think she did ill; why should she give to others, when she had little enough for herself? Charity begins at home; or, if she would give it, why did she not bestow it upon some poor person that she knew? What occasion was there for her bringing it to the treasury to be disposed of by the chief priests, who, we have reason to fear, were partial in the disposal of it? Few practise self-denial for the purposes of charity. Most give of their abundance—that is, what they can spare without feeling it-and many feel that this is the same as throwing it away. Among all the thousands who give to these objects, how few deny themselves of one comfort, even the least, that they may advance the kingdom of Christ! It is so rare a thing to find any that would not blame this widow, that we cannot expect to find any that will imitate her; and yet our Saviour commends her, and therefore we are sure that she did very well and wisely. If Christ saith, Well done, no matter who saith otherwise. And we must hence learn, That giving alms is an excellent, good thing, and highir pleasing to the Lord Jesus; and if we be humble and sincere in it, he will graciously accept of it, though in some circumstances there may not be all the discretion in the world.-Those that have but a little, ought to give alms out of their little. Those that live by their labour, from hand to mouth, must give to those that need. Eph. iv. 28.-It is very good for us to straiten and deny ourselves, that we may be able to give the more to the poor-to deny ourselves not only superfluities, but even conveniences, for the sake of charity. We should in many cases pinch ourselves, that we may supply the necessities of others; this is loving our neighbours as ourselves.-Public charities should be encouraged, for they bring upon a nation public blessings; and though there may be some mismanagement of them, yet that is not good reason why we should not bring in our quota to them. -Though we can give but a little in charity, yet if it be according to our ability, and be given with an upright heart, it shall be accepted of Christ, who requires according to what a man has, and not according to what he has not. Two mites shall be put upon the score, and brought to account, if given in a right manner, as if they had been two pounds. It is much to the praise of charity, when we give not only to our power, but beyond our power, as the Macedonian Churches, whose deep poverty abounded to the riches of their liberality. 2 Cor. viii. 2, 3. When we can cheerfully provide for others, out of our own necessary provision, as the widow of Sarepta for Elijah, and Chris for his five thousand guests, and trust God to provide for us some other way, this is thank-worthy. CHAPTER XIII. 1 Christ foretelleth the destruction of the temple: 9 the persecutions for the gospel: 10 that the gospel must be preached to all nations: 14 that great calamities shall happen to the Jews: 24 and the manner of his coming to judgment: 33 the hour whereof being known to non?, every man is to watch and pray, that we may not be found unprovided when he cometh ta each one particularly by death. a AND as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, b Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here! 2 Aud Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down, 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, 4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? a Matt. xxiv. 1; Luke xxi. 5. b Luke xix. 44. c Matt. xxiv. 3: Luke xxi. 7. We may here see, how apt many of Christ's own disciples are to idolize things that look great, and have been long looked upon as sacred. They had heard Christ complain of those who had made the temple a den of thieves; and yet, when he quitted it, for the wickedness that remained in it, they court him to be as much in love as they were with the stately structure and adorning of it. One of them said to him, "Look, Master, what manner of stones, and what buildings are here! Ver. 1. We never saw the like in Galilee; Oh! do not leave this fine place."-The temple was constructed of white marble, and the blocks were of a prodigious size. Josephus says that these stones were some of them fifty feet long, twenty-four feet broad, and sixteen feet thick. The mount of Olives, where our Lord and his disciples now were, (ver. 3), was directly east of Jerusalem. and from it there was a fine view of the temple. How little Christ values external pomp, where there is not real purity,-" Seest thou these great buildings," said Christ, "and admirest thou them? I tell thee, the time is at hand when there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Ver. 2. The sumptuousness of the fabric shall be no security to it, no, nor move any compassion in the Lord Jesus towards it. He looks with pity upon the ruin of precious souls, and weeps over them, for on them he has put a great value; but we do not find him look with any pity upon the ruin of a magnificent house, when he is driven out of it by sin, for that is of small value with him. With what little concern doth he say, Not one stone shall be left on another! Much of the strength of the temple lay in the largeness of the stones; and if these be thrown down, no footstep, no remembrance, of it will remain. While any part remained standing, there might be some hopes of the repair of it; but what hope is there, when not one stone is left upon another?" As all earthly things, however glorious they may be, pass away, let us be reminded how necessary it is for us to have a more permanent mansion in heaven, and to be prepared for it by the sanctification of the Holy Spirit, sought (as it is promised) in the earnest and persevering use of all the means of grace." It is natural to us to desire to know things to come, and the times