Reflections on the conversion of Zaccheus. 143 exiiii. What cannot the grace of God effect? This publican was in the SECT. morning contriving only how he might increase his estate by all possible methods of gain; and, before evening, he cries out, Lord Ver. the half of my goods I give to the poor. Thus does the Spirit of g Christ operate on the soul, producing in it the fruits of righteousness and charity to our fellow-creatures, as well as of love to God and faith in the Redeemer. And surely the miracle by which the walls of Jericho were many ages before thrown down by the sound of rams-horns, was not greater in its kind than that which now triumphed over the heart of Zaccheus, and threw down all the obstacles which corrupt nature had formed against the entrance of Christ into it. Now were his eyes opened, and he saw in a moment how much more valuable the pearl of price was than all the riches he could part with to procure it. And he judged rightly of religion when he saw the necessity not only of faith, but of charity too; and not only of charity, but of restitution also to those whom he had injured, without which the highest pretences to charity are but presenting to God robbery for a burnt-offering. x. 46. & seq. Our Lord's progress is marked with another work of Divine Mark power and beneficence in opening the eyes of the blind. With what importunity was the cure desired! And when the petitioner was for a while discouraged, with what eagerness was that importunity repeated, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me! Thus will the 48 sinner cry to Jesus when he sees how much he needs him. But, alas! men are not aware of their spiritual indigence and distress: they say they are rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing; and know not that they are wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked. (Rev. iii. 17.) When once they come to be awakened to a just sense of their case, there is then room for hope, and great encouragement for their address. We may in such circumstances say to them, as was 49 said to Bartimeus, Be of good courage, rise, he calleth thee. With pleasure should we deliver such a message; with pleasure should we lead on the lame and the blind, the weak and the trembling, in their application to Christ; and in all the instances, in which his victorious grace is exercised, should join with those who have received it in glorifying God, and in celebrating the Luke praise of this Deliverer, whom he has mercifully raised up for his people. xviii. 43 SECT. 144 The parable of the ten pounds. SECT. Luke SECT. CXLIV. Christ delivers the parable of the ten pounds committed by a prince to his servants, and represents the vengeance taken by him on his rebellious subjects. Luke XIX. 11–28. LUKE XIX. 11. LUKE XIX. 11. these things, he because they thought cxliv. NOW Jesus, on occasion of Zaccheus's con- AND as they heard version, having expressly said that he was added and spake a paXIX. 11 come to be a Saviour, the people, as they heard rable, because he was these things, were ready to conclude that at his nigh to Jerusalem, and coming to Jerusalem he would openly declare that the kingdom of himself to be the promised Messiah; but he con- God should immedi tinued [his discourse] and spake a very useful and ately appear. instructive parable, because he was now drawing near to Jerusalem, and he perceived they thought that the kingdom of God would immediately be revealed among them, and that he, as the Messiah, would assume the government, and not only free Israel from the Roman yoke, but 12 spread his triumphs over all the heathen nations. In order therefore to rectify their notions on this head, and to warn them of the danger they would incur by rejecting him when they saw those secular views disappointed, he offered to their consideration this similitude; and said, A certain person of a noble birth went to a distant country in order to receive, from a superior prince there, an investiture to a kingdom, which was then fallen to himself, and of which the place where he dwelt made a part, intending afterwards to return, and fix his residence in 12 He said there fore, A certain noble man went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 his own country. And before he set out on 13 And he called his journey, having called ten of his servants, he his ten servants, and a Because he was near to Jerusalem.] The following parable considered in this view, as suited to the circumstance of time, and to the case of those to whom it was delivered, will appear a most wise and seasonable admonition; and by neglecting the instruction it was designed to give them, the Jews deservedly brought ruin on themselves. b Went to a distant country to receive a kingdom, &c.] The parable seems to suppose this noble person to be the son of a prince, who, on some domestic or public revolution, was to enter upon the possession of his dominions, and to be confirmed in the government of them by the approbation of some more