritual building, will be severely tried, tried to the utter- most, as by storm or fire. None will stand then, but those who are built upon Christ. No prepara- tion for eternity will prove of any avail, except a true and living faith in Jesus, shown forth in the fruits of holiness. Religious knowledge, religious profession, a religious name, what will they do for the soul in that day? Nothing. Christ will then be all. They who are in him will be safe, but none else. All besides must see every hope fail them, every refuge swept away, and their house "brought to desolation " indeed. How does your house, your spiritual building, stand ? Has it a foundation ? Is it on the rock ? Look Avell to this matter. If you feel any doubt, begin again from the very bottom. Take the house all down and build it afresh, rather than run the risk of its being swept awa}'. It will be too late to make it safe when the storm comes. Now, in this calm and quiet season, now, while yet you may, look well to your founda- tion. Make sure of being in Christ by faith. Do not deceive yourself. Do not say to your soul, " Peace, peace !" when there is no peace. Let noth- ing satisfy you but a true and deep foundation in Christ, the Hock of Ages. Thus be you found among the wise, among those who are doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving their own selves. THE TWO DEBTOrvS. 27 IIF. The Two Debtors. " Aud one of the Pharisees desired him that he wonlu eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which M'as a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Phai-isee's house, brought an ahibaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed liis feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bid- den him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him : for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering said iinto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. Aud he saith. Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two deljtors : the" one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty. Aud when they had nothing to pay, he frank- ly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most ? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy hoTise, thou gavest me no water for my feet : but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss : but this woman since the time I came iu hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint : but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven ; for she loved much : but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said lanto her, Thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves. Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said .to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee ; go in peace." Luke 7 : 3()-50. 28 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. is./ E know nothing of this Pharisee be- yond his name, nor do we know why he invited Jesus to his house. The woman some have thought to have been Mary Magdalene. But there seems no sufficient reason for thinking so. Mary is first mentioned in the following chapter; and there she is spoken of, not as one who had been a great sinner, but as having been heavily afflicted. This woman, on the other hand, had been of known bad character; probably living on the wages of sin. But she Avas now greatly changed. Her con- science had been touched. She had been brought to true sorrow "or sin, and to a belief in Jesus as able and willing to forgive her; and now, hearing that he was in the house of the Pharisee, she came and stood at his feet as he reclined on a couch at the meal, and wept, and kissed his feet, and anoint- ed them with a precious ointment which she had brought with her for the jaurpose. The Pharisee saw her, and knowing her charac- ter was much surprised — yet less, it seems, at her coming, than at Jesus' letting her come. He did not, however, snj any thing, but only thought with- in himself. "This man," thought he, "if he were a prophet, would have known who and what man- ner of woman this is that toucheth him ; for she is a sinner." From this it ajipears that this happened in some place where Jesus Avas a stranger, and that the Pharisee, (as might be supposed from his invi- ting him,) though not believing in him, had yet THE TWO DEBTOES. 29 some doubt whether he were not a true prophet or teacher. But what he uow beheld seemed quite against that. If he were really a prophet, Avould he not have known by his prophetic poAver what kind of woman this Avas ? As for his letting such a woman come near him, knowing her character, even Avhen she came in tears for her sins, such a thought seems not to have entered the mind of the Pharisee. He did not speak aloud, but Jesus- knew his thoughts, and answered them by the parable of the two debtors, addressing him personally : "Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee." At the close of the parable he asked the Pharisee this question : "Tell me, therefore, which of them will love him most?" Simon's answer was ready, "I suppose that he to whom he forgave most." Our Lord ap- proved of the answer; then turning to the woman, he thus continued, still speaking to Simon, " Seest thou this Avoman? I entered into thy house, thou gavest me no Avater for my feet: but she hath Avashed my feet Avith tears, and Aviped them Avith the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss : but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. -My head Avitli oil thou didst not anoint : but this woman hath anointed my feet.Avith ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee. Her sins, Avhich are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to Avhom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." Thus did our Lord explain and apply the para- ble. God, even Jesus himself, Avas the creditor. The debtor Avho OAved four hundred pence Avas the 30 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. poor sinful woman, her sins Avere her debt; the debtor Avho owed but fifty was the Pharisee him- self, in his own opinion far less sinful than she, and probabl}^ not guilty in truth of sins so many and so gross. In the parable both the debtors were for- given, the one who owed much and the one who owed little. Neither could pay any thing; both were freely and fully forgiven. But was the Phar- isee really forgiven? Our Lord did indeed first put the case as if he had been ; but then he left it to him and to us to judge from his conduct whether he had been or not. The debtor who had been forgiven much would, in Simon's own judgment, love more than he who had been forgiven but little. Following this out, one to whom nothing had been forgiven would not love at all. Now, how had these two persons, the Pharisee and the woman, behaved towards our Lord ? The Pharisee had shown him no love at all, not even the usual civilities of a host ; the wom- an, on the other hand, had given proof of the most devoted affection. The Pharisee had given him no water for his feet, a common attention in those countries; had not welcomed him, as was usual, with the kiss of friendship ; had not paid him the customary honor of pouring oil upon his head. But the woman had supplied this neglect in a most remarkable manner. She had washed his feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head ; she had humbled herself to kiss his feet, and that repeatedly; she had brought a mast precious oint- ment, far more costly than the oil commonly used, THE TWO DEETOKS. 31 and with it she had anointed not his head but his feet. The very lowest part of his person she thought worthy of all she could do and all she could give. What did this conduct, so opposite, prove ? The Pharisee, loving so little, had been forgiven little ; nay rather, showing no love at all, could have re- ceived no forgiveness. The woman, on the other hand, loving so much, must have been forgiven much. If Simon had sought and found forgive- ness, he could not have shown so great a want of love. Because the woman had been forgiven much, therefore she loved much. Her acts of love were a proof that she was forgiven. This is the meaning of our Lord's words, "Wherefore I sa}^ unto thee. Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much." Tliey do not mean that the woman was forgiven because she loved, but that she loved because she was forgiven. First she Avas forgiven, and then she loved. She loved because she believed that she was forgiven. Her acts of love were thus a proof of her forgive- ness. " Her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much." It was to Simon that our Lord spoke those words ; and it was as though he had said to him, "Do not despise this woman, or won- der that I let her come near to me ; do not suppose that I am not aware who and what she is. I know her well — far better than you do. I know all her ^past history. I know her present feelings, and her present state. She is penitent. She is foi-givcn. She loves me because I have forgiven her. You might have known the hai:)py change in her by what 32 THE PARABLES OF CUE LOKD. you have seen lier do. You have seen her show me every proof of affection. Nothmg eoiild have made her love me so but gratitude for sins forgiven. Her sins, whicli are man}', are forgiven, for she loved much." What follows shows clearly that this is the meaning ; for, having thus spoken to Simon of the woman's conduct, he now exposes to him his own. " But to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little." Did the Pharisee feel these words to ap- ply to himself? Did his conscience remind him of his slighting treatment of Jesus? Did he see in his Avant of love a proof that he was not forgiven ? And did he now learn his need, and seek and find pardon? We do not know; we are told no more about him. But for ourselves the lesson is plain. If our love is little, then we have been forgiven lit- tle. If our hearts are perfectly cold towards Christ, and we feel no gratitude and love to him at all, and are seeking to do nothing for him, then we have no proof whatever that our sins are pardoned. A pardoned sinnei* loves his Saviour — not in- deed as he wishes to love ; but he does love truly, and the very sorrow that he feels for the coldness of his love, and his earnest desire to love more, prove that he does love in sincerity. Now if a man has nothing of this love, this sorrow, this desire, how can he have received forgiveness ? Our Lord has not spoken to the woman herself 3'et ; but now he turns to her, and in the presence of all declares to her that she is forgiven. It was her hope, her trembling belief that she was for- THE TWO DEBTORS. 33 given, that made her love ; now that hope and be- lief are fully confirmed: "Thy sins are forgiven." Could she want more than to hear her pardon from the Lord's own lips ? He will give her eVen more. He will tell her how it was that she had received forgiveness. He will send her away in peace. For when those around murmured, then, lest an unbe- lieving doubt or fear should find a place in her heart, he added this, "Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace." Sorrow for sin, faith, pardon, love, peace ; we see them all displayed in this case. What do we knoAV of them ourselves? This woman was "a sinner/' a gross sinner. We are all sinners; not sinners perhaps like her, yet sinners. Are we sorry for sin? Have we be- come convinced of sin? She went to Jesus, she believed in him, she had faith in him. She had gone in heart before she went in person. Have you gone to Jesus ? Have you believed in him? Have 30U faith in him? Have you sought his preciaus blood to take away 3' our guilt ? He forgave her all. Her sins indeed were many ; he himself said so : yet they were all forgiven, and that at once. There is forgiveness with him for all who go to him in faith and in sorrow for their sins. Have you received this forgiveness ? Do 3'ou be- • lieve in it ? Have you sought it, and that as a present blessing ? Love followed forgiveness. When she believed that she was forgiven, then at once she loved. 2* 34 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. While yet that behef was faint and trembhng, per- haps hardly more than a hope, even then she loved truly and deeply, and showed her love by all the means she could. Have you this proof that you are forgiven? Do you love Jesus? Do you do any thing to show your love ? Then followed a full assurance of forgiveness, which nothing need shake, and peace, the peace of God. It was not her works, not even her sorrow for sin, that had saved her; but her faith in Jesus. He was her Saviour, and her faith gave her a part in him. Therefore she might go in peace, and thenceforth live in peace. Have 3^ou this peace ? Have 3'ou heard the voice of Jesus by the Spirit saying to you, "Thy sins are forgiven; .... go in peace?" He gave this peace to this woman; he left it as a legacy to his disciples; he would have every humble believer enjoy it. Seek it ; seek it in faith ; rest not content without it : " the peace of God which passeth all understanding." THE FOOLISH RICH MAN. 35 IV. Jhe Foolish Rich Man, "And one of the company said unto bini, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me. And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you? And he said i;nto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousncss : for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth jilentifuUy : and he thought within himself, saying, "What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits ? And he said. This will I do : I will pull down my barns, and build greater ; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years ; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee ; then whose shall those things be which thou hast provided? So is he that layttli up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God." Lure 12 : 13-21. HEEE was a great multitude of j-jcople gathered round our Lord at this time. Thi.s man was among them, and perhaps his brother was there too. We do not know which of them was in tlic right ; but very likely he avIio spoke to our Lord was. But if he was in the right about the property, how wrong Avas the state of his heart. He could stand there and listen to those solemn words of our Lord, and 5'et be thinking all the Avhile of nothing but the estate, and the dispute with his brother about it. If he was struck at all with what he heard, his only 36 THE PAEABLES OE CUE LOED. thought was that one who spoke with so much weight was just the person to prevail with his brother to do him justice. Whether right or wrong about the inheritance, he was clearly wrong in this, that his heart was more set on worldly than on spiritual things ; so that, even while he heard Jesus himseK speak, his chief interest was in the disputed inheritance. Even we can see thus far from the account itself. But our Lord could read the man's heart, and doubtless saw much more clearly how worldly- minded and covetous he was. " Man," said he, " who made me a judge or a divider over you ?" This was all his answer. Whatever the rights of the case might be, this was no question to bring to him. He came for a far higher work than to settle the rights of property. He came to save souls, and to teach men the knowledge of God. That was no time, and he was no i>erson, for the things of this world. Such was his answer to the man. But he then turned to the people around, who had doubtless heard what had passed, and gave them, in the form of a parable, a solemn warning against covetotis- ness. The parable is one of a pecuhar kind, peculiar from its simpHcity. There is no double meaning here, as in most of the parables. This is a plain story — a true story, for any thing we know to the contrary ; at all events, a plain story of a covetous man. He was not what would be called a bad man. THE FOOLISH EICH MAX. 37 We are not told that he had got rich by wrong means. He was a rich man, and this year richer than ever, becanse his ground had borne sach plen- tiful crops. So plentiful were they that he was even in a difficulty; he had not room for alL What should he do ? He soon settled the question. He would puU down his old bams, and build greater, and there he would store up his property. Then he would make liimself happy in the thought of his riches. In those great barns there would be com enough to keep him in plenty for many years ; he need have no anxiety; he would now enjoy life thoroughly, and indulge himself to the fulL " Take thine ease," he would say to his soul, " eat, drink, and be merry." But there was another concerned in this matter whom the rich man quite forgot. How solemn the words that follow. "' But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of tliee : then whose shall these things be which thou hast provided?" The barns might be built, and the com might be stored, and there it might last for years ; but the man himself, the owner of it ail, would be gone. He was about to die. Even while he thought and spoke, he was on the brink of the grave. Be- fore to-morrow's sun should rise he would be a coi-pse. Whose would his wealth be then ? liVho would enjoy what he had laid up ? Now what was this man's fault? How was he wrong? for he icas- wrong, and foolish too. Our Lord himself answers the question : " So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not 38 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. rich toward God." When his laiul bronghl forth so plentifully, his only thought was for himself. He did not consider what good he might do to others, what help he might give to the poor, what relief to the distressed. He had no intention of laying out any part of his riches in the service of God ; all w-as to be spent on himself. " But," it may be said, " was not the corn his own ? Did not his own land produce it ? Was it not sown and reaped and gathered in by his own servants?" In one sense it was his own ; in another it was not. It was not his own to use as he pleased, with no refer- ence to the will of God. All that he had was given to him by God, and he was bound to use it as God Avilled. And it was not the will of God that he should spend all upon himself He was but a stew- ard, not an absolute owner. Here is a great lesson. We are all but stew- ards, God's stewards, of what we have. We have no right to spend it all on ourselves. If we do so, we are unfaithful stewards, for God did not give us our goods to be spent so. Riches, and talents of every kind, bring a responsibility with them. AVe must account to God for their use. Alas, how many there are whose secret feeling with regard to what they have is just that of this man, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry." How many are spending all on self, with no thought or aim beyond their own enjoyment or advancement ! They lay up treasure, but it is all for themselves ; they are not rich towards God. And a poor, miserable treas- THE FOOLISH EICH MAN. 30 ure it is; in clanger of rust and moth and tbieves; .not "treasure in the heavens, that faileth not." But this man was wrong in another respect also. "God said unto him, Thou fool,'' tbou foolish man. How was he foohsh ? In this, that lie overlooked the uncertainty of life, and laid his plans as if he Avere sure to continue to live. His barns were full, his riches were great; he forgot that he himself might be called awaj. And thus he lived all for the present life, with no thought of the future. This was foolish indeed, for eternity lay before him. Are there none now who are foolish in the same way? None? Nay, are there not thousands, mill- ions ? At this very time, and never more than now, vast numbers are planniug, and purposing, and toil- ing, with no object whatever beyond this world. Their faces become wrinkled with care, anxiety and overrwork tell upon their bodily frame, restless de- sires deprive them of peace ; and for what ? That they may be richer and greater for a few years on earth. But meanwhile their time on earth is slip- ping away, life itself is passing, eternity is drawing near. And for eternity they are making no prep- aration. They give no thought to the awful change that death will make. They forget that death may overtake them at any moment, and must come soon. Are they not foolish, these thousands, these mill- ions? Common as the folly is, is it not the great- est folly that can be ? In the parable the call was quick and sudden. It is not always so. More often the man of the world lives through the usual span of life, and dies 40 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. at length from sickness or natural decline. He prospers perhaps in his plans, grows richer and richer, and surrounds himself with comforts. But hy degrees he grows old, his power of enjoyment becomes less and less, perhaps mind and memory- fail, and at length he dies. And this is all! This is what he has lived for and toiled for ! Putting it at the ver}^ best, this is all. But do we never hear of sudden death now ? Is it uncommon for a suc- cessful man of the world to be cut off in the midst of success, like the man in the parable ? True, no message comes; but this does but make the case more awful, when, without any special message or warning, in the midst of worldly thoughts, cares, prosperity, success, the hand of God is laid upon the man, and in a moment he is taken away from all. " Take heed, and beware of covetousness," said our Lord: "for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth." Even the necessaries of life, such as food and clo- thing, are not life ; far less are riches and luxuries. Life is more than this. Life is eternal. We are to live for ever. If we are not living now as if wo w.ere to live for ever, living for eternit}', living to God, then, with all the Avisdom we may show in other things, we are but fools after all. There is nothing that more hinders this than covetoiisness. A man's chief treasure cannot be both above and below. If it is below, then it is not above. " Take heed, and beware of covetousness." Let all take heed; not the rich only, but the poor also. A man THE FOOLISH KICK MAN. 41 may be covetous about a little as well as about much. A covetous heart is the thing to guard against. There arc true riches. Upon tltem we are to set our hearts, and for them we cannot be too desirous. The}^ are "the unsearchable riches of Christ." Seek Christ himself for your portion, your treasure. Be willing to part with all to win him. Let this aim be first in your heart, far above all worldly gain or pleasure. Eemember eternity ; seek Christ ; live- to God, and spend your talents faithfully for him. This is to live indeed. Then you need not fear to leave earthly possessions, even should you be called away from them suddenly, for you will have a better inheritance waiting for you above, " a treasure in the heavens, tliat faileth not." 42 THE PAYABLES OF OUR LOED. Y. Servants Waiting fof^theif^ Lord. "Let your loins be girded about, and j'Oiir lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding ; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching : verily I s^y unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the good- man of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be bro- ken throiigh. Be je therefore readj' also : for the Sou of man cometh at an hour when ye think not. Then Peter said unto bin), Lord, speakest thou this parable unto us, or even to all ? And the Lord said, "Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their por- tion of meat in due season? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Of a tnrth I snj unto yoii, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath. But and if that servant say in his heart. My lord delayeth his coming ; and shall begin to beat the men-servants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken ; the lord of that servant will .come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his por- tion with the unbelievers. And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and jirepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For ixnto whomsoever much is given, of him shall bo much required : and to whom men have crmmitted much, of him they will ask the more." Luke 12 : lj.)-!8. THE WATCHFUL SERVANTS. 43 'HE men here s})okeu of are waiting for their master. He has gone to a red- ding, probably his own weddiug, to bring his bride home witli him. It is night; for in that country weddings took place by night ; and it is uncertain at what hour the master will come. These men are waiting there- fore with their loins girded and their lights burn- ing, so that, whenever he comes and knocks, they may be read}^ to open the door and go out to re- ceive him with proper respect. They are not sleep- ing, und they are not misspending their time. Their thoughts are upon their absent master; their atten- tion is fixed upon his coming; they are watching for him and expecting him. He must not come and find the house in darkness and the servants asleep, so they keep the lights burning. He must find them ready to meet him, and to do his bidding at a moment's wiirning, so they wait Avitli their loins girded. Generally men used to ungird their long outer robe when they were at home, and gird it around them again only Avhen they Avere actually setting out ; but these men might be called to meet their master at any moment, so the}" wait for him with their loins ready girded. What does this parable mean? It represents to us the way in which Ave, as the servants of Christ, are to wait for his return. He has gone aAva}', and is coming back; but we knoAv not when. AYe are to Avait for him AA-ith our loins girded about, and our lights burning ; that is, in a state of con- 44 THE P ARABLES OF OUK LOPD. tinual ro;i(lin(3SS, not pnttin^t^ oflf the getting ready till lie comes, but being ready always. This is to be our state now ; this is how we ought to bo living to-day and every day. We do not know when he Avill come. AVo must be ready to welcome him whenever it nia}^ be. "We are to have our lights burning. Taking this in connection with what our Lord said else- where to his disciples, "Ye are the light of the world: .... let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good M^orks, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," we may understand it to mean, that we are to be leading a consistent Christian life, adorning our profession as believers in the' Lord Jesus Christ, not ashamed of him, not hiding our principles, but showing ourselves to be his disciples indeed, decided Christians, coming out from the world, taking up the cross and following- Christ. We arc also to have our loins girded about. Tlius wo are to be ready to meet him Avlien he comes. But we are also to be alwaj-s ready for (!very call of duty; not idle, slothful, self-indulgent, but active and zealous; so that when he comes he may find us doing his work. Some people are always putting off the great concern ; but this par- able teaches us most forcibly that we must not put it off, that it is to be attended to note. " Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning." Do not dehi}'. Be not content with thinking, mean- ing, resolving. Ijet the care of your soul and a readiness for the Master's coming be a present THE WATCHFUL SEllVANTS. 45 tiling- with 3-on, a thing of to-chiy, a thing of every day, and the most important thing of alL Let it be so in your esteem, for it is so really, " Blessed are those servants, Avhom the lord ■when he cometli shall find watching." Blessed and ha})py would such servants be in the parable ; more blessed still those servants of the Lord Jesus Christ who will thus be found ready when he comes. Blessed, because they will not be taken by sur- prise. Sudden as his coining will bo, sudden and awful, yet it will not come upon fhcm unawares. It will be different i^erhaps from all their thoughts of it; far more solemn and overwhelming than they have ever conceived; yet it will not surprise them, for they have been long thinking of it, preparing for it, Avatching for it. To thousands and thou- sands it Avill come as a thief in the night, but not to Ihcm, for their loins are girded about and their lights burning. " Blessed are those servants'." They are blessed also, because they love tlieir Lord, and are glad to see liiin come. He has been long away; and though they have had some tastes of his presence by the Spirit and in his ordinances, yet there have been many things to interfere with their enjoyment of his presence, and even to hide him from their souls. But now he comes ; he him- self, in very person, their own loved Saviour and Lord. To know^ him by faith, to pray to liim, to think of him, has long been their best happiness ; but now he comes, and they see him, and he knows them and owns them his, and they are to be with him always. "Blessed are those servants." Aye, 46 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. blessed indeed. Whatever their lot has been hith- erto — poor, afflicted, persecuted — at least they are blessed now ; for all this is past for ever. No move "want, affliction, persecution; no more sorrow c>i- pain; no more of any thing sad or sinful. The Lord is come ; that is enough; they want no more. " Blessed are those servants." But something further is said here about their blessedness: "Verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them." Generally the servant waits on the master, not the master on the servant. Was not this what the servants in the parable were watching for, to receive their master when he came, and wait on him, and do his bid- ding? And would it not be happiness enough for the servants of Christ to serve him? Yet in his wonderful condescension and grace he says that he will make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. The lord will serve the ser- vants. What does it mean? for of course it is a figure, a part of the parable. Doubtless it means the great honor and happi- ness which the faithful servants of Christ will re- ceive at his coming. They will be more than safe. They will be welcomed to happiness and glory. Every want will be supplied. They will receive more than they have ever hoped for or thought of. And what they receive they will receive from their Lord himself. It is he that will supply their wants ; he himself will be their shepherd, their light, their portion. " They shall hunger no more, neither THE WATCHFUL SERVANTS. 47 thirst auy more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of Avaters : and God shall wipe aw^ay all tears from their eyes." " Behold, I stand at the door, and knock : if any man hear mj^ voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. To him that over- cometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sit down with my Father in his throne." At Avhatever time the Lord may come, such will be the blessedness of those who are found watch- ing. "And if he shall come in the second Avatch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, bless- ed are those servants." At Avhatever period of the Avorld's history, at whatever age in their own life, whenever and however the Lord m,ay come, blessed are those servants. To some he may come early in life, to others late; some may long have been looking for him, others may only lately have been roused to knoAv him and to wait for him. It mat- ters not; "blessed are those servants," all those servants, all Avho are Avaiting for him Avitli their loins girded about and their lights burning. At this point our Lord for a moment changes the figure. It Avas his custom to teach by means of particular things that had happened, as Avell as by parables draAvn from nature and from more usual and general events. Perhaps some man's house had latel}' been broken into by night, and all Avho heard him speak Avere then full of the subject. 48 THE PAEABLES OE OUR LORD. Perhaps it was some particular case that he alhided to, when he said, "And this kno\v, that if the good man of the house had knoAvn what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken through." At all events, by this little parable spoken in the midst of the other one, he enforces still more strong- ly the solemn lesson, " Be ye therefore ready also : for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not." The master of the servants did not tell them at Avhat hour he would return ; the thief gave no notice what part of the night he would choose for breaking into the house, or even that he v>ould come at all. The servants therefore watched all night till their master returned, and the house- holder would have done the same had any warning been given. Let Christians do likewise. They have received warning that their Lord will come, but they have not been told when; nay, they have been told expressly that they are not to knov/ this, but that he will come unexpectedly, "For the Son of man cometh at an hour when 3'e think not." Their only right posture then is that of "men that wait for their Lord." This is how the}' are to live alwaj'S. Thus only can they make sure of being read3^ Thus only can they secure a share in this blessedness; "blessed are those servants." Peter asked whether the parable Avas spoken to them only — that is, to himself and his fellow-disci- ples who heard the words, or to all. Our Lord's- answer shows that it was meant for all. AVhoever should be a faithful and wise steward, whether THE WATCHFUL SEnVANTS. 49 among those disciples or not, and whether set over mucli or over little, whoever should be such in any age, that man should have a share in the blessed- ness of the faithful servants. On the other hand, ■whoever should be an unfaithful servant, forf^rettine his master, abusing his trust, wasting his time, mis- using his talents, not watching or preparing for his master's return, that servant should find it a ter- rible return for him. The greater the trust the heavier would be the responsibility; the higher the station, the richer the gifts, the wider the opportu- nities, so much the greater the condemnation if they should be ill employed. All the servants of Christ do not receive ahke ; all will not be dealt with alike. Every unfaithful servant will be dealt with according to what he has received. And all have received something. How solemn, how awful is the warning, " Be ye therefore ready also : for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not!" Be ye read}'. Who? All. All to whom the message comes, every human being*T\-ho has heard of Jesus and of the great day. Be ye ready. For blessed bej-ond all words will ye be, if ye be found watching; and ruined and undone for ever will ye be, if that day find you unprepared. And, knowing this, will you trifle away your life, and waste day after daj', and turn a deaf ear to the voice of God, when at any moment, with no further warning, the Lord maj^ come? Do you realize what you are doing? Have 30U ever considered the eternal consequences of your present life ? 