that on one occasion the Samaritans fell upon some Galileans who were passing through their land to attend a feast, and murdered a large number of them.

"And when His disciples, James and John, saw this,"-perhaps the Lord and His disciples had followed closely on the messengers, and had been refused in person-they said, "Lord, wilt Thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, as Elias did ?” It is a little remarkable that this proposal should have come from the two brothers, one of whom is always thought of as peculiarly the apostle of love. But we must re

member that affectionate natures are also those in which indignation at wrong is most keenly felt. James and John, fervently loving their Master and Friend, warmly resented the slight put upon Him. John little thought at this time what outrages to Jesus he should have to witness, and witness unavenged.

The judgment inflicted on Elijah's persecutors is recorded in 2 Kings i. 9-14, as follows:-" And he," (that is the captain of fifty sent by the king to apprehend the prophet), "went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of a hill. And he spake unto him, 'Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.' And Elijah answered and said to the captain of fifty, 'If I be a man of God, then let fire come down from heaven and consume thee and thy fifty.' And there came down fire from heaven and consumed him and his fifty." This was the terrible

example which the disciples would have had their "But He turned, and rebuked them,

Master repeat.

and said, 'Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of."" Not that their indignation was wholly and essentially wrong-not that in all cases such severity was to be condemned. Elijah doubtless acted from Divine inspiration and under Divine sanction, for wise and holy ends suited to that time. But destructive judgments were foreign to Christ's object. "For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them."

It would have been well indeed for mankind if this weighty saying had been accepted by those who have professed to rule in Christ's name. Religious bigots have too much acted as if the reverse were true; as if Christ's Gospel were a trap to destroy men's lives instead of a provision to save them. And even now, how prone are we to despair of the sinner, and to feel, if we do not express, a wish that God would remove him out of our way by some speedy judgment. But the Lord, when insulted, only "went to another village," leaving these unhappy people destitute of His saving presence, to their unspeakable loss.

It may have been in this stage of our Lord's journey that an incident occurred which is recorded a little further on in St. Luke's Gospel.*

"And it came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: and they lifted up their voices, and

* Ch. xvii. II.

said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.' And when He saw them, He said unto them, 'Go show yourselves unto the priests.' And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, 'Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.' And He said unto him, 'Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."

"There are not found that returned to give glory to God." Have we always returned-turned back from the eager pursuit and enjoyment of a blessing importunately asked of God-turned back to make, not some formal and customary acknowledgment of His goodness, but to fall prostrate before Him in adoration and gratitude, something proportioned to the urgency of our foregoing supplications?

SECTION II.

QUESTION OF THE LAWYER-THE GOOD SAMARITAN. LUKE X. 25-37.

"AND,

ND, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted Him, saying, 'Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life ?" "

When it is said that this inquirer tempted our Lord, it does not necessarily imply that he was

trying to involve Him in any difficulties, as had undoubtedly been the case with other persons on other occasions. There was nothing in the question apparently of an ensnaring character. Still it was not asked in an earnest, truthful spirit, but rather out of curiosity to see what He would say. "Now then, you profess to be very wise, what advice would you give me; what should you say I ought to do to inherit the eternal life of which you speak ?" "He said unto him, 'What s written in the law? how readest thou?"" The Lord refers him back to the standard he had already. God had not left the Jewish nation destitute of the means of knowing how to resolve such an important question. And he answering said, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself.' And He❞—that is, our Lord-" said unto him, 'Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." This is really the substance of religion-the end of the commandment. Faith in Christ, and all the ministry of reconciliation, are the means by which it is made possible to grasp this substance. "This do, and thou shalt live."

66

"But he, willing to justify himself”—he was like a good many of us-he asked what he should do, not with the intention of doing it, but with the hope of finding out some excuse for not doing it. "But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, 'And who is my neighbour ?" " He was conscious, no doubt, that there were a good many people whom he did not love and was not very kind to, and he

wanted to make out that they did not come within the scope of the law.

"And Jesus answering said, 'A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.” Proud, selfish, and indifferent, he did not take the slightest interest in the case; he did not even condescend to stop for a moment to see what was the matter. Whatever it was, it was nothing to him. "And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side." This man did think the sight of a poor wounded creature lying by the roadside, worth at least a moment's attention. Perhaps when he saw his condition, he had what is called a "good mind" to do something to help him, or, at least, to go and get assistance. But then he probably reflected that this would cause him a good deal of trouble and hinder him in his journey, so he too passed on, saying to himself, as we may suppose, "Poor fellow, I am sorry for him, but it's no business of mine." "But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him,” and though he being of another, and a hostile race, might have had some excuse in declining the office, "bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine" -the best remedies he had at command-" and set him on his own beast"-at much inconvenience