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النشر الإلكتروني

A PRACTICAL COMMENTARY

ON

SOME OF THE PARABLES OF OUR BLESSED LORD.

A PRACTICAL COMMENTARY

ON

SOME OF THE PARABLES OF OUR BLESSED LORD.

HAPPINESS does not consist in the abundance of Possessions. LUKE, Xii. 13-21: AND one of the assemblage said unto Jesus,‘O Teacher, bid my brother divide with me, and withhold not my portion of the inheritance bequeathed by our father.'

14. But Jesus, at all times unwilling to interpose in civil matters, said unto him, ' Man, who constituted me over you as an arbitrator, or a divider of inheritances?'

15. And Jesus, converting this application into a moral lesson, said to the by-standers, See to it, and beware of covetousness: for not even when any man has abundance, does the true happiness of his life come from his possessions.'

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16. And Jesus spake a parable to them [the surrounding assemblage], saying, The estate of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:' 17. And he reasoned within himself, saying, What shall I do? for I have not where I can gather together my fruits.' 18. And he said, 'This will I do: I will pull down my granaries, and build larger: and there I will gather together all my produce and my possessions: 19. And I will say to my soul; Soul, thou hast many conveniences laid up for many years: refresh thyself: eat: drink: indulge thyself sumptuously.

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20. But God said to him, Foolish man, this very night thy soul is demanded of thee: who then shall possess what thou hast prepared?'

21. In this state is the man who layeth up treasure for himself alone, and is not rich, by deeds of piety, towards God.

v. 13: Among the Jews, a father's property was divided

equally among his children; except that to the elder brother, the law allowed a double portion.

THE character, here drawn, is exactly that of a prudent worldly man, who rises from inferior circumstances to great affluence, by assiduous industry and good management; and then retires from business, to spend the latter part of his life, according to his own inclinations. But there was no grateful regard to the bountiful providence of God, who gave him power to get wealth; no consideration of his accountableness for the use of it; and no respect to the authority, commandment, favour, or glory of God. There was no proper sense of the instability of human affairs, the uncertainty of life, the vanity of earthly pleasure, the worth of his soul, or the importance of eternity: no thought of happiness to be found in communion with God, in peace of conscience, and in hope of glory. But the man spake within himself, as if eating, drinking, and being merry, had constituted the chief good of a rational creature; and as if it might be enjoyed here for ever.

Neither did he express any regard to his neighbour: his wealth was his own; and he would hoard it for himself, and spend it on himself: for if he had enquired how many poor persons were destitute of food and raiment, and in various ways needed relief; he might have found a better way to dispose of his superfluity; and have enjoyed a far superior satisfaction, than what he proposed to himself,-"What shall I do?" Give it to the poor that shouldest thou do.'

The whole was the language of a selfish ungodly man; and was intended to expose men of this character, even when not chargeable with gross immorality. However, therefore, this man might glory, that the might of his hand had gotten him this wealth, and deem himself wise and happy; or however he might be envied, respected, or commended by his neighbours; he was, in the judgment of God, a fool; and God addressed him as a fool. He had foolishly reckoned on many years to come, when he had not a single day to live. He had provided a vast superfluity for a future continuance on earth, which was never to be granted to him: but he had made no provision for the world to come, into which he was immediately to pass; and in which he was to exist to eternity. For on that very night, his soul was

required of him; and he must give an account of his ungodliness, selfishness, and covetousness: and then whose would those things be which he had provided to the neglect of his soul, and his everlasting ruin? He could not tell into whose hands his wealth would pass. Nor would it be any comfort to him, even for his friends and children to possess it, when he was torn from all which he loved and idolized, and plunged into the pit of destruction and perhaps, they too were preparing by it for the same dreadful end.

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To this parable our Lord added, 'In this state is every one who layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.' All those persons lay up treasure for themselves, who seek riches either for their own sake; or for the influence and consequence which they bestow; or to spend in the pride of life and luxurious indulgence; or in order to aggrandize their families but who are not rich in faith, in wisdom, in grace, in good works, and in a heavenly treasure. Every man of this character is, in God's account, a fool. His life is vanity and vexation; his success, an empty bubble, or a destructive delusion; and his end, most miserable.

Let it, then, be our labour, that a covetous desire of the enjoyments of the world may not engage us in pursuits that will be fatal to our souls. Let us seriously consider the true value of things; and reflect how little riches can do to make us happy if we obtain them; and how very uncertain that life is, on the continuance of which our possession of them does so evidently depend. But, alas, how many are there, who are now as deeply engaged in their worldly schemes, as this Rich Fool in the parable, to whom God will, in a few weeks, or days, if not this very night, say, by the awful voice of his irresistible providence, Thy soul is required of thee! And then, what will all these treasures do to purchase life, or to allay the agonies of death? So far will they be found from being capable of this, that they will rather serve to increase and embitter the surprise and anguish of those agonies.

Let it therefore be our care that we may be rich towards God; rich in works of piety and charity. So shall we safely consign over our treasure to the bank of heaven, and shall be enriched by it, when we leave the world as naked as we entered upon it; and

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