entered into them, for they called the Saviour a blasphemer! The spirit by which acts of cruelty are suggested had entered into them, for they pierced and nailed him to the accursed tree! The spirit of mockery had entered into them, for they put on him a purple robe, and gave him a reed for a sceptre, and placed a crown of thorns upon his head, and then with maniac shout they cried, "Hail, King of the Jews!" The spirit of injustice entered into them, for they condemned him of whom even Pilate testified, saying, "I find no fault in him at all!" The spirit of ingratitude entered into them, for they crucified him whose every word was love, whose every act was mercy, whose tears of sympathy were freely shed at their anticipated misery, and who died praying for their forgiveness! And the spirit of recklessness entered into them, for with awful imprecation they exclaimed, "His blood be on us and on our children!" And so it was :—the same blood which procured the remission of sins, brought down judgment on the murderers of Christ; and in that blood was written, both the pardon of a fallen world, and the national condemnation of the Jewish people. Thus the last state of that generation was worse than the first; and although the sign of the prophet Jonas was displayed in the resurrection of Christ, yet it did not profit them. The evil spirits had gained effectual possession of their souls, and continued to dwell there, displaying themselves in the obstinate and inveterate malignity with which the Scribes and Pharisees and chief Priests opposed and persecuted the Apostles and all who professed a faith in their crucified, but now ascended and exalted, Redeemer. Such we consider to be the true exposition of the scope and object of this parable. There are some emphatic expressions in it which require to be noticed. The spirit is called "unclean." All evil spirits are so, as they have no moral purity, but are essentially sinful and depraved, and are always seeking to diffuse and impart to others their defilement and pollution. There is in this description a direct contrast implied between the character of holy angels and of unclean spirits: they are diametrically opposed to each other; the one all light and purity and moral beauty, the other darkness, pollutedness, and sin. The unclean spirit is said to "walk through dry places, seeking rest and finding none." This phraseology may be partly taken from Job i. 7, in which Satan is said to have been going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. By "dry places we may understand those which are not visited by the fertilizing showers of divine grace, which "come down like rain upon the mown grass, as showers which water the earth." Every place, too, where an unclean spirit can do no mischief, is like a dry and desert place to him. And how awful is the account of the unclean spirit "seeking rest and finding none!" Devils are always unhappy. They are continually stung and tortured by the agonizing despotism of a guilty and accusing conscience, and, like the man who seeks to drown his care in degrading pleasures, they can find no symptom of repose except in afflicting the souls of men, and in seeking to communicate their impurity and wretchedness to others, whom they desire to render as miserable as themselves. When the unclean spirit finds no rest, he says, "I will return into my house from whence I came out." The man whom he had left had not shut the door against him by watchfulness and prayer and faith, so that the unclean spirit is not kept standing, as Christ too frequently is, who is often obliged to exclaim -"Behold, I stand at the door and knock." The unclean spirit calls the soul and body of the man in whom he was, "his house." As the bodies of believers are the temples of the Holy Ghost, so are the bodies of wicked and unbelieving men the residence of Satan, "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." And in the case supposed in the parable before us, although the unclean spirit had gone out, yet he had not lost his property in the soul of the man, since it was not sealed by the Holy Spirit as the property of God. When he returns into the man, he takes with him seven other spirits. These were not there at first. No man sinks down into the lowest depths of depravity at once. There is a growth in vice, as well as a growth in grace. But we must now briefly advert to the moral instruction which this parable is calculated to convey. This may be very considerable, although the parable itself may contain many difficulties. And in the present instance we have a good illustration of how instruction may be drawn from even the most mysterious portions of the word of God. It shows us that the moral history of the words of Luke, in chap. viii. 19, arenations is similar to that of individuals. "Then came to him his mother," &c.; and They both illustrate the same principles, as Matthew merely says "While he yet but the former on a larger scale. talked to the people," it appears, at once, that the latter evangelist did not profess or intend to mention the exact time, whereas Luke did. By "brethren," in this verse, some persons understand only cousins and near relations. The Hebrew idiom frequently employs the word with this latitude of signification; but there is no need of understanding it so in this, or in other cases where the brethren of our Lord are mentioned. Joseph and Mary