28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

pendence and distracting care from not putting trust in God, the sovereign disposer of all. Therefore it need not relate to the measure of life, which, as Bengel remarks, is not measured by cubits. A cubit to the stature, is put, as the most impossible thing-for it were impossible to add an inch! Yet the height is "that which is least." Luke 12. 26.

28. As to raiment or clothing, the argument is taken from God's care of the flowers and fields, in clothing them with their verdure and beauty.

- Consider, or attentively survey them. They do not toil or labour. They use none of the means for their clothing which men employ. Who arrays them, or beautifully dresses them? Kings of the East wore very rich and elegant robes of purple and white. And Solomon, we know, had great splendour in his court. But

even he, in all his most gorgeous apparel, was not as splendidly clad as the lily. The lily of Palestine is a beautiful scarlet-its size about half the com on tiger-lily-the flowers are turban-like. It grows in the locality where Christ delivered His discourse, and it blooms at the very season when this sermon was supposed to have been delivered. Kitto. He is over all, God blessed forever.

30. Wherefore. If such care is taken for clothing the short-lived grass that grows to-day, but to-morrow is burned for fuel, how much more will He clothe you? How little consequence what clothing the grass of the field has? The grass is a term used in the East to include flowers and herbs, and every thing in the field

but trees. Where fuel is scarce, withered stalks and dried grass are used for the fire. In these countries, also, baking is done by heating an oven with such fuel. A hole is dug in the earth about the size of our common ovens, and paved with stones. When these stones are heated by the fire, the ashes are removed and the dough is spread upon the stones. These ovens were most commonly in use (comp. Ezek. 15. 4). They had a way of baking also on the heated sand, and they used portable ovens made of clay or plates of iron.- -T Much more. This refers to the certainty, not to the quality of the clothing. Here we may have rude apparel, and yet be faithfully clothed. In heaven our raiment shall be more splendid than Solomon's. O ye of little faith. Such undue anxiety for our temporal affairs shows a want of trust in Divine Providence. If Christians confided more in Christ, believing in His universal power and care, and relying on His abundant promises, and living on His covenant, they would not give way to such distracting anxieties. And Christ complains most of our not trusting Him for all things.

31. Therefore. Do not worry about food and clothing. We must have cares, and we should be careful. But we have no right to fret and teaze ourselves about these matters, that are so in the hands of God. We must own His supremacy and trust His fatherly covenant love.

32. Gentiles. In Luke it is "the na tions of the world"-the unenlightened heathens. The Jews, who knew of the true God, ought to live differently

from the dark pagans who were ignorant of His providence, and bowed down to idols. But above all, Christians should remember that their own Father in Heaven knows all their wants, and can supply them, and can they not confide in His love?

33. Seek first. Instead of caring supremely for your daily living food and raiment-give first attention to the religion of Christ; seek it diligently and earnestly-make it the first concern. Strive, above all things, to embrace the offers of the Gospel, and to become interested in Christ by applying for His righteousness, and as well for the holiness which He requires as for the pardoning grace which He provides. Seek the merit of His death, and the spirit of His life, and the only justification by His plan of grace. Then you shall be interested in His covenant, which covers all good things, and even "our daily bread," for which Christ had just taught them to pray. No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly." Psalm 84. 11.

34. For the morrow. Do not give yourself such excessive anxiety for the future here. God has furnished promises, exceeding great and precious, to satisfy us about this; and to-morrow belongs to itself. Let it alone to itself. If it bring its own cares, it will also have its own supplies. Do not borrow trouble. To-day's troubles are enough for to-day, and every day has sufficient cares for itself without adding those of to-morrow. Besides, to morrow may find us in eternity.

In the last paragraph our Lord discoursed about Divine Providence and grace-showed the wisdom of trusting in Him, and the folly of vexing and perplexing our minds too much with earthly cares, apart from Him, when the soul is so much more important, and faith so much more excellent. We should cast all our care upon Him, for He careth for us.