50 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. It was in mercy that the Saviour spoke this warning, and it is in mercy that it comes to yon. He invites you, calls you, as well as warns you, "Blessed is that servant!" Well, such a servant you may be. Whatever watch of the night it may now be, how near or how far off soever the Lord's coming vaixj be, or at whatever time of life you may have arrived without seeking him, seek him no^v, begin now at length to wait for him Avitli your loins girded about and your lights burning; and even now the blessedness may be yours. "Blessed are those servants, whom the Lord when he cometh shall find Avatching." TH1'> UNFRUITFUL FIG-TREE. VI. The Unfruitful Fig-Tree. "He spake also this parable: A certain man liad a fig-tree planted in bis vineyard ; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three yeare I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none : cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground ? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and diuig it : and if it bear fruit, well : and if not, then after that thou .shalt cut it down." Luke 13 : C-9. ry^'HE fig-tree was planted in the viuepird; not growing wild, but set hy the hand of man in a cultivated place. Care and pains had been bestowed on it. In this respect it represents our state. We arc no t hea then men, growing wild as it were, in the wilderness of the world. Wo have been brought by God's providence within the sound of the gospel, and within reach of the means of grace ; we are called by the name of Christ, and in pro- fession at least are his disciples. We are all plant- ed in the vinej-ard. God himself is the Lord of this vineyard. And, like the man in the paraljle" he seeks fruit from it. One particular tree is menMoned in the parable, but doubtless the owner looked for fruit on every tree. So God looks for fruit from everj- professing Christian ; not merely from the churcli as a body, 52 THE PAKABLES OF OUE L-QED. but from each member of it. The owner of the vineyard came several times seeking fruit on the fig-tree. God ^ eye^ ja-.-Qj\v:avs on us, to see if we are bearing fruit. He needs not to come seeking fruit ; " the eyes of the Lord are in every phice," and that at every moment. Nothing but fruit would satisfy the owner of the vineyard, nothing but fruit will satisfy God. But what fruit ? Spiritual fruit, the fruits of righteous- ness, the proper effects of the gospel in heart and life ; a contrite and believing heart, a holy and use- ful life. He looks to see Christians, Christians in- deed; adorning their profession, growing in grace, loving and serving their Lord and Master, and so living as to win others to love and serve him too. f\A clear knowledge and a loud profession will no more content almighty God, than branches and leaves would satisfy the owner of the vineyard. There must be fruit, or the tree is counted worth- less. Tlier^ was such a tree in the vineyard, a fig-tree that bore no fruit. Three years did the man seek fruit on it, and found none. We may gather from this that it made a fair show, or it would not have been left standing so long. But it was nothing but show ; at the end of three years there was still no fruit. Alas ! how many are unfruitful in the spiritual vineyard ! And how long does God look for fruit from them in vain ! ^ear after j-ear they have a place in the vineyard, receiving gifts from God every day, both temporal and spiritual; hear- ing the gospel, surrounded by Christian influences, THE UNFRUITFUL FIG-TREE. 53 and themselves professing to be Christians, yet producing no fruit whatever. Though they have so long heard the gospel, they have never heartily embraced it; and though, like the fig-tree in the vineyard, they have perhaps fruitful trees around them, real Christians who live with them, it may be in the same house, and form part of the same family, yet they remain cold ami dead and unprofit- able. Christians in nothing but the name. At length the man in the parable was tired of seeing this useless tree in his vineyard. It did but take up room to no purpose. It did no good, and seemed never likely to do good. It should stand no longer. So he gave orders to the dresser of the vineyard, " Cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground?" We do not hear such a command given with regard to an unprofitable Christian; for God works in secret, and does not make known to us what he is about to do in any particular case. But we know from his word that, sooner or later, ever}' unprofitable servant will be cast out, and^vill come to eternal ruin. God is long-suftering. He bears long with sinners, sends them his messages again and again, and still waits to be gracious. But not for ever. " If a man will not turn, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready." And no impenitent sinner or unfruitful professor is safe for one moment from the word going forth against him, " Cut it down ; why cumbereth it the ground?" How many are condemned by this very word ! ^ How many are mere cumbercrs of the ground ! 54 THE PAEABLES OF CUE LOED. They may not be grossly -wicked, tliey may even be of moral character and respectabla life; but they do no good, they do not use their talents in God's service, they give no help towards advancing the kingdom of Christ, they do but live for them- selves. This is not the object for which they were plciccd in the world, and gifted with means and opportunities. They were meant to act as stew- ards of God, and to do him service with all that he committed to their charge. They are unfaithful stewards, uuprofitablo servants; no better than the unfruitful tree which took up room in the vineyard to no purpose. The order was given ; but the dresser of the vineyard put in a word for the tree. He did not deny that it was an unfruitful tree at present, but he asked for one year more for it. He would take more pains than ever with it. He would dig the ground about it, and put fresh manure to its roots. This might make it bear fruit ; and if so, it would be well : Ihe time and pains would be well repaid. But if it should still bear no fruit, then let it be cut down; the dresser himself would not ask that it should be spared any longer. Who is meant by the dresser of the vineyard ? The Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Mediator and Advocate. He pleads for us with God. He pleads even for the rebellious. Who among the careless and unprofitable can tell what he may even now be owing to the intercession of the Lord Jesus? It may be that he is alive at this moment, that he still hears the gospel, and that it is preached in his THE UNFRUITFUL FIG-TllEE. 55 hearing more plainly and po-\vcrfully joerliaps than ever, just becnuse the Mediator has pleaded for liim, and further time has been granted, and fur- ther means are being emploj-ed. -(- It may be that sorrow has fallen upon one, and sickness on anoth- er, for the very same reason : they were careless and unfruitful, and they were about to be cut down, but Jesus pleaded for them, and these are his deal- ings with them to lead them to God. If so, how precious is the time which they arc now passing ! It was only one year more for which the fig-tree was to be spared. You too may be passing through your last stage of life. You may even now be getting to the end of that space of time which was asked for on your behalf by the Friend of sinners. Will you be careless still? "Will 3'ou still live as a mere nominal Christian, unfi-uit- ful, unprofitable, a cumbcrcr of the ground? Think. The moments are slipping away, never to return ; the means of grace which you are now enjoying, or which are at least within your reach, have been given you in God's great mercy, in order that you may be led, Avhile yet there is time, to feel your need and to seek Christ, and these too arc passing away. What if you should still neglect time and means? What if this last stage of life should pass with 3'ou as every former stage has passed ? What then? Let the parable answer the question : " Then after that, thou shalt cut it down." How sad ! How awful ! No more pleading of the Lord Jesus then. Not a word more. And who shall plead for you when Jesus pleads no more? And who shall 56 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. stand your friend when even the Friend of sinners leaves you to yourself? Be warned. Be moved. Warned by so fearful a risk, moved by so great forbearance and mercy. Jesus pleads for you, his intercession is heard, time and means are granted, you have them now. Lose not a moment. Bise, and call upon God. Seek Christ as j'our Saviour. Seek him in earnest. Seek him as jour onl}^ refuge. Seek him as one ought to seek him Avho has long neglected him, but who has been spared to seek him at last. Seek liim, and pray that all the past may be forgiven through his atoning blood ; and that through grace, what remains of life may be heartily given to God, so that you may be found at last not unfruitful, not a cumberer of the ground. THE SOWER. 57 VII. JHE ^ OWER. THE SEED THAT FELL BY THE WAYSIDE. " Aud be taught them mnny things by parables, aud said unto them in his doctrine, Hearken ; Behold, there went oi;t a sower to sow : and it came to jiass, as he sowed, some fell bj' the way- side, and the fowls of the air came and devoured it ui)." Maf.k 4 ; 2-1 ; see also Matt. 13 aud Luke 8. ^^_^HE parable of the Sower is one of the most important. It is fuller than al- most any of the others, and more close and particular in its application ; and it is one of those which our Lord himself ex- plained. It represents four diflerent kinds of hearers of the word, and each kind forms a sub- ject by itself. We will consider the parable there- fore in four readings, taking now the first kind only. The beginning of the parable applies alike to all the kinds of hearers. The seed and the sower are the same in each case ; it is the ground that is different. " The seed is the word of God ;" soAving the seed means preaching the Avord, or teaching it in any way; a soAvcr therefore is any minister or preacher of the gospel. "There went out a sower to sow;" that is, a 58 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LORD. preacher went forth to preach. How often this takes place. Not to speak of other days or other lands, in our own country and on every Lord's day how many sowers go forth to sow, how many thou- sands of preachers stand up to proclaim the glad tidings of the gospel! The seed they sow is good seed, precious _seed. In what the preachers say in explaining the Scriptures there is a mixture of im- perfection, for they are but men; but in the word which they preach there is no imperfection, for it is the word of God. The sermon may not be free from fault, b^it_the test is faultless. And even in the sermon the faitJil'ul and prayerful minister may look for help from above. The seed therefore is good seed. The^vordjs the word of God, though it js preached by man. It is the great business of the sowers, the ministers of Christ, to sow this seed, to preach this word ; and they are constantly doing so. "As he sowed, some fell by the wa^'side." This represents a careless hearer. Ground by the way- side is generally trodden hard, so that the seed does not sink in, but rests on the surface just where it fell. The careless hearer's heart is like this ground, hard and cold, not in a state to receive the word. This man has come to the place where the word is preached. Perhaps he was obliged to come there ; perhaps he came because it is respect- able to come, or because he would not have felt easy in staying away. But he did not come iji,_a,spirit of praye r. He did not come for the good of his soul. He did not come to hear God's message to THE SOWEE. 59 lym. He did not come hungering and thirsting after righteousness, desiring " the sincere milk of tlie word." He listens perhaps, but he does not care for what he hears, or apply it to himself. Perhaps he does not even listen, but lets his mind go oft* to other subjects, without even an effort to fix his attention. Perhaps even while the most sol- emn truths are being spoken in his hearing, he is thinking of some mere trifle, or looking around him, or longing for the sermon to be over. Such is a Avajside hearer. So he comes, and so he hears. Are there many such ? Alas, how many ! Doubt- less, even when the sower was the Lord himself, some seed fell by the Avayside. And seldom, if ever, is the Avord preached by his servants without being heard by some Avho are but wayside hearers. There are many such hearers in most congregations. For our Lord Avas describing not merely Avhat happened under one preaching of the gospel, but Avhat Avould take place in general. And perhaps he put this class of hearers first, because they are so many and so common. "What became of the seed that fell by the Avay- side? Just AAdiat might be expected: "the foAvls of the air came and devoured it up." This is thus explained : " But Avlien they have heard, Satan com- etli immediately, and taketh away the Avord that Avas soAvn in their hearts ;" " lest," as St. Luke's account adds, " they should believe and be saved." The object of the preaching of the Avord is to save souls; the aim of Satan is to destroy souls. Satan therefore is on the Avatch to hinder the word 60 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. from finding a place in the heart. Not more ready are the birds to carry off the seed that is left un- covered by the side of the path, than is Satan to snatch away the word from the heart of the care- less hearer. The word lies there ready for him. It has not pierced the soil of the heart. It has found no entrance. It is all on the surface. The enemy has but little difficulty in such a case. This, we may believe, is one of his easiest works. If the conscience had been at all touched, if the heart had been ever so little moved, if even the interest had been strongly excited, the work would not have been so easy; for then, so to speak, the seed would have had some covering. But now it lies quite naked and exposed. The word has been heard, and that is all. It is snatched away at once. Alas, how much precious seed of the word is thus sown in vain! In vain at least as far as the careless hearer is concerned ; yet not in vain for all who hear. For it is not with the seed of the word as it is with the natural seed, that a grain that falls by the wayside and is plucked away is quite use- less. The very same words that are heard so care- lessl}' b}' one are listened to with deej) attention by another. The message from God which finds no entrance into one heart proves a word of life to an- other. The careless hearer sits side by side per- haps with one who is eagerly drinking in every sen- tence. The word is' the same, the preacher is the same, but how different are the hearers ! This seems to make the case of the careless all the more sad and solemn. The word which is immediately THE SOWER. 6] plucked away by Satan might have been the saving of his souh That which is gone from him in a mo- ment, forgotten as soon as heard, might have been precious spiritual food. It is so to others. It might have been so to him. The careless hearer will have a heavy reckoning hereafter. The word that he has heard, though plucked away at the very moment of hearing, will rise up and condemn him. The poor benighted heathen, who never in all his life heard the sound of the gospel, and lived and died in darkness and sin, will have a far less heavy account to give than this man. Of those who have received much, much will be required. Ah, how will long-forgotten words then come back to the mind! They were little thought of at the time. It was a weariness per- haps to hear them. Eight glad was the hearer when the tedious hour Avas over and he might leave the house of God. Not one thought of Avhat he had heard was in his mind as he walked away; from that moment it was as if he had not heard; for the seed was snatched away. But noio solemn words come back to the memory. He remembers that he used to hear such words. He remembers how he used to hear them ; with what carelessness and unconcern. The seed that was plucked away seems to be there again; but it cannot grow now. The word that appeared quite gone from the mind is remembered again ; but it cannot now save the soul. It is too late. The careless hearer would like to hear again. He would not, he thinks, be a care- less hearer now. Alas, it cannot be. The day C2 THE PAKABLES OF OUR LORD. of grace is past, and the day of reckoning lias come. It is but a little while that separates us from that day. It will soon be here. Yet men are hear- ing carelessl}^ still. Every time the seed is sown there is some that falls by the Avayside; in every congregation there are careless hearers. It is a solemn and awful thing to hear the message of life so; to sit where God's message to souls is being delivered, and to hear it ; to be spoken to, appealed to, invited, warned, urged, and all in God's name, and 3'et to hear carelessly. When this takes place the enemy has his will; for his will is expressed in these words : " lest they should believe and be saved." Oh, beAvare of careless hearing; beware of the wiles of Satan ; come to the hearing of the word with j)reparation of heart ; hear it seriously, ear- nestly, prayerfully, watchfully. It is the greatest blessing to live within sound of the word, for this word is the gospel of salvation. But every bless- ing brings responsibility; and a blessing despised or slighted will turn to condemnation. Satan's wiles are dangerous, and his power is great; but God's power is greater. Pray for the gift of the Spirit in the hearing of the word. Watch and ])Tix.j. THE SOWER. C3 THE SEED THAT FELL ON STONY GROUND. "And some fell on stony ground, where it had not much earth: and immediately it sprang up, because it had no dejjth of earth: but when the sun was ui3, it was scorched ; and because it had no root, it withered away." Mauk4:."), 0. HE words "stony ground" do not ex- actly represent our Lord's meaning; "rocky ground" would represent it better. The passage in St. Luke is: "and some fell upon a rock." The meaning evidcntlj^ is, that in the field, or perhai:)S along the edge of it, were rocks, or large ridges of stone, on which some of the seed fell. There was a thin sprinkling of earth on the rock; enough for the seed to take root in, but not enough to give it nourishment afterwards. Indeed, this seed sprang up before any of the rest ; for the sun's rays, beat- ing on the rock, made the thin covering of earth warmer than the soil around. The seed therefore sprang up quickly ; probably in the night. But when the sun shone out bright and hot, as it does in those eastern countries, the heat proved too great for the tender plant. Having no depth of earth to strike its roots into, and being unable to penetrate the hard rock beneath, it had but little strength ; and so it was scorched, and withered away. The warmth of the sun given out by the rock made it spring up quickly ; but the sun's burning heat by day made it as quickly wither and die. The plant came to nothing. Our Lord exj)lains this part of the parable thus : " And these arc they likewise which are sown on Gi THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. stony ground; -who, when tbey have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; and have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the Avord's sake, immediately they are offended." These hearers are not careless hearers, like the first class. The word attracts their attention. They listen, and are interested. What they hear pleases, and even affects them. Being probably by nature eager and warm-hearted, they receive the word with joy, and seem heartily to embrace the gospel. Thus far all looks well. So it did at first with the plant that grew up on the rocky ground. But there was a fault there, and so there is here — a want of depth, and therefore a want of root. Like the shal- low soil heated by the warmth of the sun, their feel- ings are easily moved, and an effect seems quickly to follow on their hearing of the word. But there is no deep Avork in the heart. The effect produced is with them more a thing of feeling than of real impression or principle. There is no counting of the cost, no calm and decided giving up of them- selves to Christ, no taking up of the cross and fol- lowing him. When the time of trial comes, they prove to be but ffiir-weather Christians. They "endure but for a time." It may be a longer or a shorter time, according to circumstan- ces. But Avhen they are called to suffer for Christ — when they must submit to being disliked, laughed^ at, or even persecuted for his sake, then they fail. They are offended ; that is, these things are a hin- THE SOWEE. 65 clerance or stumbliDg-block which they cauuot get over. They held on while the world smiled on them; but they cannot endure its frown. They could follow Christ through good report ; they can- not follow him through evil. They were no hypo- crites. They did not pretend to hear the word with gladness; they did hear it with gladness; they meant to be disciples of Christ, and thought they were so ; but they had no root, and so in time of temptation they fall away- It is a sad case, but not an uncommon one, especially with the young. The young are gener- ally warm and eager in their feelings, quickly worked upon, readily moved ; and there is indeed much in the gospel to move the feelings. But something more than this is needed. There must be the Avork of the Spirit in the lieart ; a true change wrought within. This alone can give depth and root ; this alone can lead one who has received the v.-ord with gladness to remain steadfast under afflic- tion or persecution. Without this, however impres- sible the feelings may be, like the shallow soil on the rock, yet, for any saving reception of the gos- pel, the heart remains like the hard stone beneath. What then ? Did our Lord mean to check the glad hearing of the word, or to damp the ardor of the young disciple? Not so. Let the word be heard with gladness — with even more gladness than ever. The happiest tidings that mortal ear can listen to, the gospel of salvation, the free offer, the sure prom- ise—let it bo heard with joy, for well it may. The seed that fell on the rock was doing its rightful office G6 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. when it sprang np so quickly; the Avarm earth on the rock's surface was doing its proper work when it cherished the seed and brought forth the phxnt. So far all was well ; the fault was afterwards, in the want of depth of earth to nourish the plant. So it is well that the word be heard with gladness. Let none keep back their hearts from Him who claims them. Let no cold caution be suflfered to quench the rising flame. Let there be no delay, no re- serve. The gosj^el calls; let the call be obeyed. It offers pardon ; let the offer be accepted. It ap- peals to the feelings and the affections ; let the feel- ings and affections yield to the appeal, and that at once. The fault was not that the seed sprang up immediatel}^, but that it had no depth of earth. Aud the reason why some who gladly hear the word afterwards fall away is, not that they heard gladly, but that they had no root. They might have heard gladly, and have had root too. Do not seek then to stifle those ardent feelings; do not check 3-our delight in the word ; do not think that it is wrong or dangerous to have your affec- tions deeply moved by the gospel ; only do not build / upon feelings or impressions; build upon Christ, \ and upon him alone ; know your own weakness and I instability, and pray earnestly for the Holy Spirit. / Ask that the work in you may be_ajceaL work, a \ deep^ work, a lasting work, such as shall abide in the hour of trial. Will not God hear such a prayer? Surely he will. It wa& said of our Lord in prophecy : "A bruised reed shall he not break, and smokiug flax THE SOWER. G? shall lie not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory." He spoke this parable not to dis- courage, but to warn. And he himself said that God would give the Holy Spirit to them that asked him. Pray in faith of that promise. " Ask, and it shall be given you ; seek, and ye shall find ; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." Pray that your heart may not remain hard like the rock, but may be truly softened by the Spirit ; and that thus you may receive the word with gladness, not merely in the surface feelings of an ardent nature, but in the deep faith of a believing heart. THE SEED THAT FELL AMONG THOllNS. "And sonic fell among thorns, and tlie thorns grew up, and choked it, and it j'iehled no fruit." j\Iai:k 4 : 7. -^ ^ l_xHESE "thorns" were briers or bram- bles, or something of that sort. The ground had not been tlioroughly cleared of them, and so they sprang up with the seed, and being of stronger growth, choked the young plants. Their roots robbed the plants of nourishment, their trailing stems smoth- ered them, and their leaves shaded them from the light and warmth of the sun. Perhaps these plants did not wither and die like the last, but they be- came weak and sickly, and yielded no fruit. Here is our Lord's explanation of this part of the parable : " And these are they which are sown among thorns; such as hear the w^ord, and the 68 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. cares of this world, and tlie deceitfulness of riches, and the lusts of other things entering in, choke the word, and it becometh unfruitful." In this case the tvorld is the hinderance. A hearer of this cl and in the case of individuals. Everj'where, in fact, this aim of Satan may be observed. Hence come sugges- tions of evil in the heart, snares, tem23tations, allure- ments to sin. Hence hj'pocrites in the church. Hence opposers of the truth. Hence corruptions of the gospel. Hence false doctrine taking the form of truth. Hence partial and distorted views ; exaggerated zeal for one doctrine, to the neglect of others. In a thousand different ways the enemy is doing his work, sowing tares among the wheat. The enemy sowed the tares " while men slept." THE TARES OF THE FIELD. 81 This is generally cohsiderecT to mean in the night ; but it is not certain that it does so. For it is still the custom in the East to sleep awhile after the midday meal; and it is wonderful how nearly mod- ern eastern customs are found to agree with those of Bible times. The tares may have been soAvn during this midday sleep. We can easily imagine the sowers, when their work was done, eating their meal and taking their rest, and then the enemy coming by stealth, and sowing the tares Avhile they were asleep. Indeed the words "while men slept" might be rendered, " while the men slept," that is, the men who had just sown the good seed. Whether, however, it was b}^ night or by day that the tares Avere sown, it was while men slept. Our unwatchfulness is Satan's opportunity. The Scripture says : " Eesist the devil, and he will flee from you." But in order to resist, we must bo aicalce. " Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temp- tation ;" but watching is the yery opposite to sleep- > ing. "Put on the whole armor of God, that jc, may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil ;" but in sleep the armor is put off. The tares were not discovered till the blade brought forth fruit; up to that time the wheat and the tares seemed alike. " By their fruits ye shall know them." " Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doetli the will of my Father which is in heaven." To hokl the same doctrines, make the same profession, and worship in the same church, makes a likeness up to a certain point among men 4* 82 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LORD. who are perhaps quite different iu heart. But when a total contrast is seen between profession and prac- tice, then the sad conchisiou is forced upon us that such a person cannot really be one of " the children of the kiugxlom." The servants of the householder wished to gather up the tares as soon as discovered. But this they were not allowed to do, lest they should root up the wheat with them. Both must grow together till the harvest. Some servants of God would, in like man- ner, make a complete separation at once between the "children of the kingdom" and all others, and would have upon earth a jDerfect church. It cannot be. With the best intentions, we make a thousand mistakes. God has not given us an infallible judg- ment. AVe cannot always tell the false from the true. Loud profession and high doctrine and much knowledge will sometimes be accepted, while some humble believer, unable to give account of his faith, .may be rejected. And words of stern and uudis- criminating rebuke and exclusion, intended for the nominal Christian, may discourage, unsettle, or throw back one of weak, though true faith. The visible church of Christ on earth is a mixed body, and must be so till the great harvest of souls. Not till then wdll the eternal separation be made. This is God's appointment, and it cannot be altered. But the separation is only delayed. The wheat and the tares were to grow together till the har- vest, but no longer. Then the wheat was to be gathered into the barn, the tares to be burned. Just so "the children of the kingdom" and "the THE TARES OF THE FIELD. 83 children of tlie ■wicked one," tbongh mixed now, Avill be separated for ever at the judgment-day. Without confusion or mistake, with infalhble cer- tainty, the final and eternal division will be made. Not one of the righteous will be left out of " the kingdom of their Father;" not one of the wicked will be admitted. Farther than the east is from the west, by an infinite distance, and by a separa- tion that never can end, the righteous and the wicked will then be parted. " Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." For this is a matter that concerns every living soul. We shall not be mere lookers on ; we shall all have a part in that great division ; we shall all be placed on this side or on that. And at this very time, while we are living in the world, Avith that great day before us, we are all either " the children of the kingdom" or "the children of the Avicked one." There were but wheat and tares mentioned as grow- ing in the field ; there are but these two classes in the world. "Children of the Avicked one!" What an awful title ! Who does not shrink from taking it to himself? "Children of the Avicked one!" With such a parentage now, such an inheritance hereafter ! Yet if one dare not and cannot hope that he is a child of God, what is he but a child of the Avicked one? Is this uncharitable? Nay. Nothing is uncharitable that is true; and this is the truth of God. The harA^est of souls is not yet come ; the Son of man has not yet sent forth his angels. Do you fear that you are not a child of the kingdom ? Oh, draAv 84 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. near to Him who now sits on a throne of grace, and beseech him to make you so. Sue for mercy, par- don, life. Cast yourself before the cross of Christ. Plead his blood that was shed for sinners. Ask for his promised Spirit. Pray that for the Redeemer's sake you may even now be numbered among the children of God, and that hereafter you may shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of your Father. THE SEED, BLADE, AND EAR. 85 IX. The Seed, the Blade, and the ^ar. '♦ Aud be said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground ; and shoukl sleep, and rise night aud day, and the seed should sirring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself ; first the blade, then the car, after that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he puttoth in the sickle, be- cause the harvest is come." Maek 4 : 26-29, /"^HEN the seed lias been sown, man's work for the present is over; nature must now do her part. The sower, hxte- ly so bus}^ now sleeps and rises niglit and day, leaving the seed to itself. But meanwhile nature works. After a time the seed springs up as a plant. First comes the blade, then appears the ear, and the ear grows and swells till the corn is ripe, and then man puts in the sickle and reaps the harvest. This is a picture of the work of grace in the heart. Some of those parables of our Lord, in which he likens the kingdom of God to various things, represent in a more general way how the gospel spreads in the world ; but this parable seems rather to describe its eifect in one particular heart. Lot us dwell on it in this sense. The seed sown is the word of God, the gospel. The sowing may be by preaching, or by private '86 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. reading, or by any other means by which a person is brought to the knowledge of the truth. And in this case the word is not received in vain. It reaches the heart, and brings forth fruit. But the full ripe fruit does not ajDpear at once. In some instances, it is true, the growth is much quicker and more sudden than in others ; but gen- erally, perhaps always more or less, there is a pass- ing from one stage of progress to another, as with the seed. The parable shows us the usual course of the work of grace in the heart. It is God's own work. As the sower casts the seed into the ground, and then sleeps and rises night and day, and the seed springs and grows up, he knows not how, so is it with the spiritual seed. Take the case of the word being received through preaching. The preacher speaks the word to the ear, but can do no more. It is God that causes it to reach the heart, and live there, and spring up and bear fruit. The seed tliat has been sown in the ground lives and grows by a secret power which Ave call nature, but which is in fact the power of God put forth in that particular way; and in like manner it is by grace, that is, by the secret work of the Holy Spirit in the heart, that the word be- comes effectual. Man's part is to speak the word, and to pray for a blessing upon it; but the blessing is all from God. Before the blade ajopears above ground, the seed has sprouted beneath the surface. No eye saw it then, for it was hidden in the earth; but so it was, or no plant would ever have come forth. THE SEED, BLADE, AND EAR. 87 So the first work of grace in the heart is also an unseen work. No human eye behokls it. No one knows the secret thoughts, the struggles, the doubts, the fears, the hopes, of one in whom the spiritual life is beginning. No ear but God's hears the prayers he puts up, no human eye marks wliat takes place within. This unseen work is often for a time a painful Avork, while there is conviction of sin, but no clear hope in Christ. Yet it is a blessed work notwithstanding, for it is life beginning in the soul. After the seed has lain for a time in the earth, while this secret growth went on, a tender green blade appears above ground. This is the young plant ; and soon thousands of such plants show them- selves, and the field that was lately one uniform brown is tinged all over with green. Just so, though the work of grace in the heart is at first beneath the surface, 3-et it cannot long remain un- seen. It shows' itself in the life and conduct, in changed desires and tastes, in seriousness of mind, in Christian tempers and behavior, in gentleness, kindness, and love. At first, as befits the young- Christian, it comes forth modestly and humbly, in much weakness; yet it is there, and it is seen to be there. Nothing but grace could have wrought this change. This is the work of the Spirit, the growth of the living word in the soul. As time goes on, the corn-plant grows stronger. The stalk comes after the blade, and soon the stalk bears an ear upon it, not ripe or full at present, but still fruit. In grace the progress is 3'et quicker. 