determines to give it. (JOSEPH HOLDEN POTT,* M.A., Archdeacon of Middlesex; and, during seventeen years, Vicar of Kensington.)

This reference to the writings of Arch-deacon POTT reminds me of a gentleman, in whom were united a conciliatory urbanity of manner; sound theological erudition; an amiable simplicity of mind; unaffected humility of deportment; an unostentatious liberality in alms-giving; and a benevolence purely evangelical in thought and conduct. The tablet erected in Kensington Church, in affectionate reverence of his memory, contains not exaggerated praise, in recording him as "exemplifying in his guileless life, the lessons which he taught; earnest in defending by his writings, the cause of Christian truth; instant in the work, even till his last days; in charity, never failing; in zeal, abundant. While yet vigorous in mind, but conscious of advancing infirmities, he resigned his pastoral charge, in 1842. He was called to his rest, Feb. 17, 1847; in the 89th year of his age." I gratefully esteem it a signal honour to have been appointed by SUCH a man, without any claim or solicitation, to the Perpetual Curacy of the District-Church of St. Barnabas, Kensington.

Our Lord, on his road to Jerusalem, delivers the parable of the ten Minas: LUKE, xix. 11-27.

The Prince Messiah, departing from earth, after his meritorious sufferings, to the far country of heaven, in order to procure the full possession of his spiritual and mediatorial kingdom,to his household servants, to all his professed disciples, committed a sum of money to be placed out at interest; spiritual gifts as means of promoting his glory. His general citizens, the perverse Jews and infidel nations, exert a causeless opposition against divine truth. On his return, after investiture, at the day of judgment, he rewards his disciples according to their respective labours: but those who were actively opposed to him, he puts to death: Jerusalem is destroyed, as a type of the punishment which awaits all enemies of the Gospel, in the final day of retribution. Our Lord's hearers were thus apprised, that his kingdom was not of this world.

LUKE, xix. 11. JESUS, in the preceding verse, had spoken of himself as a Saviour.' And as they [the guests of Zaccheus] were hearing these things, he continued his discourse in a parable, because he was now nigh to Jerusalem; and because they thought that the kingdom of God would be immediately revealed among them; and that he, as the Messiah, would assume the character of a triumphant monarch. 12. He said therefore, A certain person,

of noble birth, went into a distant country, to procure for himself royalty, and to return to his country.

13. And he called ten of his household servants, and delivered to them ten minas, one to each servant, and said unto them, 'Trade with this till I come back.' 14. But his citizens hated him, and sent an embassy after him, saying, 'We are unwilling that this man should be made our king.'

15. And it came to pass, that when he had received the royal title, and was come back with full regal power, he then commanded these his household-servants to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.

16, 17. And the first servant came and said, ' Sir, thy mina hath gained-moreover in trade ten minas.' And his lord said to him, 'Well done, thou good servant: since thou hast been faithful in a very little, know that thou hast authority over ten cities.'

18. And the second came and said, 'Sir, thy mina hath made [or gained] five minas.' 19. And the lord said likewise unto this man, Be thou also in authority over five cities.'

20. And another servant came and said, 'Sir, behold, here is thy mina, which I have kept laid up in a napkin. 21. For I feared thee, because I know that thou art a harsh [or griping] man; who takest up from the ground what thou didst not deposit; and one who reapest what thou didst not sow.

22, 23. But his lord saith to him, 'Out of thine own mouth will I condemn thee, O thou wicked servant! Thou knewest that I am a harsh [or griping] man, taking up what I did not deposit, and reaping what I did not sow. And why, then, didst thou not give my money into the bank [table of the money-changers] that at my return, I might have exacted it with common interest?

24. And he said to them that stood by, Take away the mina from him, and give it to him that hath the ten-(25, and in surprise they said unto him, 'Sir, he hath already ten minas,')— 26, for I say to you that to every one who really hath by improving what he hath, shall be given; but from him who virtually hath not by neglecting to improve his possessions, even that which he really hath, shall be taken away. 27. But as for those mine enemies, those who were not willing that I should be king over them, bring them hither, and slaughter them in my presence.

v. 12: Most of the kings of the East, in those times, were vassals to the Romans: so that the next heir seldom ventured to ascend the vacant throne, without their permission, and, often, without travelling to Rome to procure it. It was common for ambassadors to be sent to Rome, by cities and states, to oppose such as sought there to be appointed king over them. (SCOTT.)

v. 13: A mina was equivalent to 3l. 2s. 6d.

v. 21: “To take up what we lay not down" is a proverbial expression applied to such as furtively appropriate to themselves. whatever they find (as money dropped in the street) without making any enquiry after the true owner. Against this dishonest conduct, Solon enacted an express law.

