to the condition of the world at the" second coming" of Christ. In order to under- stand Rnd appreciate them, we must consider- I. 1'HAT IS THE FOROE AND RANGE OF THIS EXPRESSION, "the comincr of the Son of mnn." And it will be found on investigation that it signities any speciaf manifesttition of God's power or any special appearance of Christ either in Person or in providence. This may be: 1. In mercy; including the Incarnation, when the Son of mo.n came "not to destroy but to save'' the world; the Resurrection, when he came in power and triumph from the other world; the Day of Pentecost, when he came in marvellous out- pou1ing of Divine influence upon the world. 2. In;'udgment; including the destruction of Jerusalem; the day of death to each human being; the day of judcrment itself, when "before him shall be gathered all nations." "' 11. WHAT IS THE APPLICATION OF IT IN THE TEXT. A widow appeals for redress against "her adversary" (the defendant) to an unprincipled judge. He puts her off until her importunity makes him listen and respond in order to save himself from annoyance. Arguing afortiori, our Lord contends that God, the righteous J udue, will most certainly grant to bis own people (children) the requests they make of him (see previous homily). But, continues the great Teacher, who ha.d such a perfect insight into oar nature, when be does that, and "comes" in judgment to bis foes and in mercy to his friends, will be find bis friends expecting him? will they be looking for his appearing? will their attitude be one of holy expectation, of instant recognition, nnd of devout thankfulness? or will they not, after all their asking, be positively surprised and even incrednlous at bis manifestation? He will come most assuredly, but when he comes, will he find faith on the earth? III. 1VHAT ILLUSTRATIONS w.: HAVE OF THE TRUTH OF IT. 1. We have two striking scriptural illustrations. (1) Christ's own coming, after bis resurrection, to his dis- ciples. Instea.d of looking for him and welcoming him, according to his word (ver. 33), they were astounded and incredulous (eh. xxiv. 11, 22, 23, 37). He did not" find faith" in them. (2) His coming in providential deliverance to Peter. When the Church had been praying without ceasing for him, they should have been hoping for a Divine visitation in response to their prayer. Nevertheless, when it came, were they not found unbelieving and astonished (Acts xii. 5, 15)? Are we much better than they? 2. Christ's coming in ;'udgment. Such narrow and false interpretations as the Jews were apt to pat upon sudden and sad calamities (eh. xiii. 1-4) we must scrupulously avoid. But when we see a man who bas defied all laws, human and Divine, brought down into shame and ruin, or when we see a guilty empire which was founded on violence, sustained by force, and nourished in corruption, stricken down by defeat and reduced to dishonour and disaster, shall we be surprised as if a strange thing had happened? or shall we not rather feel that this is precisely what we had every reason to expect from the righteousness of the Divine Ruler? 3. Christ's coming in grace and mercy. When the Christian family, in answer to earnest and continued prayer, is just saved from serious embarrassment and perhaps from disgrace; when the Christian Church, after much pleading for God's Spirit, receives marked and manifest tokens of the presence and power of God in the midst of it; when the Christian teacher or preacher, as the issue of much devout and faithful work, finds many souls to be seekinu the life which is of God ;-is the attitude of that family, that Church, that teache~, one of calm expectation and devout acquiescence? or is it not rather one of surprise, if not even of incredulity? When we have been imploring the Son of man to come and he comes at our appeal, does he find u11 awaiting and expecting him? Surely, with fuller and deeper faith on our part, there would be a more frequent coming on the part of our gracious Lord in life-giving power and blessing.-0.
Vers. 9-14.-The Pharisee and the publican. The scene indicated by our Lord's opening senlences is easily realized. We readily picture to our minds the place and the two persons in whom we are interested-the haughty Pharisee and the bumble- minded publican. We readily imagine their <lemeanour as they enter, their posture as they pray, their reception as they pass through the courts going and returning. But we ask how and why was it that the Pharisee was rejected and the publican 2ccepted. And in reply we say: 1. ln some respects the two men stood on the same gr•Jund. Both were free from the taint of idolatry and were worshipping God; both err. xvm.1-43.J THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. 123