28

Reflections on the invitations given us to the gospel-feast. SECT. circumstances, in the ways of idolatry and wickCXX. eduess; and his church shall be filled with them, while you, who reject his gospel, shall in righteXIV. 24 ous judgment be yourselves rejected, and perish for want of those mercies which you now despise,

Luke

IMPROVEMENT.

Ver. MAY the infinite mercy of God forbid, that this should ever be 24 our condition! The gospel-feast, like the sumptuous banquet of Ahasuerus (Esth. i. 3, 4), is of a very long standing: not only from week to week, but from age to age, God is sending to 21, 22 invite new guests; and, after all the millions that have been regaled by it, and nourished up to everlasting life, there is yet room for more. Still are his servants sent from one time to another, with 23 all the fervor of the most affectionate persuasion, to urge sinners to accept of these desirable blessings; (for such only is the compulsion that becomes a feast, and suits the nature of reasonable creatures.) May we not receive the grace of God in vain! May we not perish, as thousands before us have done, by making light of the gospel!

18, 20

21

It has often been observed from this parable, that they were lawful occasions which those unhappy people pleaded as their excuse for neglecting the invitation. And how many perish by what is indeed lawful! But the care of our estates or cattle, our domestic affairs, and our dearest relatives, will be destructive to us, if they be minded as our main care, and our hearts be so attentive to them as to forget the one thing needful.

Are we of the number of those who, though once blinded, impoverished and enfeebled by sin, are now brought as welcome guests to the table, which Divine love has spread? Let us adore the grace which opened the door to us, and opened our hearts to comply with the call; by its strong and powerful, though rational and gentle influence, compelling us to come in. Let the servants employed in the message urge it with a becoming earnestness; as well knowing, how much the heart of their great master is in it, and how much the happiness of souls depends on their accepting it. Lord! may we see thy table furnished with guests, and ourselves be so happy as finally to partake of those blessings, to which 15 we are now commanded to invite others! For blessed indeed are they, who shall eat bread in the kingdom of God!

SECT.

Religion must be undertaken with serious consideration.

SECT. CXXI.

Our Lord urges upon his disciples the necessity of considering the difficulties of religion before they take up a profession of it. Luke XIV. 25. to the end.

LUKE XIV. 25.

AND there went great multitudes with him: and he turned, and said unto them,

26 If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and

wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my

disciple.

27 And whosoever doth not bear his cross, cannot be my disciple,

and come after me,

28 For which of you intending to build a

AND

LUKE XIV. 25.

cxxi.

Luke

29

VD as great multitudes attended Christ, SECT. and went with him in this his journey toward Jerusalem, he turned about and said to them, You now attend me from place to place XIV. 25. with some tokens of regard; but seriously consider how much it will cost you to approve yourselves my faithful followers.

If any one comes to me to be instructed in my 26 religion, and to obtain the blessings of my kingdom, and does not prepare himself, on a proper occasion, to act, as if he did even hate his father and mother, and his very wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life too, that is, if he be not willing to abandon all these rather than to forsake me, he cannot really be my disciple, whatever he may pretend. And who-27 soever does not stedfastly resolve even to bear his cross, and to come after me, whenever he is called to tread the painful steps that I am taking in the way to crucifixion and death, he cannot be my disciple: and therefore, as I gave these things in charge to my apostles (Mat. x. 38. Vol. VI. p. 401), I repeat them to you as matters of universal concern, which require your most attentive consideration.

And it is necessary to dwell on the thought; 28 tower, sitteth not down for which of you, if he be a person of common first, prudence, and intend to build a tower, or any

a Great multitudes attended Christ.] Perhaps the cure of the man who had the drop

and some expectations as to the event of Christ's visit to this Pharisee, might cause a crowd near his house; and what follows might be spoken the same sabbath, on our Lord's coming out from thence: but as the evangelist does not so expressly connect the passages, I was not willing to assert it in the paraphrase.

b To act as if he even did hate his father and mother, &c.] Strictly speaking, to hate our nearest relatives, and our own lives, would be unnatural wickedness, and equally contrary to the dictates of humanity and

other

the genius of the gospel. But it is well
known that one thing is said to be loved
and another hated in scripture, when the
former is much preferred; and especially
when, out of regard to it, the latter is neg-
lected and forsaken. Compare Gen. xxix.
31. Deut. xxi. 15-17. Mal. i. 3. Rom. ix.
13 and Mat. vi. 24.

