as his own mission. By the peculiar joy a tender shepherd would have in recovering the sheep that had wandered from his fold, he showed the pleasure his heavenly Father had in their salvation. He went on to direct them in their treatment of their weak brethren-again told them their acts in the Church on earth should be ratified in heaven-assured them of answers to prayer, and of his presence in every company assembled in his name to pray, however few the number. Peter inquired if he must forgive his brother so often as seven times? His long-suffering Master declared his forgiveness must be unlimited by any number. To give them right feelings in circumstances with which they might often meet, he spoke a beautiful parable that shows the mighty debt the sinner owes to God, his free forgiveness of it all; and that one thus forgiven, who has no pity on his brother on account of his trifling offences against him, shall finally be treated with unrelenting justice. Corrects John's error in judgment.-Mark ix. 49, 50. The apostle John interrupted the preceding discourse at the middle of it, by saying they ix. 38-41; Luke had seen a person expelling devils in Jesus' name, and they had forbidden him to do it on account of his not associating with them. The Lord Jesus desired he should not be prevented; for it showed faith in him by his working the miracle, and that he could not thoughtlessly speak against him. It is the reverse of an axiom he had formerly given; but also true, as there can be no neutrality regarding his service, and whoever does not oppose him is for his ascendency. Every one opposes him who does not do something to extend his dominion, and the most trifling service rendered to any because they belong to Christ, shall be amply recompensed. CHAPTER XII. MESSIAH ITINERATES A SECOND TIME IN GALILEE, AND IN THE SOUTHERN PARTS OF THE HOLY LAND. Sends seventy of his disciples before him — Luke x. 1-16. As the period of the ministry of the Lord Jesus upon earth was soon to draw to a close, and intending to itinerate once more through the country, he appointed seventy from amongst his disciples to precede him in the places he would shortly visit. He gave them nearly the same instructions as he had done before to the apostles. He enjoined them “to salute no man by the way," that they might appear to all to be wholly taken up by their important embassy; and it was the more necessary now, their time was so limited-the salutations in the East being often of a very lengthened nature (2 Kings iv. 29). His teaching in the temple.John vii. 1-53. After the Lord Jesus preached of the bread of life, walked on the sea, and fed the multitude, &c., he did not travel through Judea but in Galilee, where he was at a greater distance from his enemies, and there he gave his disciples the preceding instructions. As the Feast of Tabernacles was approaching, he replied to his near kinsmen who dwelt in Galilee, that his time to go up to Jerusalem had not yet arrived; their time to go, he told them, was come; and he assigned the reason of the hatred that was felt towards him there. He desired them to go up to the feast, and said he did not intend to do so for a little longer, as the time which was the best for his purposes of mercy had not yet fully come. When he had spoken in this way, he still continued where he was. When the feast was half over, Jesus walked into the temple and engaged in teaching the people. He mildly and patiently reasoned with the cavilling Jews. A group at a greater distance from him talked of his origin, which, from their wilful ignorance of it, they said did not differ from that of ordinary persons. The Lord Jesus, raising his voice so that they could hear what he said, addressed these people, who had not spoken loud enough to be heard so far away as he was standing, showing them his omniscience, and said, "Ye think ye know me and my descent; but I am not come as a teacher of my own accord, as you suppose; but He who sent me is true to all his promises, of whom you are ignorant; but I know him, for I am part of his own nature, and he sent me." The Pharisees and chief priests sent officers to take him prisoner; he said to them, he should remain with them a little longer, and after that he would go to him that sent him-his human nature would ascend to the Father; he would then be entirely out of their reach, neither would it be possible for them to come where he was. On the eighth or last day of the feast, it was customary for the priests to surround the altar with palm branches, and to pour out water in the temple, as an expression of the general desire for Messiah's appearance, and the pouring forth of the Spirit by him. In allusion to that ceremony, Jesus stood up and proclaimed that if any there longed for spiritual blessings, they were welcome to him, and he would fully satisfy all their desires for happiness; for whoever does so in entire confidence in him, shall be abundantly refreshed himself, and shall be made a blessing to others. The officers came back to the Pharisees and chief priests composing the Sanhedrim, who inquired why they had not brought him a prisoner: they said, no human being ever talked as he did. Next morning, The Pharisees and chief priests broke up teaches again in their assembly; the Lord Jesus went up into the temple. John viii. 1-59. the Mount of Olives, where he remained during the night; and early in the morning, he came again into the temple to pursue his gracious work of teaching the people, and sat down for that purpose. At this time, he evaded a snare laid for him by the Pharisees, to induce him to pass sentence on a woman they accused of adultery. After that interruption, he went on as before; and as the morning sun looked forth upon the neighbouring mountains of Zion, shone upon the temple, and enlightened every habitation in the Holy City, Jesus said, referring to that glorious object, "I am the light of the world." The Pharisees recommenced their controversy, which only elicited more of the graces of Jesus, and enriched the |