might have had children after the birth of Jesus. It shows us that no reformation is radical and ultimately valuable but that which is produced by the Spirit of God. As man is weak and powerless in himself, he requires strength superior to the strength of Satan to change his character and to make him a new creature; and therefore all cessations from sin which are not effected by divine grace are only temporary, like the lucid intervals of a demoniac, and will only continue as long as the capricious and imperious despotism of the prince of this world will allow. It teaches us that we should watch and pray against Satan. If we knew that a man was prowling about our path with an evil intent to rob or to murder us, we would guard against his insidious attempts with all the might and caution we could command. How much more earnestly should we watch against the wiles of the devil, who is continually going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour!-But blessed be God! if we resist him in the strength of Christ, he will flee from us. With knowledge in the head, prayer in the mouth, faith in the heart, and the sword of the Spirit in the hand, we shall not only be fully prepared, but shall be more than conquerors through him that loved us. Faith in the soul of the Christian is the light to which the devil will not come, because his deeds are evil. Christ's Mother and Brethren seek for him. 46. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. This verse refers to some other discourse which Christ had been delivering "to the people," after he had finished the parable of the unclean spirit, which was addressed more especially to the Scribes and Pharisees. St. Luke relates this circumstance of his mother and brethren desiring to see him, as having occurred after the delivery of the parable of the Sower, which St. Matthew does not relate until the next chapter. As The manner in which the Saviour gave his instructions to the people ought to be noticed:-he "talked" to them. He did not employ any studied and pompous oratory, but used the plain, didactic, and familiar style. His language was always simple, his arguments clear, and his illustrations were drawn from obvious and natural circumstances, which his hearers thoroughly understood. Let all ministers, and others who undertake to teach the things of God, take the blessed Jesus as their model in this, as in every other particular. It is an awful trifling with the eternal interests of men, to convert the pulpit into a rostrum, and to seek to astonish and amuse, instead of to instruct and feed with the bread of life. The mother and the brethren of Jesus, instead of being "without," ought to have been within, listening to the instructions of Jesus. But it too often happens that those who have most easy access to the best opportunities of improvement, are least ready to take advantage of them. We often think lightly of, though we may not actually despise and entirely disregard, privileges which we think we may take advantage of at any future time. But in this we forget that though present advantages are ours, future opportunities are under the direction of a higher power, which we can neither command nor control. And what did the mother and brethren of Jesus want with him? This is not mentioned, but it is worthy of a passing observation. Let us not suppose that their design or intention was to interrupt the Saviour, although their conduct might have had this effect. We rather think that they were influenced by some amiable and consi We have remarked, that though the mother and brethren of Jesus did not intend to interrupt him, yet their conduct, though springing from the very best-intentioned solicitude and affection, might have had this effect. Let the near relations of ministers find a mild caution suggested to them in this. Let them beware lest their excessive anxiety for the health and comfort of the Lord's servants may exceed the bounds of necessity, and serve to put obstacles in the way of their diligent and regular attention to the duties of their ministry. derate object. Probably they felt much | to speak to him as a favour, and did not anxiety lest he was exposing himself to too demand it as a right. much danger in opposing the Scribes and Pharisees, or to too much fatigue in teaching the people, and were wishing to urge him to take some meat to sustain his physical strength. Let their object have been what it may, we are disposed to believe that it was a kind one, such as might have been suggested by the respectful concern of his brethren, and the tender affection of his mother. For his mother must have loved him with an ardent and devoted attachment, which even no mother beside could possibly understand. For what mother ever was blessed by Heaven with such a son? And here let us give a caution against doing any injustice to her character. The Gospels bring be 47. Then one said unto him, 48. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? fore our view many interesting female cha-Behold, thy mother and thy breracters, but none more amiable than that thren stand without, desiring to of "THE MOTHER OF OUR LORD." Be- speak with thee. cause the Church of Rome has given her idolatrous worship, this is no reason why we should go to the other extreme, and in endeavouring to answer that Church, depreciate Mary below the level which she occupies in Scripture. This is her proper and assigned rank "THE MOTHER OF OUR LORD." She is never once referred hand toward his disciples, and to, but in this interesting and endearing said, Behold my mother and my brethren! 