gaged in the troubles of the times of Charles I.; mention the names of the individuals who took a prominent part in them, and of the places where the most important battles were fought.

7. Explain, briefly, the circumstances which led to the abdication of James II.

8. Give some account of the political parties, and of the principal actors in the earlier periods of the French Revolution and in the Reign of Terror.

Give the names of the principal English writers of sacred poetry, and of the divines of the periods of Elizabeth and Charles II.

(To be continued.)

SCRIPTURE LESSONS.

SIXTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE WOMAN WHO WAS A SINNER.

LUKE Vii. 36-50.

36. One of the Pharisees.-His name was Simon; but he was not the same person as Simon the leper, in whose house an anointing somewhat similar took place, shortly before our Lord's crucifixion. (See Matt. xxvi. 6—13. Mark xiv. 3—9.) This man seems to have been impressed by what he had heard or seen, but not by any means to have been convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, nor even to have shown him much respect.

37. A woman in the city.-It seems to have been either Capernaum or Nain; she was a woman of notoriously bad character: some suppose her to be the same as Mary Magdalene, but there is no reason for this; it would rather appear that she was not, as Mary came from Magdala, and was afflicted rather than wicked. (Mark xvi. 9.)

38. At his feet.-It was the custom, instead of sitting down, as we do, to recline upon couches. This woman, standing behind, was deeply affected by his presence and conversation; and her tears, falling freely, washed his feet, which were bare, (the sandals being put off)—she then wiped them with her hair, and anointed them with the ointment.

40. Answering.-In answer to the thought that was passing

through his mind: he thus gave proof that he was more than a prophet.

42. Frankly.-Freely.

44. Gavest me no water.-It was the common custom when a guest entered the house to bring some water and wash his feet, and it showed want of attention and respect in Simon to have neglected this. (See Gen. xviii. 4. xix. 2. xxiv. 32, &c.)

45. Gavest me no kiss.-This was the common way of showing regard; (Gen. xxix. 11-13. 2 Sam. xv. 5. Rom. xvi. 16.) as was also the anointing referred to in the next verse. (Ruth iii. 3. Ps. xxiii. 5. Amos vi. 6.)

47. For she loved.-The context shows that it does not mean that her sins were forgiven on account of her love, but her love was a proof that her sins had been forgiven her. The Pharisee had neither felt how great his own sins were, nor sought pardon for them; and therefore he showed no love to Christ.

SUMMARY.

Jesus is invited to a Pharisee's house; while there, a poor woman whose character was known to have been bad, comes behind him with an alabaster-box of ointment, and first washing his feet with her tears, then wipes and anoints them. The Pharisee is secretly offended at seeing this; but our Lord replies by a parable about two debtors, showing that the affection she manifested was a sign she had been forgiven, while it reproved the Pharisee himself for the want of respect he had shown.

LESSONS.

I. Christ can pardon even the most grievous offenders. V.37-47. (Is. i. 18. 2 Sam. xii. 13.)

II. How great a change does the grace of God produce! Those who have been wicked before, will come to Jesus, and weep over their sins, and be willing to do any thing to show their love to him. V. 37, 38. (Acts ix. 6. xix. 19.)

III. Men often make great mistakes about themselves and others. Simon thought badly of the woman, and even of Jesus, for having anything to do with her, and little imagined that his own state was worse than hers. V. 39-47. (Luke xviii. 11.)

IV. The more deeply we are taught to feel our own sins, the greater will be our gratitude and love to Christ for his pardoning mercy. V. 42, 43, 47. (Is. xii. 1.)

V. Christ graciously receives the mourning penitent; he did not shrink from this woman's touch, but gave her the assurance of pardon, and sent her away in peace. V. 47-50. (Luke xv. 20.)

SCRIPTURE LESSONS.

SEVENTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

THE PHARISEES REPROVED FOR BLASPHEMY.

MATT. xii. 22-37.

(See also Mark iii. 11, 22—30.)

22. Then was brought.-In many respects this very much resembles the account given in Luke xi. 14-23; but that seems to have taken place at a later period.

23. The Son of David-The Messiah-whom the Jews, from the descriptions of the prophets, often called by this name.

24. Beelzebub.-The name itself seems taken from one of the idols of the Philistines; (2 Kings i. 3.) but from our Lord's answer they clearly meant Satan, and blasphemously charged this upon our Lord in order to account for the miracle which had produced such an impression upon the people, and which they themselves could not deny.

26. Is divided.-Our Lord gives a double answer; first, the absurdity of supposing that Satan should give power to any one to cast out himself: and then he appeals specially to the Pharisees, (V. 27) whose "children" of thing, (Acts xix. 13-16.) and showed that this charge, if persisted disciples" professed to do the same in, would recoil upon themselves.

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29. Strong man's house.-Just as an armed man keeps possession of his house, so Satan can only be driven out of the heart by a power greater than his own.