88 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. For no soaner is there a true change of heart than some fruit begins to appear. The blade and the ear in the parable do but represent the continual growth of the soul; but in the spiritual life there never is a mere fruitless leaf or blade, an empty profession. Real fruit is produced at once; in heart, and even in a measure, in the outward life and conduct. But at first, while the Christian is weak and inexperienced, and the inner life is a new thing with, him, though there is fruit, yet it is im- perfect and unripe. He makes many mistakes, and is guilty perhaps of some acts of indiscretion or extravagance. Many are his shortcomings and in- consistencies, and not seldom does he fall. He is young in grace, if not in years : he has yet much to learn. And now he learns, not merely by the ordinary means of grace, but also by the painful experience of his own weakness. But the work still goes on within him. The same power that caused the seed to live beneath the ground now makes the plant to grow. He who began the good work carries it on still; and, in the diligent use of means, by prayer and watchfulness, through many difficulties, temptations, and trials, the Christian groAvs in grace. The season advances, and the plant lives and grows still. The ear, that was at first small and green, gradually becomes full and plumj), then changes its color, and hardens. Many a day has the sun shone upon it, many a shower has refreshed it, many a storm perhaps has blown over it. Through all this it has been growing stronger, and THE SEED, BLADE, AND EAR. 89 fuller, and riper ; and now at length it is quite ripe, " the full corn in the ear." The Christian grows too, making progress in the spiritual life, and bring- ing forth riper fruit. He also has had experience of sun, and rain, and storms; the grace and love of God, the work of the Spirit, temptations and trials ; and he too has thus become stronger, more deeply rooted in Christ, more humble, more loving, more zealous, more fruitful in holiness. He is now no novice. He has learnt much of the spiritual life, and through grace he adorns his profession, He is knoAvn by his fruits. As those who now pass by the field say, " The corn is ripening," so do they who observe such a man's life say of him that he is ripening too. And so m truth he is; ripening for heaven, and becoming meet for the inheritance of the saints in light. At length comes the harvest. "When the corn is fully ripe, at once the sickle is put in, and the field is reaped. God only knows when the Chris- tian is ripe for the great change. Some he takes early, some he keeps here long, to do his will and to live to his glory ; but wc know that in ever}' case it is just at the right moment that the sickle is put in, just Avhen affliction has done its work, when trial and suffering are no longer needed, when the fit time has come for the servant of Christ to go to his rest. Such is the course of the seed of corn in nature ; and such is the progress of grace when all goes well But is it always so ? We cannot forget that other parable of our Lord which describes what 90 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. happens to tlie seed of" the word more variously. We cannot forget the hinderances, the difficulties, the choking of the plant's growth, the seed failing, and some only of it proving really fruitful. Happy therefore as the picture now set before us is, the picture of a Christian growing, thriving, bearing fruit, and at length taken ripe in grace to the heav- enly home, yet there are also solemn questions for self-examination suggested to us by the parable. In what stage of progress 'are tjou spiritually ? All is progress here, from first to last. Is it so with you ? Is there growth ? Are you getting on ? Do you remember the time when first you had serious thoughts ? The grace of God worked with- in 3'ou then; you chose .Christ for your portion, and heartily embraced his salvation ; you came out from the world, and ranged j'ourself on the Lord's side. There appeared in joxx at that time the green blade of an early religious profession — young, fresh, and beautiful. Years perhaps have since gone by. What has taken place meanwhile ? What appears in you now? Is there fruit — more fruit? And is the fruit ripening ? Or has there been a check to the growth, a stopping short, a choking of the plant? Has the world gained too great a hold on the heart? Has the love of pleasure proved a snare ? Or again, without an}- particular hinderance, has your first love been lost, and has your heart grown cold towards God ? Have your feelings and affections become more hard and indifferent? flas there been a withering of the spiritual plant, as if THE BEED, BLADE, AND EAR. 91 the -word lifid never got deep into the heart, as if there had been httle or no root, and therefore small growth, if any ? These are solemn subjects for self-inquiry; for the harvest is coming on, and soon may the com- mand be given, "Put ye in the sickle." It is higli time to awake out of sleep. Eest not in knowledge or in long acquaintance with the truth. Look well into your soul's state; examine your growth, your progress, your fruit ; and seek God in Christ afresh, more humblj' and more earnestly than ever. If there be not growth, can there bo life ? 92 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. X. yHE Prain of ^ustard-Seed. "And he said, ^Vlle^eunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grtiin of mustard- seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth : but when it is sown, it groweth up, and becometh gi-eater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches ; so that the fowls of the air may lodge under the shadow of it." ilAEK 4 : 30-32 ; see also Matt. 13 : 31, 32. 'N this short j^arable our Lord set forth the spread of the gospel through the world. Beginning in a small and humble way, it would go on increasing till it should become great and mighty. As was his custom, our Lord chose for his illustration or figure something with which his hearers were well acquainted, a grain of mustard- seed. It is thought to have been not the same as our mustard-seed, though even that grows into a great plant. It was but a small seed, less than any of the seeds commonly sown, such as wheat, or barley ; for so we are to understand the words, "less than all the seeds that be in the earth;" but it grew into a much larger plant than the rest ; so large, that it became more like a tree than a mere herb or plant, putting forth great branches, and giving shelter to birds. Perhaps. such a plant was in sight when our Lord spoke the parable. The explanation of the parable is not difficult. THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD-SEED. 93 Like the grain of mustard-seed, the gospel in its beginning was very small. It was not proclaimed with pomp and show, it did not take its rise in one of the great cities of the world, and it was not preached by learned men. It took its rise in a poor and despised country, its first preachers were humble and unlearned men, and even our Lord himself, great as he was in truth, yet appeared without any outward greatness. Such was the gospel in its beginning, such it was at the very time when this parable was spoken. We must carry ourselves back to that time, and place ourselves in thought among those who heard our Lord speak, in order fully to see its force. "The kingdom of God" at that time was seen in nothing more than this— a man (for outwardly he seemed no more) attended by a few humble follow- ers, going about from place to place, teaching them and such others as would hsten to him. He did indeed so speak as to draw crowds to hear him, and he performed many wonderful works ; but those who came to hear him were chiefly poor men like his own followers, and none knew of his wonderful works except the people of that obscure part of the world. It seemed very unlikely that from such a beginning any thing great and mighty should grow. Judging by common rules, no one would have sup- posed that the history of what was then being done and said, and the very words which were spo- ken to those humble hearers, would be written in a book which would be read from age to age, in many different languages, by millions upon millions ; and 94 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. that the rehgion which began so humbly would make its way against all opposition and persecu- tion, and become the professed religion of the greatest nations of the world. Yet so it has been. We have but to compare the present state of the world, as regards the gos- pel, with its state at the time when the parable was spoken, and we shall see how wonderfully our Lord's words have been fulfilled. The grain of mustard-seed has grown up and become great, and has put forth great branches. The kingdom of God, by which in this parable we are to understand the outward and professing church of Christ, has sjDread more or less into almost every part of the world, and in the most civilized and powerful parts has become the prevailing religion. Like the fowls of the aif finding shelter under the tree, millions have found a resting-place for their minds in the profession of a true faith ; and numbers, receiving the gospel into their hearts, and living in its faith and love, have found true rest to their souls, a ref- uge in all trouble, a shelter from every storm. It was most unlikely, humanly speaking, that so great a result should follov/ so small a beginning. Yet so it is. And this is not all. "We have not yet reached the end of the spread of the gospel. A great part of the world still lies in heathen dark- ness, the followers of Mohammed may be counted by millions, and the Jews as a nation still reject Christ. But we know that the kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and tliat tlie earth is to be filled with THE GHAIN OF MUSTARD-SEED. 95 . the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. How or when this is to be, and by what means it is to be brought about, we know not ; but we humbly receive the word of God, and believe that in his own time and way he will surely bring it to pass. Some of those who listened to this parable Avere to be the first preachers of the gospel, the earliest instruments for the spread of the kingdom of God. It must have been a great encouragement to them to bo thus assured of the success of their work. Their difficulties and hinderances were many and great, and their own strength was small. When they looked at the humble beginning of the gospel, like a grain of mustard-seed only, the}' might be tempted to despond. But the promise conveyed in this parable might well encourage them, a-nd proba- bly often did so. Long after the words were spo- ken — when Ho who spoke them had long been gone — in the midst of hardships and persecutions, perhaps this parable often came with comfort to the minds of the first preachers of the gospel, and cheered them with the prospect of the triumph of the kingdom of God. Even so should it cheer those who are now en- gaged in the same work, and all who take an interest in the spread of the gospel. The hand of man sows the seed in the ground, but it is the hidden power of God in nature that makes it become a great plant. So, though man is made use of as an instru- ment, yet it is by the power and grace of God that the gospel spreads in the world. This power and 9G THE PARABLES OF OUE LORD. grace are promised ; we are assured that the gosj^el shall spread. We see the growth of a seed into a plant, and wonderful as it is, we are not surprised at it ; nay, we expect to see it so, because it is ac- cording to the course of nature, that is, according to God's appointment. But it is also according to the declared will and purpose of God that the gos- pel shall spread in the world and his kingdom pre- vail. Let us believe and look for this as surely. Let us receive all the encouragement of this para- ble. God causes the seed to grow, and God will cause his kingdom to spread. The one is his will as much as the other. Let every worker for God be cheered in his work by this belief. Let all who long for the reign of righteousness rejoice in this hope. But let us look to it also that this parable be fulfilled ia our own hearts, as well as in the world at large ; for though the direct meaning of the par- able is more wide and general, yet we may rightly apply it personally too. In hearing the gospel, we have received, as it were, the grain of seed. Let us take care that it be not dead and unprofitable in our minds. And if somewhat of the true light has been given us, and we have experienced through grace the first beginning of spiritual life in the soul- small and feeble, perhaps, yet real — then let us be diligent in seeking that the seed may grow into a plant, and that the plant may flourish and increase more and more. If we humbly and earnestly use the means which God has provided for us, then we may in this way too take comfort from the parable. THE GRAIN OF MUSTARD-SEED. 97 God will work iu us by his grace, as lie is wont to work in nature. He will give us liis Holy Spirit, and cause us to grow. The small beginning will increase continually. "\Ve should seek this in prayer, always pressing toward the mark, and ever striving for a deeper humilit}^ a stronger faith, a warmer love, a growth in holiness. And let us seek that, in all difficulty and trou- ble, and iu all our daily life, we may find the full comfort of the gospel, and may lodge continually under its shadow. The more the kingdom of God is established within us, the more shall we find that Christ our Lord is indeed " as a hiding-place from . the wind, and a covert from the tempest ; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land." We stand in need of such a shelter every day — a shelter, a refuge, and a defence. Christ will be all this to us ; preserving and defend- ing us, comforting us in trouble, helping us in need ; and giving us withal such a happy sense of security in him, that in him we shall be enabled to enjoy in large measure that "peace of God which passeth all understanding." 98 THE PAEABLES OF OUE'LOED. XI. The Leaven lisi the /VLeal. ' ' Another parable spake he unto them : The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three meas- ures of meal, till the whole was leavened." Matt. 13: 33. EAYEN is generally used in Scrip- L-e to mean something bad. Thus our Lord bade his disciples beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, meaning their wrong teaching; and St, Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they should purge out the old leaven, and keep the feast, "not with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." Yet leaven does not necessarily mean what is bad; but rather any thing, whether bad or good, ■which is of such a nature as to sj)read itself through ■^vhat it is mixed with. Thus the evil teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees was likely to spread like leaven through the people ; and in like manner the sin which the Corinthians allowed in one of their number, and which thus became mixed up with the ordinances of religion, and with their parta- king of the Lord's Supper itself, would, if not check- ed, spread through and corrupt the whole church. But in this parable the same figure of leaven is used in a good sense. It means here the gospel; for our Lord said : " The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven." As leaven spreads through the meal THE LEAVEN IN THE MEAL. 00 iuto wliicli it is put, so would the gospel spread through the world. Such was the nature of the king- dom of heaven, the gospel dispensation upon earth. The general lesson therefore of this parable is the same as that of the parable of the grain of mus- tard-seed, which goes just before it. But our blessed Lord never spoke needlessly. If he taught the same truth in different ways and by diiferent figures, it was that the truth might be set forth in all its vari- ous aspects, and thus a fuller and clearer knowledge of it might be gained. Each parable, however like it may seem to others, carries its own peculiar lesson. If it sets forth the same truth, it puts it in a new light. " The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took." The gospel is not left to make its own way in the world, without the use of means. Human instruments arc employed — preachers, teachers, writers, workers of various kinds. The woman took the leaven, and mixed it with the meal ; and in like manner the servants of God take the gospel, and strive to spread it through the world. Such is God's gracious plan ; such is " the kingdom of heaven." It is like, not merely to leaven, but to " leaven, which a woman took." Perhaps a woman is mentioned rather than a man only because this was more a woman's work. But it may be that there is a further meaning. In the parable of the mustard-seed, a man was the worker ; here it is a woman. Perhaps we are meant to learn— and certainly it is the case— that in spread- ing the gospel there is work for women as well as for men. We have only to read St. Paul's epis- 100 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. ties to see how women were made use of in the early church; and in our own time women hold a most important place in the work of the gospel. It is a distinct place from that of the man. This again is clearly to be gathered from the writings of St. Paul. And on no account must woman overstep the bounds which Scripture has set to her work. Man has his work, and woman has her work. The fact of the two being mentioned in different parables seems to draw special attention to this. But every man and every woman to whom the gospel has come in its power is called to use every means and every op- portunity for extending it to others. We are all to be sowers of the seed or mixers of the leaven. Not one of us should be idle ; not one should be living without an influence for good. The woman hid the leaven in three measures of meal; that is, mixed it with it. There seems no reason for giving any meaning to the number three beyond this, that the leaven was small in quantity compared with the meal. This little quantity of leaven was mixed with a much larger quantity of meal, and yet the whole three measures were leav- ened. So the gospel, beginning in a small and hiimble way, has spread already through a great part of the world, and is to spread yet farther, even till it reaches everywh-ere. What seemed to the eye of man very weak, has proved to be of mighty power. - So again, one who is trying in any way to spread the truth may seem perhaps very weak. In ourselves we all are weak, and ought to feel our- selves so: "Who is suflB.cient for these things?" THE LEAVEN IN THE MEAL. 101 But some seem even weaker than others. Their sphere is narrow ; their abilities humble ; their opportunities few; their knowledge, boldness, and influence small. And deep humility, and perhaps also a desponding spirit, makes them perhaps take even too low a view of the means and talents which God has given them. But grant these to be as low and poor as they esteem them,, yet the gospel which they desire to spread is " the power of God unto salvation;" and the strength in which they labor is not their own, but his. Small are the means which they emploj^ little is it that they can do, like the morsel of leaven which the woman took and hid in the meal; 3-et who can tell how great an effect may follow ? A word spoken for Christ, the simple reading of a few verses to a sick person, in much weakness and fear perhaps, yet in a spirit of prayer and faith, how mighty the change which this may work ! And if one heart be turned to God, and one person be brought under the power of the truth, that person himself becomes a fresh instrument for spreading it to others, and those others in their turn will spread it farther — and all from that little beginniug, that one humble instrument. Three measures of meal were leavened by one morsel of leaven; numbers yet unborn may be brought to God and to happiness through the humble efforts of some one man or woman. There is something very peculiar in the nature of leaven; it goes through all that it is mixed with, and makes a complete change in the whole mass. The gospel is like it in this. Wherever it goes, it 102 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LORD. makes a change; and that not only in those who truly receive it, but also in society in general. In a Christian country there may be many people ignorant of God, sunk in vice, and no better than the heathen in character; yet, taken as a whole, how different is a Christian land from a heathen land ! The influence of the gospel is felt through- out the country. It has not changed every heart ; far from it; but the general tone and character of the j)eople are the better for the gospel. It is so in our own country. There is much ungodliness among us ; yet how different would our country be without the leaven of the gospel!' It was so in the time of the apostles, in whatever country the gospel was preached. It is so still in those heathen lands to which the gospel is carried by missionaries. There are many drawbacks and many disappointments in missionary work ; but the gospel is not without its effect, and thus we are encouraged to hope and pray for a greater effect still. But this leavening influence is yet more striking in the case of those who truly receive the gospel into the heart. "If any man b'e in Christ, he is a new creature : old things are passed away ; behold, all things are become new." "When the kingdom of heaven is established in the heart, the whole character is changed. For the gospel is not a mere set of doctrines or opinions, but a life-giving prin- ciple, " the power of God unto salvation." When truly received, it gives new thoughts and feelings, new hopes and desires, a new ground of trust, a new source of happiness, new and all-pervading THE LEAVEN IN THE MEAL. 103 principles of action. Every day, and in all his conduct, the Christian is influenced by the gospel ; there is a holy consistency in his life. Such is the influence of the gospel, when it does its full work in the heart ; and such it is in a measure in every heart that has received it. But alas for human frailty and imperfection! The gospel in itself is like leaven, but in its practical effects it is greatly hindered by man's infirmity and inconsistency, by the sin that still cleaves even to the regenerate heart, and by the temptations and difliculties that beset us from without. The leaven pervades the meal without difiiculty or hinderance by the mere force of its nature ; the gospel leaven, on the con- trary, meets with much to hinder its effect, even in the heart that is under its influence. We must watch and pray. We must watch diligently against all within us or around us that would liiuder the gospel; we must earnestly pray for the grace and help of God's Holy Spirit. Much of the leavening efiect of the gospel in the world depends on the consistent lives of Christians. A holy and consistent course may do untold good. For the most powerful preaching is that of the life ; and when it is seen that the Christian's Avliole char- acter and conduct are under the rule of the gospel, a feeling of respect at least will be produced for religion, and perhaps much more. Let us never forget that each of us has an influence on those around us ; and let us seek that our influence may be all for good, and that thus we may be doing our part in extending the kingdom of heaven upon earth. 104 THE TAEABLES OF OUE LOED. XIL The Hidden Treasure. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field : the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goetli and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." Matt. 13 : 44. ■T lias often been a practice in troubled times to hide treasure in some secret place, with the intention of finding it again when peace should be restored. Various are the hiding-places that have been cho- sen : an old wall, the hollow of a tree, a hole in the ground. But it has happened not sel- dom that some one else has been so fortunate as to discover the hiding-place, and to possess himself of the treasure, to the bitter disappointment of the owner when he went to look for what he had hidden. Such a finding is represented in this parable. A man finds treasure hidden in a field. He tells his secret to no one, but, full of joy, takes instant meas- ures to make the prize his own. Carefully hiding- it again out of sight, he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Now no one can dispute his right. When once the field is his, he may claim all that is in it.^ He has made a sacrifice, it is true, to obtain it ; but he has secured the treasure as his own. Our Lord likens the kingdom of heaveii to this THE HIDDEN TREASUEE. 105 treasure. He represents to us by this parable the gospel itself, and the conduct of one who truly embraces it. The gospel is a treasure indeed — better than gold and silver, more precious than rubies, worth more than all the world. A man may have all that the world can give, yet without the gospel he is poor ; and he is rich v/ho has the gospel, though he may be in want of almost all besides. But the gospel has not always been made known : even now it is unknown to a great part of mankind ; and where it is known, numbers know it only with the understanding, not with the heart. In all these cases it is like " treasure hid in a field." The hea- then are altogether ignorant of it ; from tliem this treasure is quite hidden. The nominal Christian knows of its existence, but knows not its precious- ness ; and it is no treasure to one who feels no need of it, and sees no value in it. But when the conscience is awakened, and the heart is touched, and a man has been led to feel his sinfulness and need, and to see light and life and salvation in the gospel, then it is as though he had found hid treasure. Many among the heathen, hearing the gospel for the first time, have at once been brought to see its preciousness, and thus have found the treasure. But the change is hardly less, when one who has heard the sound of the gospel all his life first feels his heart affected by it. The treasure was close by him before — in the field with him, as it were ; but it was an unknown treasure. It may be that the man in the parable had passed by 106 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. the spot where the treasure was a hundred times, had trodden it down with his feet, or driven his plough over it ; but he never supected what hiy so near, till the day when perhaps the ploughshare, in turning up the soil, disclosed what Avas beneath. So one may have heard the gospel year after year, and yet never have found out its preciousness, till some sermon or some word was brought home to his heart by the Holy Spirit. When once the heart is thus awakened, then there is a change indeed. Other things lose much of their value ; the soul is felt to be of the deepest importance, and the good news of salvation through Christ is prized above all. To gain a share in this great salvation, to be forgiven, reconciled, and saved, this is now felt to be the great concern ; and all else seems of comparatively trifling moment. The man in the parable went and sold all that he had, and bought the field where the treasure was. The apostle Paul declared that he had willingly suffered the loss of all things that he might win Christ. Our Saviour taught us that there is but one thing needful. Even so must we embrace the gospel. We must seek salvation as the one thing needful; we must be willing to part with all for Christ's sake ; we must count all but loss for him. No bospm sin must be spared, no vain attempt must be made to serve two masters; all that stands in the way of eur souls must be freely parted with. Paul never repented the sacrifice he had made, "Yea, doubtless," he said, "and I count all things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of THE HIDDEN TEEASURE. 107 Christ Jesus my Lord." So highly should we prize this treasure, so joyful should we be to find it, that all else will seem to us as dross in comparison. No earthly treasure isan fully represent the pve- ciousness of the gospel. The man in the parable was glad to part with all that he had in order to possess himself of that field ; and he did wisely, for the hidden treasure was of far greater value than the price paid to obtain it. Yet it was but earthly treasure after all ; the same in kind as what he parted with for it, though larger in amount. But a little while, and all treasure of this kind, whether larger or smaller, whether inherited or earned, or found (as they say) b}^ some lucky chance, must be left for ever. Not so the treasure of the gospel, the true riches. This is a treasure which no moth or rust can corrupt, which no thief can steal, and which even death itself cannot take away. On the contrary, death, which jiarts us from gold and silver and lands and houses, will but put us in fuller possession of these gospel riches, this heav- enly treasure. " To me to live is Christ, and to die is (jainy He who said this had already found "the unsearchable riches of Christ," but he looked for- ward to a more perfect enjoyment of them after death. There are also some other points of difference between the parable and what it is meant to repre- sent. The man in the parable hougld the field; but there is no buying the spiritual treasure. We must indeed part with all that comes between us and sal- 108 THE PARABLES OF OUli LORD. vation ; but not in the way of a price paid. " The fjift of God is eternal life, througli Jesus Christ our Lord." This is "without money, and witliout price." Again, tliis treasure is enough to supply the wants of all. In the parable, but one could have it; in the gospel it is offered to all. "Ho, every one tliat thirstcth, come ye to tlie waters, and he that hatli no money." " Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." He therefore wlio finds it needs not to hide it, lest another should discover it and rob him of it. On the contrary, the newly-awakened man desires to make all sharers in the blessing he jjas found. "Come hither, and I will tell you what he hath done for my soul." " The Spirit and the bride say. Come ; and let him that hoareth say. Come !" One sign of a man's having found the treasure himself is, that he desires to lead others to find it too. Ho who has found Christ loves Christ ; and he wlio loves Christ, loves all for Clirist's sake, and longs that all shoidd know and love him. THE TEAEL OF GEEAT TEICE. 109 XIII. The Pearl of pREAX Price. ■'Again, the kiugdoiu of heaven is like imto a, merchantman, seeking goodly pearls : Mho, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bonght it." Matt. 13:45,46. HIS chapter is full of parables, all meant to teacli us the nature of " the kingdom of heaven.'' Therefore, all the parables, from the twenty-fourth verse, begin with almost the same words as this one, " The kingdom of heaven is like." This "king- dom of heaven" does not mean heaven above, but heaven below. It means God's government on earth under the gospel, the gospel system, what is taking place now under the gospel, and will take place hereafter. Each parable teaches some par- ticular lesson about "the kingdom of heaven," and throws light on some one point. This parable teaches the great prcciousncss of salvation in Christ, and that it is worth every sacrifice. It is a very plain parable, one that all can un- derstand without difficidty. The more so, as the very thing here represented might take place now; for pearls are still precious, and are still bought and sold in this way. They are substances found in certain shells at the bottom of the sea in some parts of the M'orld, and made use of as jewels. The 110 THE PARABLES OF OUE LORD. chief pearl-fishery is near the coast of CeyloD, one of the very spots where pearls were sought for in ancient times. The pearls are brought up from the deep by divers, and differ much in size and value. The very finest are worth a large sum of money; but these are rare. There are still merchants whose business it is to deal in pearls, either employing the divers themselves, or buying of those who do so. These customs are probably little changed since the very time when our Lord spoke. The parable represents a merchant meeting with one pearl of extraordinary value. He had proba- bly never seen or heard of so rich a one before. Could he but get possession of it, his fortune was made. So, without hesitation, he goes and sells all that he has, all his other pearls, all his stock in trade, all his property of every kind, and buys it. Thus he gave up all that he had for it, and thought himself happy to gain it even then. What does the pearl mean? Evidently salva- tion. For this is the prize of the gospel, the great blessing of " the kingdom of heaven," the fruit of the coming and sacrifice of Christ. Indeed, Christ himself may be said to be the pearl, in the sense in which the apostle Paul says, "But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ, . , . that I may win Christ." It makes little difference whether we consider the pearl to be the Saviour himself, or the salvation which he wrought out ; for to have a part in Christ is to be saved by him ; and this is the " pearl of great price." The merchantman we may take to mean any THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE. Ill person seeking happiness or good for himself. As the merchantman used to go hither and thither, inquiring, seeking, and bargaining, so do people in general seek good for themselves in various ways. Disappointed in one source, they turn to another. Their object is still the same. Or perhaps avo may take him to mean an awa- kened soul seeking peace. Such a man is not a mere seeker after happiness generally. He has been roused to a sense of religion, his conscience has been touched, he has been led to feel his need. But he has not yet found peace. He is seeking, inquiring, using means. In whichever sense" we take the merchantman, it is clear what is meant by his finding the pearl. This represents a man bccomiDg acquainted with salvation by Christ. He may have known the doc- trine before, but it never before arrested his atten- tion and engaged his heart. Perhaps it is now more clearly and forcibly set forth to him, or God's prov- idential dealiric;s have brought him to more serious- ness of mind. At all events, the truth now strikes him, and touches his heart. Here the awakened conscience sees just what it wants; here the seeker after happiness finds what he sought. Convinced, impressed, and deeply in earnest, the man parts with all to win Christ. The world is given up, the bosom sin is forsaken, all that stands in the way of his soul is freely sacrificed, self-righteousness is cast away, formal religious observances are trusted in no more. Like Paul, " to win Christ and be found in him," is now all his desire. 