rightly employed the leisure of the sabbath, and sought not for amusement but instruction? Even when present at the worship of God have they felt any desire, any appetite for knowledge of the truth? Have they used every opportunity of inquiry: and acted in the case of religion, as they would act concerning any other subject in which they were interested, and wished to be informed?

Those who have not done this, cannot justly plead that they know not their Lord's will. They cannot expect any mitigation of the wrath to come: they cannot expect the few stripes: the least miserable condition. Theirs is the case of servants who were aware that their lord had sent a message, but refused to open it, to hearken to it: who would "not come unto the light lest their deeds should be reproved." This is the real cause of ignorance; a preference of it, as if diminishing responsibility; an aversion from all religious inquiry. Those who neglect the means which God hath put into their hands; who reckon anything better worth caring for, or seeking for, than the way of eternal life; who take that season which God has destined for the concerns of the soul, and devote it to amusement or sloth, or to wordly concerns; those, indeed, must necessarily remain ignorant of their Lord's will but let them not bring forward ignorance as an excuse for their disobedience: much has been given them, and of them shall be much required. "Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right," and from his justice in condemning those, who refuse to seek his mercy in pardoning?

But they which "cry after knowledge, and lift

up their voice for understanding: who seek her as silver, and search after her as for hid treasures they shall understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowlege of God."7

LECTURE XLVIII.

JESUS FORETELLS THE CONSEQUENCES OF HIS COMING, AND WARNS THE PEOPLE AGAINST UNBELIEF.

LUKE xii. 49-59.

49. I am come to send fire on earth; and what will I, if it be already kindled?1

Here, and in the following verses, our Lord drops some reflections on the consequences which should result from his incarnation.

I am come to send fire on the earth. His ministry, and that of his apostles, lighted the fire of zeal, of piety, of love towards God and man : and it also lighted the unhallowed fire of hatred, suspicion, and jealousy. Both were already kindled: the enmity of the Pharisees was burning with a desire to entrap and destroy him and the love of

7 Prov. ii. 4.

See Matt. x. 31.

the disciples had excited them to leave all and follow him.

A fire ought to inflame every christian breast. Let there be no coldness in a cause, which concerns the glory of God: no lukewarmness respecting the interests of a soul for which Christ died.

2

50. But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished!

Here our Lord intimates the purpose for which he had taken upon him our nature; and foresees the hour, when the deep waters of anguish should go even over his soul. But for this cause came he into the world, that he might "once suffer for sins, the just for the unjust." And how was he straitened till it was accomplished! till the will of God should be fulfilled, and the work of redemption completed.

We, too, are baptized with a baptism, which is designed to purify us from sin, and present us unto God as a holy and peculiar people. "The like figure, even baptism, doth now save us; not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience towards God." How ought we to be straitened till this purpose is accomplished in us, and we are delivered from "the law of sin which is in our members!"

51. Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

52. For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three.

2 See Matt. xx. 22.

31 Pet. iii. 21.

53. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.

In one sense, we know, our Lord was come to give peace on earth. His birth was announced, as bringing the glad tidings of "peace on earth, good will towards men." And his promise is, to all who take up his yoke, "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you." But it was equally certain that the effect of his coming would be division: division between relatives and households. They who confessed the faith of Christ, would be zealous to convert such as continued in unbelief: and they who continued in unbelief would be provoked, and would hate and persecute those who by their faith and obedience bore a testimony against them. A spirit of bigotry has in all ages broken through the strongest bonds of relationship and natural affection. Even fathers and children, mothers and daughters, fall out about religion and the unconverted are ready to deliver unto prison or unto death such as believe, though otherwise very near or dear to them. So we find in the Acts, that wherever the gospel was preached, persecution was stirred up: it was "everywhere spoken against," and there was "no small stir about that way."

Something of the same nature must be expected, as long as Satan opposes the kingdom of God, as long as the Holy Spirit and the heart of man are contrary the one to the other. Our duty is, so to

unite and temper zeal with love, and charity with zeal, as to give no just cause of displeasure, either to God as being neglected, or to man as being offended. The religion which is from above is at the same time "pure and peaceable," while it is "full of mercy and good fruits."

54. And he said also to the people, When ye see a cloud rise out of the west, straightway ye say, There cometh a shower; and so it is.

55. And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There will be heat; and it cometh to pass.

56. Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

57. Yea, and why even of yourselves judge ye not what is right?

58. When thou goest with thine adversary to the magistrate, as thou art in the way, give diligence that thou mayest be delivered from him; lest he hale thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

59. I tell thee, thou shalt not depart thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

The people now collected in our Lord's presence were professedly expecting the Messiah. Devout men, who were looking for the redemption of Israel, discovered the signs of the times, and rejoiced when their eyes had seen the salvation of God. Such persons as Simeon, and Anna, and Zacharias, considered the prophecies of Isaiah and Daniel, as a shepherd sees a cloud rise out of the west, or perceives the south wind blow. He says, there will be heat, or there cometh a shower; and so it is. And the prophets say, "Blessed be the Lord