Luke 20

Chap. XX. Ver. 1–18. ‘‘ Men often profess to inquire into the evidences or doctrines of Revelation, when they are secretly determined not to submit to its authority; and are, in fact, only seeking plausible apologies for their infidelity and disobedience. But the fear of man, and regard io reputation, deter them from avowing their real sentiments and purposes. Objectors of this character should be answered with pertinence, brevity, and caution. It is doing them too much honour in general, to enter into a formal controversy with them; the take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother. 29 There were therefore seven brethren: and the first took a wife, and died without children. died childless.

ap é they all: 31 And the third took her; and in like manbest way is to address their consciences by apt illustrations, closely applied; and so to detect those corrupt affections or secret sins, which are the real grounds of their dislike to the Bible, but which they endeavour to conceal even from themselves. ‘They flatter themselves in their own sight, until their iniquity be found to be hateful.’ In this way it may often be shown, that they resemble in pride, perverseness, ingratitude, enmity to God, and aversion to his holy service, those men who murdered the prophets, and cried te Son of God; in order to establish their own authority and reputation, and to live according to their own ungodly lusts without control.

But it behooves every one of us who are favoured with the word and ordmances of God, to inquire whether we make a proper and adequate improvement of our advantages, and act e Is.10.2. and of the city Jerusalem: 25 the signs also which shell be before the last day. 34 2 And he saw also a certain poor widow gc. 10.12,14, casting in thither two » mites. a Ma.12.41. 3 And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, 4 For all these have of their abundance cast consistently with our professed subjection to the gospel. For awful will be the doom, not only of builders that reject him who is ‘the Head-Stone of the corner,’ but of those who profess to ‘reverence the Son,’ and yet render not the fruits of the vineyard in due season.’’— 7".

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