by proclamation; and now it needed no incitement: the rich much, the poorest gave more.

gave

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He saw a poor widow casting in two mites. It was misery enough, that she was a Widow. The married woman is under the careful provision of a husband; if she spend, he earns: in that estate, four hands work for her; in her viduity, but two. Poverty added to the sorrow of her widowhood. The loss of some husbands is supplied by a rich jointure. It is some allay to the grief, that the hand is left full, though the bed be empty. This woman was not more desolate, than needy. Yet this poor Widow gives, And what gives she? An offering like herself, Two mites; or, our language, two half-farthing-tokens. "Alas, good woman, who was poorer than thyself? Wherefore was that Corban, but for the relief of such as thou? Who should receive, if such give? Thy mites were something to thee, nothing to the Treasury. How ill is that gift bestowed, which disfurnisheth thee, and adds nothing to the common stock!" Some thrifty neighbour might perhaps have suggested this probable discouragement. Jesus publishes and applauds her bounty: He called his disciples, and said unto them, Verily, I say unto you, this woman hath cast in more than they all. While the rich put in their offering, I see no disci ples called; it was enough that Christ noted their gifts alone: but when the Widow comes with her two mites, now the domestics of Christ are summoned to assemble, and taught to admire this muni ficence; a solemn preface makes way to her praise, and her mites are made more precious than the others' talents: She gave more than they all. More; not only in respect of the mind of the giver, but of the proportion of the gift, as hers. A mite to her was more than pounds to them: pounds were little to them, two mites were all to her they gave out of their abundance, she out of her ne cessity. That which they gave, left the heap less, yet a heap still; she gives all at once, and leaves herself nothing. So as she gave, not more than any, but more than they all. God doth not so much regard what is taken out, as what is left.

O Father of Mercies, thou lookest, at once, into the bottom of her heart and the bottom of her purse; and esteemest her gift according to both. As thou seest not as man, so thou valuest not as man man judgeth by the worth of the gift; thou judgest by the mind of the giver and the proportion of the remainder. It were wide with us, if thou shouldest go by quantities. Alas, what have we but mites, and those of thine own lending? It is the comfort of our meanness, that our affections are valued and not our presents: neither hast thou said, God loves a liberal giver, but a cheerful. If I had more, O God, thou shouldst have it; had I less, thou wouldst not despise it, who acceptest the gift, according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not. Yea, Lord, "what have I but two mites, a soul and a body? mere mites, yea, not so much, to thine Infiniteness. Oh that I could perfectly offer them up unto thee, according to thine own right in them, and not according to mine. How graciously wouldst thou be sure to ac cept them! How happy shall I be in thine acceptation! Mark rü.,

429

THE AMBITION OF THE TWO SONS OF ZEBEDEE. HE, who had his own time and ours in his hand, foreknew and foretold the approach of his dissolution.

When men are near their end, and ready to make their Will,then is it seasonable to sue for legacies. Thus did the mother of the two Zebedees; therein well approving both her wisdom and her faith wisdom, in the fit choice of her opportunity; faith, in taking such an opportunity,

The suit is half obtained, that is seasonably made. To have made this motion at the entry into their attendance, had been absurd; and had justly seemed to challenge a denial. It was at the parting of the angel, that Jacob would be blessed. The double spirit of Elijah is not sued for till his ascending.

But, oh the admirable faith of this good woman! When she heard the discourse of Christ's sufferings and death, she talks of his glory; when she hears of his cross, she speaks of his crown. If she had seen Herod come and tender his sceptre unto Christ, or the Elders of the Jews come upon their knees with a submissive proffer of their allegiance, she might have had some reason to entertain the thoughts of a kingdom; but now, while the sound of betraying, suffering, dying, was in her ear, to make account of and suit for a room in his kingdom, it argues a belief able to triumph over all discouragements.

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It was nothing for the disciples, when they saw him after his conquest of death and rising from the grave, to ask him, Master, wilt thou now restore the kingdom unto Israel? but for a silly woman to look through his future death and passion, at his resurrection and glory, it is no less worthy of wonder than praise. To hear a man, in his best health and vigour, to talk of his confidence in God and assurance of Divine favour, camot be much worth; but if, in extremities; we can believe above hope, against hope, our faith is so much more noble, as our difficulties are greater. Never sweeter perfume arose from any altar, titan that, which as cended from Job's dunghill, I know that my Redeemer liveth.

