sorrow. He can bid the Avomen of the city weep for the downfall that is to come, ' for yourselves and for your children ' (Lk 23^). Dwelling upon pro- phetic visions, He portrays the signs that shall herald the coming of the Son of Man (Mt 24"^ || Lk 2125).
But most notable of all His personal premedita- tions is that which gives expression to His passion and death. As One who walked beneath the shadow of the cross, His thoughts bear frequent witness to that silent companionship. He comes to the last Passover, and Peter and John are sent ahead with instructions that suggest a prepared understanding with the householder (Mt 26'^ || Mk 14'3 Lk 22'), thus giving us the beautiful and precious thought that the first of the long line of celebrations of the Lord's Supper should have taken place in a room chosen beforehand by Christ Him- self. The sufi'erings inherent in Messiahship are foreshadowed in His many utterances concerning the cross (Mt 20"-i9 1| Mk 1032 Lk IS^\ Lk 922, Mt 1722. 23 II Mk 931 Lk 9« Jn 12-^, W«) ; the necessity for His imitators (disciples) to bear their cross (Mt 162'» II Mk 8** Lk 9"-^ W) ; the certainty that He would be delivered up to His enemies (Mt 262^ || Mk I418 Lk 2221 Jn I321) ; the desertion by His followers, who would leave Him alone, ' and yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me' (Jn 16^2, Mt 2631 II Mk 1427 Lk 2231 j^ 1336) gut He looked beyond the cross and saw the power of the risen life, and gave the promise of the Comforter, ' the Spirit of Truth who would lead them into all truth ' (Jn 1526 1613). See also art. Plan.
There are occasions on which His teaching or His action seems entirely unpremeditated. The immediacy of an intuition is seen in His use of the opportunity given Him by the woman at the well (Jn 4'), or in the call of IvTathanael (13*), or in the treatment of the woman taken in sin (8^"'), or in the scene at Simon the Pharisee's (Mt 26*'-i3 y m^ 143-9 Lk 73«-5o Jn 121-8), or the freeing of the Sabbath from Rabbinic tyranny (Mt 123 y jyjk 2^ Lk 63).
2. But Christ constantly advocates forethought, that yoke which brings ordered rest (Mt II2*). The builder who chooses his site carelessly mav build on sand instead of solid foundations, and all the finely dreamed temple of his faith be brought to the ground (Mt 72* || Lk Q^) ; or he may com- mence a tower too great for him to finish, as a king may carelessly engage in a ruinous war (Lk 1428ff-). The parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl of Great Price are the records of those who thoughtfully weigh all lesser things against the great adventure (Mt 13**- '^). The par- able of the Wise and Foolish Virgins is obviously the story of premeditation and its worth. The Prodigal Son leaves nothing to chance when he thinks of returning : the very words with which he will meet his father are reliearsed (Lk 15^^). The first impulse of the Unjust Steward is to ask ' What shall I do ? ', and to form his plan which, though immoral in itself, shows a careful foresight that in its higher thought and morality is too often lacking in the Christian disciple ; ' The chil- dren of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light ' (Lk 16i-«). The disciple who offers himself too readily is bidden to count the cost, and is reminded of the hardships : ' The foxes have holes, the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head ' (Mt 82") ; and an unwearying watchfulness is demanded, that the servant may be ready when- ever his Lord knocks (Lk 123«). Strongly does Christ reprove those who Avatch the heavens for signs of weather and can read the skies, but cannot read the spirit of their day (Mt 162 1| Mk 812, Mt 1239 II Lk 1129). 3. And yet how plainly Jesus sees that premedi-
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tation has its dangers, ami may sap away the energies and ett'ective vahies of a man's life. It is easy to be over-cautions, to grow too anxious .about the lesser things (Mt G'-^- ^' li Lk 12--), giving all our thought to tlie care of these rather than of the life that is life imleed (cf. the i)arable of tlie Rich Fool, Lk 12'^'-'). It was surely with this thought in mind that Jesus gave that command to His Apostles, ' Get you no gold, nor silver' (INIt lU'-*) ; and ' when they deliver you up, be not anxious what ye shall speak' (10'")- Too calculating a spirit, too careful a me.asurement of possible djingers, too gre.at a forethought as to an assured future different from tliiit of other men, would i)aralyze the missionary spirit. The disciple must not be over-prudent : he must give himself ungrudgingly, and sow the seed broadcast, not being too careful about the purity and goodness of the ground in which he sows, even tiirowing some on the trotlden pathways of the world, and on Avhat seems the shallowest of soil (Mt 13'-" II Mk 4i-» Lk 8^-«).