which are meant to disturb the visible course of Nature?-Our LORD does not compare the acts themselves: but the safety of claiming the power to perform them. The Reader is referred to the notes on St. Mark's Gospel,-ii. 8 and 9.

24 But that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power upon Earth to forgive sins, (He said unto the sick of the palsy,) I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thine house.

Because it is easier to deliver a saying, than to perform a miracle, our LORD proceeds to exhibit a stupendous act of Almighty Power. See the notes on St. Mark ii. 10 and 11.

25 And immediately he rose up before them, and took up that whereon he lay, and departed to his own house, glorifying GOD.

....

Well had it been prophesied of the days of MESSIAHI,-"Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees!" (h) . . . . See the note on St. Mark ii. 12. “That whereon he lay:"-for it was a poor couch, or pallet, and could hardly be called "a bed."-He departed in the direction of his home; but the crowd was excessive, see ver. 19. The wondering assembly must therefore have fallen back, and made way for the man: fear helping to do what amazement would hardly have effected. For the Evangelist proceeds,

26 And they were all amazed, and they glorified GOD, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to-day.

27, 28 And after these things He went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom and He said unto him, Follow Me. And he left all, rose up, and followed Him.

The remarks which have been already made on the call of Levi, (that is, of St. Matthew,) in St. Mark's Gospel,-chap. ii. 14,-are so entirely applicable to this place, that the Reader may be simply referred thither.

Like St. Mark, the present Evangelist hastens on to give an account of the great feast which St. Matthew made, long after, to his Divine Master. See the note above referred to; and compare the note on St. Matthew ix. 9.

29 And Levi made Him a great feast in his own house: and there was a great company of Publicans and of others that sat down with them.

30 But their Scribes and Pharisees murmured against His Disciples, saying, Why do ye eat and drink with Publicans and Sinners?

Concerning the Scribes, see the note on St. Mark iii. 22: and concerning the "Publicans and Sinners," see the note on St. Mark ii. 15.

31, 32 And JESUS answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a Physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

See the notes on St. Mark ii. 17.

"A great encouragement to sinners," writes Leighton, "but no encouragement at all to sin. He came to call sinners; but it was to call them to Repentance. If thou bring thy sins to JESUS CHRIST, as thy malady and misery, to be cured of them, and delivered from them,-it is well: but to come with them as thy beloved darlings and delight, thinking still to retain them, and to receive Him, thou mistakest Him grossly, and miserably deludest thyself. The great Redemption He wrought, was, to separate our hearts and Sin. We know Him not, if we take it otherwise. And this says clearly, that though He hath come to us, and stretched forth His hands long among us,-few of us are come to Him. Oh, how few have trod on the neck of their beloved sin to come to JESUS CHRIST!"

(h) Isaiah xxxv. 3.

33 And they said unto Him, Why do the disciples of John fast often, and make prayers, and likewise the disciples of the Pharisees; but Thine eat and drink?

See the notes on St. Mark ii. 18.

34, 35 And He said unto them, Can ye make the children of the bride-chamber fast, while the Bridegroom is with them? But the days will come, when the Bridegroom shall be taken away from them, and then shall they fast in those days.

The Reader is referred to the notes on St. Mark ii. 19, 20; and should take notice that these words of the "Bridegroom" himself, explain why Holy Church directs her children to interrupt their Lent Fast on Sundays; and to regard all Sundays and Saints' Days in the year, as Feasts. "The children of the Bride-chamber" cannot fast when the Bridegroom is presented to their notice; either in His own Person, or glorified in the persons of His Saints.

36 And He spake also a parable unto them; No man putteth a piece of a new garment upon an old; if otherwise, then both the new maketh a rent, and the piece that was taken out of the new agreeth not with the old.

On these words, some remarks have been already offered in the note on St. Mark ii. 21.

Two inconveniences are specified: the new piece causeth a rent in the old garment; and the old garment disliketh the new piece. Having thus briefly pointed out the twofold evil which would have resulted from the course which the Scribes and Pharisees recommended, our Blessed LORD proceeds to discourse of that evil, more in detail: showing, by two several examples, the mischief of imparting a body of new Doctrines to men who had been brought up in an entirely different system. First, He shows the fatal consequence of such a proceeding.

37, 38 And no man putteth new wine into old bottles; else the new wine will burst the bottles, and be spilled, and the bottles shall perish. But new wine must be put into new bottles; and both are preserved.

The Reader is again referred to the notes on St. Mark's Gospel-ii. 22. By a further striking saying, which is peculiar to St. Luke, our LORD shows the reluc tance with which men, accustomed to the Ceremonial Law, would receive the Gospel of the Kingdom.

