other things, which are greater, and so in pro

27 Consider the portion harder than those, and depend as little on

lilies how they grow:

they toil not, they your solicitude.

things shall be added

unto you.

32 Fear not, little

32. Entertain no solicitudes for such things as flock; for it is your these; for your Father, which destined you to an Father's good pleasure to give you the everlasting kingdom, will not fail to allow you your portion here of those things that are useful for you. 33. Matt. vi. 19.

kingdom.

33 Sell that ye have, and give alms; provide yourselves bags which wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not, where no thief approacheth, neither moth corrupteth. 34 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 35 Let your loins

35. Be ye as servants attending their master's be [6] girded about, business, ready whensoever he commands them any and your lights burning; thing, or hath any business for them.

36 And ye your36. Like the attendants on a bridegroom, (who selves like unto men whensoever he comes from the marriage feast to the that wait for their chamber comes hastily, and is not patient of any return from the wed- delays,) always ready to answer at the first knock.

lord, when he will

ding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately.

37 Blessed are those

37, 38. As in that case it is a great happiness for a servants, whom the servant to be found ready, because by that means he lord when he cometh

shall find watching: may attend his master, (whereas if at that minute he

verily I say unto you, be out of the way he utterly loses him,) and as a rethat he shall gird ward of that diligence the bridegroom will entertain himself, and make his servants, set them down, and wait upon them himthem to sit down to self; so is it a blessed thing to be found employed as Christ would have us, whensoever he comes to call on 38 And if he shall us; and in order to that, to be always ready, not to fall come in the second off from him in the least manner.

meat, and will come

forth and serve them.

6

watch, or come in

the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

39 And this know,

39. And as Christ's coming will be to the rewardthat if the goodman ing of all faithful servants, persevering believers, so of the house had will it be to destroy all lethargic stupid impenitents, the thief would come, who by their own negligence lie open to all that venhe would have watch- geance that thus lights on them.

known what hour

ed, and not have

6 Or, in the third watch, and when he comes, find: for the King's MS. Tpíry quλakî, καὶ ἐλθὼν εὕρη.

suffered his house to be broken through. 40 Be ye therefore 40. And therefore to avoid that danger also it conready also for the cerns all to be perpetually upon their guard, because Son of man cometh this coming of Christ to visit and punish is like to be at an hour when ye sudden, but the time uncertain. See Matt. xxiv.

think not.

41 ¶ Then Peter said unto him, Lord, speakest thou this parable 'unto us, or even to all?

42 And the Lord said, Who then is

lord shall make ruler

f

43.

peculiarly to us thy constant attendants, or to all Christians?

8 The parable doth in several degrees belong to that faithful and wise every Christian, who hath some trust committed to steward, whom his him by Christ, and must be very careful to discharge over his houshold, it (see Matt. xxiv. 45); to you as stewards here, to all to give them their Christians as servants, ver. 43; and no man's trust is portion of meat in so mean that diligence in it shall not be rewardable. due season? 43 Blessed is that But to them again, with some difference, as they have servant, whom his received more or less of divine revelation, immedilord when he cometh ately or mediately ver. 47.

shall find so doing.

44 Of a truth I say

44. And be he never so meanly employed, God unto you, that he will reward his trustiness and diligence with commitwill make him ruler ting to him the greatest trusts, see Matt. xxiv. 47, the 45 But and if that greatest office of dignity in the church.

over all that he hath.

servant say in his heart, My lord de

layeth his coming;

hand shall begin to h and upon that consideration abuse that trust and

beat the menservants

and maidens, and to power reposed in him as a steward, deal injuriously eat and drink, and with those that are under his rule, and spend his master's goods riotously and luxuriously.

to be drunken;

46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he

is not aware, and

will cut him in sun- i with the untrusty false stewards, the unbelieving der, and will appoint Jews, which have not reformed upon all Christ's the unbelievers. preaching unto them.