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What a strange style is this, that is given to this woman! It had been as easy to have said, the wife of Zebedee, or the sister of Mary or of Joseph, or, as her name, was, plain Salome; but now, by an unusual description, she is styled The mother of Zebedee's. children. Zebedee was an obscure man: she, as his wife, better. The greatest honour she ever had or could have, was to have two such sons as James and John these give a title to both their parents. Honour ascends, as well as descends. Holy chil dren dignify the loins and womb from whence they proceed, no less than their parents traduce honour unto them. Salome might be a good wife, a good housewife, a good woman, a good neigh, bour: all these cannot ennoble her, so much as The mother of Zebedee's children.

What a world of pain, toil, care, cost, there is, in the birth and

education of children! Their good proof requites all with advantage. Next to happiness in ourselves, is to be happy in a gracious issue.

The suit was the sons', but by the mouth of their mother. It was their best policy, to speak by her lips. Even these fishermen had already learned, craftily to fish for promotion. Ambition was not so bold in them, as to shew her own face. The envy of the suit shall thus be avoided, which could not but follow upon their personal request. If it were granted, they had what they would; if not, it was but the repulse of a woman's motion: which must needs be so much more pardonable, because it was of a mother for her sons.

It is not discommendable in parents, to seek the preferment of their children. Why may not Abraham sue for an Ishmael? So it be by lawful means, in a moderate measure, in due order, this endeavour cannot be amiss. It is the neglect of circumstances, that makes these desires sinful. Oh the madness of those parents, that care not which way they raise a house; that desire rather to leave their children great, than good; that are more ambitious to have their sous lords on earth, than kings in heaven!

Yet I commend thee, Salome, that thy first plot was to have thy sons disciples of Christ; then, after, to prefer them to the best places of that attendance. It is the true method of Divine prudence, O God, first to make our children happy with the honour of thy service, and then to endeavour their meet advancement upon earth,

The mother is but put upon this suit by her sons; their heart was in her lips. They were not so mortified by their continual conversation with Christ, hearing his heavenly doctrine, seeing his Divine carriage, but that their minds were yet roving after temporal honours. Pride is the inmost coat, which we put off last, and which we put on first. Who can wonder, to see some sparks of weak and worldly desires in their holiest teachers, when the blessed Apostles were not free from some ambitious thoughts, while they sat at the feet, yea in the bosom of their Saviour?

The near kindred, this woman could challenge of Christ, might seem to give her just colour of more familiarity; yet now that she comes upon a suit, she submits herself to the lowest gesture of sup pliants. We need not be taught, that it is fit for petitioners to the great, to present their humble supplications upon their knees. O Saviour, if this woman so nearly allied to thee according to the flesh, coming but upon a temporal occasion to thee, being as then compassed about with human infirmities, adored thee ere she durst sue to thee; what reverence is enough for us, that come to thee upon spiritual suits, sitting now in the height of heavenly glory and majesty?

Say then, thou wife of Zebedee, what is it, thine Omnipotent Kinsman? A certain thing. what is this certain thing, that thou cravest? is this supplicatory anticipation to Him, that

that thou cravest of Speak out, woman; How poor and weak knew thy thoughts,

ere thou utteredst them, ere thou entertainedst them! We are all in this tune; every one would have something; such, perhaps, as we are ashamed to utter. The Proud man would have a certain thing; honour in the world: the Covetous would have a certain thing too; wealth and abundance: the Malicious would have a certain thing; revenge on his enemies: the Epicure would have pleasure and long life; the Barren, children; the Wanton, beauty. Each one would be humoured in his own desire; though in variety, yea contradiction to other; though in opposition, not more to God's will, than our own good.

How this suit sticks in her teeth, and dare not freely come forth, because it is guilty of its own faultiness! What a difference there is, betwixt the prayers of faith, and the motions of self-love and infidelity! Those come forth with boldness, as knowing their own welcome, and being well assured both of their warrant and acceptation: these stand blushing at the door, not daring to appear, like to some baffled suit, conscious to its own unworthiness and just repulse. Our inordinate desires are worthy of a check: when we know that our requests are holy, we cannot come with too much confidence to the Throne of Grace.