potent state as the delivered delivered kings of Judea, and other neighbouring states, frequently were by the Romans; (see Joseph. Antiq. lib. xiv. cap. 14, (al. 26) § 4, 5, & lib. xvii. cap. 9, al. 11.) He is therefore described as setting out with the view of being owned at his return as their undoubted sovereign. (See Le Clerc's Harmony, p. 397.) This representation of the matter is so natural, that one would wonder what room there could be for the controversy between Mallemansius and Athanasius de Paris about it. It is quite needless to pretend that this is an historical narration, that Archelaus is the nobleman referred to, &c. © He The faithful servants are rewarded for their diligence. to them, Occupy till I come. 145 delivered them ten delivered to them ten pounds, lodging one pound SECT. pounds; and said un- in the hands of each, and said unto them, Trade exliv. with this money till I come back to take an account of your improvement. (Compare Mat. XIX. 13. XXV. 14, & seq. sect. clxv.) 14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a message after him, saying, we will not have this man to reign over us. 15 And it came to was returned, having called unto him, to Luke But, in the mean time, some of his citizens, 14 among whom he had before lived in a more private character and station, hated him, and sent an embassy after him, to prevent his establishment in his kingdom; expressly saying, We are at all adventures determined that we will not have this man to reign over us, and will endure all extremities rather than submit to his authority. And during his absence, which continued for some time, they thought themselves very secure in their insults. But, notwithstanding all the confidence of 15 pass, that when he these rebellious citizens, they were unable to received the kingdom, prevent his exaltation to the throne, or to dethen he commanded prive him of the right he had of reigning over these servants to be them. And it came to pass, that when he had whom he had given received the kingdom, and was come back with the money, that he the full powers that were granted to him, he might know how much commanded these his servants, to whom he had every man had gained delivered the money, to be called to him, that he might know what improvement each of them had made. by trading. And the first servant, who had gained the 16 most, came near, and said, Sir, the improvement I have made of thy pound is such that it has gained ten pounds more. And when his 17 lord had heard how diligent and careful he had been, he said to him, Well done, [thou] good servant, since thou hast thus been faithful in a very little, I will amply reward it; for I will not only give thee for thine own this treasure of which thou hast been giving me so good an account, but as my dominion is now enlarged, and many towns and tracts of land are subject to c He delivered to them ten pounds.] The pesa, or mina, as it is commonly called, contained sixty shekels, (Ezek. xlv. 12.) and therefore, according to the common calculation of the worth of a shekel, placing it at half a crown of our money, it was seven pounds ten shillings; but according to Dr. Prideaux, who sets the shekel at three shillings, the mina was nine pounds sterling-Our Lord probably chose to mention this small sum to illustrate the munificence of the master in bestowing on the faithful servant so great and noble a reward. Compare ver. 17. me, d Sent an embassy after him.] This is expressed in such a manner as may intimate their sending ambassadors to the superior court, to enter their protest against his being admitted to the regal power, and to declare their resolution to oppose his accession. And so it well represents the solemn manner in which the Jews renounced Christ, acting as in the name of the Lord, and with a pretended zeal for his authority and glory. e Be 146 SECT. cxliv. Luke XIX. 18 The slothful servant blames his lord, and is condemned. me, I will advance thee to a most honourable And the second came, and delivered in his account, saying, Sir, thy pound which was committed to me has been improved in such a man19 ner that it has gained five pounds. And the improvement he had made was pleasing to his lord, and he said likewise unto this, Thou hast approved thyself a good and faithful servant, and I am pleased with thy diligence, and will reward it proportionably be thou also governor over five cities. 20 18 And the second came, saying, Lord, five pounds. thy pound hath gained 19 And he said like wise to him, Be thou also over five cities. 20 And another came saying, Lord, bewhich I have kept laid hold, here is thy pound, up in a napkin. 