law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law: So high a value shall mankind put upon my religion, that for its sake they shall forego the friendship and affection of their nearest and dearest relations, who will persecute them bitterly, because they have cast off their paternal worship. LXXXIX. The multitude is reproved for not discerning the times. Galileans are slain by Pilate. The parable of the barren fig-tree. Luke xii. 54,-59. xiii. 1,-9.

WHEN Jesus had done speaking to his disciples, he addressed the unbelieving multitude, which on this occasion was gathered together, and stood round hearing the instructions which he gave to his disciples, see ver. 1. Luke xii. 54. And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower, and so it is. The Mediterranean Sea lying west from Judea, the clouds and showers usually came from that quarter. See 1 Kings xviii. 44,-55. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat, and it cometh to pass. The wind which is south to Judea, blowing over the hot sands of Arabia and Egypt, occasions a great heat in the air. Those which are properly called the hot winds in that climate, are so hot, that they bring on a fainting and difficulty of breathing. See Antiq. Disc. vii. No. 11. Luke xii. 56. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth: but how is it, that ye cannot discern this time? Since ye can form a judgment of the weather that shall happen, by the signs appearing in the earth and sky, such as the colour of the sky, the motion of the clouds, and the blowing of the winds, what is the reason that ye do not discover this time by its signs? He meant the time of the Messiah's appearing on earth to accomplish the salvation of the world, according to the ancient prophecies. See on Mark viii. 11. Matt. xvi. 1. § 68. Also the time of his coming to destroy the Jewish nation, which he had described under the similitude of one who comes secretly and unexpectedly to rob a house, ver. 39, 40. § 88. The prediction of the coming of the Son of man to punish the Jews for their perfidy and rebellion, was a loud call to a national repentance. Wherefore, as the improvement of that prediction, he exhorted them to a speedy reformation, telling them, that common sense, with a very small degree of reflection, would point it out to them as the very best thing they could do, for averting the impending judgments of God. 57. Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right? The evils which befal obdurate sinners, he illustrated by the punishment which in ordinary cases is inflicted upon the man who obstinately refuses to give compensation for the injuries he has done. Even while his adversary is haling him to the judge, he will not agree the matter. He is therefore brought by force to the bar.

The

The judge condemns him. The officer seizes upon him. He is cast into prison, and lies there till he has paid the very last mite. 58. When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison. 59. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence till thou hast paid the very last mite.

The foregoing doctrine some of his hearers thought proper to confirm by what they supposed an example of it. Luke xiii. 1. There were present at that season, some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. For the scope and connection of the passage, as well as Christ's answer, shew it to have been the thought of these persons, that Providence had permitted the Galileans to be massacred at their devotions, for some extraordinary wickedness. 2. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things? His hearers had insinuated a very wrong notion of Providence; for which cause, Jesus not only condemned it in the question just now mentioned, but he told them expressly, that these Galileans were not to be reckoned greater sinners than others, because they had fallen by so severe a calamity, and exhorted them, instead of forming harsh judgments of others from such examples of sufferings, to improve them as excitements unto themselves to repent, assuring them that if they did not, they should all likewise perish.' 3. I tell you, nay; but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. Farther, by putting them in mind of the eighteen persons on whom the tower in Siloam fell, a calamity more immediately from the hand of God, and which overwhelmed people who perhaps had been remarkable for their piety and goodness, he shewed them the folly of interpreting the dispensations of Providence in that manner. * 4. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? Luke xiii. 5. I tell you, nay; but except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish. He repeated his exhortation to repentance, and forewarned them a

second

Ver. 4. The toaver in Siloam, &c.] The tower in Siloam, by its name, appears to have been built beside the bason or pool of Siloam, (see on John ix. 7. 8.) whose waters running into a lower bason, formed what was called the pool of fleeces, probably from the sheep which were washed in it. The upper bason, or pool of Siloam, seems to have been used as a bathing place for men; and if it had porticos round it for them to undress in, will answer to the description of the pool of Bethesda, John v. 2. Besides, the situation of Bethesda, hard by the sheep-gate, agrees with this supposition; for that gate had its name from the sheep-market which was kept at it, and to which the sheep were driven after having been washed in the pool of fleeces. The tower in Siloam, therefore, which fell and slew. the eighteen persons here mentioned, may have been one of the porticos of Bethesda.

second time of their danger, because it was fast approaching, and they had no time to lose. Except ye repent, ye shall all perish in like manner, i es shall perish either by the sword, or in the ruins of your houses; for he seems to have had the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in his eye, together with the other calamities which about that time were to fall on the nation in general, on account of their misimprovement of the ́ advantages which they had so long enjoyed. Moreover, to rouse them the more, he spake the parable of the fig-tree that was ordered to be rooted out after three years barrenness, and which, though the gardener

The three years in the parable which the master of the vineyard came: seeking fruit on the fig-tree, is supposed by many to represent the ministry of Christ, which from thus they conclude lasted only three years. But the argument has no force in it, because the other year which it was allowed to remain, evidently comprehends the space of forty years; so long time having passed between Christ's ascension, and the destruction of Jerusa lem. Wherefore, the years in the parable denote, as above, the whole du ration of the Jewish dispensation, very properly represented by a term of three years, in a parable taken from the fig-tree, whose fruit does not come to maturity till the third year. See Jewish Ant. Disc. vii. No. 1. But though this parable was originally meant of the Jews, it may be applied to men in every age; for it exhibits a law observed in the Divine administration, which should strike terror into all who enjoy spiritual privileges without improving them. Every man is allowed a certain time of trial, during which he enjoys the means and helps necessary to virtue. If he continues ignorant of his visitation, despises the riches of the Divine mercy, and goes on obstinately in sin, these advantages are commonly taken away from him, his day of grace ends, the utmost term of God's patience is past for ever, the Divine Spirit being grieved, is provoked to depart, and the man is delivered over to an hardened heart; after which his repentance and salvation become impossible.