him his portion with

47 And that ser- 47, 48. According to the degree of knowledge which vant, which knew God hath afforded, so shall their crimes receive aggrahis lord's will, and vation of guilt and increase of punishment. And the neither did accord-more light and grace he bestows on any, the greater ing to his will, shall and the more Christian performances will he require be beaten with many of them.

things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

49 I am come 49. It is to be expected, as a consequent of my to send fire on the coming into the world, that persecution should attend, earth; and [c] what Matt. x. 34, and this will be a means of exploring and 7 will I, if it be already kindled? trying who are faithful, and who are not: and there50 But I have fore I am so far from wishing this otherwise, that I [d] a baptism to be rather desire that it were already kindled or begun. baptized with; and 50. But I am to bear the first part of it, to be imhow am I straiten- mersed in afflictions, Matt. xx. 22. Till this come to be accomplished upon me I am in some straits, ter51 Suppose ye that rified, like a woman with child, with the apprehension I am come to give of the pangs approaching, Matt. xxvi. 39, but very peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but willing to be delivered, to do and suffer that where

ed till it be accomplished!

rather division:

unto I was sent.

52 For from hence- 51-53. Soon after my departing, great divisions. forth there shall be and feuds will break out concerning me, the whole five in one house di- land shall be divided into factions and civil broils, vided, three against Matt. x. 34, and xxiv. 7.

two, and two against

three.

53 The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.

54 And he said

also to the people,

When ye see a

k Many ways you have of presaging what weather

cloud rise out of the it will be, which seldom fail you, as, when ye see a west, straightway ye cloudsay, There cometh a shower; and so it is. 55 And when ye see the south wind blow, ye say, There

am to be baptized with a baptism.

9 pressed, συνέχομαι.

will be heat; and it

cometh to pass.

56 Ye hypocrites, 56. Ye that can judge by sight of the skies and ye can discern the the winds, what will befall, why should ye not have face of the sky and as great sagacity to discern and presage the judgments how is it that ye that are near approaching towards this nation, if they do not discern this do not suddenly repent and receive Christ?

of the earth; but

10 time?

57 Yea, and why 57, 58. And why do you not, (without need of even of yourselves looking upon the skies for the presage,) by the same judge ye not what rational way of judging in which you proceed in is right? 58 When thou other matters, use the same prudence in divine matgoest with thine ad- ters of danger which you do in human worldly conversary to the magis- tentions? and so when you see an action coming trate, as thou art in against you, wherein you are sure to be cast, set prethe way, give dilisently to reconcile the adversary, to make your peace gence that thou mayest be delivered from and escape the danger? (to which purpose was this him; lest he hale which Christ said at another time, Matt. v. 25.) thee to the judge,

and the judge deliver thee to the

officer, and the officer cast thee into prison.

59 I tell thee, thou shalt not depart

thence, till thou hast paid the very last mite.

THERE were present at that season some that told him of the Galilæans,

a

CHAP. XIII.

Galilæans, a faction of Judas Gaulonita, which whose blood Pilate taught doctrines contrary to subjection to the Roman had mingled with their sacrifices. empire, whom, it is thought, Pilate set upon and 2 And Jesus an- killed when they were offering sacrifice, and poured swering said unto out their blood, as the blood of beasts was poured out them, Suppose ye in the sacrifices.

that these Galilæans

were sinners above

b

all the Galilæans, be- if you continue your present wicked practices, cause they suffered raising sedition under pretence of piety, as frequently such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: you are apt to do, (see Titus Bostrensis, p. 803. C.) but, except ye re- then, as they perished at the day of Pascha at their pent, ye shall all sacrifice, so shall a multitude of you on that very likewise perish. day (see Josephus of the Jewish War, l. 6. c. 11, and 4 Or those eight- 1. 7. c. 17, and Euseb. Eccl. Hist. 1. 3. c. 5.) in the tower in Siloam fell, temple be slaughtered like sheep, and that for the and slew them, think same cause, a sedition raised in the city.

een, upon whom the