112 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. As in the parable of *' The Hidden Treasure," so here, there is a difference to be noticed between the parable and its interpretation. The merchant hougM the pearl, but we cannot buy salvation. It is a free gift for Christ's sake. The terms are, " Without money and without price." Yet we must be ready to give up all to gain it. The merchant- man parted with all that he had, and paid the value of it as the price of the pearl. We too must will- ingly part with all that stands in the way of our salvation, though the price has already been paid, and we can add nothing to it. Paul, we have seen, did this, and gloried in the choice he had made. But we read of one who, though he knew of the pearl, and in some degree felt its value, yet could not make up his mind to give up all for it, "Go and sell what thou hast," said our Lord to the rich young man, " and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven : and come and follow me. But when the j^oung man heard that sajdng, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." Alas! hearing of the "Pearl of great price" is not enough to make a man choose it, and seek it, and give up all to gain it. Numbers hear of it, yet see no value in it. Numbers who do see something desirable in it, yei love the world better. In a Christian land almost all hear of the pearl, but how man}'' are seeking it in truth ? This merchantman is our example, and that in two points : he set the pearl at its right value, and be sought it without delay. THE PEAllL OF GREAT PRICE. 113 Our pearl is more precious than his ; it is worth more thau all besides. Let us value it accordiugly. Let us remember those solemn words, " What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Let us be like the mer- chantman, and like the apostle Paul, not like the rich young man. Ho went away sorrowful. Ah ! well he might. The merchantman, having made up his mind as to the value of the pearl, lost no time in making it his own. It was not safe to hesitate. While he delayed, another might get it before him. He "went and sold all that he had, and bought it." Time is precious with us too. It is not safe to delay. The pearl may be ours now; but if we now neglect to secure it, it will one day be out of our reach. None can tell how much longer the gospel invitation may be made to him ; but this is certain, that he who is hearing it continually, and yet put- ting off accepting it, is in awful danger. He is trilling with God, and provoking him to cut short his opportunity. The only time for securing the pearl is now; the only time in which God makes the offer, the only time that we are sure of having. Delay ma}^ cost us the loss of the pearl, a loss never to be repaired. " Behold, now is the accept- ed time; behold, now is the day of salvation." 114 THE PAKABLES OF OUE LOKD. XIV. fHE Gospel Net. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net that was cast^ into the sea, and gathered of every kind ; which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world : the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 13 : 47-50. EVEEAL of our Lord's disciples were fisliermeu; mucli of liis ministiy was passed by tJie sea of Galilee; we find liim on various occasions making use of a fish- ing-boat for crossing tliat inland sea or lake, and once at least he preached from one. Such a scene as that described in this para- ble might be seen there any day, and may be still. For fishermen still ply their business on those waters; their boats still cross from side to side; their nets are still let down for a draught, and at other times may be seen spread on the rocks. A net must of necessity gather "of every kind," the bad as well as the good, the worthless as well as the useful. The separation takes place after- wards. Then the bad are cast away and the good are kept. This is done now, wherever net-fishing is practised, just as it was done of old. There are few crafts which have changed less than that of the fisherman. THE GOSPEL NET. 115 This parable, therefore, in its story part, is a very plain one, and as plain to us as it was to those' ■\vho first heard it.* Our Lord has made the spiritual meaning equal- ly clear. He himself explained it. First, he gives us to understand that the para- ble is meant to represent " the kingdom of heaven," that is, the visible church of Christ, or God's gov- ernment on earth under the gospel. In other words, what fishermen do in gathering all kinds of fish into their net, and then separating the bad from the good, is like what almighty God is doing now, and will do hereafter, with regard to men. The visible church embraces people of every kind. As the net gathers of every kind, so does the gospel. True believers and mere professors, sj)iritual Christians and heartless formalists, the careless and thoughtless, the undecided, the hypo- crite, the deceiver of others and of himself, all these may be found within the visible church, the gen- eral body of those who call themselves Christians. How great a difference there may be even among the members of one congregation! They sit side by side, they unite in the same prayer, they hear the same preaching, yet how vast a difference there may be among them in the sight of God ! He sees the hearts of all, and it is by the heart that he judges. Man himself would separate between the grossly wicked and the pious; between the thief, the swearer, the drunkard, the Sabbath-breaker on the one hand, and the man of consistent godly life on the other. But God sees farther than man ; 116 THE PAEABLES OF OUK LOKD. and mucli that is respectable in the eyes of men is not approved by him. " Without faith it is impos- sible to please God." Only he who is of a penitent and contrite heart, and rests his hope on his Sav- iour, and seeks to serve and glorify him, is accepted and ajjproved by God. But this mixture is only for a time. When the •net was full, it was drawn to shore, and the separa- tion was made. When the gospel net shall be full — that is, when God shall see fit to put an end to the present state of things — then likewise a separation will be made. The fishermen would not suffer the bad fish to be among the good. None but good should be put into the vessels. The rest must be thrown away as useless, and worse than useless. In like manner, when the great day shall come, God, by his angels, will "sever the wicked from among the jusfc." They must stay where they are no longer. The hj'pocrite, the formalist, the care- less, the profane, the undecided, may no longer be with the true servants of God. They must now be parted, parted for ever. The righteous will go to their place, the place which was purchased for them by their Redeemer's blood, and which he himself went before to prepare for them ; and the wicked must go to theirs. They cannot escape now, for they despised the day of grace, and the day of grace is past. They cannot escape now; they can never escape. They must be cast "into the furnace of fire : there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." "But this is for the tviclccd," some may say. " Must all who are not classed amono; tlie righteous THE GOSPEL NET. 117 bo placed with the wicked?" Even so. There is no phace between the abode of the righteous and that of the wicked ; in the sight of God there is no cliaracler between these two. All the fish gathered into the net were either good or bad ; all were either put into vessels, or thrown away. There was no middle sort, not good enough to be kept, yet not bad enough to be thrown away. So every soul will be placed either among the righteous or among the wicked. The angels will leave none but the just among the just. There will be no confusion or mis- \ take in that division. Every one whose name is not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire. There is no middle class, no middle place. How solemnly does this parable speak to all! How it should lead us to deep searchings of heart ! For we are all concerned here. We are all now gathered into the gospel net, and we shall all have a part in that separation ; none will be mere look- ers-on. Where shall we be placed then ? Shall we be numbered among the just? Are we so noiu? Does the all-seeing Eye behold us this very daj^ as ' true children of God, real believers. Christians in heart as well as in name ? Oh, if not, let this par- able be as a quickening and awakening voice from God himself. Let there be no self-deception^ no stifling of conscience, no vain and unscriptural hope that things may not, after all, be as they are repre- sented. They icill be. Nothing can alter the word of God. The only wisdom, the only safety, is noiv to seek Jesus with all the heart, and thus to make sure of being found in him at last. 118 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD*. XV. The New Cloth, and the- New Wine. "Then came to him the disciples of John, sajiug, Why do we and the Pharisees fast oft, but thy disciples fast not ? And Jesus said unto them. Can the children of the bride-chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them,*and then shall they fast. No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old gar- ment, for that which is jiut in to till it up taketh from the gar- ment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles : else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish : biTt they put new ■ndne into new bottles, and both ai'e preserved." Matt. 9 : 14-17 ; see also Mark 2, and Ltjke 5. HIS double parable was spoken by our Lord in answer to a question, and must therefore be considered in connection witli " The disciples of John and of the Phar- isees," St. Mark tells us, " used to fast." The Pharisees were alwaj's trj-ing to entrap our Lord with questions, and it was they probably who set on the disciples of John the Baptist to come and ask our Lord why his disciples did not fast too. As for John's disciples, they most likely asked the question in all sincerity, surprised at seeing the dis- ciples of Christ neglect what they considered a reli- gious duty, and really desiring to know the reason. Our Lord told them the reason. It was two- fold. First, it was not a right time for his disci' NEW CLOTH AND NEW WINE. 119 pies to fast, because he was still Avilli tliem. Fast- ing is suited to a time of sadness and Immiliatiou, not to a season of joy. He called himself " the bridegroom," and his disciples "the children of the bride-chamber," that is, the bridegroom's friends and companions. While the bridegroom was with them, they could not fast, for it was a time of joy; but soon he Avas to be taken away from them, and then they might properly fast, for that would be to them a time of sadness and loneliness and need. The other reason Avas that our Lord's disciples were at present but young in the faith, and there- fore weak. They could not yet bear all that they would be able to bear when more established. Our Lord, therefore, would deal gently with them, and not lay on them too heavy a burden. True,' they were to take up the cross and follow him ; yet, in his mercy and compassion, he would bring them to it by d'egrees. When they should have gained more experience, and when they should have received the strengthening grace of the Holy Spirit, then they should fast, then they should learn more completely to subdue the flesh, and to practise the duties of self-denial for his sake. It is this last reason that our Lord explains more fully by means of the parable. The new cloth would not match the old, either in look or in strength. The two would not wear evenly; the shrinking of the new stuflf would be likely to tear the old, and so the rent would be made worse rather than better. The new cloth would be too new and strong for the old garment. 120 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. lu like manner it would not be wise to put new wine into old bottles. Bottles were then made, not of glass, but of skins of leather ; and the leather in time grew weak, and could not bear the motion and fermentation of new wine, though it might be still strong enough to hold old wine safely. New wine must therefore be put into new and strong bottles. The meaning of both parts of the parable is the same. As new cloth was ill-suited to an old gar- ment, and new wine must not be put into old bot- tles, so the disciples, in their weakness, must not have laid upon them at present an unsuitable bur- den. They were but, beginners as yet, " babes in Christ," and must be dealt with accordinglj^ Just as the garment would be torn worse, and the bot- tles would be burst and the wine spilled, unless cau- tion and judgment were shown, so these new and inexperienced disciples would be likely to receive injury, to be discouraged, perhaps even to be*turned back altogether, if hastily or harshly treated. Such was not our Lord's way of dealing with any. " He shall feed his flock like a shepherd : he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bo- som, and shall gently lead those that are with young." " A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.*' "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now." " And with many such parables spake he the word unto them, as they were able to hear it." Thus gently and tenderly was it foretold that our Lord would deal, and thus did he in truth deal with his disciples and with all who came to NEW CLOTH AND NEW WINE. 121 learu of liim; not putting a needless difficulty in the way of am', lest they should be discouraged and turn back; feeding them at first with milk, and not with strong meat, as they were able to bear it. In St. Luke's account we find these words added, as spoken by our Lord : " No man also having drunk old wine straightway desiueth new, for he eaitli the. old is better." The ministers of religion, and likewise parents and all who have to do with the training of the j'oung, would do well to follow our Lord's teaching and example here. AVe must deal gently with be- ginners. We must remember that children are but children. Our zeal must be tempered with wisdom, and softened by gentleness. Especially in out^vard observances, such .as fasting, and indeed in all the severer duties of religion, much tenderness must be used in dealing with those who are "babes in Christ." Our Lord pronounced a strong condem- nation upon those who should " offend one of these little ones." He meant those who should do so wilfully ; let us take care lest, though without mean- ing it, yet through want of gentleness and consid- eration, we put a stumbling-block in the way of a 3'oung disciple. "With regard also to the general question of fasting, we see in this teaching of our Lord the free and merciful spirit of the gospel. The disciples of the Pharisees, and John's discii^les too, used to fast often, but our Lord's disciples did not fast at that time. Yet we know that the Pharisees, as a body, were greatly in fault; they Avere strict in the out- 122 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. "ward parts of religion, but neglected the religion of the heart and life. We know less about the disci- ples of John, but it is plain that, while their master himself believed in Jesus and tried to point others to him as the Messiah, these men were still disci- ples of John only, and had never gone on to believe in Him of whom John testified. There was some- thing faulty therefore in ^/^e/r- religion too ; and it is jDrobable that they, like the Pharisees, had too much of the form and too little of the spirit, and were in some measure in bondage to outward observances. But the religion of Christ is no bondage, and his service is no hard service. True, every thought must be brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and the flesh must be subdued, and the body must be brought under, jet all in the spirit of the liberty of the gospel. The disciples of John would doubtless have thought it grievous sin to omit one stated time for fasting; the disciples of Jesus, on the other hand, had no such stated times appointed for them. Their Master taught them much of the spiritual part of religion : he taught them to pra}', to be humble and holy, to have faith, to love one another, to be bold in owning him, and to delight in serving him ; but he did not teach them much about outward observances. Not that he treated them as of no importance, but he would have his disciples consider them in their proper place ; doing them, but n'ot leaving the others undone. And as for fasting, they were not to do that while they had the joy of his presence; for it is not a hard duty, to be performed at all times and under all circum- NEW CLOTH AND NEW WINE. 123 stances. There is a time for all things ; and more than that, there ought to be an aim and object in all religious observances. They should not be blindly kept, as if the observances themselves Avere all ; that would be against the whole spirit of the gospel. Yet it must not be forgotten that our Lord said, " But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days." The bridegroom, Christ our Lord, is absent from us now in bodily presence, though with us by the Spirit ; these words therefore apply to us. Indeed, even while he was with the disci- ples, there were special occasions on which fasting- was right, as when our Lord said of the evil spirit whom they could not cast out, "This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting." Fasting is now therefore a scriptural observance. But it must be done in a scriptural spirit ; and on that point we are not without our Lord's instruction : " Thou, when thou fastest, anoint thy head, and Avash thy face ; that thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto th}- Father Avhicli is in secret ; and thy Father, Avhich seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly." There were some among the Jews who fasted from an ostentatious motive, that they might Avin a high character for holiness among men. Such fast- ing must be an abomination to God, Avhether among JeAvs or Christians. But the words of our Lord seem to point to something farther still. True fasting is a thing of the heart. There may rightly be such moderation and abstinence in the use of food as will help devotion, by preserving the mind clear, 124 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. and biiugiDg the flesh more into subjection to the spirit ; but there should also be an inward fasting, a humbling of the heart before God, a mortification of pride and self, a restraint upon the inclinations. Thus, in the inward thoughts as well as in the out- ward act, we should deny ourselves; and in this way we shall be held in the sight of God to fast, even though no change in our habits be seen by men. That fasting has been abused both of old and also in modern times, through formality and superstition, is no reason against a right fasting. Our Lord himself said, " And then shall they fast in those days;" and taught both Avhat to avoid in fasting, and how to fast aright ; and we know from Scripture that, when their Lord had been taken from them, the apostles and early Christians did fast as well as pray. TRUE DEFILEMENT. 125 XVI. True Defilement. "And he called the multitude, and said unto them. Hear, and understand : not that Mhich goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. . . . Then answered Peter and said unto him, Declare unto ns this par- able. And Jesus said, Are ye also yet without understanding? Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart ; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false wit- ness, blasphemies : these are the things which defile a man : but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man." Matt. 15:10, 11 ; 15-20 ; see also Mark 7. EVEPiAL of our Lord's parables were spoken against the scribes and Phari- sees, to expose their errors and correct their false teaching. This is one of them. The Jewish teachers, among many other such outward points, w^ere very particular about the washing of hands before food. This was one of those "commandments of men" which they had added to the law of God. They made it a mat- ter, not of cleanliness merely, but of religion; and so strict were they about it, that they thought it as wrong to 'eat with unwashed hands as to commit some great moral crime. They were much displeased therefore when they saw the disciples eat without first washing their 12G THE PARABLES OE OUR LORE). hands, find came to our Lord "with this complaint : " Wliy do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread." Our Lord first answered them by showing how they themselves, on the other hand, put the tradi- tion of the elders before the commandments of God , and then, turning from them, addressed himself to the multitude. The common people were accus- tomed to hold the teaching of the scribes in much respect, and au}" objection made by them would have great weight in their eyes ; it was necessary therefore that the multitude should hear our Lord's reply as well as the scribes. So " he called the multitude, and said unto them. Hear and under- stand : not that which goeth into the mouth defileth the man ; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man." The words were plain, yet it is probable that the multitude did not understand their meaning, for the disciples certainly did not. Peter afterwards asked for an explanation of what our Lord had said, speak- ing of it as a parable — " Declare unto us this para- ble;" and a parable it was, though of the simplest kind — so simple that the disciples ought to have understood it at once. "Are ye also yet without understanding?" said our Lord to Peter and the rest; and there is reproof in the question. How- ever, having thus reproved them for their'slowness, he graciously went on to explain to them fully what he had said. That which goeth in at the mouth, he taught Til HE DEFILEMENT. 127 them, does not defile a man, but that which conieth out of it. The heart is the source and spring of Avhat we saj. "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things ; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things." Evil thoughts have their birth in the heart, though they are spoken forth b}' the mouth. False witness, for instance, and blasphe- mies, are first thought in the heart, and then uttered by the mouth. And such things as murders, adul- teries, fornications, and thefts, which have their beginning in the secret thoughts, are talked of b}- the mouth, and arc often planned and carried out by means of the words that pass between one per- son and another. " These are the things," said our Lord, "which defile a man : but to eat with unwash- en hands defileth not a man." There is no sin in the •latter; and whatever defilement there may be, it is but an outward defilement, and is quickly got rid of ; but there is a real defilement in sin ; and evil thoughts, coming forth as they do in evil words and evil deeds, are sin : " These are the things which defile a man." There is a vast difference therefore; and the Jewish teachers were quite wrong in put- ting sudi a thing as eating with unwashen hands on the same footing with sins of the heart and life and tongue. The chief lesson we are to learn from this para- ble is, that religion does not consist in small out- ward observances, and that what we are to guard against above all is sin. There is danger of paying 128 THE PAKABLES OF OUR LORD. bo niucli attention to the outward forms and lesser parts of religion as to have the mind drawn away from its inward and spiritual part. And this is no trifling danger; for an over-scrupulous observance of forms is apt to satisfy the mind, and to lull the conscience to sleep, thus blunting the sense of spir- itual need and of moral obligation, and giving a false security. We see this effect very plainly in the case of the Pharisees and the Jewish teachers. They paid tithes of mint and anise and cummin, but omitted the weightier matters of the law, judg- ment, mercy, and faith. " These," said our Lord, " ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone." On the same principle, they thought it exceedingly » wrong to eat bread with unwashen hands, but at the same time made comparatively light of real sins. We see their fault; let us guard against any approach to it in ourselves. The seat of evil is the heart ; and in the heart, also, when renewed by grace and sanctified b}^ the Spirit, is the source and spring of good. Let us, to use plain words, begin at the light end. Let us fellow our Lord's own rule ; not seeking merely to make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but cleansing first that which is within, that the outside may be clean also. If the Ireart be diligently kept, the outward conduct will certainly show the effect; and if the main points in religion be earnestly attended to, then the lesser matters will not be neglected. Liward and spiritual reli- gion will show forth itself in all things, both small and great; and a true and living faith in Christ, TRUE DEFILEMENT. 129 and a heart renewed bj grace, will produce a watch- ful walk, and a scrupulous attention to every part of Christian duty. We cannot have too deep a sense of the defiling nature of sin. The world may think lightly of some sins, but in God's sight all sin is hateful ; and some of those sins which are most lightly thought of by men are among those which are most severely condemned in the Avord of God. Sin indulged de- files the heart, the lips, the life. Nothing but the blood of Jesus can cleanse us from the guilt of past sins, and nothing but the Holy Spirit of God can keep us from the defilement of sin for the time to come. Well may Ave pray with the psalmist, "Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all»mine iniqui- ties. Create in me a clean heart, O God ; and renew a right spirit Avithin me." G* 130 THE PARABLES OF OUK LORD. XVII. "Jhb Blind leading the Blind. " Let them alone : tliey be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall full into the ditch." Matt. 15 : 14 ; see also Luke G : 39. 'HIS is one of the shortest aud simplest of parables. Indeed, we should have rather called it a proverb, had it not been called a parable by St. Lnke. It seems to have been spoken by our Lord on two occasions, one recorded by St. Matthew, the other by St. Luke ; but the words in the two gospels are almost the 'same. As recorded by St. Matthew, the parable was spoken at the same time as the preceding one about defilement: in fact, it comes between that parable and our Lord's explanation of it to his disciples. Certain scribes and Pharisees who had come from Jerusalem complained to our Lord that his disciples were in the habit of transgressing "the tradition of the elders;" "for," said they, "they wash not their hands when they eat bread." But our Lord in reply brought a much more serious accusation against thein: "Why do ye also trans- gress the commandment of God by your tradition?" He then pointed out to them how they put the ordi- nances of men above the word of God, making the commandment of God of none effect by their tradi- BLIND LEADING THE BLIND. 131 tions ; and then, calling the people to him, he warned them, in the presence of the scribes, against such false teaching. Afterwards hearing that the Phar- isees were offended by what he had said, he added, " Every plant which my heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted up. Let them alone : they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the bUnd, both shall fall into the ditch." There is no difficulty, therefore, in understand- ing this short parable. The blind leaders mean the scribes and Pharisees ; the blind who Avere led mean the ignorant Jews whom they taught; and by falling into the ditch we are to understand going astray as to spiritual things, wandering from true doctrine and practice, and so coming k) ruin, or at least suffering danger and loss. The people, there- fore, were not to folloAv such teachers ; for, not knowing the way of God themselves, they could but lead others astray. The only true spiritual light comes from God, and this light he has given in his word. The scribes and Pharisees were blind leaders, because they forsook the word of God. This was their fault, and it was this that made them unsafe teachers. All who forsake or disregard the word of God arc but blind leaders, for that word is still the only sure guide. Manners and customs, forms and cere- monies change, but the word of God remains the same. The Jews had but a portion of it ; we have the whole. The light which they enjoyed, though true, Avas but faint and dim, compared with the light of the gospel. So that we may say, with even 132 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. more confidence than David, " Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." For there we find light indeed, and no darkness : the light of truth, the light of God, the light which never mis- leads, the light which guides, cheers, and comforts all who walk by it. Yet there are still blind leaders, and for the same reason as of old : they do not take the word of God as their light. Some pay so much attention to forms of man's invention, that their mind is drawn off from the word of God. Some refuse to submit their understanding to the word. They doubt and cavil, and find fancied defects, and venture to set up their own little rea- son against the plain word of Scripture. Some, though sincere, have never sought the teaching of the Holy Spirit, and therefore the main truths of the word of God are hidden from them. The light is before them, but the eyes of their un- derstanding are darkened. Some are careless. Though by profession teach- ers of others, their heart is not in their work. They have no knowledge or love of Christ in their hearts, no concern for souls, no earnest desire to lead them aright. These are all blind leaders of the blind. They cannot teach Avhat they do not know. They cannot lead others by a way which they have not found themselves. The poor and ignorant who go to them for guidance do not find what they seek ; for surely one cannot lead another to Christ who has BLIND LEADING THE BLIND. 133 not sought liiiii for himself, aud it is hard to think that a soul can receive spiritual light by means of one who shows no sign of having received it him- self. Where a minister of the gospel preaches the truth of God faithfully, let him be heard, honored, aud followed, however small his gifts may be. He may have little power of attracting hearers, his talents may be small, his words void of eloquence, his speech ungraceful ; yet, if the love of Christ be in his heart, and he deliver the simple message of the gospel, let him not be despised. He is God's servant, doing God's work. He is no blind leader. Alas, such a teacher is often neglected for some preacher of showj^ style and attractive manner, Avho yet does not preach " the truth as it is in Jesus." There is in our day, perhaps there has been in all days, too much worship of talent, too little regard to truth. Hearers often forget that the object of hearing is, not to be pleased, but to be profited ; not to have the mind and the senses gratified, but to learn the way of salvation, to increase in the knowledge of God, and to grow in grace. The test to which all teaching should be brouuht is the Bible. "To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. 8 : 20. All reli- gious teaching should be judged b}' this rule. Scrij)- tural truth is the point of first importance; and no teaching can be really good and wholesome in which this is lacking or even obscured. As it would be the height of follv to trust oneself to the ouid- 134 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LORD. ance of a blind man, so it cannot be right or wise to listen to un scriptural teaching. A proud, cap- tious, criticising spirit must indeed be guarded •against by hearers; but, in humility and sincerit}^ with an earnest desire to know the truth, and to be fed with spiritual food, it is not only their right, but their duty, to judge Avhat they hear by the standard of the word of God. There is much cause for thankfulness in the great increase of faithful ministers in our land. The pure gospel is preached in thousands of pul- pits, and every Lord's-day the glad tidings of a free salvation in Christ Jesus is spread far and wide. For those who are still "blind leaders" there is one thing which all who love the truth may do : at least they can pray for them. There is not one now walking in the light who did not receive that light from above ; and there is not a faithful teacher of the truth who was not himself first taught of God. God can still enlighten those who are in darkness, and cause the "blind leader" to become an enlight- ened and faithful guide. Let those who are placed by God's providence where the truth is faithfully proclaimed bless God for this great mercy, and seek earnestly to bring forth fruit to his glory. Let those whose lot is less happily cast make it a matter of continual and per- severing prayer that God Avill give his Holy Spirit, and bring both teachers and hearers into true gos- pel light. And let their prayer be the prayer of faith. THE UNFOUGIVING SEllVAXT. 