If he intend to build a tower.] This
phrase naturally suggests to us the idea of a
more magnificent edifice than our Lord's
hearers might probably think of on this oc-
casion. It is plain that towers were fre-
quently run up, probably of some slight
materials, to lodge those who had the care

30

cxxi.

The insignificance of an outward profession.

com

cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?

29 Lest haply after

tion, and is not able to

SECT. other edifice, does not first deliberately sit down, first, and counteth the and compute the expence it will require, and it with his own circumstances, that he may Luke pare XIV.28. judge whether he has a stock of wealth [sufficient] 29 to finish it? Lest when he hath laid a foundation, and is not able to complete [the work] he he hath laid the foundahad begun, for want of money to go through finish it, all that bewith it, all who see it, as they pass by, should hold it begin to mock 30 begin to deride him, Saying, in contempt, This must be surely a wise man, who thus began to build, and was not able to finish his plan; and here his imperfect work stands a lasting monument of his great discretion!

im

30 Saying, This man began to build, and was not able to finish.

31 Or what king

going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with

ten thousand to meet

31 Or what wise king, if he was marching out to
encounter another king in war, does not first sit
down and consider whether he has any such ad-
vantage, as to arms, strength or situation, as
may induce him to conclude that he is able with
no greater force than ten thousand men to meet him that cometh a-
and oppose him that cometh against him with gainst him with twenty
32 twenty thousand? And if he find he has not, 32 Or else, while
while he that comes with this superior force the other is yet a great
against him is yet at a distance, he sends an em- way off, he sendeth
bassy, and desires terms of peace, acknowledging sireth conditions of
his readiness to submit to some things which. peace.
may be disagreeable, for the preservation of his
dominions, and perhaps of his life.

33 So then do you consider, whether you think it
worth your
while to adhere to me on these terms;
for I assure you, I will admit you on no other;
and whosoever he be of you that does not stedfast-

of keeping vineyards or flocks; and they
were built pretty high in proportion to
their basis, that they might command the
larger prospect. Compare 2 Chron. xxvi.
10. Mic. iv. 8. Isa. v. 2. Mat. xxi. 33. and
Mark xii. 1.

d Or what king marching out to encoun-
ter another king, &c.] According to Sir
Isaac Newton's chronology, these words
were spoken at our Lord's last passover,
and might refer to Herod's leading his ar-
my through Judea against Aretas king of
Arabia. But as Herod did not then ap-
pear to be the weaker, I cannot see that
(even supposing the premises to be true)
there would be any certainty of such an
intended allusion.

ly

thousand?

an ambassage, and de

33 So likewise, whoforsaketh not all that soever he be of you that

he

the case supposed here) merely double, but infinitely superior to ours.-The pious and amiable author of a late valuable piece called Orthodoxy and Charity (whoever he be) has given a quite different interpretation of this passage, which, so far as I can recollect, I have not yet seen, and which I am sure deserves consideration. He explains it (p. 43) as referring to those who have not courage to fight with their spiri tual enemies, the world, the flesh, and the devil, and therefore make the best terms they can with them, and sit still neglecting Christ and religion. But if the passage be taken in this sense, our Lord, by declaring in the next verse that he will make no abatement in his own demands, plainly intimates how necessary it is to break through all opposition, and to determine to face all the difficulties in our way, which it will be our wisdom to view and consider, that we may be prepared with proportionable resolution.

Reflections on a readiness to suffer for Christ.

cxxi.

31

he bath, he cannot be ly resolve to give up all his possessions, whenever SECT. my disciple. he is called to it on my account, he cannot be owned by me as my disciple indeed.

34 Salt is good: but

savour, wherewith shall it be seasoned?

