471 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XII. trate,the officer,and the judge. But with Matthew the characterof the magistrateisleftout,and insteadof the officera servantisintroduced.They differalsointhatthe onehaswrittenafarthing,theothera mite,buteachhascalled itthelast.Now we saythatallmen havepresentwiththem two angels,a bad one who encouragesthem towickeddeeds, a good one who persuadesallthatisbest. Now theformer, our adversarywheneverwe sinrejoices,knowing thathe has an occasionforexultationsand boastingwiththeprinceofthe world,who senthim. But intheGreek," theadversary"is writtenwiththearticle,tosignifythathe isone outofmany, seeingthateachindividualisunder the rulerofhisnation. Givediligencethenthatyou may be deliveredfrom yourad versary,orfrom therulertowhom the adversarydragsyou, by havingwisdom,justice,fortitude,and temperance. But John14, ifyou havegivendiligence,letitbe in Him who says,/ am thelife,otherwisethe adversarywillhaletheetothe judge. Now he says,hale,to pointout thattheyareforcedunwil linglyto condemnation.But I know no otherjudge but our Lord JesusChristwho deliversto theofficer.Each of us have our own officers; the officersexerciseruleoverus, ifwe owe any thing. If I paideveryman everything,I come totheofficersand answerwitha fearlessheart," I owe them nothing." But ifI amia debtor,the officerwillcast me intoprison,nor willhe sufferme to go outfrom thence untilI have paideverydebt. For the officerhasno power to letme offevena farthing.He who forgaveone debtor Luke7, fivehundred penceand anotherfifty,was the Lord,butthe exactorisnot the master,but one appointedby themaster to demand thedebts. But thelastmiteHe callsslightand small,forour sinsare eitherheavy or slight.Happy then ishe who sinnethnot,and next in happinesshe who has sinnedslightly.Even among slightsinsthereisdiversity, otherwiseHe would not sayuntilhe has paidthelastmite. For ifhe owesa little,he shallnotcome outtillhe paysthe lastmite. But he who has been guiltyof a greatdebt, willhaveendlessagesforhispayment.• BEDE. Or else,our adversaryin the way isthe word of God, which opposesour carnaldesiresin thislife;from which he isdeliveredwho issubjectto itsprecepts.Else