1. Judge not, that is, rashly or harshly, or hastily, for the sake of judging-or with a spirit of severe judg ment.

This applies to backbiting and slandering the character and conduct. The Pharisees were notoriously prone to this, and it is a natural disease. We may form opinions of others, but not censoriously, or enviously, or unfairly. It is unkind and unjust to harbour such judgment, and in true piety there is a disposition to be lenient toward others' faults, remembering our own. We have no right to injure the character of others by any such criticism or disparaging opinion without a necessity, and to gratify a bad feeling toward them. It is especially odious where it is in a way of pharisaical self-sufficiency. That ye be

not judged. One reason why we should abstain from any such treatment of others is this: that if we judge them, we may expect the like ourselves. And the presumption is all against us in exercising such a temper, and God will judge us with the severity of His law for such a malicious feeling and practice. Luke adds the positive duties of giving and for

eye?

f Ju. 1.7.

giving.¶ For. This is a proverb which was common among the Jews, and expresses the sentiment just noticed in the preceding clause. Men will deal out to us the same kind of judgment which we pass upon others, and God also will visit us accordingly. Even in this world, He treats men, often, as they treat others. (See Isa. 33. 1.) Haman was hanged on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Esther 6. "As I have done, so God hath requited me." See the case of ADONI-BEZEC (Judges 1.7). And especially when we condemn in others the same sins that we ourselves commit, we condemn ourselves most severely (Romans 2. 1). Christ condemns our taking satisfaction in judging others, and our indulging sin in ourselves; for these things commonly go together.

3. And why. It is unreasonable. This refers to a proverb common among the Jews and others, about men who censured their neighbours and were more grossly guilty themselves. T Mote. The merest straw or splinter, as opposed to the beam. The mote was the lightest, tiniest chaff.- -The beam was a huge timber. How is it, asks our Lord, that you look at a neighbour, and see sharply the smallest offences or faults of his, and do not see your own disposition or conduct? In the very temper in which you judge him, there is a more grievous wrong, than the small failings which you find out in your neighbour. We should first correct our own faults, because only then can we consistently criticise others

5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam & out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.

6 Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast

g Ga. 6.1. h Pr. 9. 7,8; 23.9.

(comp. Gal. 6. 4). In Luke we find this enforced by a parable, "Can the blind lead the blind?"

4. Thy brother-or neighbour, fellow-man. What consistency is there in offering to correct the fault of another, and behold you are more in fault? Such censoriousness God hates.

5. Hypocrite. See note on ch. 6. 2. He is a hypocrite in pretending to be so much better than he is, covering his own faults, while he sets himself up as a judge of others.- -T See clearly. Correcting his own failings first, especially his bad tempers, he will get rid of an evil eye-the beam will be removed, and he can better see to inspect others' characters and conduct. He will judge more tenderly and truly: and finding out his own failings, he will judge most moderately and modestly. Luke adds the doctrine of a tree and its fruit as a safe rule of judging-yet we are to consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works in a Christian, mutual watch and care.

6. Lest all judging might seem prohibited, our Lord here teaches that we should not expose our religion to the scorn of bad men. "Let not your good be evil spoken of." And in judging others, we must still consider dogs as dogs, and swine as swine, in self-defence, otherwise sacred things will be abused by being held indiscriminate. While we are not to be too severe, we are not to be too lax in judgment. Here are two adages or common sayings which our Lord applies to this subject.- T That which is holy-sacred things. "The holy

ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend

you.

7 ¶ Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:

i Is.55.6. Lu. 18.1.

thing" under the Old Testament, was the flesh of the altar.- Dogs-and swine are the profane and sensual, or the malicious and debased. Dogs are they who turn the grace of God into lasciviousness. In our judgment of others, we are not to be so lax as to consider dogs or evil-workers, as holy. (See Phil. 3. 2. "Beware of dogs.") See Rev. 22. 15. "Without are dogs." We are not to give such offensive and malicious people a good character, nor apply the promises indiscriminately to them, lest we may wound the cause of religion. Nor are we to expose sacred things to the ill-treatment or abuse of outrageous and impious men. 2 Pet. 2. 22: Matt. 15. 27. There is nothing here to excuse such as fear to rebuke iniquity or refuse to engage in active duty-unwilling to testify for Christ. By neglecting altogether the rules of prudence and sound judgment, we might rudely cast the doctrines and precepts of religion before the most debased and grovelling men, only to have these pearls trampled on, in common with the filth of the sty. Pearls are precious stones taken from shell-fish of the oyster species. Pearl oysters are found in clusters, on rocks or pearl banks in the Persian Gulf, and near Ceylon and Java. By "your pearls" are here meant the privileges and doctrines of their religion. Matt. 13. 45. 7, 8. Ask. Fundamental directions are now given, and the discourse is summed up. These are the summary commands and promises in regard to prayer. There are three various assurances here to encourage prayer; and prayer is a leading duty. In the Lord's prayer He had just given an