According to some, Jesus left the country beyond Jordan about this time, and went into Galilee. They draw their opinion from Luke xiii.3 r. which plainly says, that Jesus was in Herod's dominions then. But the answer is, the country beyond Jordan, where I suppose him to have been at this time, was under Herod's jurisdiction, Jos. Ant. xvii. 13. Accord ingly, Luke xvii. 11. we are told, that soon after this, Jesus passed throughthe middle of Samaria and Galilee, in his way to Jerusalem. Having travelled far into Perea north-eastwards, he returned by slow journies to Jerusalem, Luke xiii. 21. And he went through the cities and villages, teaching and journeying towards Jerusalem. While he was preaching in those cities and villages, the Pharisees advised him to leave that country, because He rod was going to kill him. But he despised their threatenings, and abode in Perea till he was called into Judea by a message from the sisters of Lazarus, John xi. 3. During that period, he dined with a Pharisee who was a member of the Sanhedrim, and had his country-seat in Perea, Lake xiv. 1. cured the man afHicted with the dropsy, and spake the parable of the marriage-supper. On another occasion, he spake the parables of the lost sheep, &c. the history of which is given in the 15th and 16th chapters of Luke. Soon after that he was informed of Lazarus' sickness, and left the country beyond Jordan, taking the lower Galilee in his way to Bethany. For though he did not cross the Jordan till Lazarus died, he had abun dance of time to go into Galilee, Lazarus having been no less than four days in his grave by the time our Lord arrived at Bethany. See however a different translation of Luke xvii. 11. 99. in the note.

gardener earnestly pleaded for it, was spared but one year longer. 6. He spake also this parable: A certain man had a fig-tree planted is his vineyard, and because it was planted in good soil with a convenient exposure, he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: The length of time it has been barren, shews that it is good for nothing, and will never bear any fruit: Cut it down, why cumbereth it the ground? Root it out, and throw it away, for it is a nuisance in my vineyard. 8. And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it and dung it. Luke xiii. 9. And if it bear fruit, well; and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. This parable representeth the goodness of God towards the Jews, in chusing them for his people, and in giving them the outward dispensations of religion; also the improvement which God expected they were to make of these advantages, and the punishment he was to inflict on them for their unfruitfulness. His mercy likewise in sparing them at the intercession of his Son, under whose care they were, and in giving them a farther time of trial, and greater advantages, by the preaching of Christ and his apostles, is beautifully held forth in it; and at the conclusion an insinuation is made, that if they continued impenitent under these last and best means, no more pains was to be taken upon them, but they were to be destroyed without remedy. Accordingly, this happened about forty years after our Lord's death. Wherefore, this parable may be considered likewise as a prophecy of the destruction of the Jewish state, by the Romans, under Vespasian and Titus.

of

XC. In Perea, the woman that was bored down is cured. The parables of the grain of mustard-seed, and of the leaven, are delivered a second time. See § 52, 53. Luke xiii. 10,-21. JESUS happening to preach in one of the synagogues of Perea on a sabbath-day, cast his eyes upon a woman in the congregation, that had not been able to stand upright, during the space eighteen years; wherefore, pitying her affliction, he restored her body to its natural soundness. Luke xiii. 10. And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11. And behold there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bored together, and could in nowise lift up herself. What the evangelist means by a spirit of infirmity we learn from our Lord, who explains it thus, ver. 8. "A daughter of Abrah:❤n whom Satan hath bound, lo these eighteen years." 12. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. 13. And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight and glori fied God. The great favour now conferred on her so suddenly,

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[Sect. 90. filled her with admiration and gratitude, in so much that she both offered up thanksgiving to God, to whom piously and wisely she referred her recovery, and acknowledged the mission of the prophet by whom God had conferred it upon her; nay, she did this openly with a loud voice, in the hearing of the congregation. But the benevolent miracle offended the ruler of the synagogue to such a degree, that he could not forbear testifying his displeasure at it publicly; for he reproved the people in a surly manner as sabbath breakers, because they came to be healed on that day. Luke xii. 14. And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath-day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath-day. But the Lord soon put this hypocritical ruler to silence, by placing the action which he found fault with, in the light of their own avowed practice. They loosed and led their cattle on the sabbath to water, and thought the mercy of the work justified them in so doing. He, by uttering a word only, had loosed a woman, a reasonable creature, and a daughter of Abraham, that had been bound with an incurable distemper, not for a single day, but so lang a time as eighteen years. Without doubt the far greater mercy of this and the other god-like works which Jesus did, justified his performing them on the sabbath, as the ruler might easily have seen, had he not been wholly blinded by his superstition. 15. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his cx, or his ass, from the stall and lead him away to watering? 16. And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath bound, lo these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the sabbath-day? 17. And when he said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed; and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him. The folly even of the men of learning among the Jews, conspicuous in this and some other instances mentioned in the gospels, shews the malignant nature of superstition. It is capable of extinguishing reason, of banishing compassion, and of eradicating the most essential principles and feelings of the human mind.

After the Lord had thus silenced the ruler of the synagogue, and whilst he observed the rejoicings of the people, he reflected with pleasure on the reason and truth which so effectually supported his kingdom. For he spake a second time the parables of the grain of mustard-sced, and of the leaven, to shew the efficacicus operation of the gospel upon the minds of men, and its speedy propagation through the world, in spite of all opposition. Luke xiii. 18. Then said he, Unto what is the kingdom of God like? and whereunto shall I resemble it? 19. It is like a grain f mustard-seed which a man took and cast into his garden; and