39 No man also having drunk old wine straightway desireth new: for he saith, The old is better.

Our LORD's Discourse may be said to conclude with three short Parables. See the first words of verse 36. It is worth observing that Doctrine is here again compared to Wine: but whereas, in the former instance, the danger of hastily imparting new Truths to persons not duly prepared to receive them, was spoken of— a danger which arises out of the nature of the thing imparted; in this place, allusion is made to the obstacle presented by the Receiver himself. Men, by the very law of their constitution, prefer that which is old to that which is new. And to this natural disposition of His creatures, He who "knew what was in Man," is content to make this solemn and instructive appeal.

This, therefore, furnishes another reason for the progressive course which our LORD was pursuing towards His disciples; and of which we have so many notices in the Gospels. Thus, in the last days of His ministry, He could say, "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."(i) He had discoursed of "earthly things," and men believed not:" how should they believe if He told them of "heavenly things?" (k) He spake the Word to the people, therefore, at all times, "as they were able to bear it."(1)

(i) St. John xvi. 12.

As the Master had acted, so did the Disciple. St. Paul was careful to feed the Christians of Corinth "with milk, and not with meat,"-because he found them "not able to bear it."(m) Towards his Hebrew converts, he was content to pursue the like course; remarking that "strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age."(n) And doubtless these hints have been set on eternal record for our guidance in the communication of Divine Truth.

THE PRAYER.

ALMIGHTY and everlasting GOD, give unto us the increase of Faith, Hope, and Charity; and, that we may obtain that which Thou dost promise, make us to love that which Thou dost command; through JESUS CHRIST our LORD. Amen.

CHAPTER VI.

1 CHRIST reproveth the Pharisees' blindness about the observation of the Sabbath, by Scripture, Reason, and Miracle. 13 Chooseth Twelve Apostles. 17 Healeth the diseased. 20 Preacheth to His Disciples before the people, of blessings and curses. 27 How we must love our enemies. 46 And join the obedience of good works to the hearing of the Word: lest in the evil day of temptation we fall, like an house built upon the face of the earth, without any foundation.

1 AND it came to pass on the second Sabbath after the first,

The particular Sabbath which St. Luke here speaks of, is not known: but it was one which fell somewhere about the Passover season-for, (as we see,) the corn was ripe. See the note on St. Mark ii. 23. It came to pass at such a time,

2 that He went through the corn-fields; and His Disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the Sabbath days?

3 And JESUS answering them said,

See how kindly He takes their part-answering their enemies for them! He is ever thus towards those who put their trust in Him: “hiding them privily by His presence from the provoking of all men; keeping them secretly in His Tabernacle from the strife of tongues."(a) He said,

4, 5 Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when him(m) 1 Cor. iii. 12.

(n) Heb. v. 12, 13, 14.

(a) Psalm xxxi. 22.

self was an hungered, and they which were with him; how he went into the House of GOD, and did take and eat the show-bread, and gave also to them that were with him; which it is not lawful to eat but for the Priests alone? And He said unto them, that The Son of Man is LORD also of the Sabbath.

The Reader is referred to the notes on St. Mark ii. 23 to 28, concerning this entire transaction. A few more notes will be found in the corresponding place of St. Matthew's Gospel-xii. 1 to 8. A mighty miracle next comes before us.

6, 7 And it came to pass also on another Sabbath, that He entered into the Synagogue and taught: and there was a man whose right hand was withered. And the Scribes and Pharisees watched Him, whether He would heal on the Sabbath day; that they might find an accusation against Him.

See the notes on St. Mark iii. 1 and 2.-St. Matthew here supplies what St. Luke omits. See St. Matthew xii. 11 and 12, with the notes thereon.

8, 9, 10, 11 But He knew their thoughts, and said to the man which had the withered hand, Rise up, and stand forth in the midst. And he arose and stood forth. Then said JESUS unto them, I will ask you one thing; Is it lawful on the Sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it? And looking round about upon them all, He said unto the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he did so: and his hand was restored whole as the other. And they were filled with madness; and communed one with another what they might do to JESUS.

It must suffice once more to refer the Reader to the notes on St. Mark iii. 3, 4, 5, 6. 12 And it came to pass in those days, that He went out into a mountain to pray; and continued all night in prayer to GOD.

Compare this remarkable disclosure with what St. Mark says-chap. i. ver. 35; and take notice that on that occasion, our Divine Master prepared himself by prolonged Prayer for His First great Ministerial Journey: (b) on this, for the solemn Call of His Twelve Apostles, which was to take place on the morrow-as it is said in the next verse. How are we taught hereby, in what manner to commence any work of piety-to prepare ourselves for any great undertaking! And how severe a rebuke is it to our short and lifeless devotions, thus to read of Him who "continued all night in prayer to GoD!" . . . . . Compare also St. Matthew xiv. 23, or St. Mark vi. 46.