21 For I feared thee, austerc man: thou not sow. * And after him another servant, who had been negligent and slothful, came, and said, Sir, behold There is] thy pound which was put into my bands; it is not at all diminished, but I have 21 carefully kept it laid up in a napkin: For I feared thee, because I knew thou art an austere because thou art an man, [who] takest up what thou didst not lay takest up that thou down, and reapest, or expectest to reap, what laidst not down, and thou didst not sow: and therefore apprehending reapest that thou didst I might incur thy severity if any accident should befall this money in trade, I was determined not to venture it out of mine hands, and now 22 return it just as I received it. But when his 22 And he saith unlord heard him offer such a vile and groundless to him, Out of thine charge against himself as an excuse for his own thee, thou wicked sernegligence, he was filled with indignation, and vant: thou knewest says to him, Out of thine own mouth will I con- man, taking up that demn thee, O [thou] wicked servant: thou hast I laid not down, and taken upon thee to affirm, thou knewest that I reaping that I did not am an austere man, taking up, as thou expressest it, what I did not lay down, and reaping what I did not sow; and thou mightest therefore on thine own principles conclude, that I should expect to gather where I had deposited such a sum of money, and to reap where I had thus 23 sown: And if it had been so, and I had really. 23 Wherefore then been as severe as thou wouldest basely insinuate, Be thou also governor over five cities.] It is observable, that in Mat. xxv. 20-23, sect. clxv. where the servants are represented as doubling the different sums intrusted to each, the reward is spoken of as the same; but here, the sums intrusted being the same, and the improvement described as different, there is a proportionable difference in the reward; which, as it is a beautiful circumstance, was, no doubt, intended for our instruction. why own mouth will I judge that I was an austere SOW: gavest f Thou knewest that I am an austere man, &c.] This is not an acknowledgment of the vile and detestable charge of God's demanding of men (as Dr Guyse well expresses it) more difficult services than he has furnished them for, or would assist them in; which is, as that pious writer truly observes, a most unrighteous thought of God: but his lord only argues with him on his own base principles, and shews, that even on them he would be justly condemned for his negligence. & They Faithfulness and diligence shall be rewarded. 147 SECT. cxliv. Luke gavest not thou my why didst thou not [then], for thine own security, money into the bank, that at my coming I give my money into the bank, that when I came might have required to call for it at my return, I might at least have mine own with usury? received it with the common interest, if not with XIX. 23 the extraordinary improvement which might have attended a successful trade? 24 And he said unto Take from him the pound, and give it to pounds. And farther to testify his displeasure, he said to 24 them that stood by, some of them that stood by, Take away the pound that was intrusted with him, from that idle, sushim that hath ten picious, unfaithful creature, who might otherwise have had that, and much more, allotted him for his own property, and give it to him that 25 (And they said has ten pounds. But they were much surpris- 25 unto him, Lord, he ed at his assigning it to one who had before rehath ten pounds.) ceived so ample a reward; and they said to him, Sir, he hath already no less than ten pounds 8, which, with the honour and preferment thou bast farther added, is surely an abundant recom26 For I say unto pence. Nevertheless, the prince stood by his 26 you, That unto every former award, and bestowed the other pound be given: and from likewise upon him; declaring, that his faithfulhim that hath not, ness and diligence was fit to be distinguished even that he hath shall with the most favourable and repeated notice: be taken away from and in this way it is, continued he, that I resolve him. to act; for I assure you, That to every one that hath, or that improves what he hath, [it] shall be given, and he shall have yet more abundantly; but from him that hath not, or that acts as if he had nothing intrusted to his care, even that which he hath, and neglects to improve, shall be taken away from him. (Compare Mat. xiii. 12. xxv. 29. Mark iv. 25. and Luke viii. 18.) one which hath shall And having thus inquired into the conduct of 27 his servants, and treated them according to the different use they made of what had been intrusted with them, he then proceeded to pass sentence on his rebellious citizens who had refused to have him for their king; and, with a just resentment of their base ingratitude, he said, But as for those mine enemies, who were determined to oppose my government, and would not have me to reign over them, bring them hither immediately, and slay [them] with the sword g They said to him, Sir, he hath ten pounds.] So far as this seems to express any thing of envy in the fellow-servants, it is not to be regarded as a significant circumstance; but only as an incidental one, to intimate to us, that his lord gave to VOL. VII. T the diligent servant what he had gained h I assure you.] This seems to be the i Slay |