"neck, and kissed him. And the son said " unto him, Father, I have sinned against hea"ven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy " to be called thy son. But the father said to "his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and " put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, " and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the "fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be

merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive "again; he was lost, and is found. And they "began to be merry. Now his elder son was " in the field: and as he came and drew nigh "to the house, he heard musick and dancing. "And he called one of the servants, and asked "what these things meant. And he said unto him, "Thy brother is come; and thy father hath "killed the fatted calf, because he hath re"ceived him safe and sound. And he was

66

angry, and would not go in: therefore came "his father out, and entreated him. And he " answering said to his father, Lo, these many

66

years do I serve thee, neither trangressed I at "any time thy commandment; and yet thou "never gavest me a kid, that I might make

merry with my friends: but as soon as this "thy son was come, which hath devoured thy "living with harlots, thou hast killed for him "the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son, " thou art ever with me, and all that I have is "thine. It was meet that we should make " merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was

* Entreated him to partake of the festivity and rejoicing. ▸ By the elder son are meant the Jews; by the younger the Heathens.

1

" dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and

" is found."

93. Jesus instructs his disciples by the parable of the unjust Steward. The Pharisees are reproved.

66

AND he said also unto his disciples, "There "was a certain rich man, which had a steward; " and the same was accused unto him that he " had wasted his goods. And he called him, " and said unto him, How is it that I hear this "of thee? give an account of thy steward"ship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. "Then the steward said within himself, What "shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship: I cannot dig: to beg I am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, "that, when I am put out of the stewardship, "they may receive me into their houses. So " he called every one of his lord's debtors* " unto him, and said unto the first, How much "owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An "hundred measures of oil. And he said unto "him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and "write fifty. Then said he to another, And "how much owest thou? And he said, An "hundred measures of wheat. And he said " unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. " And the lord commended the unjust steward, "because he had done wisely: for the chil

• Probably tenants, who paid their rents, not in money, but in kind. Upon his own principles of worldly interest.

"dren of this world are in their generation " wiser than the children of light. And I say " unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the " mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye "fail, they may receive you into everlasting "habitations. He that is faithful in that which " is least, is faithful also in much: and he that " is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much." "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the "unrighteous mammon, who will commit to

66

your trust the true riches? and if ye have not " been faithful in that which is another man's, "who shall give you that which is your own? "no servant can serve two masters: for either " he will hate the one, and love the other; or " else he will hold to the one, and despise the "other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

"And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, " heard all these things: and they derided him. "And he said unto them, Ye are they which "justify yourselves before men; but God "knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly " esteemed among men, is abomination in the "sight of God. The law and the prophets " were until John: since that time the king"dom of God is preached, and every man

66

presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven " and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law "to fail.

a Ye die.

► Beware of the beginnings of sin; he that sins in a small

matter, will more easily sin in a greater.

• The false riches of this world.

4

* The gospel covenant.

"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and " marrieth another, committeth adultery: and " whosoever marrieth her that is put away from " her husband, committeth adultery.

১

"There was a certain rich man, which was "clothed in purple 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 hells lie "lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and "seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his "bosom. And he cried, and said, Father "Abraham, have mercy on me; and send La" zarus that he may dip the tip of his finger " in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tor"mented in this flame. But Abraham said, "Son, remember that thou in thy life-time re"ceivedst thy good things, and likewise La

12

zarus evil things: but now he is comforted, "and thou art tormented. And beside all "this, between us and you there is a great gulf

* This is a parable not a history.

▸ A Jewish phrase, signifying the most honourable place in the region of departed pious souls.

The word in the original (Hades) signifies not the place of the eternally damned, but an invisible; and from other parts of Scripture, the intermediate separate state of departed spirits, in which they are detained between death and the final judgment.

"fixed: so that they which would pass from "hence to you cannot; neither can they pass "to us, that would come from thence. Then " he said, I pray 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 torment. Abraham saith unto him, they "have Moses and the prophets; let them hear "them. And he said, Nay, father Abraham: "but if one went unto them from the dead,

66

they will repent. And he said unto him, "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, " neither will they be persuaded, though one "rose from the dead,"

94. Jesus further instructs his disciples.

THEN said he unto the disciples, " It is im" possible but that offences will come: but woe " unto him, through whom they come! it were "better for him that a milstone were hanged "about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than "that he should offend one of these little ones. "Take heed to yourselves: if thy brother tres

66

pass against thee, rebuke him; and if he re"pent, forgive him. And if he trespass against "thee seven times in a day, and seven times " in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; "thou shalt forgive him." And the apostles

a Believe.

As it was exemplified in the case of our Lord's resurrection,