and the relapse is much more dangerous and difficult to cure than the original disease." In like manner it is in regard to the man who has begun to break off vicious habits: if he return to them, they become stronger and more inveterate than before. Peter has expressed the same sentiment; "for if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning." 2 Peter, ii: 20.

46. While he yet talked to the people, behold his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.

When not only his mother but also his brethren came, and sought very much to speak to him himself, it is likely that they wished to treat with him concerning some important and urgent business. They had probably heard of the design of the Pharisees to kill him, and came to warn him of his danger, and to persuade him to withdraw himself hastily.

47. Then one said unto him, Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.

The crowd which surrounded Jesus was so great that his relations could not approach him. As he was now discharging an important office, in which the whole human race was interested, namely, that of instructing the people, they did wrong to interrupt him: he might therefore intend, by what follows, to reprove them for claiming his attention at this time.

48. But he answered and said to him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?

49. And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren:

50. For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.

In these words our Lord declares that his affection for men was not established so much upon the ties of nature as upon excellence of character; and that wherever they manifested the latter, they had as large a place in his regard as the nearest relative; not that he would be understood to undervalue a parent or a brother.

REFLECTIONS.

1. We may learn how inexcusable we shall be, if we do not repent under the gospel: for their impenitence men may think themselves authorised to offer many apologies; they may plead the want of instruction; the strength of their passions; the force of habit, or some other excuse of a like nature: but it will not save them from condemnation at the day of judgment. It will then be found that many who had less knowledge, and laboured under greater difficulties, than they, have listened to the call of heaven, and repented of their sins. The African, the Indian and wild American, as well as the men of Nineveh, who have regulated their conduct by the principles of virtue, according to the measure of light which they possessed, shall rise up in judgment against better-informed Christians:

it will be shown that it was not the want of knowledge, or the want of ability, which prevented them from performing the will of God: (for it has been performed by others who were much less favoured than themselves) but the want of inclination, arising from the hardness of their hearts.

2. What Christ here says of the condition of the man into whom the unclean spirit returns, after having once departed from him, namely, that the last state of this man is worse than the first, contains a serious warning to those who have begun to break off bad habits. If you suffer them to return, your condition will be worse than before; they will be seven-fold stronger than they were, and render your recovery from them almost hopeless. Have you then begun to recover from some evil habit to which you have been long accustomed; from a.habit of injustice or impiety; of intemperance, idleness or debauchery? Practise the utmost circumspection and watchfulness: your disorder is indeed apparently healed; but it has left you in a very weak state; the smallest irregular indulgence will produce a relapse, which, after your strength has been already so much impaired, will be much more dangerous than the first attack. Take care of your new health; avoid the company and avoid the places where your habits have been indulged, lest they should bring to your remembrance your sinful pleasures, and revive the inclination to indulge in them: resist every temptation to return to your former course of life, although it be but for a moment. You may resolve that it shall be only for once; but you will not probably be able to adhere to that resolution, and having once turned back into your former course, you will walk in it to the end of your days.

3. Let us learn to imitate the noble example of Christ, in esteeming every man a brother who does the will of God. There is something in this conduct which discovers an enlarged mind and an exalted character: virtue is so much esteemed that it entitles the object in which it appears to the warmest affection. Wher

ever it be found, it produces an union more powerful than any which is contracted by the bonds of nature. If our benevolence be confined to our own relatives or friends, to our own religious sect, to our own countrymen, or to men of our own colour, it is limited, partial and defective; we may still, indeed, deserve to be called good; but our goodness is of the lowest kind; it is not like the benevolence of our master, which extended to all men who bore the image of God, and was proportioned in degree to the measure of that resemblance. After his example, let us learn to esteem men who are virtuous, whatever their character or condition may be in other respects; although their talents and endowments be inconsiderable, and their external circum. stances mean; although their sentiments on religion, civil government and a variety of other topics, be totally different from ours; although they inhabit not the same country, speak not the same language, and have not the same colour. Wherever we find a good man, there let us reckon that we have found a friend and a brother. In such a temper we have no inconsiderable proof of our own goodness; but without it, we may be assured that we are but imperfect Christians.

Matthew xiii. 1----17.

1. The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sát by the sea-side.

The number of those who came to hear him was so great, that the house in which he was would not contain them, and they were thus prevented from hearing his instructions: he therefore removed to an open place, where he could be heard to more advantage, and, as was the custom with the Jewish teachers, he sat down to teach.

2.

And great multitudes were gathered together unto him; so that he went

into a ship and sat; and the whole mult itude stood on the shore.

The crowd was still too great to hear him with convenience: he therefore removed into a ship, where he could be no longer pressed and thronged by the multitude, and might be conspicuous to all.

3. And he spake many things to them in parables,

A parable signifies, in general, a comparison of things that differ, and is used for the sake of greater strength or perspicuity of expression. The Hebrews used to call every figurative speech by this name; and, as proverbs were generally delivered in such language, all proverbs, whether they contained a figure or not, received that name. Thus we are told that our Lord called the people unto him, and said unto them in parables, "how can Satan cast out Satan? and, if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand," &c, but the parables in this chapter are continued comparisons, or extended similitudes, in which the reception which the gospel should meet with from different persons, and the progress that it should make in the world, are represented by sensible images, drawn from the common occurrences of life.

Saying, Behold a sower went forth to

4. And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way-side; and the fowls came and devoured them up.

The ground by the way-side, which is usually beaten by men's treading upon it, is an image of those whose hearts are so hardened by impiety that the gospel makes no impression at all upon them: for they either never attend to it, or, if they do attend, it is quickly forgotten by them; something soon occurs to drive it from their memory. This insensibility and inat