of them; more inquisitive we are apt to be about that than about our duty. Christ's disciples knew not how to digest this doctrine of the ruin of the temple, which they thought must be their Master's royal palace, and in which they expected their preferment, and to have the posts of honour; and therefore they were in pain till they got him alone, and got more out of him concerning this matter. As he was returning to Bethany, therefore, he sat upon the mount of Olives, over against the temple, where he had a full view of it; and there four of them agreed to ask him privately, what he meant by the destroying of the temple, which they understood no more than they did the predictions of his own death, so inconsistent was it with their scheme. Probably, though these four proposed the question, yet Christ's discourse, in answer to it, was in the hearing of the rest of the disciples, yet privately, that is, apart from the multitude. Their inquiry is, When shall these things be? They will not question, at least not seem to question, whether they shall be or no (for their Master has said that they shall), but are willing to hope it is a great way off. Yet they ask not precisely the day and year (therein they were modest), but say, "Tell us what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? What presages shall there be of them, and how may we prognosticate their approach?" you: 5 And Jesus answering them began to say, "Take heed lest any man deceive 6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. 7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be ye not troubled: for such things must needs be; but the end shall not be yet. 8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them. 10 And the gospel must first be published among all nations. 11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost. 12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. 13 'And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. d Jer. xxix. 8; woman in travail. i Acts ii. 4, iv. 8, 31. Matt. x. 22, xxiv. 13; Eph. v. 6; 1 Thess. ii. 3. f Matt. x. 17, 18, xxiv. 9; e Matt. xxiv. 8. Our Lord Jesus, in reply to their question, sets himself not so much to satisfy their curiosity as to direct their consciences; leaves them still in the dark concerning the times and seasons, which 66 the Father has kept in his own power, and which it was not for them to know; but gives them the cautions which were needful, with reference to the events that should now shortly come to pass. They must take heed that they be not deceived by the seducers and impostors that should now shortly arise (vers. 5, 6),—“ Take heed lest any man deceive you-lest, having found the true Messiah, you lose him again in the crowd of pretenders, or be inveigled to embrace others in rivalship with him. Many shall come in my name (not in the name of Jesus), but saying, I am Christ, and so claiming the dignities which I only am entitled to." After the Jews had rejected the true Christ, they were imposed upon, and so exposed by many false Christs. Those false Christs deceived many, therefore take heed lest they deceive you. When many are deceived, we should thereby be awakened to look to ourselves. They must take heed that they be not disturbed at the noise of wars, which they should be alarmed with. Vers. 7, 8. Sin introduced wars, and they come from men's lusts. But at some times the nations are more distracted and wasted with wars than at other times; so it shall be now. Christ was born into the world when there was a general peace, but soon after he went out of the world there were general wars,-Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And what will become of them then who are to preach the gospel to every nation? "Amidst the clash of arms, the voice of law is not heard." "But be not troubled at it. Let it be no surprise to you; you are bid to expect it; and such things must needs be, for God has appointed them, in order to the farther accomplishment of his purposes; and by the wars of the Jews" (which Josephus has given us a large account of) "God will punish the wickedness of the Jews.-Let it be no terror to you, as if your interest were in danger of being overthrown, or your work obstructed by these wars; you have no concern in them, and therefore need not be apprehensive of any damage by them."-Those that despise the smiles of the world, and do not court and covet them, may despise the frowns of the world, and need not fear them. If we seek not to rise with them that rise in the world, why should we dread falling with them that fall in the world?" Let it not be looked upon as an omen of the approaching period of the world, for the end is not yet. Ver. 7. Think not that these wars will bring the world to a period; no, there are other intermediate counsels to be fulfilled betwixt that end and the end of all things, which are designed to prepare you for the end, but not to hasten it out of due time. Let it not be looked upon as if in them God had done his worst: no, he has more arrows in his quiver, and they are ordained against the persecutors. Be not troubled at the wars you shall hear of, for they are but the beginnings of sorrows, and therefore, instead of being disturbed at them, you ought to prepare for worse; for there shall also be earthquakes in divers places, which shall bury multitudes in the ruins of their own houses; and there shall be famines, by which many of the poor shall perish for want of bread; and troubles and commotions, so that there shall be no peace to him that goes out or comes in. The world shall be full of troubles, but be not ye troubled; without are fightings, within are fears, but fear not ye their fear.”