iR rc~Rn1r<l BI! the soul·s I:'°rti~n; wb~n th11t 1B the mRn's main interPet; aM, looking on to s0rne rl~y ";hen tlrn_ pile will be complete, he RI\Y8 in himself, 11 Then oat, drink, 11nd ?r merry. \ cry 11tr1k111g tl!e ~enhmce (~er. 20) 11 God ea.ye, 'l'hou fool!" Folly ~11deed I Tlrn~as ,~dams qnamtly says," 'lhe compt•tency of eBl'~hly things is a blesa- mg; but whM 1~ this 10 Rbundance? Is not he BI! warm that goe1 in russet 88 another th~t ru6t l<'~ !n silk? H11s not the poor labourer ns sound a sleep in his flock bed as the epicure on his down bed? Doth not quiet lie oftener in cottages than In glorious man- si_ons? And~ for a ~ood appetite, we see tbe toiling servant feed savourly of one homely dish when his surfeited master looks loathingly on his far-fetched and dearly bouaht dainties. This gentleman envies the happiness of his poor bind, and would be cont;nt to c~ange states with him on condition he might change stomachs. It is not the pkn1tude, but the competency of these things that affords even content; so that a man's estate should be like his g:m11ent, rather tit than long." Folly indeed I What stupidity to cont,m,plate the many years! "This night thy soul shall be requiJ:ed." Thy soul, thyself. w1tl10ut all the goods. "'When I die, let my hands be outside my shroud," said the emperor, 11 that all may see tl1ey are empty." And what is to become of the "much goods"? Pa.~s iut.o the hauds of others, possibly only to do them harm, neither the accumulator nor his kind made the bett.er for all the gathering. "Fool, fool I this tbou art, 0 man, who, without generosity of heart or liberality of hand, day by day scrapest the dust of earth to thy store, oblivious of the celestial crown above thy head, rich in man's estimation, but (ver. 21) a pauper, a bankrupt, towards God." 11 THE MORE GENERAL INSTRUCTION BOUNDS THE WARNING, 11 'l'ake heed, and keep yourselves from all covetousness." The more special and private instruction to the disciple!! is joined to the preceding parable by a II therefore" (ver. 22). It, too, is an admonition against worldliness. It presents that aspect of the worldly spirit which more immediately tempted the disciples of Jesus; it gives also the key-note for that higher life which, as those joined to the Lord, they are called to live. The two parts of the discourse illustrate the meaning of St. Paul's saying 88 to" the new man created, after God, in righteousness and true holiness [or,• holiness of truth']" (Eph. iv. 24). The righteousness which is incumbent on all, from the very nature of their existence all(l their relation to God and men, is represented in the part already considered; 11 the holiuess of truth "-that plus which is because of our place in the body of Christ, and our relation to him as the Head of the body-is represented in the beautiful words which are prefaced by the injunction," Be not anxious for your life, what ye shall eat, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on." With some variations, a part of the ser11Jon from the mount is repeated (see homiletics on the sermon). One or two remarks will here suffice. 1. The life which marks the holiness of the new man created in Christ Je,ms consists in a supreme preference (ver. 31). What distinguishes this Ide is that it has a "rather" or a "howbeit" at its heart. Its first concern is the kingdom of the Father; its second is (ver. 30) the things which the nations of the world seek after. "These things "--eating, drinking, clothing, etc., have their value. Bnt the miud is not in search of them. They are not its good or portion. Its sympathies a1Jd craving are towards the eternally right and true, To realize that in self, aud aid its fultilmeut everywhere, is the Lighest aim and object of the being. The property of the soul rich towards G,<l is, indeed, a vast property; but it has heights as well as lengths; it is the threefold estate--" all thiugs are yours, and ye are Christ's, and Christ b God's." The thiugs which the nations o_f the world seek after are ~ven iuto tbe bargain, so to speak, as far as they are necessities, to all who seek the Father's kingdom. 2. For those in whom this life is formed, a rule is laid down (ver. 22), 11 Be not anxious as to these things." The rendering of the Greek word in the Authorized \'er.ion ruigbt mislead. Christ him~elf has taught us to take thought for our life--to provide for the morrow. lie bade his disciples gather up the fragments, that nothing might be lost. He had a bag, of which Judas was the bearer, from which thiugs needful were purchased. It is a sign of the savage, not the civilized man, to live only for the present hour, wasting what he does not immediately consume. The teaching iB that, liviug the true life, and preferring what is right to w_hat is me_raly politic, we may reckon on God for the supply of all our need. As to eating an<l drm~- iug we will not ask the i,atiety of abundance, we will ask only sufficiency; and on this wtwll.l' rcl;r. He who ftew; t.he ravens will not forget tho11e who faithfully Btlrve hi:a on. xn. 1-59.] THE OOSPEL ACCORDTNG TO ST. LUKE. 315
(vers. 23, 30). rear? to !~hour consta~,tly and dili_gently whilst we have strength, to sow and re11p, to• provide thmgs honest; for la.bonr 1s God's appointed means of feedin"' !lnd clothi_ng-as even the raven w\tnes~es, which G_od ~eeds! but which yet is ever pick~ mg what 1t can find; as even the lily witnesses, which 1s faithful to the conc.itions of its growth. But we are to toil with a free heart, delivered from carking and worrying ~Bre, tur?}ng ~ver trustfully to ~he love of 01:11" _Father i_n heaven. M~ttLew Henry puts 1t thus: As 1n our stature, so ID our state, 1t 1s our wisdom to take 1t as it is, and make the best of it; for fretting and vexing, carking and caring, will not mend it." "Do not live in auspense; do not cherish the doubting, doubtful mind," says the Lord to his followers. 11 Do not fear. A little flock you may seem; but the shepherrlin"' is perfect. Live generously, self-denyingly, self-sacrificingly (ver. 31). The purses 7vhich hold good deeds never wax old. The treasure bestowed on that which is out of sight is laid up in the heavens (ver. 33), and no thief can abstract it, and no moth can destroy it. Living in the unseen, in God's kingdom of grace as its subjects, your heart (ver. 34) will settle towards its treasure; you will be prepared and fitted to be the princes of your Father's kingdom of glory."