Sufficient. We have enough of trouble and sorrow in this world every day without adding to it by undue anxiety about the morrow. SUMMARY. Our Lord next brings before his disciples the supreme importance of heavenly things, charging upon them to make these the first objects of their care and anxiety; confiding for the supply of their temporal wants to the love of him who daily provides for all his creatures, and whom they were permitted to look up to as their Father. LESSONS. I. How much better are heavenly treasures than any we can have upon earth! V. 19, 20. (Col. iii. 1, 2.) II. It will show us something of the state of our hearts, if we notice what we are thinking about most frequently. V. 21. (Ps. χείν. 19.) III. If we would be Christ's disciples we must be fully and decidedly his. V. 22-24. (Matt. xvi. 24-26.) IV. There are many reasons for not being anxious about the things of this world, for 1. God has given us our life; and it is less for him to preserve than to give it. V. 25. (Acts xvii. 25-28.) 2. He provides for the wants of creatures smaller and more insignificant than we are. V. 26, 28-30. (Luke xii. 6, 7.) 3. Our own anxiety can do us no good. V. 27. (1 Tim. vi. 7.) 4. Our heavenly Father knows all we want, and has promised to supply his children. V. 31-33. (Ps. xxiii. 1.) 5. Anxiety only brings upon us increased sin and needless sorrow. V. 34. (Luke x. 40-42.) FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. SERMON ON THE MOUNT (CONTINUED)..-DIRECTIONS AND PROMISES. MATT Vii. 1-14. 1. Judge not. This does not mean that we are not to form an opinion about others, for directions are given in V. 15-20 to help us to do so; or that persons whose office it is are not to judge others: but we are not to be ready to make ourselves judges of the conduct of other people, when we have no business to do so; and still less to judge harshly about them, when perhaps we understand little of their motives and circumstances. 2. Mete. An old word, which means to "measure." 3. Mote. The little speck of dust that can only be seen in the sunbeam. Beam.-A large log of wood. Of course this is only a figurative expression, but it means that very great faults may be unnoticed in ourselves, while we are very quick at discovering much less ones in others. 6. That which is holy.-May refer to the shew bread, and the parts of the sacrifices which were to be only eaten by the priests and their families. These are as unfit for dogs as pearls are for swine, who would not know their value: so there are persons who are so incapable of judging of spiritual things, or of receiving the kindest reproofs, that it is not right always to set these before them. e.g. You would not reprove a man for drunkenness while he is intoxicated. 7. Seek.-Denotes more than asking, it is to look and search for it; and the man who knocks, stands at the door and waits till it is opened. 11. Being evil.-Naturally corrupt, and therefore liable to be fretful and unkind. 12. Therefore.-The thought that God is so ready to bless us, should make us feel willing to do what we can for others; and it is the great object of "the law and the prophets," (i.e. of the whole word of God) so far as our fellow-men are concerned, to produce this feeling in our hearts. 13. Strait.-An old word signifying "narrow:" (See Phil. i. 23.) to be distinguished from "straight," "not crooked." SUMMARY. Our Lord proceeds to give cautions against forming harsh judgments of others, and forgetting our own faults; he declares that God is more ready to hear our prayers, than an earthly father to help his own child; and urges us to set out on the way to heaven. LESSONS. I. Be ready always to think well, rather than ill, of others. V. 1, 2. (1 Cor. xiii. 5-7.) II. Let us try to correct what is wrong in ourselves, before we find fault with the same thing in another. V. 3-5. (Romans ii. 21-23.) III. If we ever have to reprove others, let us seek to do it at a proper season, V. 6. and in a proper spirit; (i.e., with an humble consciousness of our own manifold infirmities.) V. 5. (Gal. vi. 1.) IV. We may place the greatest confidence in the love of our - Heavenly Father; and his readiness to give us all that we need. V. 7-11. (Rom. viii. 32.) V. We must not only ask for what we want, but seek with diligence, and go on knocking till the door is opened. V. 7, 8. (Habak. ii. 3.) VI. Try always to behave to others as you would like to be behaved to yourself. V. 12. (Luke vi. 31.) VII. It is not safe to do as our neighbours do. V. 13. (Ex. xxiii. 2. Eph. ii. 2.) VIII. We can go wrong without taking any pains; but it needs much earnest attention, and strength greater than our own, to go right. V. 13, 14. (1 Cor. ix. 24-27.) FIFTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. THE TRUE AND FALSE DISCIPLES. 15. Sheep's clothing.-Appear outwardly like sheep, while in reality they only devour the flock like greedy wolves. (See Is. lvi. 9-12. Ezek. xxxiv. 2—4.) 20. By their fruits.-By their outward conduct. As the fruit of a tree has nothing to do with making a good tree, but only proves it to be one; so the holy conduct of a Christian has nothing to do with making him good or accepted in the sight of God, but only proves that he is renewed in the spirit of his mind. 21. Saith unto me, Lord, Lord.