—The disciples of Christ, if it be not their own fault, may enjoy a holy security and serenity of mind, when all about them is in the greatest disorder. They must take heed that they be not drawn away from Christ, and from their to duty him, by the sufferings they should meet with for Christ's sake. Again, he saith, " Take heed to yourselves. Ver. 9. Though you may escape the sword of war better than some of your neighbours, because you interest not yourselves in the public quarrels, yet be not secure; you will be exposed to the sword of justice more than others, and the parties that contend with one another will unite against you. Take heed, therefore, lest you deceive yourselves with the hopes of outward prosperity, and such a temporal kingdom as you have been dreaming of, when it is through many tribulations that you must enter into the kingdom of God. Take heed lest you needlessly expose yourselves to trouble, and pull it upon your own head. Take heed what you say and do, for you will have many eyes upon you." Observe, what the trouble is which they must expect, (1.) They shall be hated of all men; trouble enough! The thoughts of being hated are grievous to a tender spirit, and the fruits of that hatred must needs be a constant vexation. Those that are malicious, will be mischievous. It was not for any thing amiss in them, or done amiss by them, that they were hated, but for Christ's name's sake-because they were called by his name, called upon his name, preached his name, and wrought miracles in his name. The world hated them because he loved them. (2.) Their own relations shall betray them—those to whom they were most nearly allied, and on whom, therefore, they depended for protection," They shall betray you, shall inform against you. and be your prosecutors." If a father has a child that is a Christian, he shall become void of natural affection; it shall all be swallowed up in bigotry, and he shall betray his own child to the persecutors, as if he were a worshipper of other gods. Deut. xiii. 6-10. The brother shall give up in a treacherous manner his brother to be put to death, on account of his attachment to Jesus. Through fear, in the hope of reward and the hatred of the gospel, he will overcome all the natural ties of brotherhood, and give up his own kindred to be burnt or crucified. Perhaps nothing could more clearly show the dreadful evil of those times, as well as the natural opposition of the heart to the religion of Christ. (3.) Their Church rulers shall inflict their censures upon them," You shall be delivered up to the great Sanhedrim at Jerusalem, and to the inferior courts and consistories in other cities, and shall be beaten in the synagogues with forty stripes at a time, as offenders against the law which was read in the synagogue." It is no new thing for the Church's artillery, through the treachery of its officers, to be turned against some of its best friends. (4.) Governors and kings shall use their power against them. Because the Jews have not power to put them to death, they shall incense the Roman powers against them, as they did Herod against James and Peter; and they shall cause you to be put to death, as enemies to the empire. They must resist unto blood, and still resist. Christ also teaches them what they shall have to comfort themselves with in the midst of these great and sore troubles. (1.) That the work they were called to should be carried on and prosper, notwithstanding all this opposition which they should meet with in it (ver. 10),-" The gospel shall, for all this, be published among all nations, and before the destruction of Jerusalem the sound of it shall go forth into all the earth; not only through all the nation of the Jews, but to all the nations of the earth." It is comfort to those who suffer for the gospel, that, though they may be crushed and borne down, the gospel cannot; it shall keep its ground, and carry the day. (2.) That their sufferings, instead of obstructing their work, should forward it," Your being brought before governors and kings shall be for a testimony of them (so some read it-ver. 9); it shall give you an opportunity of preaching the gospel to those before whom you are brought as criminals, to whom otherwise you could not have access." Thus St Paul's being brought before Felix, and Festus, and Agrippa, and Nero, was a testimony to them concerning Christ and his gospel. Or, as we read it, It shall be for a testimony against them—against both the judges and the prosecutors, who pursue those with the utmost rage that appear, upon examination, to be not only innocent but excellent persons. The gospel is a testimony to us concerning Christ and heaven. If we receive it, it will be a testimony for us-it will justify and save us; if not, it will be a testimony against us in the great day. (3.) That, when they were brought before kings and governors for Christ's sake, they should have special assistance from heaven, to plead Christ's cause and their own (ver. 11),—“ Take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak; be not solicitous how to address yourselves to great men, so as to obtain their favour. Your cause is just and glorious, and needs not to be supported by premeditated speeches and harangues; but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour-whatsoever shall be suggested to you, and put into your minds and into your mouths, that speak ye, and fear not the success of it, because it is off-hand, for it is not ye that speak, purely by the strength of your own wisdom, consideration, and resolution, but it is the Holy Ghost." This is a full promise that they should be inspired, and consequently their defences, recorded in the Acts of the Apostles, are the words of the Holy Ghost. There could be no more explicit promise that they should be under an infallible guidance; and we are not left to doubt that they were taught of God. At the same time, this was a most desirable and gracious aid. They were illiterate, unknown, without power. They were unfit, of themselves, to make the important statements of religion which were requisite. But God gave them power, and they spake with a wisdom, fearlessness, pungency, and ability, which no other men have ever manifested.