city and government, and setting himself up as a temporal prince. He went to Bethany to converse with his dear friends, Lazarus, and Martha, and Mary, who were all of this place, and where he could lodge and rest quietly. Christ went with the twelve to Bethany, as Mark affirms, so these returned with him, as is clear from what follows. Thus Christ, day after day, went to and from Jerusalem: in the evening he went to Bethany, or to some part of the Mount of Olives, and there abode all night, and returned in the day-time to Jerusalem, and taught in the temple: for it does not appear that he was one night in Jerusalem before the night of the passover. He hungered; which proves the truth of his human nature. "And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only." Mark says, "He came, if haply he might find any thing thereon;" which must be understood of him as man; for as he hungered as man, so he judged and expected as man, from the appearance of this fig-tree, that he might find fruit upon it; and which is no contradiction to his Deity, and his having the Spirit of God; especially since, as Bishop Kidder observes, such an expectation is attributed to God himself. -Isai. v. 2-4.

Christ did not expect to find figs on other trees, which he saw in abundance as he passed along, because the time of common ordinary figs being ripe, was not come. Nisan, the month in which the passover was kept, is the time of the putting forth of leaves, from which they reckon five full months before the figs are ripe: but this being full of leaves, appeared to be of a different kind from other fig-trees, and of that sort which they call Benoth Shuach, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, which were a kind of white figs that were not ripe till the third year. This tree put forth its fruit the first year, which hung on it the second, and were brought to perfection on the third so that when it was three years old, it had fruit of the first, second, and third years on it: or it might be one of that sort which brought forth fruit twice a year; for of such sort of fig-trees we read in the Jewish writings. But there being no fruit on it, Jesus said unto it, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever."

Christ having said these words, its sap was dried up, it lost its verdure; its leaves were shrivelled and shrunk up, and dropped off, and the whole was blasted. This tree was an emblem of the Jews: Christ being hungry, and very desirous of the salvation of men, came first to them, from whom, on account of their large profession of religion, and great pretensions to holiness, and the many advantages they enjoyed, humanly speaking, much fruit of righteousness might have been expected; but alas! he found nothing but mere words, empty boast, an outward show of religion, a bare performance of trifling ceremonies, and oral tradition: wherefore Christ rejected them; and, in a little time after, the kingdom of God, the gospel, was taken away from them, and their temple, city, and nation entirely destroyed! DR. GILL.

Christ's miracles hitherto were all wrought for the good of men, and proved the power of his grace and blessing (the sending of the devils into the herd of swine was but a permission :) but now, at last, he would give

a specimen of his curse; yet not on any man, woman, or child, because the great day of his wrath is not yet come; but on an inanimate tree, set forth for an example. "Come learn a parable of the fig-tree."-Matt. xxiv. 32. The scope of it is the same with the parable of the fig-tree, Luke xiii. 6.

This cursing of the barren fig-tree represents the state of hypocrites in general; and so it teaches us, that Christ looks for the power of religion from those that make profession of it. Christ's just expectations from flourishing professors are often disappointed. As one of the chiefest blessings, and which was the first in order, is, Be fruitful; so one of the saddest curses is, Be no more fruitful! A hypocritical professor commonly withers in this world, the effect of the curse of Christ!

This cursing of the fig-tree represents the state of the nation and people of the Jews in particular: they were a fig-tree planted in Christ's way, as a church. Now, observe the disappointment they gave to our Lord Jesus. They "called Abraham their father; but did not do the works of Abraham;" they professed themselves expectants of the Messiah, but, when he came, they did not receive and entertain him. Never any good came from them, (except the particular persons among them that believed,) after they rejected Christ: they became worse and worse; till they were unchurched, and their place and nation rooted up; their beauty was defaced, their temple, and priesthood, and sacrifices, and festivals, and all the glories of their church and state, fell like leaves in autumn. How soon did their fig-tree wither away, after they said, "His blood be on us and on our children." REV. M. HENRY.

The immediate use made of this withering of the fig-tree, was to confirm the faith of the apostles, by an evident example of that power, a share of which was to be communicated to themselves. You have witnessed the power of God. Have faith in him: ask in such faith, and ye shall be enabled to exercise such power. But though our Lord seized the opportunity of this miracle for the confirmation of his apostles' faith, its significant nature was intended to indicate the judgment of which this and the three succeeding chapters are full, the rejection of the Jewish nation. It declares the accomplishment of Isaiah's prophecy, Isai. v. 3-5. The Lord had come," seeking fruit of the fig-tree planted in his vineyard:" it bore an outward profession; its leaves were flourishing; as the "Jew rested in the law, and made his boast of God." But when he came to it, he found nothing thereon, but leaves only; a mere profession. So the day of utter destruction was at hand; Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.

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We must remember, that the dealings of God with nations are a specimen of his dealing with individuals. God applies the culture of his word, and distils the dew of his grace upon the heart: and he expects that "the earth should drink in the rain that falleth oft upon it, and bring forth herbs meet for him by whom it is dressed."—Heb. vi. 7.

BISHOP J. B. SUMNER.

And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother; and Elijah said, see, thy son liveth! And the woman said to Elijah, Now, by this I know that thou art a man of God.-1 Kings xvii. 22-24. See 2 Kings iv. 18. 36.

For as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.-John v. 21.

I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore. Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.-Rev. i. 18.

SACRED NARRATIVE.

Now when he came nigh to the gate of the city, [Nain,] behold there was a dead man carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow: and much people of the city was with her. And when the Lord saw her, he had compassion on her, and said unto her, Weep not. And he came and touched the bier: and they that bare him stood still. And he said, Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was dead sat up, and began to speak. And he delivered him to his mother. And there came a fear on all; and they glorified God, saying, That a great prophet is risen up among us; and, That God hath visited his people.-Luke vii. 12-16.

And, behold, there came a man named Jairus, and he was a ruler of the synagogue; and he fell down at Jesus' feet, and besought him that he would come into his house: for he had one only daughter, about twelve years of age, and she lay a dying.-While he yet spake, there cometh one from the ruler of the synagogue's house, saying to

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