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9.15.

v. 18.

v. 19.

0.21.

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our Saviour, called "the Sermon on the "Mount." See ante 179. note on Matthew v.

(m) "Sheep's cloathing." With specious appearances and professions.

(n) "Cannot," &c. Not that it cannot change from good to bad, or from bad to good, but that so long as it remains good, it cannot bring forth evil fruit, nor so long as it remains corrupt, can it bring forth good fruit.

(o)" Hewn down," &c. St. John the Baptist held the same language whilst he was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, before our Saviour publicly professed himself to be the Messiah. Matt. iii. 10. 66 Every tree which bringeth not "forth good fruit, is hewn down, and "cast into the fire ;" and so did our Saviour, in his discourse at the last supper, just before he was betrayed, John XV. 2. " Every branch in me that beareth "not fruit, he" (that is God) "taketh away." See ante 139. note on John xv. 2. (p) "Saith," i. e. I require not professions, but ads.

(9) St. Paul's object seems here to be to convince the Corinthian converts that no interpositions of God's protection, however great, no pledges of adoption, however strong, would be a security to them against future visitations of God's wrath, unless they acted up to their duty, and placed the fullest confidence in him from whom they had received so

"the kingdom of heaven; but " he that doeth the will of my "Father which is in heaven."

Ninth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

GRANT to us, Lord, we beseech thee, the spirit to think and do always such things as be rightful; that we, who cannot do any thing that is good without thee, may by thee be enabled to live according to thy will, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Epistle. 1 Cor. x. 1. (q) BRETHREN, I would not that ye

much; and with this view he reminds them, that though God had displayed the most signal instances of his power in delivering their forefathers from the Egyptians, yet when they were disobedient, he visited them with signal punishments. His favours, however mighty, are no pledge for continuing blessings, unless man does his part to deserve them; on the contrary, the man on whom such blessings are bestowed ought to have the fullest conviction of God's power, the firmest reliance on his protection, and the highest gratitude for what he has vouchsafed: and if he on whom God has the strongest claims is found wanting, it is to be expected that the punishment on him will be most exemplary; for "to whom "much is given, of him also will much "be required." St. Paul had just been stating what he, who had been so highly favoured, thought himself bound to do, lest he should be a cast-away, and this naturally led him to press upon the converts, that they also, notwithstanding what they had received, might be castaways likewise, if they relapsed into sin, distrusted God's protection, or in any respect shrunk back from their duty. The same argument occurs, Jude 5. post 217. "I will therefore put you in remembrance, "though ye once knew this, how that "the Lord, having saved the people out "of the land of Egypt, afterwards destroyed them that believed not: and

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should be ignorant, how that all (r) our fathers were under (s) the cloud, and all passed (t) through 2. the sea; and were all (u)baptized

unto Moses in the cloud and in 3. the sea; and did all eat the same 4. spiritual (x) meat; and did all

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drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that (y)spiritual

"the angels which kept not their first

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estate, but left their own habitation, " he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of "the great day."

(r)" All." This term, which occurs five times in this and the three following verses, was probably used, to shew that the very persons who were afterwards so signally destroyed were amongst those upon whom these singular instances of protection were conferred.

(s)" Under the cloud," i. e. partakers of God's extraordinary interposition on the departure from Egypt; when according to Exod. xiii. 21. he "went "before them by day in a pillar of a "cloud, to lead them the way, and by

night in a pillar of fire, to give them light, to go by day and night :" or he might refer to what is mentioned, Numb. ix. 15. &c. that in the subse quent journeyings through the wilderness there was a cloud which rested upon the tabernacle when they were to stop, and which was taken up from the tabernacle, and went before them, when they

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(u) Baptized unto Moses," i. e. ranged under him, put under his banners, in a degree identified with him, so as to have on that account an additional prospect of God's favour.

(x)" Spiritual meat," i. e. The quails and manna, Exod. xvi. 11. &c. called spiritual, perhaps, from the miraculous manner in which they were produced, and from their tendency on that account to inspire the people with gratitude and confidence towards God.

