which adorned his human life; that they might be witnesses of all the wondrous works that he should perform, during his residence in this vale of misery, and by which his mission from the court of heaven was to be fully demonstrated.

These twelve persons, thus qualified, were to supply the people with that spiritual food they so greatly wanted, both while their Master continued here below, and after his ascension to the right hand of power.

Having ordained them to their respective offices, he sent them out by two and two, into the most distant parts of Judea, to preach the glad tidings of the gospel, and prepare the way for their Master, the great Shepherd of Israel. And, that nothing might be wanting to render their preaching acceptable to the people, and confirm the important doctrines they delivered, he invested them with full power to cure all diseases, cast out devils, and even to raise the dead.

After appointing the twelve apostles, he came down from the mountain, and was joyfully received by the multitude of people who were awaiting for him in the plain, and pressed to touch him- well knowing, that if they could only touch the border of his garment, they should be healed of whatever distemper they were afflicted with a sufficient reason why they were continually waiting for him, and were willing to accompany him, even to the remotest corners of the wilderness.

The preaching and miracles of our Lord were attended to, not by the low and vulgar only, but

persons of the first rank and character came from distant parts of the country to converse with him, hear his doctrine, and be spectators of his wonderful works. It, therefore, evidently appears, that persons of all ranks were desirous of following him; and their desire could be founded upon nothing but the truth of his doctrines and miracles.

After healing all the sick among the multitude, he turned towards his disciples, and delivered a divine discourse, something like that he had before preached to them on the mountain: but in the former he only pronounced blessings, whereas, in the latter, he added curses also; and in this principally it differs from that recorded by St. Matthew. I shall, therefore, only select a few passages from the sermon now delivered, as I have given a larger paraphrase on the other.

"Woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation." Luke vi. 24. Riches, considered in themselves, by no means render us the objects of the Almighty's hatred, unless accompanied by those vices which too often flow from an opulent fortune, as luxury, covetousness, and the like. The woe, therefore, is here denounced against those only who are contaminated with these vices; for those who make a proper use of their wealth, and possess the virtues which should accompany affluence, have no share in the malediction.

"Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger." The pain ye shall suffer in a future life shall be sharp and excrutiating. The opportunities you have neglected of doing good to your afflicted

brethren in this life, shall then be remembered with the most poignant grief, and bewailed with the most bitter lamentations.

"Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep." This malediction of our blessed Saviour is not inconsistent with the apostle's precept, which commands Christians always to rejoice. Neither is the mirth, against which the woe is here denounced, to be understood of that constant cheerfulness of temper which arises in the breasts of true Christians, from the comfortable and cheerful doctrine with which they are enlightened by the gospel, the assurance they have of reconciliation with God, and the hope they will have of everlasting life, and the pleasures they will enjoy in the practice of the duties of religion; but it relates to that turbulent carnal mirth, that excessive levity and vanity of spirit, which arises not from any solid foundation, but from sensual pleasures, or those vain amusements of life, in which the giddy and gay contrive to spend their time that sort of mirth which dissipates thought, leaves no time for consideration, and gives them an utter aversion to all serious reflections. Persons who constantly indulge themselves in this kind of mirth, shall weep and mourn eternally, when they are excluded from the joys of heaven, and banished for ever from the presence of God, by the light of whose countenance all the righteous are enlivened, and made transcendantly happy.

"Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets." Woe unto you, if by propagating such doctrines as

encourage men in sin, you shall gain to yourselves the applause and flattery of the generality of men; for thus, in old times, did the false prophets and deceivers, who, accommodating their doctrines to the lusts and passions of men, gained their applause, but incurred the wrath and displeasure of a just and allseeing God.

Our Lord here represents those as miserable, who are rich and full joyous and applauded; not that this is universally the case, but because prosperous circumstances are so frequently a sweet poison, and affliction a healing though bitter medicine. Let the thought reconcile us to adversity, and awaken our caution when the world smiles upon us; when a plentiful table is spread before us, and our cup runneth over; when our spirits are gay and sprightly; or when we hear, what to corrupt nature is too harmonious music, that of our own praise from men. Oh, that we may secure, what is of infinitely greater importance, the praise of our heavenly Master, by a constant regard to these his precepts!

CHAPTER X.

Continuation of our Lord's glorious Doctrines, beneficent Acts and astonishing Miracles wrought in confirmation of the Divinity of his Mission, and the extending of his Heavenly Kingdom.

THE divine Preacher having closed this excellent sermon, he repaired to Capernaum, and was met by certain messengers from a centurion, desiring him to come and heal a servant who was dear to him, and ready to die.

The centurion, from the account given him by the evangelist, seems to have been a proselyte to the Jewish religion, as he was a lover of the sons of Jacob, and had erected for them a place of worship; and accordingly the inhabitants of Capernaum strongly espoused his cause on this occasion, saying, "that he was worthy for whom he should do this. For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue." Luke vii. 4, 5.

There was not the least danger that this petition would be rejected by the blessed Jesus, who sought all occasions of doing good to the children of men. Accordingly, he very readily accompanied the messengers; but, before he came to the house, he was met by some of the centurion's friends, who expressed the high idea that officer entertained of his