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33. Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

He, who shall seek to save his life, by cleaving to the world in opposition to the will of God, shall lose it for ever." And whosoever shall lose his life," to keep a good conscience, shall preserve it to life eternal.

34. I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

The one shall be taken to God, and the other left to eternal perdition. Here is work for thought! Who can help asking, Lord, is it I? If my soul should be required of me this night, shall I be thus left?

35. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

36. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.

37. And they answered and said unto him, Where, Lord ? And he said unto them, Wheresoever the body is, thither will the eagles be gathered together.

Wherever, and whenever, men are dead to God, judgment will seize them, as certainly as eagles flock to their prey.

SECTION LIX.

Chap. xviii. ver. 1-8.

THE IMPORTUNATE WIDOW.

1. And he spake a parable to them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint;

It is soon enough to give over praying, when we have no wants, nor any work to do, or resolve to have nothing more to do with God. A sense of our dependence and weakness would as naturally drive us to prayer, as a

drowning man calls out for help. Look here for a proof of your state, and do not conclude upon the outward life. though never so decent. What are we in this respect? Do we, can we pray in secret, from the heart, from what we feel, as we would for relief from bodily pain, or worldly trouble, and knowing that we must be undone, if we have not what we ask for, namely, remission of sins, and strength to do the will of God, as taught by Christ? O that we knew what it is to be Christians!

2. Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man;

3. And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary.

This was a helpless, poor woman. Think what the soul is without God.

4. And he would not for a while but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man :

5. Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

6. And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith.

7. And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?

"And shall not God," who hears prayer, who gives us the will to pray, and who wants nothing else from us? The rest is his work. Observe the character of the elect, or saints: they cry day and night; and here especially they are represented as crying, for help in trouble, and deliverance from their persecutors. The elect pray for the conversion of all. But if men will be still their own enemies, they know it is righteous with God to take vengeance upon them; and as they are conformed to the will of God in all things, they can give them up to his justice.

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Though he bear long with them," his delay is not a denial. No true prayer is ever lost.

8. I tell you that he will avenge them speedily.

When his own time comes, suddenly, unexpectedly: and

whenever it comes, it will be speedily, whether in this world or the next, for those on whom his vengeance falls.

8. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

There is little enough at all times to make us think his coming cannot be far off to some of us. Let us take notice that without prayer there is no faith. It is the natural working of the new life that we receive from God, and the very breath by which it is preserved.

SECTION LX.

Chap. xviii. ver. 9-14.

THE PHARISEE AND PUBLICAN,

9. And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves, that they were righteous, and despised others.

The design of the former parable was to put us upon constant, unceasing prayer; of this, to teach us how to pray, in humility, and with a deep sense of our unworthiness.

10. Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.

The former a man of great outward strictness: the latter a man of infamous character, but now convinced of his sin.

11. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

This was a boast, and not a prayer. You are to suppose that what he said was true. Here was a fair account of his duty to God and man, and more than even you pretend to. But still there was no confession. He had his eye only upon his goodness, such as it was. He had forgotten the pride of his heart. Men say they do no harm, live

quietly and civilly, wipe their mouths clean, and rip up their neighbours' characters; and what is this, but saying and supposing that they are not like other men? We may hold to this if we please; but let us remember that heaven is shut against our prayers. God sees us, not what we are in respect of others, but what we are to him, and his whole law in the heart. Let us look there, if we would know ourselves.

12. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes to heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.

"The publican stood afar off." Holy, infinite God! How can we poor worms of the earth, sinful dust and ashes, do otherwise than stand at an humble, awful distance from thee! Though he dared not lift up his eyes, he looked the right way; and besides, he looked where most men never look, into his own heart.

He "smote upon his breast;" but his heart had smote him first. He knew where his pain was, and laid his hand upon it.

His

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is a hard

cry was,
prayer

God be merciful to me a sinner." This but till we come to it, we cannot come

to Christ. I had rather say it truly than be the owner of the world.

14. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other:

One was, and the other was not, justified. You see the way; and that a proud heart cannot be in it. Do men say their hearts are not proud? They have said enough to show that they are hidden from them to this hour.

14. For every one that exalteth himself shall be abased;

By an haughty comparison of himself with others, or taking anything of what he is in his best estate to himself, without giving the whole glory of it to God. "Shall be

abased," he is nothing in God's sight. That is, utterly

rejected.

14. And he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

He that humbleth himself as a creature and a sinner : and no man humbleth himself too much. The more humble he is, the higher he shall be exalted.

SECTION LXI.

Chap. xviii. ver. 15-30.

JESUS WITH THE CHILDREN AND THE RULER.

15. And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

Jesus knew better; and as his manner was, took occasion from hence to raise an useful lesson of instruction for all.

16. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Jesus commands them to come to him in baptism now, since they are not less capable of a blessing now, than they were then. For, of such as resemble them in freedom from malice, in simplicity, and oneness of desire, "is the kingdom of God."

17. Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in nowise enter therein.

As a little child does its food, having no other appetite; and afterwards instruction, without disputing. So we must learn of Christ. So our great desire must be to the kingdom of God.

18. And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

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