135 xviir. The Pnforgiying 3eryant. "Then came Peter to liiin, and said, Lord, how oft shall ni}' brother sin against me, and I forgive him ? till seven times ? Jesus saith unto him, I say not nnto thee, Until seven times, but, Until seventy times seven. Thei"cfore is the kingdom of heaven likened iinto a certain king, which -wotild take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. Ent forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The ser- vant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying. Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him a hundred pence : and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his feMow-servant fell doAvn at his feet, and besought him, saying. Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not : but went and cast him into jirison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellow-servants saw \vhat was done, they were verj' sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, thou Avicked servant, I foi'gavc thee all that debt, because thou dcsiredst me : shouldest not thou also have had com- passion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee ? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heav- enly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." M.\tt. 18 : 21-3.). HIS parable is nieaiit to teach us Iioav a Christian ought to forgive. It arose oui Peter's question, " Lord, how oft shall niy brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"' Peter thourrht 136 THE PAEABLES OF OUK LORD. that beyond a certain number of times he was not bound to forgive one who should have injured him ; and probably he thought that to do so as often as seven times Avould be a great stretch of forgiveness. But our Lord taught him and us that there should be no bounds whatever to a Christian's forgiveness. " I say not unto thee, Until seven times ; but, Until seventy times seven :" that is, as often as occasion should arise, however often that might be. And then he went on to enforce the lesson by a striking parable. Like so many others, this parable begins M^tli the words, " Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened." It represents what might take place, not among heathen people, but among those to whom the gospel was known. It sets before us a gospel scene, gospel obligations, and a gospel standard of forgiveness. It show^s how a Christian, as distin- guished from all other men, is bound to forgive. It is hardly necessary to sa}^, that the king means God, the servant a professing Christian, and his fel- low-servant another professing Cliristian, or at least a fellow-man. The sum owed by the servant to the king was ten thousand talents— a vast sum ; equal, according to the lowest reckoning, to nearly ten millions of our money. This enormous debt represents what we owe to God's justice on account of our sins, our shortcomings, our neglected duties, our slighted obligations. It was impossible that the man should ever pay such a sum. What must be done? According to THE UNFOEGIVING SEllVANT. 137 the practice of that age and coiintiy, he must be sold into slaver}' ; " and his wife, and children, and all that he had," must be sold too, to go as far as might be towards payment of the debt. We like- wise can never pay what we owe to the justice of God. Of all our countless sins, we cannot make amends for one. On the contrary', through the weakness of our sinful nature, we are continually sinning afresh, and so increasing the debt. We are therefore by nature under condemnation. We must receive the punishment due for our sins. Nothing lies before us but to be banished from the presence of God for ever. But now the gospel comes in. The king in the parable, moved with compassion for the hopeless misery of his debtor, listened to his prayer; and knowing that, try as he might, he could never pay such a sum, forgave him all. The man did but ask for time : " Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all;" but the king forgave him the whole debt, at once and for ever. Thus does God forgive sin- ners. Jesus Christ, his dear Son, has made a full atonement for sin b}^ his blood, and in the gospel forgiveness is offered to all— free, full, present, and eternal forgiveness. The sum which the fellow-servant owed was only a hundred pence, not much more than three pounds sterling — a mere trifle, not to be compared with the vast sura which had been owing to the king. In like manner, the oflfences which one man commits against another are nothing in comparison with man's offences against God. Let a man have received re- 138 THE PAKABLES OF OUE LOKD. peated and undeserved injuries from another ; let liim have been treated both unkindly and unjustlj, and provoked in a thousand ways ; yet what does all this amount to, when viewed in comparison with that man's own sins against God? His fellow- man's offences against him, many as they may seem when he counts them over in his mind one after another, have been but few and far between after all. But every day he himself has sinned against God. His offences, his shortcomings, his inconsistent ac- tions, his unguarded words, his uuliolj^ thouglits — if he were to set himself to number them, would be found to be beyond all reckoning. Many he has forgotten, of many he took little or no notice ; yet all were sins, all items in the great account, all swelling the debt. A hundred pence to ten thou- sand talents ! Such are one man's offences against another man, conipared to a man's sins against God. "We are filled with indignation against the ser- vant in the parable. Had he no gratitude? no sense of his own escape? no feeling of the un- bounded kindness he had received ? With the words of forgiveness still sounding in his ears, how could he go forth from the very scene of his deliv- erance, and show himself so hard and unforgiving ? How was it that even the words of his fellow-ser- vant, " Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all," did not recall to his mind the very same words so lately spoken by him out of the depth of his dis- tress, and so compassionately heard ? The feeling is a right feeling ; it is no more than a just indigna- THE UXFOEGIVING SEllVANT. 139 "tion that is thus stirred within us. But let us look to it that "\ve ourselves come not under the same condemnation. We have received forgiveness of that great debt whicli Ave owed to the justice of God ; at least the offer of forgiveness has been made to us in Christ Jesus. Yet have we never indulged an unforgiving spirit towards a fellow- creature? "We may not perhaps have gone so far as to refuse the prayer of one who came with tears and owned his fault, and begged us to forgive him. But how have we felt towards those who have in- jured us ? When provoked by others, what is now our conduct? When tried by bitter words, what ansAver do we return? Do we check the rising anger ? Do we strive to overcome the natural feel- ing of resentment? Do we return good for evil? Do we forgive, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven lis ? It is in this way that we are to apply the parable to ourselves. What can be more stern and awful than the ■words of the king to the unforgiving servant ? He speaks to him in the severest displeasure. The par- don is revoked. The king would forgive a debt of ten thousand talents, but he would not forgive that hard-hearted ingratitude. Now he must be deliv- ered " to the tormentors till he should pay all that was due from him." Our Lord himself brings home the application to ns: "So likewise shall my lieav- eul}' Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses." God absolutely requires -ais to forgive one another. By liis infinite mercy, his boundless compassion, 140 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. his free forgiveness, lie lays upon us this obligation. Even when he bids us seek forgiveness of him, it is in these words : " Forgive us our debts, as we for- give our debtors." We cannot even seek pardon for ourselves, while we harbor an unforgiving spirit towards another. How then can one who has received pardon refuse to pardon another ? How can he who has felt the burd,en of his sins, then gone to the cross of Christ, and there received full and free forgiveness, the purchase of the Redeem- er's blood — how can he who has thus been forgiven the ten thousand talents of his countless trans- gressions feel any thing but a jDerfect readiness to forgive, freely and fully, a fellow-creature who has done him wrong, a wrong that can be but as a hun- dred pence, a trifle, a mere nothing, comj)ared with that debt of sin ? The man in the parable was at first forgiven, though the pardon was afterwards revoked; but he who under the gospel refuses to forgive his brother, can never himself have been forgiven. He has re- ceived the offer, and that lays him under the obli- gation, but he can never really have embraced the offer. For wherever Christ's salvation is embraced, there a change of heart takes place too. " We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that lovetli not his brother abideth in death." 1 John 3:14. It becomes, therefore, a question affecting our own state before God, whether we are of a forgiving spirit or not. If we are unwilling to forgive those who have injured us, are we ourselves forgiven ? If THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT. 141 we can go forth into the world from lieariog the gospel message, and finding there one who has done us wrong, can act, or speak, or think towards him in an unkind or unmerciful way, is it not sadly plain that the message of the gospel has not reached our hearts, and that God's mercy in Christ Jesus has not really been laid hold of by us? Let this question be well Aveighed, as before God. 142 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. XIX. The Good Samaritan. '■And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which striiiped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way : and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And like- wise a Levite, when he was at the j)lace, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. Bi;t a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was : and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, poviiing in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow ^^•hen he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him. Take care of him ; and whatsoever thou spend- est more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, 'thiukest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do tlio^i likewise." Lijke 10 : 30-37. ■Pt(_yHIS parable may very likelj^ Lave been ^^i^l^^l ["iji a true story. The road from Jeriisa- Y^^y^ lem to Jericlio lay in part tlirongb a rocky desert, and is said to have been much in- ■^/'^ fested by robbers ; and Jericho was the abode of a large number of priests and Le- vites, who would of course find it necessary from time to time to travel to Jerusalem. The thing here related was therefore by no means unlikely to happen. Our Lord spoke this parable by way of answer to the question, "And Avho is my neighbor?" And THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 143 that question arose from our Lord's reply to the lawyer, " Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind, and thy neigh- bor as thyself." This man was probably a Pharisee; and the Pharisees, and indeed the Jews in general, held very narrow notions as to Avhom they ought to be- friend. They would own as a neighbor one who was a kinsman or friend, one living in the same place, and perhaps a fellow-countryman or one of their own religion. But a stranger, or one of an- other belief, or a natural enemy, they would by no means look upon as a neighbor, or feel themselves bound to help. Our Lord, however, in this parable, taught him, and teaches us, that all are our neighbors. Every- one who stands in need of our help, and whom it is in our power to help, even if a perfect stranger or an unbeliever or a born enemy, we are to treat as a neighbor, and to help and comfort in case of need. The parable teaches this in a very striking way. The man who fell among thieves was a Jew, and so were both the priest and the Levite. If they had helped him it would have been accordim? to the common notions of the Jews. But they^lid liot. The one, when he saw him, passed by on the other side, glad to avoid so troublesome a case; the other, though he came and looked on him, yet gave him no relief, but passed by on the other side also. They proved themselves to be no neighbors to the Mounded man, though of the same bhm.l and 144 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. religion. But the Samaritan was a natural enemy of the man ; for the Jews and the Samaritans were bitterly opposed, and that on the score of religious forms, which, sad to say, often give rise to more bitter enmity than any thing else. Yet this Samar- itan, when he saw a Jewish man lying wounded, helpless, half dead, by the wayside, showed him all the kindness of a brother. He stopped in his jour- ney, bound up his wounds, treating them according to the medical science of the day, set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn. There he tended him carefully, and on the morrow, after pay- ing what would probably be enough, left him in charge of the host, with the promise to pay any thing further when next he came that way. This man, though a Samaritan, was the true neighbor to the wounded Jew ; and so our Lord's questioner was forced to own. "Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise," And these words apply to us also ; Ave are to take the Samaritan as our example. I. His conduct stands out as different from that of the priest in this : that whereas the priest avoided the wounded man, the Samaritan went to him. Self- ishness and indolence would often lead us to trj- not to see a case of distress. We must not yield to the feeling. We should have an eye for all who are in need, an ear to hear them, a heart to care for them. It is easy to" turn away and seem not to notice; and often, doubtless, this would save us much trouble; but it would be to act like the priest, and not like the Samaritan, and it is the Samaritan whom our THE GOOD SAMARITAN. 145 Lord bids us follow: "Go, and do thou likewise," If a Samaritan, with Lis imperfect religious liglit, showed such compassion, how much more should a Christian ! " Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him ?" We ought not even to feel vexed when a case of want is brought before us, and our help is asked; for this would be to turn awav in heart, even though we might not refuse to give, Rather we should feel thankful for every opportu- nity of showing kindness for Christ's sake. 11. The conduct of the Levite was diiferent from that of the priest ; but the Samaritan teaches us a further lesson as compared with the Levite also. The Levite did not quite disregard the wounded man. He came and looked on him ; and perhaps if it had been only a little help that he required, and such as would have caused small trouble or expense, he might have been willing to give it. Bnt the case was a serious one. The man lay stripped, wounded, half dead, and probably senseless. What was to be done with him ? Whither should he be taken ? Any one who should take the case in hand must make up his mind to unknown delay, trouble, and expense, and perhaps to being suspected of having robbed him besides. It was more prudent, thought the Levite, to let him alone. At least, whatever he thought, this is what he did. When he had looked on him, he too passed by on the other side, and left him there to die, as he must have supposed. Hoav different the conduct of the ''"••-■"-•■ 7 146 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. Samaritan ! No tliouglit of consequences witli liiin, no reckoning up of delay and trouble and expense. Here was a dying man. That was enough. He must be helped, and if possible saved, at any cost. The greatness of the need, so far from leading him to pass by on the other side, did but make him more earnest in giving help. Such a man would have helped any case of distress; hoAv much more such a case as this. III. The Samaritan bestowed on this man that which he must have felt the loss of himself. There is nothing to show that he was a rich man, but rather the contrary. No mention is made of his having a servant with him, and he had but one beast for his journey. His thrifty conduct at the inn, in going to no needless expense, though making- full provision that the sick man should have what- ever he might stand in need of, seems to show him a man obliged to consider expense, though so wil- ling to give. Yet he gave up his own beast to the sufierer's use, and freely bestowed his wine and oil, and grudged nothing that was required. It is little to give what we shall not miss. True Christian compassion will go beyond that, and, in giving to the cause of God, Avill not spare that which might otherwise be spent on personal comfort. Some of the best of givers are those who have but little to give. IV. But the Samaritan did move than lay out his goods on behajf of the wounded man. He gave also time and trouble. Money, to those at least who have it in plent}', is the least of all gifts. To THE GOOD SAMARITAN. U7 give time and trouble is to give far more. Some who do not refuse to help with the purse, are little disposed to take trouble, and practise self-denial in doing good. Yet several of those works of mere}-, on which a blessing is pronounced by our Lord in the twenty-fifth chapter of St. Matthew, are such as cannot be done without personal trouble ; as to visit the sick and the prisoners. The true Christian, whom God has blessed with means, will spare nei- ther his goods nor his labor; and it is a comfort for those whose means are small that time and trouble can do in many cases what no money can do ; and farther, that even a cup of cold water given in the name of a disciple, receives the blessing of the Lord of all. V. The Samaritan further sets us an example of perseverance in kindness. There are some whose pity is easily moved, but as quickly dies awa}'. They will readily help at the moment when their feelings a,re worked upon, taking up a case of dis- tress with great eagerness, but soon grow tired of it. Not so the Samaritan. When he saw the Avounded man, "he had compassion on him;" and this compassion was not merely a momentary feel- ing, but a lasting motive. He was as careful about the man on the morrow as he was when first he saw him, and did not leave him till he had made full provision for his wants. In this respect, also, let us go and do likewise ; by no means checking the first warm feeling of compassion at the sight of dis- tress, yet takiug care that our sympathy and help be continued as lone: as needed. 148 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. YI. Thus the Samaritan sets us an example in various respects. But the special lesson we are to learn from him is this : not to confine our kindness within any narrow bounds, but to show ourselves neighbors to all who want our help. If both men had been Samaritans, or both Jews, the lessons already mentioned might properly have been drawn from the parable ; but the wounded man was a Jew, and the man who helped him was .a Samaritan : in this lies the special lesson. As disciples of Christ, we are to be kind not only to those near, but to those far off ; not only to kins- men and friends, but to strangers; not to those only who love us or will be grateful to us, but even to en- emies. Our Lord teaches us this same lesson else- where : " For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. And if ye lend to them of whom ye liojDe to receive, what thank have ye? for sin- ners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again ; and your rcAvard shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest ; for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful." There are some who are naturally winning and attractive ; it is easy to show kindness to iliem : but we must be kind also to those Avho are not so. Srity over the other ser- vants, and having the management of great affairs, he is in some respects more hke a master, especially if he be the steward of a rich man, such as the man in the i^arable. Only there is always this that makes him a servant still: he is accountable to his master. 230 THE PAKABLES OF OUK LORD. We are all stewards, and God is our Master. He has intrusted us with his goods — some with more, some with less. Whatever we have is not ours, but his; and we are accountable to him for the use of it. It is to be used, liot for our own pleasure merel}", but in the service of God and in doing good. It is more easy to understand this with regard to a rich man than a poor man, especially for those who are poor themselves. We sometimes hear it said about one who is very rich indeed, but has not learned to make a right use of his riches, "He does not do much good with his money;" as if he were bound to do good with his money because he has so much. But why the rich man only ? Why not the poor also? Both are God's stewards. To the rich man God has committed much, to the poor man little; but the poor man is just as much bound to sjDend his little aright as the rich man is to spend his wealth. Besides, money is not all. A steward has goods of all sorts in his charge, and so have God's stewards. Money is one sort, but time and health and strength are goods also. Every one has something. Every one is a steward of God. The steward in the parable was a dishonest one. He had wasted his master's goods. Probably he had done so for a long time ; but now at length it came to his master's ears, and he was accused of it. It is not said that he had stolen his master's prop- erty, or spent his money in any thing wicked, but simply that he had wasted it. A steward's business is to look after his master's concerns carefully, so THE UNJUST STEWARD. 231 that no loss may befall him, and that his goods may be turned to the best account. This man had not done so. He had been careless and neglectful, indifferent iq his master's interests, not strict and conscientious in his management. Thus he had wasted his master's gpods, and now he was called to account for it, and was told that he must lose his place. Some people make it their boast, or at least their excuse, that they do no one any harm. Now in the first place this is not the truth, if they are not doing good ; for Ave a,rc all doing either good or harm to those around us by our example, if not in any other way. But even supposing it to be true, yet if this were all such people could say, their own words would condemn them; for they would thus own themselves to be unjust and unfaithful stew- ards. God has given them means of usefulness ; if they are not doing good with them, they are wast- ing their Master's goods. Whoever is leading an idle, self-indulgent life, with no serious thought of life's duties, no conscientious regard to the will of God, no desire and endeavor to serve him and to do good — whoever is living so, though ho may be free from gross sin, and may be outwardly moral and respectable, is yet an unfaithful steward ; for those means and opportunities of which he is making no use, or which he is using only for himself, are the goods which God has intrusted to him as a stew- ard, and he is wasting them. I need not say how muclrmore strongly this a^jplies to those who are spending money, time, and strength in actual sin. 232 THE PARABLES OF OUR ^i^ORD. This was enough. The man must lose his post : " Give an account of thy stewardship, for thou mayest be no longer steward." God does not always deal so with men. Though he stands in need of no one to accuse us to him, though his eye is always on us, and lie knows exactly how we are using his goods, yet he does not in general put us out of our stew- ardship at once, even when he sees us to be unfaith- ful stewards. God's dealings are various. Some- times indeed a sudden call is sent, and the unfaith- ful steward has to face his Master unexpectedly; but generally speaking, the unfaithful steward is continued in office as long as the faithful ; the man who does no good with what he has remains in pos- session of it as long as he who is a blessing to all around him ; the careless and selfish live as long ns the conscientious and godly. But with all of us the j)resent stewardship is but for a time. Putting aside for the moment the case of the faithful, the unjust and unfaithful steward is put out of his stewardship sooner or later. He was always one who wasted his Master's goods, and his Master knew it all along, but he bore with him awhile ; now, however, he may be no longer steward. If by no other means, such as loss of health or loss of fortune, yet by death he is at last put out, and a sad account he has to give. The steward in the parable, when put out of his employment, had to consider what to do for a live- lihood. "We read of no defence made ; the case was too clear. "What shall I do?" thought he, "for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship : THE UNJUST STEWARD. 233 I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed." How false is the rule of the ungodly as to what is disgraceful! This man was ashamed to beg, j'et he had not been ashamed to wrong his master. Outward debase- ment he could not face, yet he had gone on long in secret unfaithfulness. It was the being found out, and losing his place, and having to seek his bread, that troubled him, not the thought of his wrong- doing. So far was he from being sorry, that he deter- mined to wrong his master yet more by dishonestly providing a home for himself at his expense.. His mind was soon made up. It was necessary that it should be ; for his time was short. Yet a little time did remain ; just enough for his j^urpose. It was not yet known that he was to be steward no longer ; so before it should get abroad, he would make use of his authority to provide himself friends against the time of need. No sooner thought of than done. He called to him those who were in debt to his master, and when he had asked of each how much he owed, told each debtor to put down in his account a smaller sum ; the man who owed a hundred meas- ures of oil was to make it appear that he owed only fifty; and he who owed a hundred measures of wheat was to put down fourscore instead. The debtors seem to have been almost as dishonest as fhe steward ; for they must have suspected that, in some way or other, he was robbing his master ; but they had always been used to do business with the steward, and not with his lord, so they gladly did what he told them now. Thus he secured their 234 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. friendship. He had done them a good turn, and might look to be received into their houses when he should be put out. See how sin leads ta sin. Probably this was the worst piece of dishonesty he had ever been guilty of. Before he had wasted his master's goods; now he deliberately robbed him. A man who wilfully does one wrong thing will not scruple to do another more wrong still in order to hide it or to shield himself from its consequences^. But the master's eyes were opened now. He had trusted his steward in times past, but now that he had found out his character, doubtless he nar- rowly watched what he did. So, though the plan seems to have succeeded, j^et it soon came to his master's knowledge. Ah, little do God's unjust stewards think that all their schemes and plans are known to him every moment. " All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do." But we read in the parable that " the lord com- mended the unjust steward," that is, praised him. This however does not mean the Lord Jesus Christ, but the lord or master of the steward. When he learned the trick his steward had played him, he praised him. But for what? Only for his fore- thought and shrewdness. Justly displeased as he was with his long unfaithfulness and with this last piece of dishonesty, yet even in the act of turning him off he could not but admire his prudence and quickness. He was a rogue, it is true, but a clever rogue. "He had done wisely." Having a very shoi't time left, he had made the most of it. In- THE UNJUST STEWARD. 235 stead of giviug himself up to vain lamentations for the loss of a good place, he had instantly bethought himself of what he could best do to make up for the loss. Being about to lose his home, he had looked forward to that time, and made provision for it. Thus he had done wisely; that is, Avisely for his own interest. Even his master did not say that he had done iccll. And there is no true wisdom ex- cept in doing well. This was but the lowest sort of wisdom — worldly and selfish wisdom. The parable ends here; what follows is our Lord's application of it. " For the children of this world," said he, " are in their generation wiser than the children of light. The children of this world mean worldly people ; the children of light mean godly people. The children of light walk by the light of God's word, and live with a view to eter- nity ; the children of this world, on the other hand, have no thought but for the present time and for worldly things. They are quite wrong in this — quite wrong, and by no means wise, but on the con- trary miserably foolish; but "in their generation," that is, with regard to this life — which is all they care for — and to the objects which they have in view, they are wiser than the children of light ; for they show more diligence, prudence, and fore- thought in seeking worldly things than religious people show in seeking spiritual things. The chil- dren of light have made a right choice in choosing God for their portion ; but, alas, they are often cold and slothful, showing but little zeal and earnest- ness, though eternity is their aim. The children 236 THE PARABLES OF OUE LOED. of this world have made a wrong choice, but they often show great dihgence in pursuing their objects, and thus put to shame the children of light. This is the lesson which ou* Lord here teaches us. But this is not all. Our Lord also bids us make to ourselves "friends of {lie mammon of unright- eousness." We can only understand this by con- sidering what the unjust steward had done. But, first, "the mammon of unrighteousness" means worldly riches, or worldly goods of any kind. The word " mammon " means riches ; and they are called riches " of unrighteousness " perhaps because this steward had used them unjustly, or because the love of them does so often lead men into sin, or possibly only by way of contrast to the true riches. We are to make friends for ourselves by means of our riches, or of whatever we have ; that is to say, we are to make such a use of it as that we shall not be left friendless in the time of need. This is what the steward did, only he did it wrong- ly, while we are to do it rightly ; for there is a right way of doing it. The faithful steward of God is one who does it, and does it in a right way ; for he tries to spend monej^, time, talents, all that God has intrusted to him, well and faithfully ; and his Master will take care that he shall not be friend- less or forsaken. Often God raises up unexpected friends for his servants in their time of need, and at last, when they are called to leave the present scene, he himself will be their friend, and provide for all their wants. " That Avhen ye fail, they may receive you into THE UNJUST STEWAED. 237 everlasting habitations." " That they maj^ receive you," is just the same as " that ye may be received," God liimself will receive his faithful stewards into those isverlastiug habitations. When they fail, that is, when they are put out of their earthly steward- ship, they will be gainers, not losers ; for their Mas- ter will take them to live with him above. Our Lord sets this before us strikingly in the twenty- fifth chapter of St. Matthew. Those on the right hand had been faithful stewards, feeding the hun- gry, clothing the naked, comforting the afflicted, and thus using in God's service what he had com- mitted to them. What does the King say to them? " Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the king- dom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." They had made to themselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, and now they were received into everlasting habitations. We are to do likewise. Let us consider seriously our responsibility to God as his stewards. "It is required in stewards tha^. a man be found faithful." Let us be faithful. Our goods, our time, our strength, let us look on them as not ours, but our Master's. Let us use them as he would have us use them ; for he has not left us ignorant of his will. Yet let us be sure that our ground of hope for ourselves is right. Let none think to win salvation by his faithful stewardship. "None but Christ:" let that great truth lie at the root of all we do. Let us look to be saved by him alone, and let our diligent employment of all our talents for God be the fruits in us of a livincr faith. 238 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. We have many opportunities of doing good : let us use tliem well. AVe have a great account to give : let us ever bear it in mind. We have a gracious Master, a blessed Saviour, a Father in heaven : let us delight to serve him. Let us serve him faithfully, diligently, zealously. Let us look to it that the worldly do not shame us. What !, shall the}^ who have not one object beyond this life be more diligent than we whose minds are fixed on eternity ? If God through grace has called us to the knowledge and love of himself, let us be heartily in earnest, let us live as those who are seeking a country. What the unjust steward did, he did without delay, for there was no time to lose. Let us also make the most of the passing hour, for it is all we can call our own : " The night cometh, when no man can work." THE lUCTT MAN AND LAZARUS. 