But did the Son of God require the aid and support of Prayer? This form of putting the question is apt to mislead us: for thereby the attention is called away from the whole Person of CHRIST, to His Divine Nature-in respect of which, He was One with the FATHER; and therefore, Himself the Source of all Spiritual Strength. But doubtless, as the Son of Man,-as THE WORD "made flesh,"-our SAVIOUR prayed for supplies of Grace, and obtained them in answer to His prayers. Consider St. Luke xxii. 42, 44; and St. Matthew xxvii. 46. We may never overlook the entire reality of our LORD's Human Nature: never so maintain the Truth of His Gophead, as to show ourselves forgetful of the Truth of His Manhood. When we think of His Humanity, let us conceive of it as of the sinless Humanity of Adam before the Fall; and we shall not err.

If any do prefer, in the prayers of CHRIST, the Head, chiefly to behold a living Pattern, and perpetual Reproof to ourselves, His Members-we object not. For our imitation, doubtless, in great part, these mysterious scenes were set on eternal record. But our LORD's prayers may not be regarded as an unreal thing; offered up, as well as recorded, for Man's sake-rather than for His own.

(b) Recorded in St. Mark i. 39,-St. Matthew iv. 23,-St. Luke iv. 44.

13 And when it was day, He called unto Him His Disciples and of them He chose Twelve, whom also He named Apostles:

"He chose:"—but in Acts x. 41, the Apostles are said to have been "chosen by GOD." And,-"He called:”—but in St. John xvii. 6, 9, 12, they are said to have been given to Him by the FATHER. Is it not true, that after Guidance has been effectually sought by earnest Prayer to GOD, the work on which we are about to engage becomes not ours, but His?

"Twelve," for the reason mentioned in the first note on St. Mark iii. 14. These "He ordained," (St. Mark says,) "that He might send them forth to preach." (c) Hence their title of "Apostle,"-a word which denotes "One sent forth;" and is translated Messenger in Philippians ii. 25.-Compare Haggai i. 13, and Malachi ii. 7. The successors of the Apostles are called Bishops; and those titles were at first indifferently used, as appears by a comparison of Philippians ii. 25 with 1 Timothy iii. 1; but, in process of time, the term "Apostles" became restricted to the Twelve. Let it be noted however that these great Ambassadors of CHRIST had a special dignity of their own:-(1st) as being immediately called by CHRIST Himself:-(2dly) as being infallibly guided:-(3dly) as being universally charged; (that is, having a general commission to do all things pertaining to the Ministry of Salvation, in all places, and towards all persons:)-(4thly) as being miraculously gifted with the skill of speaking all languages,—with the knowledge of all secrets, with the power of confirming their doctrine by signs and miracles,—and of imparting the like spiritual gifts to others by the Imposition of their hands. In all these respects, they had not, and could not have, Successors. Descent, (or, as it is called, Succession,) supplies in the present day the place of the first; their own Writings, of the second: a several See, of the third: Schools and Universities, of the last.

But then, besides these special and peculiar Gifts, they had a solemn Office; namely, they were Church Governors, appointed to order and settle the affairs of CHRIST'S Spiritual Kingdom; and therein, (beside the preaching of the Gospel and baptizing, common to them with other Ministers,) to ordain a succession of the great Governors of the Church. In this respect, (in respect of their Office, namely,) they had, they must needs have had,-Successors; and to those Successors we give the name of Bishops.

14, 15, 16 Simon, (whom He also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon called Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

These twelve great names will be found remarked upon, at some length, in the notes on St. Mark's Gospel,-iii. 16 to 19: whither the Reader is referred."Surely," (says Leighton,) "of all that ever lived on earth, the most blessed was this handful and small company which our LORD chose for His constant attendants, -to see His Divine Miracles,-to enjoy His sweetest society, and to hear His Divine Doctrine. What a holy flame of Love must have burned in their hearts,— who were always so near the Sun of Righteousness!"

17 And He came down with them, and stood in the plain,

Not "the plain," but "a plain (that is, a level) spot:" for our LORD was upon a Mountain. What follows, is St. Luke's shorter version of the "Sermon on the Mount," (as the Discourse in St. Matthew v. vi. and vii. is called:) and this is much to be noted, for it reminds us that the statements in St. Matthew and St. Luke are to be attentively compared throughout.

18, 19 and the company of His Disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear Him, and to be healed of their diseases; and they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

(e) St. Mark iii. 14.