into account the future, as well as the present, and not sacrifice the usefulness of years to the usefulness of the present hour. Our enquiry should be, how shall we best glorify God in our whole life?

He gave commandment to his disciples to prepare a boat to pass over to the other side of the lake. He was ready to take advantage of the services of his people, and to confer upon them the high enjoyment and privilege of attending on him in their proper sphere. And what a privilege to be permitted to provide the boat, and work the oars, and guide the sails, that carried the Saviour over the sea of Galilee! Such is a beautiful illustration of the labour which devolves on those who are engaged in missionary enterprises: they are permitted to provide the means of conveying the Saviour to distant regions of the earth, that sinners may hear his voice and live!

19. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.

It would appear, from Luke ix. 57, that this scribe came to Jesus as he was going from the house to the shore. He had probably witnessed some of the miracles which Christ had performed, and had come to the conclusion that he was the promised Messiah, and that he was about to set up his kingdom immediately, and therefore expected that by following him he would obtain some place of honour and emolument. There are always multitudes to be found who are thus ready to make a profession of Christianity whenever any worldly advantage can be gained thereby; and too many there are who are willing to enter into the sacred office of the ministry merely for the sake of the honour and emolument connected therewith. Lord, lead us to follow thee for thine own sake, and not for temporal honours or worldly gain!

soever he would. Yet it was not the language of one who understood the Saviour's character and office. How frequently do we hear the natural man employ language which appears to us to be spoken under the influence of divine grace, but which appears in a far different light to him who searches the hearts and tries the reins! This man's proposal was soon traced to its source and motive by the Saviour. Nor is it the least wonderful exhibition of the Saviour's power which this chapter contains, that he at once detected the inmost workings of this man's mind. Let all false professors know, that they have to deal with a Saviour who cannot be deceived.

20. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

The object of the Saviour in this reply is to show the scribe what he must expect by following him, as if he had said—“ My condition is of the very poorest and meanest kind, and therefore, if you follow me, you must be contented with the same." Such a convert as this would have been eagerly received by many, but Christ knew that nothing is more calculated to injure his cause, than the increase of unsound and interested professors. They are the bane of his Church and the enemies of his cross.

This verse contains an affecting description of the extreme humiliation of the Saviour. He was encompassed with all the inconveniences of real and absolute poverty. It is said in Luke viii. 2, 3, that he was supported by donations from even the wife of Herod's steward, probably from the very relics of food which came from Herod's table! and here it is said that he had not where to lay his head. Whilst not only domestic animals, and those which are useful to men, but even those that are beyond the protection of men, and which Nothing could have appeared to an ordi- nature appears to have left to themselves, nary listener more excellent and commend- have each their proper place of abode, He able than the resolution of this scribe. It that made them all, whilst visiting his own was prefaced by a respectful recognition of creation in a human form, had not where to the Saviour's authority, for he calls him lay his head. He was in the habit of spend"Master." It appeared to indicate a com- ing many of his nights in the mount of plete willingness and determination to sur- Olives as it is written in John vii. 53, render himself entirely into the Saviour's" Every man went unto his own house," and hands, and to allow him to lead him whither- it is immediately added, that "Jesus went

be given to them. But the reason is simply this, that in most cases he overlooked and disregarded the words, and directed his reply to the thoughts and to the conscience : so that in this we have a clear proof of his knowing what was in man.

21. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.

unto the mount of Olives," John viii. 1, evi- | be the direct and natural replies which should dently because he had no home to go to. The declaration contained in this verse occupies a striking position in the word of God, nearly in the centre of a chapter which is full of miracles of the most unbounded benevolence, which were wrought for others! What an exhibition of disinterested philanthropy do we see in this! Jesus was ever ready to exert his power for others, but never for his own personal comfort, or for the supply of his own wants. What comfort may the poor believer derive from this account of his Saviour's destitution! He is walking in the very path which Jesus trod before him. And therefore Jesus is able to sympathise and relieve him, for he is not an high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of his people's infirmities, but was tempted in all points like as they are, yet without sin.

The title which the Saviour gives himself in this answer to the scribe is remarkable: he calls himself the Son of man. This was not merely to manifest his humility, or to indicate the reality of his human nature, but it was also for the purpose of calling the attention of this scribe to the real character and dignity, which notwithstanding his present humiliation he possessed, and of directing him to a contemplation of his future glory. The Saviour is spoken of under this title in two remarkable passages of the Old Testament-in Psalm viii. 4, and in Daniel vii. 13 with which this scribe ought to have been acquainted. Jesus, therefore, in calling himself "Son of man," asserts all the glory and prerogative connected with the person so called in these passages; but by the announcement of his present destitution, he intends to show, that those who would reign with him hereafter, must first suffer with him now. They that would receive a crown of glory from the Son of man when he shall appear again, must first take up their cross and follow the same Son of man through every path of poverty and trial, which he hath marked out for them to walk in. It is extremely probable that this man went away disappointed. That zeal which is founded upon false views of the gospel, is soon quenched by a simple exhibition of the truth as it is in Jesus, and of the claims which it makes upon those whom it addresses.