2^9 XXXII. The Righ Man and Lazarus. "There was a certain rich man, which wa.s clothed in pnri^le and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day : and there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table : moreover the dogs came and licked his sores And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom : the rich man also died, and was buried ; and in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and sceth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said. Son, remem- ber that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and like- wise Lazarus evil things : but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed : so that thej' which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to \;s, that would come from thence. Then he said, I praj' thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father's house : for I have five brethren ; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of tor- ment. Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the jn-oph- ets ; let them hear them. And he said. Nay, father Abraham : but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent. And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will thej' be per.suaded, though one rose from the dead." Luke 10:19-31. /^HETHER tliis passage is the- de- scription of a real case, or strictly a parable, is uncertain. WhicheTer it is, assuredly it is one of the most sol- emn lessons ever given by our Lord. 240 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. The most careless can liardlj liear or read it with- out some impression ; for all must feel that, whether parable or not, there is deep and awful truth in it. Here were two men, as different as possible al- most in their circumstances. One was rich, living in ease, plenty, and luxury, with great possessions, and enjoying them to the full : the other was as poor as the first was rich — not merely poor, but a beggar ; yet not through his own fault, but because he was heavily afflicted — a poor suffering cripple. To make the difference still more striking, the two were brought close together. Far apart as they were in station and circumstances, yet they were near as to place. The beggar was laid at the rich man's gate. While the one was feasting within, the other was lying in want and suffering without. Yet we do not find him envying the rich man : his ut- most desire was to be fed with the crumbs which fell from his table. Whether the poor man got his wish, we are not told : there seems reason to fear he did not. But the want and suffering of this life do not last for ever. At length death came to the poor man's relief. This is sometimes said of people, whether there is reason for a good hope about them or not: it is very often said untruly. But in the case of Lazarus, death really brought relief; for when he died he went to be happy — he " was car- ried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." That was a common way with the Jews of describing the l^lace to which the souls of the righteous went after death. And so the poor sufferer was at rest : poor THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS. 241 no longer, free. now from pain ami misery, safe and happy for ever. Bnt death comes to all, to rich as well as poor, to the gay and prosperous as well as to the sufier- ing and afHicted. " The rich man also died." Per- haps Lazarus had icisltcd to die ; perhaps, as he lay in his misery, ho had often humbly asked God to take him when he should see fit. But the rich man did not wish to die ; for death would rob him of all he had and all he loved. Yet he did die. He could not refuse that call, or hang back Avhen that mes- senger came. " The rich man also died, and was buried." "And was buried.^' Nothing is said about Laz- arus' burial : it was but a poor one, no doubt. But the rich man was sure to have a grand funeral. AVe know the look of such a funeral in our own coun- trj' ; the hearse with its nodding plumes, the mourn- ing carriages, the men in attendance, the long pro- cession; people come to see such a burying, as to a grand sight. A funeral in that time and country was not quite like this ; yet doubtless the rich man's burying was as grand in its way. The corpse was richly laid out, the paid mourners were many, and made loud lamentations, and a great compau}^ fol- lowed the remains to the grave. There is some- thing awful in this, when we think of wliai? Ave are told next. There is always something awful in a great funeral, when we cannot have a good hope about him who is gone. He was buried. But that was only his body ; where was the soul? While the senseless body iM.„i.i..». 11 242 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. was being borne to the tomb, and the mourners lamented, and friends wept and bewailed, where was the soul, the part of him that could think and feel ? " In hell he lifted up his ej^es, being in tor- ments." How awful a chaiTge! This was the "rich man," This was he who had been "clothed in pur- ple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day." This was he who had been so prosperous, and in men's esteem doubtless so happy. Ah, little do men know what makes happiness. Even while they were living, Lazarus in his rags lying at the gate was more truly happy than the rich man feast- ing within, for his thoughts were happier; and it is the state of the mind, not the outward circumstan- ces, that chiefly makes happiness or misery. Biit now, when life was past with both, how happy was the poor beggar, how wretched was the rich man ! He was the beggar now, and a beggar to no pur- pose. He who had enjoyed that sumptuous fare, must now beg for a drop of cold water, and beg in vain. He avIio had so long lived in every kind of comfort and luxury, must now be in torments, from which there could be no relief. It must have added to his misery to see Lazarus happy — the poor, miserable creature Avhom he had so often observed at his gate, in Abraham's bosom, while he was in agony. How must past means and opportunities have risen to his memory ! If Laza- rus could reach that happy place, why might not he have got there too ? Probably his learning and knowledge had been far greater tRan those of Laz- arus; yet he was cast out, while Lazarus was taken THE IIICH MAN AND LAZAEUS. 213 in. Alas! tliough lie could see Lazarus, it was " afar off." Tliey were separated now more widely far than they had been in life. There was "a great gulf" between them, so that there was no passing from one to the other. Whether the rich man had ever given relief to Lazarus we do not know ; at least, he had had the opportunity; but all such opportunities were now passed on both sides. Laz- arus could give the wretched man no help, not even a drop of water to cool his tongue. The one could not come near the other, for the great gulf was be- tween them. Why was there so great a difference between them now ? Was it only because the rich man had in his lifetime received his good things, that he was now tormented ? And was it because Lazarus had received evil things that he was now comfort- ed? No. People sometimes talk as if, because they have many troubles in this life, they are sure to be hap}t}^ in the life to come. But that is not true. Happiness and misery hereafter depend, not on being rich or poor now, but on the state of the heart towards God. The beggar might have been shut out from hapjoiness, the rich man might have been taken to Abraham's bosom; for, alas! all the poor and miserable are not on the road to heaven ; and, thanks be to God, many of the rich and great have found the true riches, and will be happy for ever hereafter. W^e are not expressl}^ told the char- acter of these two men, but are left to gather it from the storj'. The rich man, we may conclude, was worldly and self-indulgent, living in pleasure. 244 THE PARABLES OF OUR LOED; not spending Lis substance as God's steward, and not making provision for eternit3^ The beggar, on the other hand, was doubtless a patient suiferer under the hand of God, bearing his trials meekl}^ trusting in God, and looking forward in humble hope to the time when God would take him to rest. In other words, the rich man was worldly and care- less, the poor man was a true servant of God. This was why the one was carried to Abraham's bosom, the other to the place of torment. But the rich man, unable to obtain relief for himself, now makes another request. He had left five brothers, men probably of the same character and Avay of life as himself. He thinks of them now, and trembles for their state. ■ Now he knows too well the awful end to which such a life as theirs would lead them. He had reached the end — there Avas no hope for liiin. But they were still in life, they might yet escape; so he begs Abraham to send Lazarus to warn them, lest they also should come to that place of torment. Ah, why did he not care for them in this way before? Why did he not, Avhile yet living, seek safety for his own soul, and try to turn them also into the right way? Doubtless, in life, care for their souls had been as far from his mind as care for his own. He had feasted with them many a time, but never sought God with them. Now at length he cares for them in another way, but not till it is too late. Oh, 3'e Avho have ungodly brothers, children, relatives, friends, make use of the present time to warn them. Be not so cruel as to hold your peace, THE RICH MAN AND LAZARUS. 245 Avliile yet your avoids may retxcli them. No -woncler the rich man did not Avaru his brethren, for he liad no sense even of liis own danger. But if God bv his grace has led you to repent and believe, then you ought to have a deep and awful sense of the danger those are in who are without Christ, and to leave no means untried for bringing them to him. True, the work must be God's, but you may seek to be his instruments. Do not put this off; use the opportunities which you now have. Do not Avait till the great gulf lies betAvecn you and tliem, or till that other great and unpassable space be placed between you which separates the living from the dead. And you who are hving without God, see that you do not refuse to hear the word of warning which those who love you and care for your souls may give you. It costs them much perhaps to give it, far more than you think ; and perhaps it is only after much conflict and prayer that they can bring themselves to speak. Be not angry with them, do not turn away in displeasure, and thus Avound their hearts and rob yourselves of good. Take what they say as a message from God ; for it comes to you by his providence. The time will come when those Avho now warn you Avill be able to do so no ]nore ; hear them Avhile you may. One Avho Avarns you in love is a friend indeed. The miserable man's second request met with no better success than the first. His brothers, Abraham reminds him, had Moses and the proph- ets: "let them hear them" The word of God and 246 THE PARABLES OF OUE LORD. tlie appointed means of grace were within their reach, and were sufficient, if rightly used, to serve as a warning, and to lead them into the right way. But he still pleaded. He too had had Moses and the prophets, but he had not attended to them ; and well he knew that his brothers were living in like neglect. But let Lazarus go to them, let one appear from the place of the dead, and carry them a message from the unseen world, and then surely they would repent. The word of God and the usual means of grace they might neglect; but a voice from the dead they could not disregard. So one would think; yet it is not so. Abra- ham's answer is remarkable : " If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be per- suaded, though one rose from the dead." If the careless and ungodly despise God's message when it comes to them in his appointed way, there is no reason for thinldng that they would attend to it however it might come. A voice from the dead would startle, yet it would not of itself convert. An impression it would doubtless make, but not a lasting and saving one, unless God wrought by his Spirit in the heart ; and the Spirit can work by the gentlest and quietest means, and does in fact make use of those that are usual and common far more often than of those that are strange and startling. Let us lay this solemn parable to heart. There is no one more solemn : for here our Lord does, as it were, lift the veil that hides from our view the world to come. The rich man and Lazarus had their time on earth, and each had his appointed THE EICII MAN AND LAZAEUS. 247 lot, and means, and opportunities; and then thej died, and were separated for ever. We are now passing through hfe, and each of us has his own peculiar lot, and before us lies the eternal world and the great separation. Where are our hearts ? What is our life? Whether we be rich or poor, strong or sickly, is a question of comparatively little moment : the great question is, what is the state of our souls in the sight of God? They of old time had " Moses and the prophets :" we have far more, for we have Jesus and the gospel. "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?" Abraham's bosom and the great gulf may be fig- ures, but Avliat the}' represent is plain, solemn truth. There is a happy place to which all true believers go when they die, and there is an endless separa- tion between them and all others. The only safety is to flee in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ; and then, in watchfulness and prayer, and in the daily endeavor to do the will of God, to wait for his appearing. " Blessed is that servant whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing." 248 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. xxxiir. JHB JJ NJUST f" DGE. "And be sjjake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint ; saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man : and there was a widow in that city ; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while : but afterward he said within himself, Thoiigh I fear not God, nor regard man ; yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. And the Lord said. Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect, w'hich cry day and night unto him, thoiigh he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedil3^ Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he tiud faith on the earth?" Luke 18 : 1-8. 'HIS parable is different from most. Here the dealings of God are compared ■\vitli those, not of a good man, but of a bad man. This is remarkable ; bnt as we shall see presenth', it does but add force to the lesson of the parable. Our Lord's object was to teach perseverance in praifer ; and this he did by showing that God will certainly answer prayer, though he may seem for a time to disregard it.. The parable represents a judge in a certain city, or town. There are such still in all the towns of the East; tliev are much the same as our mas-is- trates. This man was a man of no principle : he feared not God, nor regarded man ; he had no Avish THE UNJUST JUDGE. 249 to do justice. A .vidow of the place had been in- jured by some one, and bronglit her cause before huu. ^\e are evidently to understand that it was a just cause; yet the judge paid no attention to her; and though she came again and again, he wou d stil do nothing for her. He cared nothino- Mhetber she had justice done her or not. But the widow kept on coming continually, till the iud-e ^vas quite tired of her and her c;use; and so It ast he determined to see her righted, not because he cai^d for justice, but merely that he might get nd of her. He did not eyen pretend to haye a blot- ter motiye: "Though I fear not God, nor re^^ard man, yet, because this widow troubleth me I'wiH ayenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. -^ Nmy follows the application: "And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God ayenge his own elect, which cry day and m^d unto him, though he bear long with them^ I tell you that he will ayenge them speedily." Shall the unjust judge at length attend to the widow's cry, merely to rid himself of her; and shall God the righteous Judge, refuse to hear those who call upon him ? Shall a mere selfish feeling prevail with his bad man, and shall the God of mercy and truth be deaf to prayer? Impossible. If the unjust judge lioard, much more will God hear. If importunity and perseverance at length prevailed even in this case much more will they prevail with God, who has told us to pray, and has promised to hear. This IS tJie lesson of the parable. 250 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. But our Lord adds ; " Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" Notwithstanding all the promises to prayer, will the Lord Jesus Christ, when he comes again, find men living in dependence upon God, seeking the Sav- iour in faith, trusting in him, and looking for his coming? AVill such bo the state of the world at large? Will it be the general state of those to whom the gospel has come ? Leaving this question unanswered, as our Lord . leaves it, though it is plain what answer he means us to supply, let us seek to learn for ourselves practically the lesson of perseverance in prayer, which the parable is meant to teach. I. "Men ought ahcays to pray;" that is, contin- ually ; and that for the same blessing. Once let us be sure that our prayer is according to the will of God, and we are told then to " be instant in pray- er." Da,y after day this widow approached the judge's house with the same petition; day after day should our wants, and especially the one want — whatever it may be — that chiefly presses upon us, be laid before the throne of grace. IL "And not to faint." We are apt to faint. W^e pray, and seem to receive no answer; we speak to God, and yet no voice replies ; and so we become discouraged ; we faint ; we are ready to leave off praying. But not if faith be strong. There must be faith, or we cannot really pray at all ; and faith leads us to, persevere in the face of discouragement. True, we see nothing, we hear nothing; yet faith enables us to realize God's nearness, God's pres- THE UNJUST JUDGE. 251 eiice, God's blessing. If we walk by sight, we shall faint ; if we walk by faith, we shall persevere. This is what God would have us to do. He could bless us in a moment with all that we want. If he is pleased to keep us awhile still praying, shall we think desp'ondingly that he hears us not? III. "And shall not God avenge his own elect?" This question is a strong assurance that God will avenge them. And this particular answer to prayer seems drawn directly from the parable. Even the unjust judge at length did justice to the widow : so will God, in answer to their prayers, help all his people who labor under injustice and oppression, sooner or later, in his own good time. But he will also hear prayer of every kind, and help and com- fort and bless in all need. There is not a want which he cannot supply, not one which he icill not supply, if it be really a want. Earnest, persevering- prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, a crying day and night unto God, will never be imheard. ly. Yet our Lord shows that the blessing may be long withheld : " though he bear long with them." It often is so. See that pale and care-worn face. That mother has a son, an ungodly son, and it is care for him that has saddened her face and dim- med her eye. Yet she is a woman of prayer : day and night she lays her son's case before God, and pleads for him with a mother's heart. Let her not doubt, let her not faint. God is bearing long with her, yet he hears her. Only let her pray, and pray again, and wait, and believe. Ah, it is easy to say this, but it is not easy to do it. To hope against 252 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. hope, to endure the heart-sickness of hope deferred, to see no change, no token for good, and yet to pray — this is not easj". Yet it is what God calls us to, and what God promises to bless. We are to cry day and night nnto him, though he bear long with ns. V. Faith is what is wanted — more faith. Whether he find it in many or in few when he comes, let our Lord see faith in us now. Let us lay hold of the promises, and set them against all discouragements. There would be no room for faith if there were no waiting, if we could see all, and see it at once. But faith is the very thing that God requires, and that he is working in us continually. Oh that our faith may be increased ! Oh that the Holy Spirit may teach us to believe more and to pray more ! Oh that all God's promises and all his dealings may- lead us to prajer, to trust, to peace, to joy ! We have to do with no unjust judge, no unkind lord. AVhen we pray, we go to more than a judge, even the justest and kindest. We go to our Father, our reconciled Father in Christ Jesus. Shall we doubt him? He has given us his Son; shall he not with him also freely give us all things ? THE PHArvISEE AND PUBLICAN. 253 XXXIV. Thk Pharisee and the Publican. "And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and des^Dised others : Two men went up into the temple to pray ; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extor- tioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar oflf, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, sajang, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justi- fied rather than the other : for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased ; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." Luke 18 : 9-14. HESE two men went to the same place, at the same time, and for the same pur- pose; 3'et how dijSerent Avere thej in heart and character. There is much difference now also among those who meet together in the house of God, and often even among those who come together in a more private way for prayer and for the hearing of the word. God only knows the heart. But though these two men both went up into the tensile, yet the}' did not worship in the same part of it. It may have been because the Jewish law did not allow the publican to be where the Pharisee was — for there were different courts, to which different classes of people might come — or it 254 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. maj have been through his deep humihtj that the publican " stood afar off," while the Pharisee wor- shipped in the inner part. There are no different courts in the Lord's house now. High and low, male and female, Jew and Gentile, may worship together. The gospel has made all one, What- ever differences there may be in other places, in the house of God all stand on one footing. Thus these two men prayed in different places ; but their prayers were more different still. "The Pharisee stood, and prayed thus with him- self." Some think the meaning to be that he stood by himself and prayed ; and this would quite agi-ee with the general character and practice of the Phar- isees, who thought themselves peculiarly hoh', and wi.shed to keep others at a humble distance from them. At all events, he stood up boldly in his 2:)roud self-righteousness, and spoke the words of prayer apart. Prayer? It is called prayer, because it pro- fessed to be so ; but there was nothing of real prayer in it. The words were addressed to the Almighty: "God, I thank thee;" but his thoughts were upon himself. He was really speaking to him- self, rather than to God. And what words they were ! True, the openmg words show nothing wrong: "God, I thank thee." Fit words indeed with which to begin prayer; but we judge of the feeling fixjm which they sprang by what follows : " God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are. Ill the solemn hour of prayer, how could his THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 255 tliouglits be fixed upon the faults of others ? Had he no sins of his own to confess ? AVhat had he to do with "other men" at such a moment? Who liad taught him to compare himself Avith his neigh- bors, rather than Avith God's holy law? If he had but looked into that perfect law, and compared him- self with it, how different would his feelings and his prayer have been. We can hardly think of any thing less like pra5'er than the words- of this proud Pharisee, standing as in the very presence of God, and thanking Him that he was so much better than others. It may be that there was truth in his words : he may not have been an extortioner, or unjust, or an adulterer; he may have been free from some sins of which the publican, whom he noticed at that moment in a distant part of the temple, had been guilty. But little did he think that, at that very moment, when engaged in the outward act of pray- er, he was guilty of a sin quite as great in the sight of God as extortion, injustice, or adultery. The same word which condemns these, condemns pride also ; and we may believe that there is nothing more displeasing to God than a haughty self-righteous- ness, and a proud despising of others. This was all his prayer. There Avas not a Avord of confession of sin, not one cry for mercy, no ac- knoAvledgment of need, not a petition of any kind, nothing asked for, either temporal or spiritual. In his blind self-satisfaction, he flattered himself, doubtless, that he Avas doing something meritorious in praying, and thought that he Avas bringing some- 256 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. thing to God, whereas lie ought to have gone to God to receive all from him. Now let lis turn to the other man. How difit'er- ent a prajer is his. Even in outward appearance all is different. There he stands, the poor j^ubli- can, afar off. His head is bowed, his eyes are down- cast, he smites upon his breast, and the words of prayer that burst at once from heart and lips are these : " God be merciful to me a sinner !" This was prayer indeed. The publican had learnt what the Pharisee had never learnt. He had come to the knowledge that he was a sinner, and in need of mercy. Doubtless the Pharisee was far superior to him in learning; with every part of the Jewish law he was well acquainted ; he knew probably every fact in Old Testament history, and was well versed in the ceremonial of his religion ; but how much more did this despised and ignorant publican really know than he. All the Pharisee's knowledge was in the head ; the publican's heart had been taught of God. If the publican had been like the Pharisee, he might have said : " God, I thank thee that I am not so bad as others of my trade. I am not wholly set upon gain. I have some care for religion. I come up to thy house to pray." But his thoughts were not upon others, but upon himself ; and not upon his fancied excellence, but upon his sins. He is smitten with a sense of sin ; it weighs upon his soul. He seeks not to hide his sin ; he comes to God just as he is, and sues for mercy. How humbly he sues; with downcast oxe and smitten breast, hardly daring THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN. 257 to pray, yet finding in prayer his only relief. " Can sticli a one as I hope to be forgiven ?" Yes, poor publican; jes, all who are of the publican's spirit. You may hope; for Jesus himself speaks comfort and forgiveness to you. " I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other." Justified; that is, pardoned, acquitted, accepted. The Pharisee con- fessed nothing, asked nothing, received nothing. Proud he came up from his house, proud he Avcnt back again — unhumbled, unblest. The publican went up to the house of God with a heavy burden, the burden of his sins. Did he lose that burden there? Surely we may believe that he did. God, Avho heard Jiis prayer, and granted him mere}', doubtless gave him in his heart the sense of for- giveness. The publican went down to his house comforted as v»'ell as justified. His burden was gone, his sins were forgiven. This comfort, this blessing was not for him alone: "For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and ho that humbleth himself shall be exalted." There is no comfort for the proud and self-righteous; but there is all comfort for the hum- ble and contrite. Jesus has died for sinners: here is the soiTrce of all our hopes. It is when we cast aside all thought of our own goodness, and approach God as sinners, pleading the merits of Christ alone, then it is that we receive pardon and peace. There are still some who try to comfort themselves with the thought of their religious observances, their moral life, their being not so bad as others. But 258 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. this is not the way to pardon, this is not the way to peace. Christ is the way, the only way. We must go to him, casting aside all other hope and depen- dence. " God, be merciful to me a sinner," should be our prayer; and ?re may add, "for Jesus Christ my Saviour's sake;" for we have a blessing that the publican had not. Jesus has died, and we now know clearly that God is "just, and the justifier of him which belie veth in Jesus." Oh, let us beware of proud, heartless, prayerless prayers, with no sorrow for sin, no sense of need, no real asking of God. How much we want; yet not more than God is willing to give. Just as we are, in all our nakedness and need, let us go con- tinually to the throne of grace. Our Advocate is there, the all-prevailing Advocate. "We need not stand afar oif. Through him we may draw near, and come boldly to the throne of grace. LABOKEES IN THE VINEYARD. 259 XXXV. Jhe Laborers in the Vineyard. '• For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a housc- hokler, -which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And -when he had agi'eed -with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his ^-inej-ard. , And he -went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market- place, and said unto them : Go ye also into the vineyard, and what- soever is right I ^^•ill give you. And they went their waj'. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hoiir he went out, and found others stand- ing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the daj- idle ? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard ; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vine- j-ard saith unto his steward, Call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when thej' camo that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should hiive received more ; and they likewise received every man a pen- ny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the hoiise, saying. These last have WTOught but one hour, and thou hast made them eqxial unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong : didst not thou agree with me for a penny ? Take that thine is, and go thy way : I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good' So the last shall be first, and the first last : for nianj' be called, but few chosen." Matt. 20 : 1-1 fi. 5i1ff^j>L>HE key to this parable is to be found h\ in the words that go before and that ^ follow it ; they are almost the same. The parable begins with the word "for," which joins it to the words that go before; 260 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. "But many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first;" and at its close these words are re- peated, in almost the same form, ^Yith others added : " So the last shall be first, and the first last : for many be called, but. few chosen." The explanation must clearly be looked for in these words. Bearing this in mind, let us first go through the parable, and then consider its application. Yinej'ard work was as common in that country as field work is with us. Laborers were often hired by the day only, and it is still the custom in some parts of the East for men to stand in the market- place to be hired. The penny was equal to about seveupence halfpenn}', and a penny was probably the usual day's wages. The day was reckoned by the Jews to begin at six o'clock : it was probably at that hour that the first laborers were hired, and the rest were hired at nine o'clock, twelve o'clock, three o'clock, and five o'clock. When these last were engaged, but one Avorking hour remained. There was nothing unusual in the hiring. Those hired for the whole day were to be paid the usual day's wages, and those hired afterwards were to receive what was right; that is, as they no doubt understood it, in proportion to the time they worked. But when the time of payment came, the laborers were dealt with by the master in a way that must have greatly surprised them. The first who were called to be paid were those hired last, at the elev- enth hour, and they received a whole day's wages. Afterwards those hired at the ninth, sixth, and third LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD. 201 hour were called in succession, and, tliougli it is not mentioned, they too no doubt received the same. The first hired -were the last paid. They had agreed for a penny a day, and that sum they received. But they were discontented. Tliougli it was the sum for Avliich they had bargained, yet they thought them- selves unfairly treated, because others who had not worked nearly so long received the same. The mas- ter, however, would not listen to their complaint. There was no ground for it. Might he not do Avliat he would with his OAvn ? Might he not give to whom he pleased ? For a whole day's pay for an hour's work was almost a free gift. What was it to them if he chose to show such kindness ? Let them take their due, and depart. He liad kept nothing from them of what was their right, though he had given to others what was far beyond their right. The opening words of the parable show us that it is one of those in which our Lord teaches us about the kingdom of heaven ; that is, the gospel dispen- sation, and God's dealings with men under it. And the particular lesson here taught is that God claims the ri^ht of dealing with men according to his sov- ereigii will, and that men's place hereafter, with regard to each other, will by no means always agree with their place now. There are two distinct times maiked out in the parable : the hiring and working-time on tlie one hand, and the paying-time on the other. The for- mer represents the present state, the latt(>.r the fu- ture. In the present state, men are called into the outward ami "sisiblo cliureh at different times in 262 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. their life, and some enjoy greater advantages and some less, and some fill higher stations and some lower. When the great day of account arrives, many changes will be made, " many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first." Many a one who was the child of pious parents, and was brought up from his youth in the knowledge of Go d and in the habits of religion, will be placed below one who had no such early advantages, and was brought to know God only late in life. Many who filled a high station in the church on earth, whose names were well known and whose influence was great, will then have to take their place below some of the poor and unlearned ; poor, yet rich in faith and in good works ; unlearned in the wisdom of this world, yet truly taught of God. For God judges not by the outward appearance, but by the heart; and even now in his sight many of the first are last, and the last first. What goes before the parable seems to show that we are to apply this even to worldly advan- tages. The young man who came to Christ had great possessions, in that respect he was among the first; Peter and the other disciples were poor, for even what they had they had given up for the sake of following Christ, they were therefore among the last ; yet, while that unhappy young man would have no treasure in heaven because he would not leave all and follow Christ, Peter and all true dis- ciples should receive a hundredfold, and should inherit everlasting life. Thus the first should be last, and the last first. The first in riches would LABOREES IN THE VINEYAED. 