PRINCETON, N. J. DISCOURSES O N T H E PARABLES OF OUR Bleffed LORD and SAVIOUR JE S US C H RIST. B y The Revd. WILLIAM D O D D, Lecturer of Weji-Ham, Effex, and St. Olave's^ Hart-Street^ London. And the Dlfciples came and /aid unto him. Why fpeakeji thon unto them in Parables f He anfwered and f aid unto them^ Becaufe it is given unto you to know the Myfteries cf the Kingdom of Heaven, but unto thein it is not givm^ &c. St. Matt. xiii. lo, ii, Proponebat Chrlftus, addam & Prophets parabolas, I e. rerum notijjimarum fmiiitudi?ies : efl enim hoc fimplicijfi' mum docendi genus, ac rudlhus maxinie accommodatum : videtur enim prima fpecic puerile, ac ridiculum hujus mundi fapientibus : fed hcc dicendi genus placuit Mt^mdS. Sapiennas, Erafmus /wMarcum. VOL. IV. LONDON: Printed for W. FADE N, in Wine -Office ^Caurt FUet-Strest, IvIDCCLVII. In neceffarils unitas. In non-necelTariis libertas In omnibus prudentia & charitas. Sint Scripturse tuas delicise mese ! Nee decipiar in eis, nee decipiam ex eis. — St. Auguft^ CONTENTS O F T HE Fourth VOLUME o DISCOURSE XL N the Parable of the rich Fool. Luke x\u 21. Page 3 Part II. Luke xii. 25. ^ 29 DISCOURSE XII. —^ Of the unjuft Steward. Luke xvi. 8, 9. 5^ DISCOURSE XIII. — — Of the rich Man and Lazarus. Luke go 115 xvi. 19 — 21. Part II. Luke xvi. 25, 26. DISCOURSE XIV. - Of the two 6' he brings it down to a level v/ith the very beafts that perifh : what, no higher enjoy- ment for the foul, than to indulge in eating, drinking and carnal jollity— the man ,miftakes the matter : this was for the body, not for the foul 5 ''If he had had the foul of a fvyine, he might have bleft it with the fatis- faftion of eating and drinking^^ but what's this to the foul of a man, that has exigences and defires, which tliefe things will be no ways fuited to*:'* and what m,Lift be the condition of the poor loul, when the body, the inftrument of thefe fenfual delights, is laid in duft, and' the foul configned to a future flate ? Abfurd however as was this man's reafon- ing, we fee it in fadt daily 'put in pradice a- mongft mankind : many, who fink their foul, their nobler and better part, into the level of their bodies, and fuppofe tlie pleafures oi' C a fsnfe 20 On the P A R A B L E fenfe capable of fatisfying their fpiritual wants and exigences 5 who feem to Hve only for this purpofe, in the very fpirit of the old liber- tines, " Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die." How many are there who, like this rich man, are amaffing wealth to the very fame end, merely to retire as they call it, to leave off bufinefs and live at eafe : to eat, drink and be merry : to indulge their fenfual appetites, and to live merely animal lives : this is the end of their labours, this the pur- pofed fruit of their toils — and thus the poor foul is as it were buried in the body, dead to God, dead to the hopes of glory, the mere flave of the body and of fin here, and at length to become the everlafting bond-flave of fataa and of hell ! \ r ' , When the mind is 'thus poflefled only with the love and defire of fenfual things, It pleafes God, frequently to difappoint thofe views, wherein he is never confidered, and to give dreadful proofs of how little confequence all counfels are, wherein the giver of all fuccefs is not at all confulted. And this we fee in the parable : the rich man's fchemes were in imagination all complete, his defigns quite ripe, his refolutions fixt -, and he had nothing to do, but to haften to the execution of them. When fee the fatal ifllie ! He had reafoned with Of the Rich Fool. 21 with himfelf, and by himfelf 5 he had founded his purpofes folely on his own ftrength. God therefore will blaft them and fhew him the folly of them all. God faid unto kirn — He fpoke to him by fome dread difeafe, by fome awakening punifhment or other, which he fent to inform him of his immediate departure — Thou fool , that haft thus been vainly laying fchemes, and building upon future days of eafe and plcafure : fee thy folly