He, that knew all their thoughts afar off, yet, as if he had been a stranger to their purposes, asks, What wouldest thou? Our infirmities do then best shame us, when they are fetched out of our own mouths: like as our prayers also serve not, to acquaint God with our wants, but to make us the more capable of his mercies.

The suit is drawn from her. Now she must speak: Grant, that these my two sons, may sit, one on thy right hand, the other on thy left, in thy kingdom. It is hard to say, whether out of more pride or ignorance. It was as received as erroneous a conceit among the very disciples of Christ, that he should raise up a temporal king-dom, over the now-tributary and beslaved people of Israel. The Romans were now their masters: their fancy was, that their Messiah should shake off this yoke, and reduce them to their former liberty. So grounded was this opinion, that the two disciples, in their walk to Emmaus, could say, We trusted it had been he, that should have delivered Israel; and when, after his resurrection, he was walking up Mount Olivet towards heaven, his very apostles could ask him, If he would now restore that long-expected kingdom. How should we mitigate our censures of our Christian brethren, if either they mistake, or know not some secondary truths of religion, when the domestic attendants of Christ, who heard him every day till the very point of his Ascension, misapprehended the chief cause of his coming into the world, and the state of his kingdom! If our charity may not bear with small faults, what do we under his name that connived at greater? Truth is as the sun; bright, in itself; yet there are many close corners, into which it never shined. O God, if thou open our hearts, we shall take in those beams: till thou do so, teach us to attend patiently for ourselves, charitably for others.

These fishermen had so much courtship to know, that the right.

hand and the left of any prince were the chief places of honour. Our Saviour had said, that his twelve followers should sit upon twelve thrones, and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. This good woman would have her two sons next to his person; the prime peers of his kingdom. Every one is apt to wish the best to his own. Worldly honour is neither worth our suit, nor unworthy our acceptance. Yea, Salome, had thy mind been in heaven, hadst thou intended this desired preeminence of that celestial state of glory, yet I know not how to justify thine ambition. Wouldst thou have thy sons preferred to the father of the faithful, to the Blessed Mother of thy Saviour? That very wish were presumptuous. For me, O God, my ambition shall go so high as to be a saint in heaven, and to live as holily on earth as the best; but for precedency of heavenly honour, I do not, I dare not affect it. It is enough for me, if I may lift up my head amongst the heels of thy Blessed Ones.

The mother asks; the sons have the answer. She was but their tongue; they shall be her ears. God ever imputes the acts to the first mover, rather than to the instrument.

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It was a sore check, Ye know not what ye ask. In our ordinary communication to speak idly, is sin; but in our suits to Christ, to be so inconsiderate as not to understand our own petitions, must needs be a foul offence.

As faith is the ground of our prayers, so knowledge is the ground of our faith. If we come with indigested requests, we prophane that name we invoke.

To convince their unfitness for glory, they are sent to their im potency in suffering. Are ye able to drink of the cup, whereof I shall drink, and to be baptized with the baptism, wherewith I am bap tized? Saviour, even thou, who wert one with thy Father, hast a cup of thine own. Never potion was so bitter as that, which was mixed for thee. Yea, even thy draught is stinted. It is not enough for thee to sip of this cup; thou must drink it up to the very dregs. When the vinegar and gall were tendered to thee by men, thou didst but kiss the cup; but when thy Father gave into thine hands a potion infinitely more distasteful, thou, for our health, didst drink deep of it even to the bottom, and saidst, It is finished. And can we repine at those unpleasing draughts of affliction, that are tempered for us sinful men, when we see thee, the Son of thy Father's love, thus dieted? We pledge thee, O Blessed Saviour, we pledge thee, according to our weakness, who hast begun to us in thy powerful sufferings. Only do thou enable us, after some sour faces made in our reluctation, yet at last willingly to pledge thee, in our constant sufferings for thee.

As thou must be drenched within, so must thou be baptized without. Thy baptism is not of water, but of blood; both these came from thee in thy Passion: we cannot be thine, if we partake not of both. If thou hast not grudged thy precious blood to us, well mayest thou challenge some worthless drops from us.

When they talk of thy kingdom, thou speakest of thy bitter cup,