263 find those very riches a hinderance iu their way, a hinderaiice from which the poor would be free. But in the parable all the laborers received the same : how does this fall in with some being first and some last hereafter? The parable and the lesson seem here not to agree. Perhaps they were not meant to agree on this point; for there are many parts in the parables which form only the circumstances, or scenery, so to speak, without teaching any special lesson. Yet there is more agreement here than appears at first sight. For though the men who were hired last received only the same as those who were hired first, the same and no more, yet for the work done they received a great deal more ; the first hired received a penny for a Avhole day's work, the last received the same for one hour ; they were paid at a far higher rate, and so were first. Besides, they were paid first iu order of time. Whether much weight is to be given to this or not, at least it goes some way to help us out of the difiiculty; for certainly the last hired were the first paid, and so the last were first. Another question arises. What kind of people exactly arc we to understand by those who are first now but will be last hereafter ? The parable rep- resents them as really called to work in the vine- yard, and bearing the burden and heat of the day, and receiving wages. This would lead us to think them true Christians, though not of so high a stamp as those of the other class. But the case of the rich young man seems to prove the contrar}-; for he, as far as we know, never gained any part in^ 264 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. the kingdom of heaven. Again, those who were hired first murmured at the others' receivinsr as much as they ; but will any true Christian murmur at the grace and mercy bestowed on others, or at any of God's dealings under the gospel? The question is by no means without difl&culty; but I am disposed on the whole to take the words in the widest and most general sense. Those who are first now comprise those who are foremost in vari- ous res]3ects; first in rank, first in wealth, first in gifts and influence, first in point of time, first in religious advantages, first in station in the church. Some such are true Christians, but some are not so ; some there are who have nothing of Christ but the name, and though they are outwardly members of his church, and thus by profession working in the Master's vinej'ard, and that perhaps all their life long, 3'et are not really his. It must be ob- served that our Lord's words are, " Blany that are first shall be last," not all. This view is confirmed by what our Lord says at the close of the parable, "for many be called, but few chosen." The few chosen mean true Christians, real spiritual members of the church of Christ; the many called mean all professing Chris- tians, Avhetlier real or nominal only. Those who will be first hereafter must be the chosen ; those who will be last must as certainly comprise num- bers who are called but not chosen, Christians in name but not in heart. True, there is another difficulty that meets us here. All the laborers received at the close of the LABOEEES IN THE VINEYAED. 2G5 day, and received the same ; how then cau some of them represent true disciples, and some nominal Christians? We must not forget our hey. Our Lord's words before and after the parable mark a clear difference between Avhat will be received by tlie two classes, especiall}' the words that follow the parable, "for many be called, but few chosen." Either, therefore, the equal sum received by all is merely one of the circumstances of the parable, or it has a meaning in agreement Avith the key. In the latter case the meaning may be somewhat as follows : Though the sum received by all was the same, yet in some cases it was what had been bargained for, the just wages and no more, in others it v>'as a gift. The penny therefore may be meant to repre- sent to us a different thing in the one case from that which it represents in the other. The laborer hired at the beginning of the day bargained for a penny, and a penny he received. God will never give a man less than his due. The self-righteous man, the formalist, the nominal Christian, the sin- ner, will receive the due rcAvard of his deeds, though that will not be eternal life. AYhat he receives, such as it is, he has earned. A penny, the usual day's wages, seems fitly to represent this. But the laborer hired at the eleventh hour made no bargain at all, but trusted to the master to give him what should be right, and at the close of the day received far more than he had earned. In the former case, justice paid the wages; in this case, it is grace that confers the gift. We may trace this difference in 266 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LORD. the very words of the parable: "Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy wa3^" Here is not a Avord of favor, mercy, or giving ; it is bare justice: "I do thee no wrong;" that is alh But in the other case how different is the tone ! " I will give unto this last even as unto thee." " Is thine eye evil because I am good?" Here we see goodness and grace concerned. Some have objected that the penny is thus made to mean one thing in the one case, and another thing in the other : in the one case, the gift of eter- nal life through grace; in the other, that which a man receives as the fruit of his own works. The difficulty is acknowledged ; nevertheless it does not seem fatal to this view. Let a few words of a practical kind close the subject. I. Let us have a deep conviction that all that God does is right. Even if we cannot see that it is so, let us humbly believe it. Here we see through a glass darkly, but hereafter we shall see face to face. II. Let us trust in no mere outward advanta- ges, whether temporal or spiritual; riches, station, power, the means of grace, a religious name, a high position of usefulness. Let us seek earnestly, that we may not be of the number of those who are first now, but shall be last hereafter. Let us seek to be humble, true, sincere, and of a spiritual mind. III. If God has placed us among the last and lowest now, yet let us not complain, nor let us LABOEEES IN THE VINEYAED. 207 think that we cannot serve him. We may be poor or afflicted ; we may have veiy little knowledge, and very few opportunities of doing good. Let ns take meekly and thankfull}' what God sends. We shall not always be poor; nay, we are not poor noM', if we have Christ. Oar affliction is but a light affliction, and it is but for a moment. We are drawing near to the world to come, and there we shall find an exceeding and eternal weight of glory. And though our lot be low, yet can we do nothing for our Lord? And though we may but lately have learnt to know him, yet can we not w^ork for him for the rest of our day? Only let us love him, and he will find us something to do, and we shall gladly do it. IV. Let none put off the great concern. As soon as they were called, at Avhatever hour of the day it was, these men went into the vineyard. Some, who are continually being called, are still putting off obeying the call. They " will obey later in life, not now." This is dangerous work. Your day may come to a close before you are aware. Now is the accepted time. V. It was not through their own fault that some, in the parable, stood all the day idle : no man had hired them. But this cannot be said of those who are trifling life away, doing God no service, and making no preparation, for eternity. They are standing idle, and some have reached almost the end of their day ; yet they have been called again and again, and are called still. Well may the words be addressed to such, "Whv stand ve here 268 THE PAKABLES OF OUR LOED. all the da}^ idle?" Eternity is near. You can never have your day again. Too much of your life has been Avasted alreadj^ yet some remains. Do not waste what is left. " Go ye also into the vineyard." Join yourselves to Christ by faith. Listen to him. Receive him as your Saviour. Fol- low him, serve him, do his will. Then he will give you, not wages, but the gift of eternal life. THE POUNDS. 269 XXXVl. The Pounds. "And as they heard these things, he added and si-)ake a para- ble, because he M-as nigh to Jerusalem, and becaiase thej' thought that the kingdom of God should immediatelj' appear. He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. And he called his ten ser- vants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occu- jiy till I come. But his citizens hated him, and sent a message alter him, saying, We will not have this man to reign over us. And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading. Then came the first, say- ing, Lord, thy pound hath gained ten poiinds. And he said unto him. Well, thou good servant : because thou hast been faithful in a very little, have thou authorit}' over ten cities. And the second came, saying, Lord, thy jiound hath gained five ijoimds. And he said likewise to him. Be thou also over five cities. And another came, saying. Lord, behold, here is thy jDOiind, which I have kept laid up in a napkin : for I feared thee, because thou art an austere man : thoti takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow. And he saith unto him. Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant. Thou knewest that I was an austere man, taking up that I laid not down, and reaping that I did not sow: wherefore then gavest not thou mj' money into the bank, that at my coming I might have rccpiired mine own with usury ? And he said lauto them that stood by. Take from him the pound, and give it to him that hath ten pounds. (And they said unto him. Lord, he hath ten i>ouuds.) For I say unto you. That unto every one that hath shall be given ; and from him that hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hiiher, and slav them before me." Luke 19 : 11-27. 270 THE TAEABLES OF OUR LOED. 'T was long before the disciples learnt that tlieir Master did not come to be a king like other kings, and that his king- dom was not to be fully established imme- diately. They clung to the notion that he was going to deliver their nation from bondage, and to reign over it himself; and now that they were getting near to Jerusalem, the capital of the country', they persuaded themselves that he was on the very point of doing so. Our Lord spoke this parable to set them right. The disciples would have been glad to see their Master a king at once, for then doubtless they would have had a share in his power and glory. So they thought, and so they wished; but it was not so to be. He was first going away for a time. Far from reigning with him yet, they were to lose even his presence ; and while he was absent they were to icork for him. No work, no rest; no cross, no crown. They were to pass through much before they should be with him in his kingdom of glor3\ It seems likely that in the early part of this par- able our Lord alluded to a public event that had actually happened a few years before, and must- have been still fresh in the minds of all. The coun- try was at this time under the power of the Ro- mans ; but the Bomans used to let a Jewish prince reign over a part of it at least, with the title of king, and with some of the power of a king. Archelaus, son of Herod the Great, reigned in this way. About thirty years before this parable was spoken, he THE POUNDS. 271 " went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return." That is to say, he went to Kome to get his claim to be king allowed and established by the Eoman government. This was of course well known to the disciples as being a great public event that had happened in their own country but a few years before. Our Lord hkens himself, by way of parable, to this prince. He too was going into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. He. was about to go to heaven, to his Father; thence, after a time, he would return, and then his kingdom would be fully set up upon eartli, and he would reign as a king indeed. But this was not to be yet; he was not then even gone. Now he has been gone for above eighteen hundred years, but he has not yet re- turned. We do not know in whose liands Archelaus left his concerns while he was absent at Eome ; but in the parable our Lord represents the nobleman or prince as delivering ten pounds to his ten servants, a pound to each, Avith this charge : " Occupy till I come." This pound is generally thought to have ' been equal to about £3 sterling; but some sup- pose it to have been worth much more. What- ever the value of it was, each servant was to turn liis pound to the best account by trading with it; for that is here the meaning of the word "occupy." Tlius Christ, our Lord, has left to us his servants that which Ave arc to turn to account in his service. To eacli of us he has given something; to each he has said, " Occupy till I come." The pound, in our 272 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. case, does not mean money only, but every thing else tliat God lias given us, and that may be use- fully employed. We are to make the most of all, and that with a view to our Lord's return, always bearing it in mind, " Occupy till I come.'' Then he will reckon with us. In the parable, the citizens or people of the kingdom over whom the nobleman wished to reign, hated him, and when he was gone, sent a message after him, declaring that they did not desire him for their king. This actually took place in the case of Archelaus, He had already exercised authority over the Jev.'ish people for some time, though not yet settled in the kingdom by the Romans; the Jews therefore knew his character, and hj no means wished him to be their ruler ; so they sent ambas- sadors after him to Rome, to beg the Roman empe- ror not to make him king. He was made king, not- withstanding, and we may be sure that on his return he showed little mercy to those who had opposed him. It seems likely that our Lord in the parable alludes to this. As the Jews had refused Archelaus as their temporal king, so would they refuse Christ as their spiritual King and Saviour. True, the cases are not altogether alike, for the Jews had probably good reason for fearing Archelaus, whereas they ought gladly to have welcomed Christ; but the like- ness is in the rejection : " We will not have this man to reign over us." This is what the Jews, as a na- tion, said with regard to Jesus. They would not believe in him, or receive him as the Messiah ; they would not submit to him. Not only while he was THE POUNDS. 273 on earth, but after he was gone, they refused, and they do refuse still. Thus they do, as it were, send a message after him, refusing his authority. Oh, that the day may speedily come when that nation shall turn and acknowledge Jesus as the Christ, and once more enjo}^ the favor of God, But all impen- itent sinners do likewise in fact thus reject Christ. They send no message indeed; few dare to say in words, " We will not have this man to reign over us;" but they say so by their lives. They may call themselves by his name, and acknowledge him in outward form ; but they close their hearts against him, and do not seek to do his will. This is the case with thousands who bear the name of Chris- tian. It is the case with them nou\ While Jesus is gone, while yet we wait for his return from that far country, this is their state of heart and life : " We will not have this man to reign over us." It is an awful state ; for he will return, and return to reisjn. The next event that comes in the parable — no longer probably referring to Archelaus — is the no- bleman's return, having received the kingdom. The first thing he does is to reckon with the servants to whom he had given the pounds. Three cases out of the ten are mentioned. The first servant had been most diligent and successful: his pound had gained ten pounds. He received high praise, and was set over ten cities in the newly-gotten king- dom. The second had been diligent also ; but his success, and probably his diligence, had not been so great as that of the first. He had, liOAvever, 12* 274 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. gained five pounds, and was made ruler over five cities. But the third servant had nothing to bring to his master save the pound which he had received of him. He had not lost it, but he had done noth- ing to make it more. He had laid it up in a safe place, and now sought to excuse himself by the character of his lord. "For I feared thee," said he, " because thou art an austere man : thou takest up that thou layedst not down, and reapest that thou didst not sow." A strange reason indeed to give for his conduct. It was the very reason for not doing as he had done. " Out of thine own mouth will I judge thee, thou wicked servant," was his lord's reply. If he thought his master so stern and strict, though w^e are not to suppose him so really, why did he not act accordingly ? Why did he not at least put the money out at interest, that some increase might be made against the master's return ? The servants and the citizens Avere plainh' two diiferent classes. The servants meant our Lord's disciples, who required to be taught that they had to wait for their Lord's return, and mean- while to work diligently in his service ; the citizens meant the Jewish nation at large. In applying the parable to ourselves, Ave may take the citizens to mean people in general, and the servants those who make a profession of serious rehgion, and do in some measure engage in the service of God. Our Lord teaches us by the case of the Uyo faithful servants, not only that all such will be rewarded hereafter, but that their reward will be in propor- THE POUNDS. 275 tion to their service. The man who had gained ten pounds was set over ten cities; he who had gained five pounds, over five. Even a cup of cold water given in the name of a discijDle will not lose its reward; the smallest service of love will be ac- knowledged; but large service will be largely re- warded, and a life of peculiar zeal and devotedness will receive a special blessing : j-et all of grace, not of debt. The reward given to these servants was a mere matter of favor, for they did no more than they were bound to do. Christ our Master gra- ciously speaks to us his servants of a reward, but it Avill be his free gift. We shall not have earned it, we shall not deserve it, yet he will give it ; and the thought is a great and wholesome encourage- ment to the servants of Christ in their work. But what does the case of the dotlifal serrant teach? That Christ expects some profitable ser- vice from all. It is not euough that w'S do no harm ; we must do good. Our pound is not to be laid up in a napjiin, but used diligently in our Lord's service. Life is given us to serve him with, life and all that it brings us. Our Master is not an austere master, but gracious and kind, haviiig compassion on our infirmities, and willing at all times to give us help and comfort ; yet his Avord to us all is, " Occupy till I come ;" and he will surely look for a return for what he has given. Let each servant consider where his pound now is; for each has one somewhere, either lying idle, or being used for the Master with more or less of diligence and perseverance. 276 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOED. Thfe pound Avas taken from the slothful servant, and given to him who had gained ten. Those who had orders to do this objected at first, "Lord, he hath ten pounds ;" but their master persisted, giv- ing this reason for so doing: "Unto every one which hath shall be given, and from him which hath not, even that he hath shall be taken away from him." It was the nobleman in the parable who said this. He would deal thus with his ser- vants : the slothful servant should be no more trusted with any of his goods; whereas the faithful should be abundantly rewarded, and trusted with what was taken from the slothful. So, when our Lord returns, nothing will be left in the liands of his unfaithful and unprofitable servants ; they will be stripped of all. But the diligent and faithful, who have made the fullest use of what was com- mitted to them here below, will be greatly promo- ted. They will receive such honor and dignitj- as will surprise both themselves and others. The King will delight to honor thos^e who shall have honored him by their faithful and zealous service. Thus the prince acted towards his servants; but there were yet the citizens to be dealt with, who had refused to have him as their king. What was their sentence ? " Those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring- hither and slay them before me." We know not whether Archelaus took such vengeance .as this on those who had opposed him, or whether this part of the parable is more general in its mean- ing : but this vve know, that " the Lord Jesus shall THE POUNDS. 277 be revealed from heaven with his migjity angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." He now invites as a Saviour, and Avill bless as a gracious king all who receive him and submit to him ; but it will be a fearful thing to meet him in a state of rebellion. " Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him." 278 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. XXXVII. jHB T ALENTS. "For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods. And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one ; to every man according to his several ability ; and straightway took his journey. Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents. And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two. But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them. And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, say- ing. Lord, Thou delivered st unto me five talents : behold I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant : thou hast been faith- ful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy lord. He also that had received two talents came and said. Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents : behold I have gained two other talents beside them. His lord said unto him. Well done, good and faithful servant ; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy lord. Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art a hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hasc not strewed : and I was afraid, aiid went and hid thy talent in the earth : lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him. Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strewed-: thou oughtest therefore to have piit my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury. Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents. For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance : but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Matt. 25 : 14-30. THE TALENTS. 279 (.~v~^ HIS parable is in some respects much like the parable of the pounds, and some of the lessons which it teaches are the same ; for we have here a master going ^'^ into a far countr}^ and giving his property into the hands of his servants, and then after a time coming back and reckoning with them ; we find here also two faithful servants who traded with their master's property and made it more, and one who kept it in useless idleness ; and lastly, we see the talent taken from the slothful servant and given to him who had ten talents, and the slothful servant punished. In these respects the parables are alike; j-ct they are not the same. In the first place, this parable was spoken at or near Jerusalem ; the other at Jericho, in the house of Zaccheus. Again, the parables themselves are so different that it is impossible to take the two passages in which they are contained as only differ- ent versions of the same parable. Nor does their being alike in some points make any real difficultj-. It was not at all unlikely that our Lord should make use of the same figure in his teaching at Jerusalem as he had done shortly before at Jeri- cho ; or that, in doing so, he should yet make a difference. Such seems to be the trutli of the case. These are two parables, spoken on different occa- sions, having a general likeness, and yet unlike in several points. In this parable the sums given to the servants 280 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. "were different ; to one were given five talents, to another two, to another only one. Each received according to his ability, that is, his siipposed ]oower to manage the sum profitably. Whatever the value of the talent was, (and it is reckoned to have been worth a great deal more than the pound in the other parable,) the sums were different — the largest was five times as great as the smallest. So God does not give to all alike. Some he places in a high station, some in a low one ; each in that for which he sees him to be fit. One man he makes rich, another poor ; to one he gives great powers of mind, and the means of getting learning ; another has small abilities and few opportunities. We are not therefore to envy one another, or to wish for the gifts or stations of others. It should be enough for us that our heavenly Master has placed us where we are, and given us what we have, be it much or little. He knows best. Our main desire should be, not to have more, but to use well what we have. . If it be but one talent, while others have five, yet much may be done with the one. At all events, it is what our Master has seen fit that we should have. Why did he who had received the one talent do nothing with it but bury it in the ground? The reason he gave was just the same as that given by the man in the other parable. He was afraid, he said; for he tliought his master a hard man, bent upon getting even more profit than could be fairly expected, and therefore little likely to make allow- ance for failure or loss; so, to guard against these, he hid the money in the earth — there it would at THE TALENTS. 281 least be safe, though it could make no profit. Uu- godly men, and unfaithful servants of Christ, have very wrong notions of Him who is their Master. They fear God, instead of loving him; fear him, not in a scriptural and right way, but with a feeling of dread and alarm. They do not know him as the God of grace and love. The}' little think how kind he is to his servants, how ready to make allowance for them, and to help them. They have no grati- tude and love, leading them to desire to do his will ; and being thus without motive, they shrink from responsibilities which they ought to undertake, and are content to do nothing. The man in the para- ble, Avhen he said that he was afraid, doubtless made the best of his case ; and when such persons as I have mentioned refuse to take part in good works, because, as they say, they fear the responsi- bility of doing so, they are probably much more influenced by mere sloth and self-indulgence. There is another reason which sometimes leads people to act like the man who buried his talent. Because their gifts are small and their opportuni- ties few, therefore they despise them. If they were richer, or more learned, or if they lived in a differ- ent kind of place, and had more people to whom they could do good, or more waj-s open to them of working for God, how gladly, think they, would they lead an active and useful life! But as it is, it seems to them not worth while to tr^-. They see nothing they can do that is worth doing. Thus, having but one talent, they go and bury it in the earth. If they had five or two, they would trade 282 THE PARABLES OF OUE LORD. with them diligently — so they think. But would they? There is no reason whatever to suppose that he who neglects small opportunities, would make use of great ones ; or that one who lets his own talent go unemplo^'ed, would do any better if he could exchange with his neighbor. The man with one talent was just as much bound to do his best with it as the man with five. The person whose means of serving God seem the smallest, is as much bound to serve Him in his measure as he whose means are largest ; and faithful service will receive an equal reward, whether the talents have been many or few. For, in this parable, the man who brought his master two talents received as rich a blessing as he who brought five. The words of blessing spoken to both are the same. It is not as it was in the other parable. And why? Because here the sums intrusted to the servants were different : one had five talents given to him, the other only two. When therefore this last brought two talents more, he received equal praise with him who brought five, for he had shown equal faithfulness and diligence. Our Master expects from us according to what he Jias given to us. " If there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not." This is how God is graciously pleased to accept our offerings, and this is how he will judge of our use of his gifts in general. In the great day of account, many of the poor and humble will doubtless receive as rich a blessing as those who have been far above them in THE TALENTS. 283 this life, however faithfully these last may have employed their talents. It Avas "after a long time," that the master came and reckoned Avitli his servants. Long as the time Avas, however, the faithful servants never forgot that lie was coming back, but persevered in making the most of their talents up to tlie very lionr of liis return. Not so tlie slothful servant. It appears that no sooner was his master gone, than he went and buried bis talent. If afterwards lie ever had uneasy tliouglits about the reckoning, probably the long time helped.him to get rid of them. " M}' lord dela^-eth his coming" — such was his feeliug; and, not being engaged in liis service, but occupied in his oAvn concerns, he most likely seldom gave a thought to the buried talent or to his lord's return. It is so now. The faithful servants of Christ are continually looking for his coming, and though the time is long, yet is their faith not shaken; they know that he will come, and while the tlionght stirs them up to a diligent use of their talents, that very use helps to keep his coming in their mind. The slothful and careless, on the contrary, forget the coming of the Lord, as they forget their talents and their responsibility. The time is long, and yet he does not come. All things go on as usual. They are busied in their own affairs. All besides is for- gotten, or almost forgotten. How will they meet him when he comes? And what account Mill the}' give ? The slothful servant in this parable was dealt with in the same way as the one in the other para- 284 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED, ble ; lie was trusted no longer, he lost all, the talent was taken from him, and he received his master's stern condemnation as a "wicked and slothful ser- vant." But this parable carries us a step farther, and shows us his awful end : " And cast 5-e the un- profitable servant into outer darkness : there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Whatever this might mean in the parable itself, whatever dark underground dungeon this unhappy man was to be thrust into, we know well what the meaning is with regard to those who are unfaithful to Christ. The outer darkness represents that awful world, where the light of God's countenance never shines, and into which no hope ever comes; the "weeping and gnashing of teeth " describe the despair of the lost. But is not this, it may be asked, the doom of gross and outrageous sinners — the robber, the mur- derer, the adulterer, the blasphemer? Can this be what lies before one. who is but a slothful servant ? Yes, it is so. There is nothing in this parable' about the robber, the blasphemer, and such like. It is the case of the man who buried his talent in the earth that is described, and that alone. But ho is called loicked, as well as slothful; his slothfulness was wickedness in his master's sight, and so is that of the unfaithful servants of Christ. For his ser- vants they are, by right and responsibility, though unfaithful and useless servants. Oh, how will some wish that they could have their time on earth again, and once more have tal- ents intrusted to them which they might improve ! How bitter will be the thought, that once thev had THE TALENTS. 285 gospel offers and gospel means ; tliat the}' had the service of Christ proposed to them, talents intrusted to them, and the coming of Christ set before them as that for which the}' should prepare ! And now, that time, that state, is past for ever. These thoughts have come too late. They would not think seri- ously while they might, but trifled life away, with no thought of its responsibilities, till at lengtli the end came. Ah, let not yoio- thoughts come too late. Think in time — think now. Consider your talents, your responsibility, your great account, and the coming of your Lord. The time may be long, yet he will come. Let him not find your talent buried, and vou not looking for his cominp;-. 