55 It is neither fit for the laud, nor yet men cast it out. He that hath ears to hear,

for the dung-hill; but

Luke

And if you are not my disciples indeed, your XIV.34. if the salt have lost its outward profession will be very insignificant; for though salt in general is a very good thing, and my servants, as I formerly intimated (Mat. v. 13. Vol. VI. p. 203), are the salt of the earth; yet I must again add, if the salt be grown insipid, with what can it be seasoned? or what can recover those whom my gospel will not influence and reclaim? And as insipid salt is such a vile 35 and worthless thing, that it is neither fit to be used of itself as a manure for the land, nor even so much as fit for a place on the dung-hill to be there mixed with other dung; [but] it is thrown out of doors, and trampled under foot like mire in the streets: you also will be no less useless and contemptible, if, under the advantages and obligations of a Christian profession, you are destitute of a sincere principle of integrity and piety, and will be utterly abandoned and rejected as unprofitable servants. He therefore that hath ears to hear, let him hear it attentively; for it is a point in which not only the honour of my kingdom, but the salvation of your own souls is con

let him hear.

cerned.

IMPROVEMENT.

34, 35

MAY our most serious attention be fixed on so important a Ver. truth; and may this plain and candid declaration of our Lord be 35 duly regarded by us, as ever we desire to find the advantage of that relation to him in which we are so ready to glory! If we would not be cast out with disdain, and trampled under foot as worthless and vile, let us be solicitons that there may be the salt of Divine grace in our hearts; and let us undertake a religious profession with that deliberate consideration, which becomes a matter 28, 32 of such great importance. A hasty purpose will never bear us through the difficulties we must expect to encounter; and rash Vows and thoughtless adventures, in this case, will only expose us to the derision of others, and the keener remorse of our own minds.

Nor is the nature and evidence of religion such, as to have any reason to fear the severest examination. The demands of Christ are indeed high; that the nearest relatives should be abandoned, and even life itself sacrificed for his sake; that we be at least mar

tyrs

26

32

cxxi.

The parable of the lost sheep.

SECT. tyrs in resolution, and have so much of a reciprocal affection for him, as shall, like his love to us, be stronger than death. Yet how 33 reasonable is the demand! Did he leave his Father's bosom for us, and shall we scruple to abandon our houses and our kindred for 27 him? Did he expire on the cross for us, and shall not we be ready to take up our crosses and follow him? Shall it not be delightful to us to trace his most painful steps, and by the most costly sacrifices to approve our gratitude and our duty?

Blessed Jesus, lead us! and by thy grace we will follow thee, whatever be the path, whatever be the burden, whatever the terror of the way; knowing that if we partake with thee in thy sufferings, we shall at length share with thee in thy consolation and thy glory! (2 Tim. ii. 12.)

SECT. CXXII.

Publicans and sinners flock round our Lord, and he vindicates his readiness to receive them by the parables of the lost sheep and piece of money. Luke XV. 1—10.

LUKE XV. 1.

SECT. THUS our Lord addressed himself to the mul-
titude, and especially to his disciples, on the
Luke sabbath-day, as he came out from the house of
XV. 1. the noble Pharisee with whom he had dined:

now as it was then a season of leisure, and he
appeared in public teaching the people, all the
publicans in that place, and some other notorious
sinners, who might not easily have been ad-
mitted into the Pharisee's house, drew near to
hear him preach, being charmed with the con-
descension which allowed of their access.

LUKE XV. 1.

THEN drew near un

to him all the publicans and sinners for

to hear him.

2 And the Phari

2 And Jesus, moved with compassion for them
uttered some remarkable discourses, admirably sees and scribes tnor-
calculated for their encouragement, and that of

a All the publicans and sinners drew near to hear him.] Some suppose they came by a particular appointment from all the neighbouring parts. But as Luke goes on in the story, without any intimation of a change ether in the time or the scene of it, I am inclined to think these discourses might be delivered the same day that Christ dined with the Pharisee, (sect. exix.) which being the sabbath-day, would give the publicans, who on other days were employed in their office, a more convenient opportunity of attending.-Some have concluded (I could never conjecture for

others,

mured,

what reason) that this happened in Galilee of the Gentiles beyond Jordan, from whence, they say, Christ went up to Je rusalem (Luke xvii. 11.) But that the chief part of this assembly were Gentile idolators, can never be proved; and if it could, it would be no sufficient proof of Christ's being now on the other side of Jordan. Yet I acknowledge it highly probable, that some idolatrous Gentiles might join with the multitude, who, if they understood these parables, might justly draw great encouragement from them.

b. In