-Professes to be my disciple. 22. In that day.-In the day of judgment. Prophesied. This was the case with Balaam, (Num. xxiv. 16, 17.) Saul, (1 Sam. x. 10.) and Judas Iscariot, who also was enabled to cast out devils in common with the other disciples. 23. Profess.-Or declare unto them. Knew you. That is, as my friends. God knows all; but "to know," is often used in the sense of knowing with love and esteem. (Compare Ps. i. 6. John x. 14.) 27. Great was the fall.-His disappointment would be great at the very time he needed and looked for shelter, to have the house fall upon him. This strikingly represents the confusion of the man who hoped and expected to be saved, but at the day of judgment is found wanting. 29. Not as the scribes.-Who insisted chiefly on forms, and ceremonies, and vain disputes. SUMMARY. In the conclusion of his discourse, our Lord warns his hearers against an empty profession of religion, which is vain unless it influences the conduct. LESSONS. I. We must not be surprised if we meet with some who are only hypocrites and deceivers. V. 15. (Rom. xvi. 17, 18.) II. We can only judge of men by their conduct; God alone searches the heart. V. 16. (1 Sam. xvi. 7.) III. No one can be a good man unless he is living a holy life. V. 18. (James i. 26, 27.) IV. It will never save any one to know much about religion, and to profess to be religious. V. 21-23. (James ii. 19, 20, 26.) V. The day is coming when the real character of all will be made known. V. 22, 25, 27. (Rom. ii. 5-11.) VI. Let us not be satisfied with being like others who are called Christians, but let us seek to know that we are indeed the children of God. V. 24-27. (Phil. iii. 17-20.) VII. How sad will be the condition of those who find themselves mistaken at last! V. 27. (Matt. xxii. 13.) SIXTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. MIRACLES OF HEALING. LUKE V. 12-26. (See Matt. viii. 1-4 and ix. 1—8. Mark i. 40-45 and ii. 1-12.) 12. Leprosy.-This was a fearful disease which rendered the skin white, and gradually spread itself over the whole body, till it ended in a painful death. It is often used in Scripture as an emblem of sin. In the law of Moses many regulations were made respecting it; the leper was considered unclean, and shut out from the company of others. (See Lev. xiii. xiv.) 14. Tell no man.-The priests generally hated and opposed our Lord; and if they had heard beforehand how this man had been cleansed, they might perhaps have been wicked enough to refuse to pronounce him clean: but when they had themselves offered the accustomed sacrifice for his cleansing, (Lev. xiv. 4-10.) it would be a testimony from themselves which they could not gainsay. 17. The power of the Lord.-The Lord Jesus Christ exercised his power in healing the sick who were brought to him. 19. The house-top.-The tops of their houses were flat, and they frequently went upon them. (Deut. xxii. 8. 1 Sam. ix. 25. 2 Sam. xi. 2.) There was also commonly a way to get up to the top from the outside. (Matt. xxiv. 16, 17.) 23. Whether is easier.-Does it not as much require the power of God to make this man walk, as to forgive his sins? that they might be convinced that he could do the latter, he showed them that he was able to do the former. 24. Take up thy couch.-To prove that he was perfectly restored. 25. Glorifying.-Praising. SUMMARY. After Jesus came down from the mountain, a leper met him, and was healed in answer to his request, and told not to let any one know how he was cleansed, till he had seen the priest, and been pronounced clean it became known however immediately, and great numbers collected, from whom Jesus withdrew into the wilderness. Afterwards, when he was at Capernaum, many sick were brought to him, and the house was so full, that the friends of a palsied man found it impossible to get him in; they therefore let him down through the roof. Jesus not only healed his body, but forgave his sins; and proved to all that he could do this, by enabling the man to arise and carry his bed home with him. LESSONS. I. Those who desire to be cleansed must believe in the power of the Saviour to cleanse them, even though full of the leprosy of sin. V. 12. (Acts xvi. 31.) II. One word from Christ can give instant relief. V. 13. (Ps. cvii. 20.) III. Never forget to give thanks for mercies received. V. 14. (Ps. ciii. 1, 2.) IV. Times of quiet retirement and prayer are most necessary to all. V. 16. (Ps. iv. 4.) V. If we are really in earnest, no difficulties will prevent us from coming to Christ. V. 19. (Acts xx. 24.) VI. There is no thought in our hearts, good or bad, which Christ does not perceive. V. 22. (Heb. iv. 13.) VII. Christ has power to forgive all sins. V. 24. (Acts v. 31.) SEVENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY. CALL OF ST. MATTHEW. LUKE V. 27-39. (See also Matt. ix. 9-17. Mark ii. 13—22.) 27. Publican.-Or tax-gatherer. Levi. His other name was Matthew; in the same way as Jude was also called Lebbeus, or Thaddeus, and Mark was called John. |