28G THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. XXXVIII. The Two Sons. "A certain man had two sons : and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not : but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir : and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father ? They say unto him. The first. Jesus saith unto them. Verily I say i;nto you. That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not : but the j)iiblicans and the harlots believed him : and ye, when ye have seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him." Matt. 21:28-32. '^.yHIS parable is not difficult to iiiuler- r^ stand, for it is one of those whicli our Lord liimself explained. He bad been speaking to the chief priests and elders about John the Baptist. Now many oj^eu sinners had repented at the preaching of John; but the priests /and dders had not repented. The son who said, " I go, sir, and went not," rep- resented them ; the other son, who at first refused to go, but afterwards repented and went, repre- sented the penitent^^sinners, the43iiblicans and har- lots. These last had lived in wilful sin, making no pretence of obeying God, but saying by their conduct, "I will not." The Jewish rulers, on the other hand professed to serve God, and, whatever their lives might really be, probably kept up a THE TWO SONS. 287 decent outward ajipearance. But tliey did not really serve God ; their hearts were not given to him; they said, and did not. When John came preaching repentance, and preparing the waj' of Christ, they did not believe or repent; and even afterwards, when they saw numbers turned to God by his means, they still remained impenitent. Thus the despised publicans and harlots entered into the kingdom of God before the proud scribes and Phar- isees. But though this was the first and direct appli- cation of the parable, it may properly be applied more widely. There are still sinners wdio repent at the preaching of the gospel ; and there are still people answering to these Jewish priests and elders, professing godliness, but in reality far from the kingdom of God. Our Lord does not here justify sinners, as sin- ners; he takes these publicans and harlots in their changed condition, after the}' have repented and believed, and then declares that they find admit- tance into the kingdom of God. If they had re- mained impenitent, they must have perished. The son in the parable Avas wrong to say, " I will not," though his conduct afterwards was right. Nor does our Lord condemn a^^j^i'ofession of religion, as such, but only a vain and empty pro- fession. The other son was right in what he said, though wrong in what he did. Many people excuse themselves thus for an imgodly life, " I make no profession." AYe ougld to make a profession, only it should be a real and true profession. 288 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LORD. It is not clear tliat these JeAvisli rulers were all hypocrites, though probably many of them were. Some perhaps, mistook profession for reality, and flattered theidselves that they were in the right way, because their lives did not show those gross sins which appeared in many around them. There is much danger of this. A gross sinner, when he thinks at all, must know that he is in the wrong, and that he stands in need of a great change. A man of a decent and moral life, on the other hand, who lives in no oi^en sin, and attends to the out- Avard parts of religion, is apt to think that no such change is required in him. His eyes are not open- ed to see Avhat sin is in its spirit; and, abstaining as he does from its grosser forms, he thus keeps conscience asleep. But sin has many different forms; and who shall venture to say which is the most offensive in the sight of God ? We see two men, one leading a life of gross sin, the other living decent!}", though show- ing no sign of spiritual religion. Without giving much thought to the subject, Ave set donii the gross sinner at once as the worse man of the two. But is that judgment certainly right ? There are what may be called smooth sins, as well as rough sins ; and if that man of decent life be covetous, extor- tionate, unmerciful, proud, or self-righteous, who can sa}^ how God looks upon him as compared Avitli the other? Siu of every kind is condemned in Scripture, and condemned equally, though man has made distinctions. The great practical point for each to consider THE TWO SONS. 289 from tlie parable is this : what is my religion ? Is it a mere profession, a decent hfc, an abstaining from gross sin ? Is it no better than the obedience of him who said, " I go, sir ; and went not ?" Is it a name, or a reality? a thing of the heart, or a thing of the tongue only ? Has any change taken place in mo, any repenting, any believing, any com- ing to Jesus, to that very Saviour to whom John the Baptist pointed ? They are very solemn words of our Lord, words that should raise serious thoughts in many a heart ; "Yerily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of heaven before you.'' Before whom ? Before hypocrites, before mere professors, before those who say and do not, before those who have a name to live and are dead. Great and awful is the danger of all sinners ; but that man seems in greatest danger, who is priding him- self on a moral life, and wrapping himself up in the fancied security of his own merits. God's grace can change any heart ; but, humanly speaking, the gross sinner, who knows himself to be in the wrong way, is more likely to be brought to God than the smooth offender who fancies himself in the right way already. For both there is but one way, the Living Way, Jesus Christ. His grace can reach all, his blood can cleanse sinners of every shade. He has opened the' gate of mercy to publicans and harlots, to self- deceivers, yea, even to the self-righteous, if they will cast aside all other dependence, and simply look to him. l>«r,U,I.^ ■ 13 290 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. XXXIX. The Wicked Husbandmen. "A certain man planted a vineyard, and set a hedge about it, and digged a i^lace for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. And again he sent unto them another servant ; and at him they east stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. And again he sent another ; and him they killed, and many others ; beating some, and killing some. Having yet there- fore one son, his well-beloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying. They will reverence my son. But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do ? he will come and destroy the husband- men, and will give the vineyard unto others. And have ye not read this scripture ; The stone which the builders rejected is be- come the head of the corner : This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? And they soTight to lay hold on him, but feared the people : for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them: and they left him, and went their way." Makk 12 : 1-12 ; see also Matt. 21 ; Luke 20. ^_ HIS parable is found in all the gospels, except that of St. John, and with very little difference. There is no doubt about its meaning, or about the persona to whom our Lord meant to apply it; for we read that the chief priests and Pharisees themselves "knew that he had spoken the parable against them." Con- THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN. 291 science told them so, and tliey were right; our Lord did not contradict their thought. The Jewish teachers were well acquainted with their own Scriptures, and this parable no doubt at once brought to their minds the fifth chapter of the prophecy of Isaiah, in which the same figure of a vineyard is used: "My well-beloved hath a vine- j-ard in a very fruitful hill : and he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein." That par- able of the Old Testament was meant, as they well knew, to describe the Jewish nation,, "for the vine- yard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judali his pleasant plant." T\'hen therefore the Jewish teachers heard our Lord use the same figure, (though in rather a difi'erent way,) and when they heard him go on to describe con- duct which exactly agreed with their fathers' and their own, they well understood that he spoke the parable against ihcm. The vineyard, which the man in the parable planted with so much care, represented the Jewish church established by Almighty God. The rest of the world was in spiritual darkness, but God chose the Jewish nation to be enlightened hy his word, and to enjoy religious privileges. Thus this nation occupied, as it were, an enclosed place. While the rest of the world was spiritually in a wild and des- ert state, the Jews were in a vineyard carefully prepared for them.. Every provision was made for their good, their comfort, and their usefulness. As 292 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LOKD. in the parable there were the hedge, the wine- press, and the tower, so did God give them laws and ordinances which fenced them off from other nations and their idolatrous practices, and prom- ised them his protection, and taught them how to serve and please him. They were the husbandmen who were to occupy the vineyard. It was not theirs, but it was let out to them as tenants. But tenants have rent to pay; and in ancient times, and in eastern countries, rent was often paid in kind ; no money passed, but a part of the prod- uce of the land went to the landlord as his rent. Accordingly, at the season for gathering the grajDes, this householder sent to the husbandmen for his share of the fruit. But, instead of giving it, they ill-treated his servants ; and when he sent again and again, they still refused, and only used his messengers worse and worse, "beating some, and killing some." This part of the parable represents the way in which the Jews treated God's messen- gers, the prophets. God looked for fruit from them, in return for their religious light and knowl- edge, the fruit of righteousness ; and prophets were sent from time to time, as his messengers, to de- clare his will to them, to speak to them his word, and to call them to repentance. But they would not listen to the messengers of God. Some right- eous doubtless there always were among them, but, as a nation, they rebelled against God, and rejected and ill-treated his servants. Our Lord himself re- proached them for this : " O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN. 21)3 are sent unto thee." The martyr Stephen did the same : " TMiich of the prophets have not j'our fa- thers persecuted ?" Thus did the Je^YS, generation after generation, treat the messengers of God. The owner of the vineyard, finding it useless to send servants, at length determined to send his only and well-beloved son. " They wall reverence my son," said he. But on the contrary, these wicked husbandmen now went farther than ever in crime. Far from reverencing their master's son, no sooner did the}^ set eyes on him than they determined to put him to death. "This is the heir," said they; "come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours." This plan they carried out at once. " They took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard." We know what this means. In the ful- ness of time God sent his Son, his only and well- beloved Sou, into the world, and first to the Jewish nation. But the Jews rejected him, and caused him to be put to death. They ought to have rever- enced him ; for his coming had been foretold, and gracious words and wonderful works, and even a voice from heaven, proclaimed him to be the Son of God. Instead of this, they filled up the measure of their iniquities by crucifying the Lord of glory ; the Jewish rulers thinking that they would thus keep the power which they possessed over the people, and that so the inheritance would be theirs. We may perhaps apply these last words in this way ; or it may be that this plan of the husbandmen is but the filling up of the story of the parable, and has no application to the Jews ; especially as in the para- 294 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. ble tlie liusbanclmen kneAv and ackno\yleclged their lord's son, while the Jews, on the other hand, denied that Jesus was the Son of God. We cannot but be struck with the proof here given that our blessed Lord is the divine Son of God. How great a difference is made in the para- ble between the servants and the son ! Probably the lord of the vineyard sent the highest and best of his servants on gucli an errand ; yet his sending his son, his " one son, his well-beloved," is spoken of as a distinct thing altogether ; they were but servants — this was his son. In the opening of the epistle to the Hebrews we find the same great distinction made between the ancient messengers of God and the Son of God : " God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Prophets and apostles were but men — ^good, holy, devoted, and even inspired, yet still but men ; Jesus Christ is the only-begotten Son of God; himself God as well as man. The story of the parable leaves off at this point. The husbandmen have slain the son and cast him out of the vineyard. " When the lord therefore of the vinej^ard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?" Our Lord put this question, and it was answered by those who heard him; not per- haps by the scribes and Pharisees, but by some of the multitude. " He will miserably destroy those wicked men," said they, " and will let out his vine- THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN. 295 jixvd unto otlier liusbandmen, which shall reudei' him the fruits iu their seasons." Thus we read in St. Matthew. In 8t. Luke's account it would rather seem that our Lonl himself gave the answer to his own question, for it is added : " And Avhen they heard it, they said, God forbid," or, Let it not be so. But it may be that some of the multitude, thinking only of tlie story, gave that answer, and that then others of those present, who saw that our Lord meant the story to apply to the Jews, said : "God forbid!" But our Lord pressed the application home to them, reminding them of what was written in their own Scriptures: "The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes ;" and adding, according to St. Matthew : " Therefore say I unto you. The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken : but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." None of those who heard him could any longer be in doubt as to his meaning. As the vineyard in the parable would be taken from the husbandmen, so should God's presence and favor, and the means of grace, and 'the gospel, be taken from the ungrateful and unbe- llieving Jews, and bestowed on others, that is, on the Gentiles ; because the Jews were about to act like the husbandmen ; already they were refusing to acknowledge Christ, and soon they would put him to death. 296 THE PAKABLES OF OUR LORD. The passage about the stone hardly belongs to the parable, yet it is mixed u-p with it. 'It is taken from the 118th Psalm, and is undoubtedly a proph- ecy about Christ, whatever other meaning it may have. Jesus was the stone, the chief corner-stone ; but the builders, the Jewish rulers, rejected him ; yet this stone was to be the head of the corner, Jesus was to be the head of his church. Whoever should- fall on this stone, whoever through unbelief should cause Christ to be to them as a stumbling- stone or rock of offence, should be hrol'en, should suffer a great injury, to say the least ; but on whom- soever it should fall, it should grind him to powder ; all obstinate unbelievers, who should set themselves in opposition to Christ, and refuse to the last to obey him, must in the end be crushed by his al- mighty power, and j)erish for ever. But does this relate to the Jews only ? Surely not. If they, as a nation, have been cast off for a time on account of their rejection of Christ, how shall the sinner, the careless, the unbeliever, the man wdio is a Christian in name only, but brings forth no fruit to God, how shall he escape ? Such a man is in the vineyard now ; God in his providence has placed him there. He belongs outwardly to the church of Christ, knows the word of God, and has the means of grace within reach. If he renders no service to God, if he turns a deaf ear to God's ministers, and does in fact reject Christ, because he does not believe on him with the heart, what re- mains for him ? He will lose the blessings which he never valued aright, and for which he has mado THE WICKED HUSBANDMEN. 297 no return ; nay, further, he must look to find Him who would have been a Saviour, an awful Judge, executing vengeance on all who do not receive liim. One more lesson we may learn. The Jewish rulers knew that our Lord was speaking of them : yet they did not repent; but were only the more set against him. When the word of God strikes home, it sometimes happens that a man is only made an- gry. Conscience tells him that the w'ord is true, and true against lain ; jei this does not of itself lead him to repentance, for only grace can do that; on the contrary, it does but make him perhaps uneasy and displeased. If ever you are angry at the preaching of the word, ask yourself why you are so. It may be because you know that what is preached is a true witness against you. But do not be angr3\ Eather be sorry. Pray God to make you so ; to give you his Holy Spirit, that you may be led to repentance and to Christ. AVhy strive against God? why resist the voice of conscience? why "kick against the pricks? ' How much better and happier to submit to Jesus as the Lord of grace and mercy and salvation ! 13« 298 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. XL. The jBuDDiNG Fig-Tree. ' ' Now learn a parable of the fig-tree : when bis branch is j'et tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh ; so likewise ye, when j'e shall see ail these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass awixy, but my words shall not pass away." Matthew 2-1:32-35; see also Maek 13; Luke 21. ^2>*^ UE. Lord was seated on the Mount of Olives wlieu lie spoke the long aud solemn prophecy of which this parable forms part. On the opposite side of the narrow valley that lay between him aud Jerusalem rose the temple in full view; and in the valley itself, and on the slope of the mount, there were fig-trees as well as olive-trees. It was now spring-time, and the fig-tree was begin- ning to shoot. Its branches were soft and tender from the rising ©f the sap, and already leaves began to appear. Growth is even quicker in that country than with us ; it was j)lain that summer was near. Our Lord drew the attention of his disciples to this. The fig-trees were close at hand, and might well serve to teach them a lesson. He bade them notice the budding branches, the sign of the coming summer, and then added : " So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the door." THE BUDDING FIG-TREE. 299 " These things " meant tlie signs of which he had just been speaking, especially the Koman army surrounding Jerusalem ; and the event that was to follow so closely was the destruction of that city, and the dispersion of the Jewish people. For though our Lord, in speaking of this, did also carry on the thoughts of the disciples to his second com- ing and the end of the world, yet ho is not alluding to that here ; for he expressly says, '* This genera- tion shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled." Some of those who heard him would be still alive at the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place between thirty and forty years afterwards. He warns them, and all his followers who should be then living, to take notice of the signs which were to go before that great event, and to act according- ly. As soon as those signs appeared, they were to leave the cit}^ and thus to escape a share in its destruction. Let them carefully watch those signs, therefore ; for as surely as the budding fig-tree fore- told the summer, so surelj- M-ould the city be soon destroyed, and the nation scattered, when once they should appear. All took place according to our Lord's words. The signs of which he spoke did appear; the Ro- man army came against Jerusalem, and, in no long time after, the city was taken and destroyed. The disciples of Christ, or at least the greater part of them, acted on the warning he had given them, and left the city in time to escape its destruction. Thus his words were fulfilled, " Heaven and earth shall pass aw£iy, but my Vords shall not pass away." 300 THE PAEABLES OF OUE LOED. Kingdoms were sliakeii, cities were destroyed, great commotions took place in the world, yet nothing could change what he had said. All that he fore- told came true. And so will all else that he has foretold. Every prophecy that has been fulfilled is a pledge and assurance that all other prophecies shall be fulfilled in their time ; and the disciples of Christ accord- ingly are to give heed to his word, and to w'hat is happening around them, and to mark the signs of the times. Especially we ought to do this with regard to the second coming of our Lord. In this proj)hecy the two great events of which he speaks, the de- struction of Jerusalem and his own coming, are so linked together, that there is some difiiculty in knowing when he is speaking of the one, and when of the other, and when perhaps of both. The dis- ciples, who heard him speak, themselves no doubt felt this difiiculty ; and little did they think that eighteen hundred years at least would pass between the happening of the two things thus foretold to- gether. But this ver}^ difiiculty is not without its use. The very mingling of the two events in the same prophecy must have led the disciples to look upon both as equally certain ; and still more should it lead us, now that one of them has taken place, to feel sure that the other also will take place in its time. The two events are spoken of in the same proph- ecy ; yet, in one important respect, there is a differ- ence to be observed. "\Vith'> regard to the destruc- THE BUDDING FIG-TEEE. 301 tion of Jeinsaleni, ouv Lord said that the genera- tion of men living when he spoke should not all have died before it should take place; but with regard to his own second coming and the end of the Avorld ho said, "But of that day and hour know- etli no man, no, not the angels of heaven, biit my Father only." Thus, at the 3Gth verse, he seems to make a change. He had been speaking of what should take j^lace within the lifetime of some then living; now he speaks of that which should take place quite as certainly, but no one knew when, none but the Father. In applj-ing the lesson of the parable to ourselves, we must bear in mind this difference. Yet we tnaii apply the lesson to ourselves, and that most profitably, with regard to the coming of the Lord ; but not so much with reference to its lime as to its certainti/. We are to mark the signs of the times; for the coming of Christ will as surely follow them as sum- mer followed the budding of the fig-tree ; not so quickly, but as surely. There have been, and still are, nniny different opinions as to the signs of the coming of the Lord. There have been jDrobabl}- in all ages serious Christians, Avho have thought that they saw^ in events that happened in their day signs of his approach. There are many who think thus now. These thoughts and expectations are not to be lightly regarded, still less to be turned into ridicule. Even if we do not share them, Ave should nevertheless be led by them to deeper thought and more watchful preparation. The Lord icill 302 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. come. It may be, that these very expectations in the minds of his people are among the signs of his coming. Let ns mark them accordingl3^ But, putting aside the question of time, we should give earnest heed to all the signs which tell that he will surely come. Ancient prophecy, his own words, the state of the world, the case of the Jewish nation, Avrong that is to be set right, war that is to be changed into peace, and a thousand things around us that pain and grieve us, as far as we can tell, will never be greatly mended till he come — these are so many signs to us, more or less sure, of his coming. "We should mark these things, and ponder them in our minds. We are not created to live carelessly, wrapped up in our own little con- cerns of the day, and unconcerned about the great things that are to be. As far as the word of God gives light, let us walk in that light. As far as we can find scriptural ground for seeing in things that happen the signs of our Master's coming, let us mark those things narrowly and seriously. While we must beware of indulging baseless fancies and vain imaginations, and above all of twisting Scrip- ture to suit them, let us look to it also that we fall not under our Lord's rej^roof of the Pharisees and Sadducees, "Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Eighteen hundred years have passed since our Lord spoke of his coming, and still he has not come, and still his words hold good — " Of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven." Though so much time has passed, we THE BUDDING FICI-TPiEE. 303 are still in the same j^osition as the disciples— ser- vants 'svaitiDg for our Lord, knowing that he Avill come, and that he may come soon, but not know- ing when. But this we are clearly told, that " the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in. the night," and that, to some at least, he will come suddenly. Whatever views may be held on other points, in this there seems no room for difference among the servants of Christ. He says to us all, " Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Season after season has the fig-tree budded, and the summer come. Eighteen centu- ries ago our Lord's W'Ords about Jerusalem were fulfilled ; and still the wandering Jew remains a standing witness to the truth of prophecy, and still Ave look for "that da}' and that hour" which "no man knoweth." Let us look for it humbly, watch- fully, diligently ; with a sure hope, a full trust, a solemn yet glad expectation. Let us see that our loins be girded about, and our lights burning ; let each servant be about his work; and oh! let each one of us make sure that he is a servant of Christ indeed. Let none put off seeking the Saviour till the Lord shall come in his glory. Let none say in his heart, " My Lord delayeth his coming." Let none disregard the Avarning voice and the signs of the times; lest, coming suddenly. He find thoui sleeping. 801 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. XLI. The Wise and Foolish V'^gins. "Then sliall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten vir- gins, Avhich took their himps, and went forth to meet the bride- groom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them ; but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, thej' all slumbered and sleijt. And at mid- night there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh ; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise. Give us of your oil ; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying. Not so ; lest there be not enough for us and you : but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came ; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage : and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying. Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto j'ou, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour where- in the Son of man cometh." Matt. 25 : 1-13. HIS parable, like so maEy other of the ^~^ parables of our Lord, represents " the kingdom of heaven," that is, God's spirit- ual government upon earth under the gos- pel dispensation; and the particular time intended is the coming of the Son of man, when the present state of things will be brought to an end. This is plain from the opening words, "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened;" then, that is, at the time just before spoken of, the the time of the sudclen coming of the Lord. WISE AND FOOLISH VlilGINS. 305 The more precise meauiug of the parable is not cliffienlt to arrive at, if "\ve bear in mind the cus- toms of that time and country. Tlieir marriages were very different from ours, and so are marriages among the Jews, and in east- ern countries, stilL The bridegroom, accompanied by friends and attendants, usuall}^ brought his bride from her father's house to his own at night-time. But Avhile some thus went with them, others waited to meet him on his return ; and as the time of his return must be in some measure uncertain, espe- cially if the bride came from a distance, it Avas necessary that those wlio were to meet him should vratch for his coming. The parable represents ten virgins going forth in this way to meet a bridegroom on his bringing home his bride. Five of them Avere wise, that is, prudent and thoughtful; and five were foolish. The five wise virgins made provision for having to Avait perhaps a considerable time, by taking oil with them to refill their lamps ; but the others made no such provision : they took their lamps, but took no oil Avitli them. The night wore aAvay, the bride- groom Avas later probably than any of them ex- pected, and they all slept. But at midnight they Avere roused by the cry that the bridegroom Avas coming. The Avise virgins had nothing to do but to trim their lamps Avitli the oil Avhich they had provided, and they Avere quickly ready. Not so the foolish. Tlieir lamps had gone out, and they had no oil to fill them Avitli again. In their dismay they applied to the Avise virgins. But they had none to 306 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. spare : they had made provision for their own want, but not for that of the rest. There was nothing left for the foolish virgins but to go with all speed to buy more oil. But Avliile they were gone, the bride- groom came. The procession entered the house, joined by the five virgins who were ready; and when the other five returned shortly afterwards, they found the door shut. It could not be opened again. To all their entreaties the master of the house only replied, " Yerily I say unto you, I know you not." The ten virgins represent professing Christians, waiting, or professing to wait, for the coming of Christ. The five wise virgins are real Christians. The oil in their lamps means perhaps the grace of God in their hearts ; or, more generally, a state of true preparation, through grace, for the coming of Christ. The five foolish virgins are nominal Chris- tians, making the same profession as the others, but having no real religion, and no true prepara- tion of heart. B}' their all sleeping we are perhaps to understand that not even true Christians are so Avatchful as they ought to be for the coming of the Lord. Or it ma}' be that no blame is intended. Perhaps the wise virgins were not Avrong in sleep- ing, seeing they were ready for the summons when it came. But in the great day true Christians will be able to give no help to those who are found unprepared. Each must answer for himself. Grace is not a thing which we can give to another. The soul that is washed in the blood of Jesus, and made new hy the WISE AND FOOLISH VIKGINS. 307 Holy Spirit, will be saved for ever ; but that soul will have no helj) to give to another. And when that day shall have come, it will be too late to seek help even of God. Now he is ready to hear and answer prayer. Now he will give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him. Now Jesus will in no wdse cast out him that conieth unto him. But we are warned in Scripture again and again that the day of grace is limited, and Avill come to an end. "Strive to enter in;" that is, strive noiv ; " for man}- will seek to enter in, and shall not be able," because they will not seek till it is too late. "The door was shut." How awful are these words ! How sad ! How hopeless ! Other doors ma}' open again, but not that door. At other times entreaties may prevail, but not then. The day of grace will have passed when that time arrives, and those against whom the door is closed will be shut out for ever. We are all in the situation represented in the parable. Our Lord is coming, and we have to meet him. And we are all like either the wise or the foolish virgins, for there is no other class. Either we are prepared, or not prepared. What an awful diflt'crence ! What a solemn question ! And all the more so, because outAvardly those who are so dif- ferent may seem much alike. The ten virgins, be- fore the hour of trial, seemed alike. They all went forth to meet the bridegroom ; they ill had their lamps with them, ft was not till the bridegroom came that the difterence appeared. So professing Christians may live together now, and worship to- 308 THE PAEABLES OF OUR LORD. getlier ; they may liold the same doctrine, and be- long to the same church ; yet how vast a difference may the coming of Christ disclose !' How many will be separated then who have been joined on earth ! How many, who seemed in many respects alike, will prove to have been utterly different ! AVhat is our state now? The midnight cry may soon be heard ; the Lord may come suddenly ; how should we be found? Are we like the wise ? Have we made provision? Is there oil in our vessels? Have we sought Christ? Are we walking in the Spirit? Are we Avatching for our Lord? "Watch therefore," he said. Watch tvJien ? When the trum- pet is heard, when the clouds rend, when the Son of man appears ? No ; watch noio, this day, this very hour ; " for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh." Oh, woe to those whom he will find unprepared ! Is there any peculiar meaning in what the wise virgins said to the foolish, " But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for j-oursfelves ?" Perhaps not. Perhaps we are onl}^ to understand that they could not help them; they must go to those who could. Nevertheless the words bring this thought to the mind: Grace and salvation in Christ are free, "without money and without price;" yet here the advice is to go to them that sell, and huy. While salvation is to be had at all, it is to be had as a gift only, not to be houcfid, but to be freely received. When the time of grace is past, and sal- vation can no longer be had, then what would not the poor lost one give to purchase it? Then he WISE AND FOOLISH VIRGINS. 309 Avould willing!}' go to them that sell, and buy even at the price of all he ever had. But it will be too late then. " What is a man profited, if he shall iiain the whole Avorld, and lose his owu soul? or Avhat shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" " Behold, wni- is the accepted time, behold now is the day of salvation." 310 THE PARABLES OF OUR LORD. XLII. The Vine and the Branches. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Ev- ery bi'anch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it maj' bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word M'hich I have spo- ken unto you. Abide in me, and I in yoii. As tlie branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine ; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches : He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit : for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered ; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit ; so shall ye be my disciples." John 15 : 1-8. '^/if