prayer of faith. The limit to which he confines its power, makes the promise applicable to every age. "This is the confidence which we have in him, that if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us and if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him."1

Such a measure of wisdom was given to the apostles, that they could not ask except according to the will of God. Succeeding Christians must limit their petitions to "what may be expedient for them."

Then follows a precept which belongs to all ages and persons.

25. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

26. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.

There must be a right spirit in the heart which offers prayer; otherwise, let no man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. Our reason and our conscience must subscribe to the just declaration of the prophet, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me." There may be much remaining corruption in the heart which makes acceptable prayer; but there must be no iniquity reigning and prevailing. Therefore when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any. Forgiveness is an essential part of the Christian spirit. The parable of the unmerciful servant, (Matt. xviii. 33,) is expressly introduced to show, that harshness in resenting the errors of others, or

1 John v. 14.

2 Ps. lxvi. 18.

the offences committed against ourselves, must betray a temper wholly inconsistent with Christian faith. "O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: shouldest thou not also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee ?" The Christian is one who lives by mercy; and who cannot be spi. ritually alive at all, if he is not habitually sensible of this. Therefore he must habitually show mercy, and feel compassion.

27. And they come again to Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, there come to him the chief priests, and the scribes and the elders,

28. And say unto him, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority to do these things?

29. And Jesus answered and said unto them, I will also ask of you one question, and answer me, and I will tell you by what authority I do these things.

30. The baptism of John, was it from heaven, or of men?

answer me.

31. And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say, Why then did ye not believe him?

32. But if we shall say, Of men; they feared the people: for all men counted John, that he was a prophet in

deed.

33. And they answered and said unto Jesus, We cannot tell. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things.

The men of that generation had received sufficient proof, by what authority Jesus did these things. So Nicodemus candidly acknowledged. *

3 Luke xx. 1-8.

4

* John iii. 1.

What they wanted, was not evidence to convince, but a heart to believe. Our Lord, therefore, answers them, by referring to John the Baptist, whom all men counted as a prophet indeed. And John had testified of him. "Looking upon Jesus as he walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!"5 This is he of whom I spake. "He who cometh after me is preferred before me." If, therefore, they believed not John, neither would they believe Jesus, if he told them by what authority he did these things.

Indeed, how could he have satisfied them, more fully than he had already exhibited his divine commission? His miracles had proved it: but they refused to admit that evidence. His doctrines proved it; for "he taught them as one having authority" but they set the proof aside, saying, "Out of Galilee cometh no prophet." John's testimony had declared it; and if they acknowledged the mission of John to be from heaven, they should have received his testimony. Self-convicted, therefore, they were silent: and justified the awful sentence, "A wicked and perverse generation seeketh after a sign: but there shall no sign be given it, except the sign of the prophet Jonas."

We too have sufficient proof: nay we doubt not, but confess, that truly Jesus "was the Son of God:" and by that authority did these things. Let us take heed, that we be not "barren nor unfruitful in this

knowledge" and confession. A trying question might be asked of many; The gospel of Christ Jesus, was it from heaven, or of men?-If they should say Of men, they would contradict their inward

conviction. If they should say, From heaven ; why do they not believe him? why do they not obey him?

"Lord, we believe." Enable us to show our faith, by walking before thee in righteousness and holiness.

Matt. xxi. 33-45.

Luke xx.

9-19.

LECTURE CII.

PARABLE OF THE REBELLIOUS HUSBANDMEN.

MARK Xii. 1-12.

Ꭺ

1. And he began to speak unto them by parables. certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the wine fat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.

2. And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.

3. And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.

4. And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.

5. And again he sent another: and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.

When the owner of uncultivated ground reclaims it, and prepares it for the use of the husbandman, his object is, to receive a portion of the returns ; his share of the produce, or its value. This This para

ble compares the design of God, in revealing himself to the Jewish nation, with the design of the owner of uncultivated land. He had "showed them what is good:" he had given them means and encouragement for performing it: and he "required of them to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their God." This is "the end of the commandment :" and these are the fruits which the heavenly husbandman demands from the vineyard which he has reclaimed by his law and watered by his spirit.

The heart of every Christian is such a vineyard. Let him see that it is making a due return to its rightful owner.

The Lord of the vineyard is described as commissioning servants one after another to receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. These servants are the prophets, whom God from time to time inspired, that they might call the Jewish nation to account, and reprove their disobedience. Isaiah was one; when he warned them, saying, (i. 2,) "Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth for the Lord hath spoken. I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knoweth his owner,

and the ass his master's crib but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider." We do not however find that any general repentance followed the mission of Isaiah: he was sent away empty :and, in the end, was shamefully handled and killed. So, again, "the word came to Jeremiah from the

'As is thought, by Manasseh, in the first year of his reign.