after death. And why should the Jews be more likely to understand Christ as teaching this doctrine, than the apostles ? The apostles certainly did not so understand Christ; or, if they did, they were the most unfaithful of all men, for not one of them has spoken of punishment in hades. If such an instance can be found, let it be brought forward, for we have never been able to find it ourselves. The objection we are now considering should be withheld, until some proof is brought forward from the teachings of the apostles, that they understood Christ as intending to teach that hades was a place of punishment after death. If it can be proved that the apostles so understood Christ, we will give up the point. They never asserted the supposed fact themselves; and why should they not have asserted it, if they had believed it. If it be said they have asserted it, let the place be pointed out.

er.

We have now brought the protracted examination of this parable to a close; and we commend what we have said to the serious and unprejudiced attention of the readLet his sole inquiry be,- What is truth?' Let not an attachment to long-cherished opinions sway his mind; and may diligent inquiry-prayerful study--crowned with the blessing of heaven, guide him to know the design of Jesus, in the parable we have considered.

PARABLE OF THE UNJUST JUDGE.

Luke xviii. 2-5.

"There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while: but, afterwards he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor re gard man, Yet, because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, fest by her continual coming she weary me.'

DR. CAMPBELL remarks, on ver. 1 of this chapter, that the words are a continuation of the discourse, related in the preceding chapter, which is here rather inopportunely interrupted, by the divisions into chapters.' Jesus had been relating the persecutions his disciples must suffer, and the troubles in which the whole land of Judea would be involved, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. This event was truly desirable to them, as it would free them from the persecutions of the Jews, their bitterest enemies. The disciples knew full well that this event would happen, according to the predictions of their Lord; but, as several years were to elapse before it would transpire, they would grow impatient and desponding. This parable, therefore, is spoken to them. And he spake a parable unto them,' i. e. the disciples. His object in speaking the parable is plainly stated in ver. 1, viz. to show that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.'

The duty of great frequency of prayer, is inculcated in other parts of the Scriptures. In Rom. xii. 12, the Christians are urged to continue instant in prayer. So in Luke xxi. 36, Watch ye, therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man,' meaning at his coming to destroy the Jewish state. The habit of the Christians in frequent prayer, is referred

to, Acts xii. 5. Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him.' (1 Thess. v. 17.) Pray without ceasing.' (Col. iv. 2.) Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.' All these expressions mean only great frequency in prayer.

"And not to faint.' Here Jesus designs to show his followers, that there was danger of their becoming impatient and weary, under the persecutions they suffered, and that they would suppose that he delayed his coming. In agreement with this, we find they did repine that the coming of Jesus did not take place so soon as they expected. Paul bids the Corinthians wait for the corning of the Lord Jesus Christ.' (1 Cor. i. 7.) Jesus, in describing the persecutions his disciples would suffer, bids them in patience to possess their souls. (Luke xxi. 19.) Paul says to the Thessalonians, 'The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.' (2 Thess. iii. 5.) It is said to the Hebrews, 'Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come, will come, and will not tarry.' (Heb. x. 36, 37.) To the same purport is the advice given by James. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and the latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.' (James v. 7, 8.) Jesus foresaw that his disciples would very naturally become discouraged and faint; and he uttered the parable before us to show, that men ought always to pray and not to faint.'

'There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man;' i. e. these circumstances were conjectured; as though the Saviour had said, We will suppose there was in a certain city such a judge. He ascribes to him a highly daring character; He feared not God, neither regarded man. And there was a widow in that

city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. The word here rendered avenge, would more properly be translated in this place, do me justice, that is against my adversary. The judge, not being moved by any motives of compassion or faithfulness, delayed to grant her request; But afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man, yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, [obtain for her justice,] lest by her continual coming she weary me.' Such was his motive; not to do good to the afflicted and oppressed, but to escape trouble; for this reason he granted her request, and gave her case adjudication. Here the parable ends; and the Saviour, in the next place, proceeds to make the application, for the purpose of infusing encouragement into his disciples, and showing them that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.'

Hear what the unjust judge saith ;' i. e. consider this case, meditate upon it. The design of Jesus was not to represent God as an unjust judge, who grants favors to men only at their earnest entreaties. The argument was this: If this unjust judge would do justice to a woman in answer to her importunity, how reasonable is it to suppose that God will see justice done to his own elect, from the benevolence and rectitude of his own nature. There is no resemblance, except in the single point of office, between him and Deity, whom he represents; and it is only when the account of him is taken as a whole, that it conveys the purport intended. The force of the parable is this: that since even an unjust judge, when wearied with continued entreaties for justice, will deliver the innocent from injury, we may expect with far greater reason, that the perfectly Just judge of all, will grant the constant prayers of men whom he loves, how long soever their relief be delayed.'* Let the following extract suffice on this point. The sum and scope of this place is to encourage us to fervency and constancy in prayer; by an argument from the lesser to the greater if the unrighteous judge, who neither fear

* See Storr's Dissertation on the Parables of Christ.

ed God nor reverenced man, was intreated by the importunity of the widow to do justice to her whom he regarded not; how much more will God be entreated to relieve his - dear children whom he so loved, that he gave his only Son to death for them.'*

This mode of reasoning was common with Jesus. We find an instance of it in the Sermon on the Mount, when he was endeavoring to inspire men with confidence in God, assuring them that, if they asked, they should receive; 'For every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be openéd.' (Matt. vii. 8.) Then comes the argument: What man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? (Vers. 9, 10.) There is no such father on earth. Well, if imperfect and sinful men are so ready to give favors to their children, how much more ready is God to bestow blessings on those who ask him? Or, to give the argument in the language of the evangelist, 'If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven, give good things to those who ask him?' (Ver. 11.) If then the unjust judge heeded the importunity of the widow, how much more reasonable was it to suppose, that God would 'avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them.' (Luke viii, 7.) The elect, here spoken of, were the early Christians, who are often called the elect in the scriptures. Hence it is said, that at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, Jesus would gather 'his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.' (Matt. xxiv. 31. See, also, Mark xiii. 20, 22, 27.) These elect God would avenge, he would see justice done to them, although he bore long with them: i. e. delayed it for some time. I tell you, says Jesus, in closing the application of the parable, 'that he will avenge them speedily:' to which Archbishop Newcome adds, by way of explanation, ' By bringing the

Assembly's Annotations.