Rock that followed them: and that Rock was (z) Christ. (a) But with many of them God was not well pleased; for they were overthrown(b) in the wilderness. Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted (c). Neither be ye idola

This refers to

(y)" Spiritual rock." the miraculous supply of water to the Israelites whilst they were wandering in the wilderness after their departure from Egypt; they had no water, and murmured greatly for want thereof, and God commanded Moses to take his rod, and smite the rock in Horeb, and told him, that water should come out of it, so that the people might drink, and Moses struck the rock twice, and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also. Exod. xvii. 1 to 6. Numb. xx. I to 12.

(z) "Was Christ," i. e. (probably,) a s type or resemblance of Christ, for as it gave them a constant supply of natural water, so Christ constantly supplies his proselytes with spiritual water; with that, which spiritually, will prevent any future thirst. As our Saviour says, John iv. 14. "Whosoever drinketh of "the water that I shall give him, shall "never thirst, but the water that I shall

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give him, shall be in him a well of water "springing up into everlasting life;" and John vi. 35. " he that cometh to me, "shall never hunger, and he that be"lieveth on me, shall never thirst."

(a)" But," &c. i. e. Notwithstanding these signal marks of favour generally to all, he took vengeance upon such of them as gave him cause of offence.

(b) "Overthrown," &c. God had promised the Israelites the land of Canaan; but because they were terrified by the gigantic appearance of the inhabitants, he kept them in the wilderness forty years, until all the people that were men of war when they came out of Egypt were consumed. See ante 3.

note on Ps. xcv. 8.

(c) "Lusted." This probably alludes to their lusting for flesh, notwithstanding the supply of manna. According to Numb. xi. 4. the mixed multitude that

8.

tors (d), as were some of them; as it is written, "The people sat "down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and (e) fell in one day three and twenty thou9. sand. Neither let us tempt Christ,

but such as is common to
you
man: but God is faithful, who
will not suffer you to be tempted
above that you are able; but will
with the temptation also make a
way to escape, that ye may be
able to bear it.

The Gospel. Luke xvi. 1. (k)

as some of them also tempted (f),
and were destroyed of serpents. JESUS said unto his disciples,

10. Neither murmur ye, as some of

them also (g) murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 11. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the (b) ends of 12. the world are come. Where

fore (i) let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13. There hath no temptation taken

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7.9.

was among them fell a lusting; and the children of Israel wept, and said, who shall give us flesh to eat, and God gave them a supply of quails, but before they had finished eating them, he smote them with a very great plague; and he called the name of the place Kibroth Hattaavah, because they buried there the people that lusted. Numb. xi. 32 to 34.; and see Ps. cvi. 14.

(d)" İdolaters," &c. This is an allusion to their worshipping the golden calf Aaron made: when the calf was made, they said, "these be thy gods, O Israel, "which brought thee up out of the land "of Egypt," and after Aaron had built an altar before it, and proclaimed a feast on the morrow to the Lord, "they rose up "early on the morrow, and offered burnt"offerings, and brought peace-offerings, " and the people sat down to eat and to "drink, and rose up to play." Exod. xxxii. 4 to 6.

(e) "Fell," &c. i. e. By the plague which visited them for their intercourse with the daughters of Moab. Numb. xxv. I to 9.

See

(ƒ)" Tempted," &c. This occurred also in the wilderness. "The people "spake against God, and against Moses, "saying, "wherefore have ye brought us

"There was a certain rich man
"which had a steward; and the

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same was accused unto him "that he had wasted his goods. "And he called him, and said 2. "unto him, How is it that I "hear this of thee? give an ac"count of thy stewardship; for "thou mayest be no longer "steward. Then the steward 3. "said within himself, "What

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up out of Egypt to die in the wilder

ness s; for there is no bread, neither is "there any water, and our soul loatheth "this light bread,” (viz. the manna), and the Lord sent fiery serpents among" the people, and they bit the people, and "much people of Israel died." Numb. xix. 5.6.

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(g)" Murmured," &c. This was in v. 10. the instance of the men who were sent to look at the land of Canaan, and who made an ill report of it, who "died by the plague "before the Lord." Numb. xiv. 37.

(b)" The ends of the world." The v.II. time immediately preceding the period so often referred to as "the day of the Lord," called 1 John ii. 18. "the last time," See ante 25. note on Rom. xiii. 11.