In this parable, Jesus taught his disciples, that though they might imagine his kingdom was speedily to be erected, and that they were soon to partake of its joys,—he was to go away or die, before he obtained it; and that they were to perform a long course of laborious services, before they received their reward. That having obtained the kingdom at his resurrection, he would return, and reckon with his servants, to whom he had given ability and opportunity for his work; and would treat them according to the fidelity they showed in the trust committed unto them. Particularly, that he would execute vengeance on those who, for his conversing familiarly with sinners, or for the difficulty or disagreeableness of his laws, or for any other cause whatever, had refused to let him reign over them, or hindered the erection of his kingdom among others. This Jesus did in some measure, when he destroyed the Jewish nation by the Roman armies; and still continues to do by the extraordinary judgments, with which he sometimes visits mankind. But he will do it more eminently at the end of the world, when he shall come with millions of Angels, finally to reward his faithful servants, and to punish his enemies. The kingdom of Christ, spoken of in the Parable, is his Mediatorial Kingdom, in which he rules men by his word and spirit; and exercises the highest acts of kingly power; calls all his subjects, without distinction, to his tribunal; judges them; and rewards or punishes them, according as he knows they deserve.

They who affix a more general meaning to this Parable,

suppose that the character and end of three sorts of persons are described in it. First, the character of those who profess themselves the servants of Christ, and who act in a manner suitable to their profession.

Secondly, the character of those, who take on them the title, but do not act up to it.

Thirdly, the character of those, who, though they be Christ's natural subjects, neither profess themselves his servants, nor yield him obedience; but endeavour to shake off his yoke, and oppose him with all their might.

The first sort are the true disciples of Christ. The second sort are hypocrites. The third are the openly profane.

The treatment which the servants in the Parable met with from their Lord, represents the judgment and end of the different sorts of Christians, just now mentioned. True disciples shall be munificently rewarded with the honours and pleasures of immortality; hypocrites shall be spoiled of all the advantages on which they relied, and stripped of those false virtues for which they valued themselves; so that being showed to all the world in their proper colours, their pride shall be utterly mortified, and they themselves loaded with eternal infamy. Lastly, the detection and punishment of hypocrites shall add to the honours of the truly virtuous, whose merits shall thus shine more conspicuously for as the houses and lands which our Lord promised to his followers (Mark, x. 30) signify not the things themselves, but the satisfaction arising from them; so the pound in the Parable, given to him who had ten pounds, signifies that persons in heaven shall have satisfaction as great as those which hypocrites enjoy in their advantages and supposed virtues, but upon a more solid foundation, namely, the consciousness of real virtues, and the continual increase of grace. Thus shall the men who possess true goodness, be rewarded. Having in their own eyes, always appeared as nothing, they shall, by the approbation of God, be raised to a becoming sense of the excellent qualities by which they are adorned; and having been sorely distressed with the motions of sin, while they constantly struggled against them, they shall now be made more than conquerors, and have infinite satisfaction in the victory. Thus shall we be animated to diligence in God's service for proportionable to that diligence will be our reward. Let us remem

ber we labour for ourselves while we labour for him; as all the progress we make in wisdom and in goodness renders our own souls so much the happier, and will render them so to all eternity. Blessed servants that have the applause of such a Master, and share a reward as liberal as that conferred on a faithful steward, who should be made governor of a province containing ten cities. Let us, therefore, beware of a slothful neglect of our stock; and of those hard thoughts of God which would discourage us from pursuing his service.

As for the open enemies of Jesus, they shall be punished with exemplary punishment, severe in proportion to the degree of their guilt. Let us, therefore, take heed that we do not proudly and insolently reject the government of his anointed Son, and either say with our tongues, or declare by our actions, We will not have this man to reign over us; for if we do, we speak a word against our own lives. He will be glorified by us, or upon us. If in that dreadful day, he should bring us forth as the helpless prisoners of his justice, and command us to be slain in his presence; how can we withstand his power? or to the horns of what altar shall we flee for sanctuary? "O Lord, our flesh trembleth for fear of thee, and we are afraid of thy judgments." (Psalm cxix. 120.) May we never be the miserable objects of them; but having faithfully served thee here, may that be to us a day of honour, reward, and triumph, which shall be, to every presumptuous rebel, a day of shame and terror, of dreadful execution and eternal destruction! (MACKNIGHT. DODDRIDGE.)

A Gentile

Jesus dines at the house of Simon a Pharisee. woman, who through the ministry of Christ had been converted, comes to give public testimony of her gratitude to her gracious deliverer from the darkness and guilt of sin. LUKE, vii. 36-50.

36. AND one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to eat with him : and he went into the house of the Pharisee, and reclined at table.

37. And, behold, a woman of that city who was a heathen, when she knew that Jesus was reclining at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster vase full of perfumed ointment; 38, and standing at the back of our Lord's couch, at his feet, weep