49. And he stretched forth his Heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. character. Whether she is brought before us watching the slumbers of the infant Jesus in the manger, or anxiously guarding 50. For whosoever shall do the and protecting his youth on the journey will of my Father which is in into Egypt, or manifesting deep solicitude in the progress of his public ministry, or as the agonized spectator of his dying sufferings on the cross, she is always and invariably spoken of as his "Mother." Her portraiture is drawn by the Holy Spirit in her maternal robes, holding out an example of fond and persevering solicitude towards an affectionate and dutiful son, which all mothers should endeavour to imitate. And she was well aware that Jesus was no ordinary son—that he was invested with a special rank and dignity which demanded deference and respect even from her. She never therefore presumed upon her position as his mother, or pretended to exercise any undue authority over him; much less did she ever, by the right of a mother, command her son, as the Church of Rome has attributed to her the power to do. It is here said that she and his brethren were desiring" to speak with him; they sought 66 The account in Luke viii. 20 is this: "It was told him by certain, who said, Thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to see thee. And he answered and said unto them," &c. There is no difference, however, between these two accounts, except what is perfectly natural, and indeed inevitable, when two persons are giving two independent narratives of the same transaction. Of course, several persons may have had their attention arrested by the anxiety of the mother and brethren of Jesus to see him, and may have repeated their expression of desire, whilst only one person in the crowd could have ultimately informed Jesus himself. The friends of revelation, instead of allowing the apparent discrepancies between the evangelists to be produced as objections against the truth True religion may be of their history, should always anticipate the | lieving, as the effect necessarily implies the infidel, by using these discrepancies as proofs existence of a cause. of the genuineness of those histories. The infidel has no right to them, and believers in revelation could not do without them. The Saviour, according to his usual custom, takes advantage, from the circumstance which now attracts his attention, to found upon it some inportant instruction. In order to arrest the attention of the people, so as to fix it upon the great principle which he was going to lay down, he begins by this question, "Who is my mother? and who are my brethren ?" This question was not intended to disclaim all concern for his mother or his natural relatives. Far from it. There never existed one who possessed filial piety and affection to the extent which the Saviour displayed. He was always the kind and affectionate son. Of his younger years we read, that he went down to Nazareth with his parents, and was subject unto them. And one of his last actions, when enduring the excruciating agonies of the cross, was to provide a shelter for his widowed and afflicted parent in the house of his beloved disciple, where he knew she would be treated with more watchful and affectionate attention than if he had bequeathed to her the wealth and luxuries of a palace. But Jesus distinguished carefully between his duty to his earthly and to his heavenly parent-between his love for his mother and for the souls of men; and his object in the present instance is to disclaim, only in his mediatorial capacity, any special relationship to any particular individuals amongst his people; and to impress this important principle, "he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren; for whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother." The nearest and dearest relationships in existence are spiritual ones, and of these, that which subsists between Christ and his redeemed people is the nearest and dearest of all. Let us mark the description which he gives of his spiritual relations. They must bear a family likeness to him, "who came down from heaven, not to do his own will, but the will of his Father which sent him," John vi. 38; they must not merely profess or talk about the will of God, but must do it. They must, no doubt, believe; but doing necessarily implies be defined to be an outward practical exhibition of an inward faith in Jesus as the Saviour. Let ministers of the gospel learn, that in the discharge of their pastoral duties they should make no difference between relations and others. They should have no favourite objects of ministerial attentions, except it be those who are in the greatest spiritual necessity. All should receive their portion of meat in due season. CHAPTER XIII. The Parable of the Sower. 