30. Is not with me.-He that does not take part with me in this struggle in which I am engaged against the powers of darkness, is ranked among my enemies; much greater then must his guilt be who knowingly and maliciously sets himself (as you are doing) to oppose me. This leads our Lord to give the solemn warnings in the verses which follow: all personal contempt and reproach he could forgive; but when they had such full proofs of his power and messiahship, and wilfully ascribed it to Satan, from a malicious desire to oppose his work, this was to sin past recovery; or some have supposed that it warned them against repeating so grievous an offence after the Holy Ghost was poured out upon the church. At all events, the very uncertainty which rests upon the nature of the crime, should act in every age as a wholesome restraint against the possible approach to so fearful a sin.

33. Make the tree good.-As bad fruit comes from a bad tree, so their evil words came from the wickedness of their hearts.

36. Idle, or useless word, having no good end in view; and still

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more, every wicked word: but, as Doddridge observes, Discourse tending by innocent mirth to exhilarate the spirits, is not idle discourse; as the time spent in necessary recreation, is not idle time.

SUMMARY.

After our Lord had cast out an unclean spirit, many of the people felt disposed to acknowledge him as the Messiah; upon which the Pharisees declared that it was done by the power of Satan, which led our Lord to expostulate with them, and solemnly to warn them of the guilt and danger of thus wickedly opposing his mission.

LESSONS.

I. When the heart is set against Christ, men are often only led to greater lengths of sin by that which awakens others. V. 23, 24. (Acts xvii. 2-5.)

II. In order to avoid believing the truth, men sometimes give credit to what is much more unlikely. V. 25, 26, 27. (Matt. xxviii. 11-15.)

III. No power but God's can set free from the dominion of sin and Satan. V. 29. (2 Cor. iv. 6, 7.)

IV. Those who are not fully on the Lord's side, are acting with his enemies. V. 30. (1 John ii. 19.)

V. Beware of opposing the work of Christ, and sinning against light and knowledge. V. 31, 32. (Heb. x. 26-29.)

VI. Let us always remember that God hears and notices every word we speak. V. 36, 37. (Ps. cxxxix. 4.)

EIGHTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

A SIGN DEMANDED.

MATT. xii. 38-50. (See also MARK iii. 31-35.)

38. See a sign.-Some proof to convince us that you are the Messiah. This was a most unreasonable request, after the miracle he had just wrought.

39. Adulterous.-Committing spiritual adultery by departing from the Lord their God. (Compare Jer. iii.)

Jonas-or Jonah.

40. Three days and three nights. In their way of counting, the Jews always reckoned in as a whole day, every day of which a part was included in the time referred to: thus in 1 Sam. xiii. 1. "when

he had reigned two years," means, "at the beginning of the second year of his reign"- -so in John xx. 26.-from one first day of the week to another, is called "after eight days;" and so here, from Friday evening to Sunday morning is spoken of as three days and

three nights. (See also 1 Kings xx. 29. Esther iv. 16. v. 1.) This prophecy was indeed a “sign," and confirmed the faith of his disciples after he was risen from the dead.

41. Men of Nineveh.-(See Jonah iii. 5-10.) Jonah did no miracle.

42. Of the south-of Sheba-which was at a considerable distance south of the Holy Land. It is called "the uttermost parts of the earth," as it was one of the furthest points known to the ancients. (1 Kings x. 1., &c.)

43. Dry places-or deserts. He will never be satisfied till he returns to the man whom he left.

44. Findeth it empty.-The house, that is, the heart of the man was empty-unoccupied by any better guest, and therefore fitted and ready to receive the unclean spirit again.

45. So shall it be.-There was a partial awakening, and the unclean spirit might be said to have gone out for a time from the Jews, under the preaching of John, and the miracles of our Lord; but not heartily receiving Christ, their state became afterwards worse than it was before.

46. His brethren.-The word "brother" is often used for a near relation (Gen. xxix. 12.)—these are supposed to have been cousins of our Lord; they are mentioned (Matt. xiii. 55.)

50. Is my brother.-Is even more closely united to me than by the ties of earthly relationship.

SUMMARY.

The Pharisees ask him to give them a sign, to which he replies by predicting his resurrection on the third day; he then tells them that others would rise up in the judgment to condemn them for misusing the privileges they possessed, and introduces the parable of the unclean spirit. While thus engaged, he is told that his relations desire to speak with him; and answers, that no relations are dearer to him than those who hear and obey his word.

LESSONS.

I. Nothing will satisfy a prejudiced mind. V. 38. (1 Cor. i. 22, 23.)

II. God will often refuse what is asked for in a wrong spirit. V. 39. (James iv. 3.)

III. It should fill us with shame to think how many make better use than we do of fewer advantages. V. 41, 42. (Rom. ii. 27.)

IV. It is of little use to reform the outward conduct, unless the heart be renewed by the grace of God, and the whole soul filled with his love. V. 43-45. (Rom. ii. 28, 29.)