-Those whom Christ calls out to be advocates for him, shall be furnished with full instructions; and when we are engaged in the service of Christ, we may depend upon the aids of the Spirit of Christ. (4.) That heaven at last would make amends for all,-" You will meet with a great deal of hardship in your way; but have a good heart on it, your welfare will be accomplished, and your testimony finished; and he that shall endure to the end, the same shall be saved." Ver. 13. Perseverance gains the crown. The salvation here promised is more than a deliverance from evil—it is an everlasting blessedness, which shall be an abundant recompense for all their services and sufferings. Matt. x. 17, &c. n 14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then Plet them that be in Judea flee to the mountains: n Matt. xxiv. 15. o Dan. ix. 27. p Luke xxi. 1. 15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his house: 16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again for to take up his garment 17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that give suck in those days! 18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter. 19 'For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. 20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect's sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the days. 21 'And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not: 22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. 23 But 'take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. q Luke xxi. 23, xxiii. 29. r Dan, ix. 29, xii. 1; Joel ii. 2; Matt. xxiv. 21. s Matt. xxiv. 23; Luke xvii. 3, xxi, §. The Jews, in rebelling against the Romans, and in persecuting the Christians, were hastening their own ruin apace--both efficiently and meritoriously, were setting both God and man against them. See 1 Thess. ii. 15. Now, here we have a prediction of that ruin which came upon them within less than forty years after this; we had it before in Matt. xxiv. 15, &c. It is here foretold that the Roman armies should make a descent upon Judea, and invest Jerusalem, the holy city. These were the abomination of desolation, which the Jews did abominate, and by which they should be made desolate. The country of thine enemy is called the land which thou abhorrest. Isa. vii. 16. Therefore it was an abomination, because it brought with it nothing but desolation. They had rejected Christ as an abomination, who would have been their salvation; and now God brought upon them an abomination that would be their desolation, thus spoken of by Daniel the prophet (chap. ix. 27), so that by which this sacrifice and offering should be made to cease. This army stood where it ought not-in and about the holy city, which the heathen ought not to have approached, nor would have been suffered to approach, if Jerusalem had not first profaned the crown of their holiness. This the Church complains of (Lam. i. 10), "The heathen entered into her sanctuary, whom thou didst command that they should not enter into the congregation;" but sin made the breach, at which the glory went out, and the abomination of desolation broke in, and stood where it ought not. Now, let him that readeth this, understand it, and endeavour to take it right. Prophecies should not be too plain, and yet intelligible to those that search them; and they are best understood by comparing them first with one another, and at last with the event. It is also foretold that, when the Roman army should come into the country, there would be no safety any where but by quitting the country, and that with all possible expedition. It will be in vain to fight-the enemies will be too hard for them; in vain to abscond-the enemies will find them out; and in vain to capitulate the enemies will give them no quarter. A man cannot have so much as his life given him for a prey, but by fleeing to the mountains out of Judea; and let him take the first alarm, and make the best of his way. If he be on the housetop, trying from thence to discover the motions of the enemy, and spies them coming, let him not go down, to take any thing out of the house; for it will occasion his losing of time, which is more precious than his best goods, and will but encumber him and embarrass his flight. If he be in the field, and there discover the approach of the enemy, let him get away as he is, and not turn back again to take up his garment. Ver. 16. If he can save his life, let him reckon it a good bargain, though he can save nothing else, and be thankful to God that, though he is cut short, he is not cut off. It is also foretold, that it would go very hard at that time with poor mothers and nurses—that dare not go into strange places that cannot shift for themselves, nor make haste as others canthat know not how either to leave the tender infants behind them, or to carry them along with them. Such is the vanity of the creature, that the time may often be when the greatest comforts may prove the greatest burdens. It would likewise be very uncomfortable, if they should be forced to flee in the winter (ver. 18), when the weather and ways are bad-when the roads would be scarcely passable, especially in those mountains to which they must flee. If there be no remedy but that trouble must come, yet we may desire and pray that, if it be God's will, the circumstances of it may be so ordered as to be a mitigation of the trouble; and when things are bad, we ought to |