1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea-side. It was "the same day" that his mother and his brethren had come to him, and that he had preached to and reasoned with the Pharisees. Jesus scarcely ever allowed either his mind or his body to take any rest. The spiritual instruction of the people was always more important in his view than his own comfort or refreshment, and he never allowed either opposition or interruption to divert him from the great purpose of finishing the work which his Father had given him to do. The house here referred to was Peter's, at Capernaum, chap. xvii. 24. He went out of the house, as the sower goes out, to sow the seed of divine truth. The Saviour probably felt in his mind as he was going out, how applicable to his circumstances at the very time such a comparison would be, and therefore adopted it as the basis of the instruction which he afterwards, on this occasion, delivered. He was going forth, weeping at the apathy and ingratitude of men-bearing precious seed, much of which would be lost, and bring forth no fruit; but he was cheered by the anticipation that he shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing many sheaves with him. When he went out he sat by the sea-side. He sat down with the intention of teaching, but when he found the people coming in such numbers, he changed his place and went into a boat. Sitting was the posture adopted in teaching, in schools and synagogues. It was at the sea of Galilee that he sat down, close to Capernaum, where he was dwelling | religious truth; such as, in the parable of at the time. 2. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. the Prodigal Son, the best robe, the ring, the fatted calf, the shoes. These are like trees and clouds in a painting, introduced to set off the leading and prominent objects. These little circumstances illustrate and give outline illustrates the principles of instrucforce to the outline of the parable, whilst the tion which the speaker is anxious to recomWherever Jesus went, the multitudes mend and enforce. The Jews were familiarly followed. He was He was an object of general acquainted with this mode of illustration, interest and attraction. It should be said which was very commonly used in eastern in this verse, according to the original, "the countries. Their very religion was paraboship," for the allusion here is to a particular lical, and must have given them a taste for boat which was on the lake for the service this kind of instruction. A parable was not of the Lord. Probably it was the same in necessarily either true or fictitious; it rewhich the apostle Peter carried on his oc- ceives the name entirely on account of the cupation of a fisherman, and which served use made of it, and the aptness and prothe double purpose of fishing and preaching, priety of it lies entirely in the justness of -in which the apostles frequently procured its application. There is no method of conbodily sustenance, and in which Jesus dis- veying instruction more calculated to enpensed moral and spiritual food. Christ gage the attention. Instead of seeking to preached wherever he had an opportunity, reach the heart through the head, a parable -in the Temple, in the synagogues, on a reaches the head through the heart. It mountain, in a ship; for it is not the place recommends truth by dressing it out in a which sanctifies the ordinance, but the ordi- pleasing garb, and at the same time sufficinance which sanctifies the place. It must, in-ently conceals it to excite an interest and deed, have been an imposing sight, to have seen the Saviour of the world, the Son of God, sitting in a boat, speaking as never man spake, whilst multitudes of immortal beings were standing, with respectful attention, on the shore, listening to the words of divine instruction which proceeded out of his mouth. 3. And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Be-use he intended to make of it in a subse hold, a sower went forth to sow: This is the first time that it is specifically said by St. Matthew that Christ spake to the people in parables. The word Parable signifies a comparison. It was a species of narrative used for the purpose of illustrating or giving energy to some important moral or religious truth, in which there is an analogous similitude pervading it to the subject which it is brought forward to represent. A parable differs from an example in this, that the former only contains a similitude; an example is properly an instance of the same kind with that which it is intended to explain. We should observe, that there are often many circumstances in a parable which are brought into it simply for embellishment, and do not directly represent any moral or best way desire to search it out, and so rewards the mind for the labour of investigation. The in which moral truth can be imparted, is in a mode that exercises the imagination and affections in a due degree. This is attained to by a parable. As The parable which is now brought under our notice is a very instructive one. the Lord has given an explanation of the quent part of this chapter, we shall reserve our principal observations until we come to' the consideration of that. Probably at the time when our Lord was about to deliver this parable, there was a sower within sight, and this circumstance may have suggested to the Saviour such an illustration of himself. It should be "The sower went forth to sow," for as the word sower is the name of a class, he prefixes the article to individualize it, and refer it to a specific person, so as to correspond with the great truth that he himself was emphatically and alone THE Saviour. 4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way-side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: |