(i) "Wherefore," &c. This is the v. 12. conclusion he draws, that they should not assume from what they had received, that they were beyond the chance of falling; but that they should take heed, &c.

(k) The object of this parable seems to be, by drawing into notice the prudence with which worldly men dispose of their riches to advance their future temporal interests, to inculcate it as a duty in Christians to dispose of their riches in such ways as may best promote their fu ture spiritual interests,

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"shall I do, for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship? I cannot dig; to beg I 4. 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 66 one of his lord's debtors unto "him, and said unto the first, "How much owest thou unto 6. "

5.

7.

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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 hun"dred measures of wheat. And "he said unto him, Take thy 8. "bill, and write fourscore. And "the lord (1) commended the "unjust steward, (m) because he "had done wisely for the chil"dren of this world are in their generation wiser than the child

v. 8.

v. 8.

v.9.

v. 9.

V.9.

v.9.

v.9.

(1) Commended." Not that he ap proved of his dishonesty, but admired his foresight and ingenuity.

(m) "Because," i. e. in as far as-it was his prudence only that was applauded.

"Make," &c. i. e. so use your (n) riches, as to make him your friend, who, when you are put out of your earthly stewardship, will receive you into heaven. (0) Mammon of unrighteousness," i. e. riches.

(p)"Fail," i. e. die.

(q)" They may receive you," i. e. you may be received.

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(r) Everlasting habitations," i. e. heaven, eternal life.

(s) It may be of service to add our Saviour's comments upon this parable, and to explain such parts of them as require it.

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v. 11. "The true riches," i. e. the riches of the world to come.

v. 12. That which is another man's," i. e. the riches of this world, which no man can truly call his own, which may be lost, taken away, and of which the proprietor is, under God, a steward only.

Sv. 12. "That which is your own," i. e. the riches of the world to come: which cannot be taken from you, and which, when you have obtained them, you may truly call your own: the "Trea "sures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust "doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break "through and steal." Matt. vi. 20.-Luke xii. 33.

from Jerusalem unto Antioch. 28. And there stood up one of them, named Agabus, and signified by the Spirit that there should be great dearth throughout all the world which came to pass in the days of Claudius Cesar. 29. Then the disciples, every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea : 30. which also they did, and sent it

to the elders by the hands of BarC. 12. nabas and Saul. Now about that V.I. time, Herod the king stretched

forth his hands, to vex certain of 2. the Church. And he killed James

the brother of John with the 3. sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.

The Gospel. Matt. xx. 20. THEN came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons (u), worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him. 21. And he said unto her, "What

22.

9.20.

V. 22.

v.25.

ข.28.

" wilt thou?" She saith unto him, “Grant that these my two "sons may sit, the one on thy "right hand, and the other on "the left, in thy kingdom." But Jesus answered and said, "Ye "know not what ye ask. Are ye "able to drink (x) of the cup "that I shall drink of, and to be

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say unto him, "We are able." And he saith unto them, "Ye 23. "shall drink indeed of my cup, "and be baptized with the bap"tism that I am baptized with; "but to sit on my right hand, "and on my left, is not mine to

give, but it shall be given to "them for whom it is prepared "of my Father." And when 24. the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them 25. unto him, and said, "Ye know (y) "that the princes of the Gentiles "exercise dominion over them, "and they that are great exer"cise authority upon them. But 26. "it shall not be so among you: "but whosoever will be great

among you, let him be your "minister; and whosoever will 27. "be chief among you, let him "be your servant: even as the 28. "Son of man came not to be "ministered (z) unto, but to "minister, and to give his life a "ransom (a) for many (b)."

Tenth Sunday after Trinity.

The Collect.

LET thy merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of thy humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions, make them to ask such things as shall please thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

i.e. not to live in worldly pomp, &c. but to serve and benefit mankind; not to receive homage, but to do good.

(a) "A ransom," &c. See ante 47. v.28. note on Matt. i. 21.

(b) "For many." He does not say v.28. generally for all mankind: but for many, that is the real Christians. So ante, Mark xiv. 24. p. 101.

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