It is remarkable that many of the answers given by Jesus to persons who addressed him in the days of his flesh, do not appear to

This person was supposed to have been Philip the apostle, but there is only an uncertain tradition to support the opinion. If it had been necessary, or could have added any force to the lesson which this narrative conveys, the Holy Spirit would doubtless have told us the name of the disciple referred to. It is not, however, necessary to suppose that it was one of the twelve, as the name of disciple was given indiscriminately to those who followed Christ to listen to his discourses, though many of them subsequently left him, as we learn from John vi. 66.

In the case of the scribe we have an instance of eagerness and haste—in this case we have an instance of procrastination and delay. If men were left to themselves, they would never follow Christ at an acceptable time, or from right principles and motives. It requires divine grace to regulate our zeal and ardour, as well as to bring our wavering resolutions to the point. Christ, as we are told in Luke ix. 59, had desired this person to follow him, on which he made the request to be first allowed to bury his father. Some commentators think that this man's father was alive, though in an infirm and dying state, and that the purport of his request was to be allowed to remain with him until he died; others suppose that his father was actually lying dead in the house, and that he only solicited as much time as would allow him to perform the last rites of his burial. This latter opinion agrees more naturally with the Saviour's answer, and gives more force to the lesson which it inculcates. The pretext on which the request was founded was a plausible one; it manifested great filial piety and affection: yet filial affection must never be suffered to come into collision with that love which we owe to God, nor be advanced as a plea for neglecting to render an instant obedience to the Saviour's commands.

What numbers there are, wherever Christ | ture, as in Psalm xviii. 26, and Matth. v. 19. is preached, who resemble this disciple- In this passage the word “dead” refers, in persons who are kept back from following the former instance, to those who are spithe Saviour, not only by their sins, but also ritually dead, and in the latter to those who by suffering themselves to be exclusively are naturally dead. engrossed by occupations that are not in themselves censurable! Those who are connected with commercial engagements and professional pursuits, should carefully examine themselves, to see whether there may not be in their principles and conduct a resemblance to this scribe. And does not this Scripture teach us that men may be so completely taken up with deeds of even benevolence and kindness to their relatives and friends, as to neglect the interests of their own souls?

We should carefully observe that this man's reply did not amount to an absolute refusal to follow the Saviour; he did not say.

"Lord, I will never follow thee:" yet procrastination may be the means of ruining the soul as effectually as an immediate and positive rejection of the truth. Satan soon finds out whom he has to deal with, by a careful observation of their characters, and regulates his devices and temptations accordingly; and he is just as sure of his victim in the end, by leading them to postpone, from time to time, the concerns of salvation, as by persuading them openly and at once to cast away the blessings of salvation from them; and therefore, in every instance where he thinks that a man would shudder at and recoil from the latter course, he is satisfied with the former. It is probable that this man afterwards followed Jesus, but he would not have done so but for the Saviour's repetition of his command. It was mercy in Christ to give such a command, even once, but how great was his mercy in repeating it!-Sinner, the gospel invitation may not be twice heard by you; therefore hear it, obey it, and live, for now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation.

This passage shows that Jesus can never enter into any compromise with the sinner. His commands are unqualified and absolute, and do not admit of being modified or set aside by any concern for other and less important engagements. He must have all our affection and service, and no other duty must be allowed to interfere with our obedience to him. Christians ought not to occupy their precious time with engagements which, however unobjectionable, or even laudable in themselves, may be as well performed by men of the world. The philanthropists of the world may have benevolence enough to lead them to devote their faculties and their time to the relief of the temporal wants of their fellow-creatures :-let the Christian, therefore, devote his energies and opportunities chiefly to the supply of their spiritual necessities.

With what peculiar force does the principle contained in this passage apply to those who are engaged in the ministry of the gospel-the most important enterprise which can occupy the time or abilities of a man! It is one of the sins of the professing church in the present day, to expect, and indeed to prescribe to ministers, that they should act upon the committees, and attend to the management of hospitals, asylums, and other benevolent institutions. These things ought not to be so. To bury the dead is the last act of kindness which we can discharge to a deceased relative or fellow-creature, yet Jesus says, "Let the dead bury their dead; but follow thou me." Thus the apostles acted, who did not consider it meet for them to give up their time to the management of the charity of the church, however excellent such an occupation in itself might be, but entrusted this business to others, and gave themselves continually to prayer and to the preaching of the word, Acts vi. 1-4. Thus let every minister of the everlasting gospel, whose office it is to preach Jesus as the sinner's friend and the believer's life and There is a figure in this verse which is strength, and who must watch for souls as called by rhetoricians Antanaklasis, whereby those who must give account, scrupulously the same word is used in two contrasted act. Who that is employed to dispense the significations in the same sentence. This inexhaustible bounties of a God who is rich figure occurs in several instances in Scrip- | in mercy, would leave so high and gratifying

22. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.

an office to become an almoner to distribute | of wisdom and of a sound mind guide us in the scanty pittance of man's reluctant charity! these contemplations!