but is told by his father how fit it was to rejoice. 161 Luke 32 It was meet is in a manner thine, as thou art heir to the SECT. that we should make bulk of my estate: But surely, on farther cxx111. merry, and be glad: consideration, thou must acknowledge that it for this thy brother was dead, and is was fit we should feast and rejoice today; for alive again, and was this thy poor brother, who was but lately looklost, and is found. ed upon as dead, is, as it were, miraculously made alive again; and he who was lost to us all, is now happily found; and it will much better become thee to join with us in joy for his return, than thus peevishly to quarrel with my indulgence to him. Now you who have heard this parable will easily see how indecent this conduct was, and how ungracious a figure this elder brother makes in my story. And I will assure you, that when you Pharisees murmur at the kindness shewn to the publicans, or even the Gentiles themselves,m on their sincere repentance, you act with as ill a grace, and are the objects of still greater blame, in proportion to the degree in which men's eternal interests are more important than those that relate merely to the present state. *All that I have is thine.] This is a material intimation, and suggests a strong reason against murmuring at the indulgence shewn to great sinners; for as the joyful welcome that the father gave this younger son did not incline him to disinherit the elder brother, so neither will God, out of a partial fondness for remarkable penitents, raise them to a state of glory superior to that of those who have on the whole made a greater progress in holiness, and done him more constant and faithful services. This thy brother.] There is a lovely opposition between this and the 30th verse: the elder son had there indecently said, This thy son; the father in his reply tenderly says, This thy brother. And it is a moving intimation that the best of men ought to look upon the most abandoned sinners as in some respect their brethren still; and should especially remember the relation, when there appears any inclina tion to return. To the publicans, or even the Gentiles themselves.] Many commentators have considered this parable in a view of peculiar application to the Jews and Gentiles; and have observed that the murmurs of the Jews against the apostles for preaching the gospel to the Gentiles (see Acts xiii. 42-50; xxii. 21, 22; and 1 Thes. ii. 16) are represented by the conduct of the elder brother. This was certainly a case comprehended in our Lord's design; but he undoubtedly had something more in his intention. He meant to shew, that had the Pharisees been as eminently good as they themselves pretended to be, yet it had been very unworthy their character to take offence at the kind treatment which any sincere penitent might receive. Thus does he here, and in many, parallel texts, condemn their conduct on their own principles; though elsewhere, on proper occasions, he shews the falsehood of those principles, and plainly exposes their hypocrisy and guilt. Thus the judicious Calvin states the matter; and it is strange so many learned writers should have puzzled themselves and their readers in so clear a case. 162 Reflections on the folly of sinners, and SECT. IMPROVEMENT. LET us here behold, with all due attention, the moving repCXXIII.resentation which our gracious Redeemer makes of the folly of sinners, and the compassions of God; compassions which he describes as one who himself felt them, and who in this respect, as well as others, was the express image of his Father. We have before us in this parable a lively emblem of the character and condition of sinners in their fallen state. They are thus impatient of the most necessary restraints; thus fondly ver. 12 conceited of their own wisdom; and thus, when enriched by the bounties of the great common Father, do they ungratefully run from him, and say unto God, Depart from us, for we desire not 13 the knowledge of thy ways (Job. xxi. 14). Sensual pleasures are eagerly sought; and perhaps all their earthly possessions and hopes are quickly paid as the price of them. While the means of obtaining these pleasures continue, not a serious thought of God can find a place in their minds: and then, perhaps, af flictions, heavy and complicated afflictions, come upon them; yet even under that pressure they will often make very hard shifts before they will be persuaded to think of a return; till at length Divine grace, working in concurrence with Providence, brings them to a better temper. 14 15, 16 17 When they see themselves naked and indigent, enslaved and undone; when they come to themselves, and recover the exercise of their reason, improving it to the only purposes for which it would have been worth while to have received it; then they feel the pangs of penitential remorse; then they remember the 18, 19 blessings they have lost, and attend to the misery they have incurred. And hereupon they are disposed humbly to confess their folly, and to prostrate themselves in the presence of their heavenly Father: they put the resolution immediately into prac tice; they arise and go unto him. 20 But oh, let us behold with wonder and pleasure the gracious reception they find from Divine injured goodness! He sees them 21 afar off; he pities, he meets, and embraces them; he interrupts their complaints and acknowledgments with tokens of his returning favour. Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord (Jer. xxxi. 20). Thus does God welcome the humble penitent; thus does he open the arms of his love to embrace him, and the treasures of his bounty to en22,23 rich him. He arrays him with the robe of a Redeemer's righteousness, dresses him in the ornaments of sanctifying grace, honours him with the tokens of adopting love, and invests him with the kindness of God to returning prodigals. 163 ver. 24 the glorious privileges and immunities of his children. And all SECT. this he does with unutterable delight: he rejoices over him with CXXIII. joy; he rests in his love, and, as it were, rejoices over him with singing (Zeph. iii. 17); and this is the joyful language of the song, My children that were dead, are alive again; and though they were lost, they are found. Let heaven and earth unite in the joy, and echo back the song. 25-32 Let no elder brother murmur at the indulgence with which these prodigals are treated; but rather welcome them back into the family, and even encourage every thing that looks like a disposition to return to it. And let those who have been thus received, wander no more; but rather let them emulate the strictest piety of those who for many years have served their heavenly Father, without having in any notorious instances transgressed his commandments. SECT. CXXIV. Christ delivers the parable of the unjust steward, and reproves the 1-18. LUKE XVI. 1. AND he said also unto his disci Luke XVI. LUKE XVI. 1. UR Lord then spake another parable, by SECT. CXXIV. Luke ples, There was a of the necessity of making a right use of their certain rich man which had a stew. worldly enjoyments; and, having before re- xvi. 1 ard; and the same buked the Pharisees for their envious and unwas accused unto charitable temper, he said also to his disciples him, that he had wasted his goods. that were about him, There was a certain rich man who had a steward, in whom he had long put great confidence; and he was at last accused to him, as having wasted his goods which had 2 And he called been intrusted to his care. And calling him, 2 him, and said unto he said unto him, What is this strange account him, How is it that that I hear of thee? Can it be true that thou give an account of hast acted so unjust and base a part? Give an thy stewardship; for immediate and exact account of thine administhou mayest be no tration and management in this office; for thou longer steward. I hear this of thee? 3 Then the steward said within him canst be no longer steward, with any honour to And upon this, as might be well imagined, 3 164 Luke xvi. 3 The parable of the unjust steward. SECT. What shall I do in this unhappy situation of my self, What shall I CXXIV. affairs? for my lord is taking away my steward- do for my lord taketh away from ship, and with it I shall lose my subsistence. me the stewardship: I am not able to dig, or to apply myself to any I cannot dig, to beg other laborious work of husbandry; nor can I am ashamed. I expect, under this load of infamy, to be trusted by another in the business I have been accustomed to; [and] I am utterly ashamed to beg my bread, after having lived so handsomely 4 in the world thus long. And, after a pause, he added, I have at length bethought myself, what to do, that and now know what I will do; an expedient of the stewardship, when I am put out offers itself to my mind by which I may secure they may receive me myself friends, so that when I am removed from into their houses. my office, they may receive me into their houses. 4 I am resolved lord's debtors unto 5 And, in pursuance of this scheme, having 5 So he called called every one of his lord's debtors to him whom every one of his he could hope to oblige by so fraudulent a pro- him, and said unto posal, he determined to lower the several arti- the first, How much cles in his book which stood chargeable to the owest thou unto my account of each; and said, for instance, to the lord? 6 first, How much owest thou to my lord? And he 6 And he said, said, An hundred baths of oil. And he said to An hundred meas. him, Take thy bill, in which thou hast acknowl- said unto him, Take edged the receipt of it, and sit down directly, thy bill, and sit down and write another, in which thou shalt acknowl- quickly, and write edge the receipt of but fifty, and I will alter my ures of oil. And he fifty. * I am not able to dig, or to apply myself §9. The measure of wheat, xcgxs, mento-husbandry.] Raphelius (Annot. ex tioned in the next verse, is the a, cor, or Xen. p. 104, 105), and Elsner (Observ. Vol. homer of the Hebrews, containing about I. p. 251), have shewn that the word eight bushels and an half, Winchester xal signifies, in general, to cultivate the land, and especially to prepare it for seed; which was one of the most laborious parts of the husbandman's work in which daylabourers were employed; and consequently most fit to be mentioned by this steward, who, having been used to a delicate and luxurious way of living, would naturally think of such a change of life in the most discouraging view. The expression, xxvw, I am not able, or strong enough, to do it, has also a peculiar beauty in this view, which is lost in our translation, and in most others. An hundred baths of oil.] The Greek word Bass is evidently derived from the Hewbrew on, which we render baths in the Old Testament. (1 Kings vii. 26; 2 Chron. ii. 10; Ezra vii. 22.) According to Bishop Cumberland it contained about seven gallons, two quarts, and half a pint. Compare Joseph. Antiq. lib. viii. cap. 2. measure. The word homer being familiar to an English ear, I have retained it in the version. This homer contains ten ephahs, or baths (Ezek. xlv. 11, 14); and each of these latter ten omers (Exod. xvi. 36). Twenty homers, which he allowed the debtor to deduct, would on this computation contain 170 bushels of wheat, and might be as valuable as fifty baths, or about 378 gallons of oil; so that the ob. ligation conferred on both these debtors might be equal. Take thy bill, in which thou hast acknowledged the receipt of it.] This bill probably was something equivalent to a note under his hand, acknowledging the receipt of so much oil, and promising payment for it. The alteration of this plainly shews how much Dr. Clarke is mistaken in supposing the steward did no wrong to his master in this affair, but only gave the debtors the value of what he set The wisdom shewn by the children of this world. 165 7 Then said he to book agreeable to that. Then he said to another, SECT. another, And how And how much dost thou owe? And he said, cxxiv. much owest thou? An hundred homers of wheat. And he says to And he said, An hundred measures of him, Take thy bill back, and write down an acwheat. And he said knowledgment of but fourscore; and remember unto him, Take thy how easy I have made thine account. bill, and write four score. And when the master heard of it, though he 8 8 And the lord could not but be sensible that it was an act of commended the un ation wiser than the children of light. just steward, be- great injustice, yet he praised the unjust stewcause he had done ard, as having done prudently however, and wisely; for the chil- found out an artful expedient for his subsistdren of this world ence, by making friends, who might shelter are in their gener- him for the present, and perhaps recommend him to some new trust, in hopes of sharing again in the spoils of his dishonesty. And thus, said the blessed Jesus when he had concluded the parable, the children of this world are wiser in their way and generation,d that is, they generally act a more prudent part with respect to their secular interests, than even those who may be called the children of light, or than good men themselves, who are enlightened by God to see where their true happiness lies, do with respect to theirs, which are so much more important (compare John xii. 36; 1 Thes. v. 5; and Eph. v. 8); for they seldom appear so thoughtful and active in the great concerns of religion, as worldly men are in pursuit of the momentary and precarious possessions of this present life. 9 And I say unto Luke xvi. 7 And I also say to you, Endeavour to make 9 you, Make to your- yourselves sure friends with these riches which selves friends of the may not improperly be called the unrighteous or deceitful mammone (as so little confidence can be reposed in them); that when you fail, and off out of his own stock, he undertaking • The unrighteous or deceitful mammon.] to pay his lord. (See Dr. Clarke's Sermons, Nothing can be more contrary to the whole Vol. III. p. 285.) For not to say how genius of the Christian religion than to improbable it is that this bankrupt should imagine that our Lord would exhort men be able or willing to make such a consid- to lay out their illgotten goods in works of erable present, it is plain that, if he had charity, when justice so evidently required intended it, he would have let the account they should make restitution to the utmost remain unaltered. But by the exchange of bills he cunningly made each of the debtors an accomplice with him in defrauding his lord, and thereby provided against a discovery. d In their generation.] It here signifies affaire, or actions; as Gen. vi. 9; xxxvii. 2. of their abilities. Mammon, or wealth, is here called unrighteous, or deceitful, on account of its being so apt to fail the expectation of the owners; and in that view is opposed to true riches, ver. 11. The mammon of unrighteousness is plainly such a hebraism as the steward of unrighteous |