Page images
PDF
EPUB

'

66

ligently till she find it? and when she hath "found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with "me; for I have found the piece which I had "lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy "in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.'

[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

And he said, "A certain man had two sons: "and the younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the portion of goods that "falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the "younger son gathered all together, and took "his journey into a far country, and there "wasted his substance with riotous living. And "when he had spent all, there arose a mighty "famine in that land: and he began to be in "want. And he went and joined himself to

66

a citizen of that country; and he sent him "into his fields to feed swine. And he would “fain have filled his belly with the husks that "the swine did eat: and no man gave unto "him. And when he came to himself, he said, "How many hired servants of my father's have "bread enough and to spare, and I perish with "hunger! I will arise and go to my father, "and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned "against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me

66

[ocr errors]

66

as one of thy hired servants. And he arose,

"and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and "had compassion, and ran, and fell on his

a Became a servant.

M

"neck, and kissed him. And the son said "unto him, Father, I have sinned against hea"ven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy "to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and

put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, "and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the "fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be

66

merry: for this my son was dead, and is alive "again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry. Now his elder son was in the field and as he came and drew nigh "to the house, he heard musick and dancing. "And he called one of the servants, and asked " what these things meant. And he said unto him, "Thy brother is come; and thy father hath "killed the fatted calf, because he hath re"ceived him safe and sound. And he was

66

[ocr errors]

66

[ocr errors]

angry, and would not go in: therefore came "his father out, and entreated him. And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither trangressed I at 66 any time thy commandment; and yet thou "never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him "the fatted calf. And he said unto him, Son," "thou art ever with me, and all that I have is "thine. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad for this thy brother was

[ocr errors]

66

66

a Entreated him to partake of the festivity and rejoicing. b By the elder son are meant the Jews; by the younger the Heathens.

"dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and " is found."

93. Jesus instructs his disciples by the parable of the unjust Steward. The Pharisees

66

are reproved.

AND he said also unto his disciples,

"There

was a certain rich man, which had a steward; "and the same was accused unto him that he "had wasted his goods. And he called him, "and said unto him, How is it that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy steward

[ocr errors]

86

ship; for thou mayest be no longer steward. "Then the steward said within himself, What "shall I do? for my lord taketh away from "me the stewardship: I cannot dig: to beg I 66 am ashamed. I am resolved what to do, that, when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses. So "he called every one of his lord's debtors "unto him, and said unto the first, How much owest thou unto my lord? And he said, An "hundred measures of oil. And he said unto "him, Take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and "write fifty. Then said he to another, And "how much owest thou? And he said, An "hundred measures of wheat. And he said "unto him, Take thy bill, and write fourscore. "And the lord commended the unjust steward, "because he had done wisely:" for the chil

66

Probably tenants, who paid their rents, not in money, but in kind.

Upon his own principles of worldly interest.

46

66

"dren of this world are in their generation "wiser than the children of light. And I say "unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the "mammon of unrighteousness; that, when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which "is least, is faithful also in much and he that "is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much." "If therefore ye have not been faithful in the "unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? and if ye have not "been faithful in that which is another man's, "who shall give you that which is your own? "no servant can serve two masters: for either "he will hate the one, and love the other; or "else he will hold to the one, and despise the "other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

66

C

"And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, “heard all these things: and they derided him. “And he said unto them, Ye are they which

[ocr errors]

66

justify yourselves before men; but God "knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly "esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the king"dom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it. And it is easier for heaven “and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail.

66

a Ye die.

d

Beware of the beginnings of sin; he that sins in a small matter, will more easily sin in a greater.

The false riches of this world.

The gospel covenant.

"Whosoever putteth away his wife, and "marrieth another, committeth adultery: and "whosoever marrieth her that is put away from "her husband, committeth adultery.

"There was a certain rich man," which was "clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day: and there was a "certain beggar named Lazarus, which was

66

66

laid at his gate full of sores, and desiring to "be fed with the crumbs which fell from the "rich man's table: moreover the dogs came "and licked his sores. And it came to pass, "that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom :" the rich man "also died, and was buried; and in hell lie "lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and "seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his "bosom. And he cried, and said, Father "Abraham, have mercy on me; and send La

zarus that he may dip the tip of his finger "in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tor"mented in this flame. But Abraham said, "Son, remember that thou in thy life-time re"ceivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. And beside all "this, between us and you there is a great gulf

66

This is a parable not a history.

A Jewish phrase, signifying the most honourable place in the region of departed pious souls.

The word in the original (Hades) signifies not the place of the eternally damned, but an invisible; and from other parts of Scripture, the intermediate separate state of departed spirits, in which they are detained between death and the final judgment.

« PreviousContinue »