8 For every one that asketh j receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

9 Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?

j Ps. 81.10,16. Jno. 14.13,14; 16. 23,24. 1 Jno.3.22; 5.14,15. k Pr.8.17. Je.29.12,13.

idea of what is to be asked for; and we are to ask with earnestness, diligence and perseverance, as these words would seem to indicate. To ask signifies a personal address. We must believe that He is. To sek, signifies an object earnestly in view. To knock signifies an application at the door, and an embrace of the promise in the appointed way—("We have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him." Ephes. 3. 11, 12.)-¶ Seek. Search for Divine things. They are hid to the natural heart. "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him." "Then shall ye find me, when ye shall search for me with all your hearts."

Knock-that you may enter by the door. John 10. Make application to Christ to be admitted fully into the mysteries of His kingdom. 2 Cor. 6. 18. Luke 13. 25. You are brought to the very door of heaven by the Gospel. Knock for entrance. It is not enough to say our prayers. We must ask with a view of receiving--we must seek as those that are anxious to find-we must knock with importunity as taking no denial. See Luke 11.8. For every one. For strongest encouragement, we are now pointed to the grace of our Heavenly Father as it is actually experienced among men. "The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him." "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." This is the established rule of His grace; and this is the fact attested by all experience. Praying men and seekers of God do receive and find. Psalm 22. 26. Yet it is to be remembered that if we ask not with filial confi

11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12 Therefore all things what

7 Lu.11.11, &c.

dence ("Our Father") and with humility ("Thy will be done") the prayer is not complete: remembering always to lay every thing at the feet of Him who has all right, and whose is "the kingdom and the power and the glory." See Jas. 4. 3. Observe, prayerless men are found out by their fack of graces. As they have not the spirit-so they cannot have asked.

9. Or what man. Our Lord chooses farther to illustrate and enforce this by the conduct of parents. What father will so badly treat a child's request as to deny him what he needs or to give him what is evil. God will withhold no good thing from them that walk uprightly, and blessed is the man that trusteth in Him, so as to look to Him for blessings, and leave Him to judge of what is best.

11. Evil. Naturally corrupt-as distinguished from the heavenly Father, who is essentially holy.How much more shall God show parental affection toward the prayers of them that ask Him, than earthly parents who are naturally evil. This freeness and fulness of the Gospel offer, must leave men utterly without excuse. Why should they be prayerless or godless ?- -T Good things. (Luke 11.13. The Holy Spirit.') The gift of the Spirit includes all good. The meek shall inherit the earth.

12. Therefore. One of the closing deductions of our Lord is this GOLDEN RULE of the Gospel. This stands, here, for a summary of our relative duties, as they are taught in the moral law. This, therefore, at the same time, concludes His teaching on these points

13 ¶ Enter ye in " at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat :

m Le. 19.18. Ro.13.8-10. Ga. 5.14. n Lu.13.24.

Let

here, and proves what he set out to establish (ch. 5. 17), that He "came not to destroy the law but to fulfil." Every one can tell how he wishes to be treated by others-kindly and with allowance for his faults. He carries this rule, therefore, within him, and has no excuse for neglecting or violating or misunderstanding it. him treat others kindly, and with allowance for their faults, as Christ has taught. This is the sum of the law and the prophets, as to our relative duties, and the world would be peace and happiness and good-will, if this rule prevailed in its true spirit among But all this has a special connexion with the Gospel plan-as follows:

men.

13. Our Lord exhorts men beyond all their mutual moralities to embrace the Gospel. And here He distinctly teaches that to enter the gate of life, is something besides the cultivation of such mutual kindness and good-will. This entrance, therefore, is to be their great business. The gate is not an easy, but a difficult passage, because of our evil hearts. In the Gospel plan of salvation there is but one way, and one gate. "I am the way

"I am the door," of the sheepfold (John). The gate of the city (Revelation). -TStrait, narrow. The word is sometimes mistaken for straightdirect, or not crooked. The reference is here to the narrow gate for footpassengers in walled cities, as distinguished from the broad, double, public gate for vehicles, processions and the crowd. Such a gate was sometimes called the needle's eye-as being