in not depending upon me : and in reckoning upon time and life, which are not in thy difpofal, which are wholly at my will, and which thou can ft not promife in the fliorteft duration to thyfelf : iov this nighty this very night, while thou art in the dark night of fin, the black night of folly and im- penitency, and fo haft no caufe to joy — this very night thy foul Jhall be required of thee : I will demand back the gift that I gave, and thy foul ftiall be fummoned to appear before the awful bar of my judgment : then 'whoje Jhall thefe things be, which thou hajl provided ? then where will be all thy eating and drink- ing, thy foolifh-fancied mirth, and wicked worldly jollity !" How awful a fummons was here ! — while he lay waking upon his bed, in anxious foli- citude, what he fliould do \vii\\ his abundance, ' '^ C 3 while 22 On the ? KK h B L E while his heart was filled with the hope of a variety of pleafant future indulgencies > then the golden dream vaniihes,at once all his hopes perifli : and, in their jftead, a horrid account ftareshim in the face, and a icene of judgment prefents itfelf to his affrighted view ! Then a dark night of horror overwhelms that foul to which he had promifed fo much eafe : and inftead of eafe below^ inftead of eating, drink- ing, and merry-making, eternal tortures, un- fpeakable thirft, v/eeping, and wailing, and gnafliing of teeth^ mud be the portion of this miferable foul for ever and ever ! h.x\di fo is be ^ adds our Saviour, juft fuch a fool is every one, who layeth up treafures for hlmfelf and is not rich towards God : thus fliall he be taken away from all his foul holds dear ; thus (hall he be torn from all his carnal prof- peds and pleafures : none of his beloved mammon fhall follow him : naked (hall he depart out of the world as he came into it ; and all that he has gained fhall fall into the hands of thofe, who will no more remember or care for him ; and his fole delight and hap- pinefs on earth, (hall be of no avail to procure him the leaft comfort or refpite from fuffer- ing hereafter. — Oh 1 how fhould this reflec- tion awaken us all to a due care of the foul) how fhould it alarm us vvhen planning fancied 2 f^hemes Of the Rich Fool 23 fchemes of worldly pleafures, while we have no eye to the great dilpofer of all events ! If he be averfe to us, if we be at enmity with him, in vain do we promifeourfclves any lecu- rity. As fure as we plan, fo fure \v\\\ he de- feat ', and in a moment when we think not of it, like a flafh of forky lightning fhail his fummons come, and our trembling unex- peding fouls launch into the boundlefs regi- ons of eternity, and fland with all our guilt before the juft and mighty God ! Can we then be too well prepared, can we be too watchful for that awful charge, which is at- tended with fuch momentous confequences ? Can we take too much heed, that we build not on the fandy foundation of worldly fecu- rity, while we depend not on God, nor con- fider ourfelves as in his hand ? always remem- bering that we are flrangers and pilgrims here below ; and when once fuppofing this place cf travel, the place of reft, certain to be con- vinced of our miftake, and fliewn that it is a ftate of trial only. Such then is this av^akening parable : wherein we have a ftrong pidure of the egre- gious/(/i/y of thofe who live for and to them- feives, laying up treafures for themfelves, while they are not rich towards God, rich in faith, in love, and in all good works ; feeing C 4 the 24 O;; /i;^ P A R A B L E the goods of this life are wholly incapable of fatisfying the wants of the foul, of relieving pains of body or of mind, of procuring folid peace and real comfort : and feeing they are, when confided in, the moft fure mer.ns to de- prive us of the life of glory for ever : at beft unfatisfying, nay burdened with cares and fears, at all times uncertain : and if ufed im- properly, frequently the means to (horten our days, by drawing down upon us the juft wrath and indignation of God. I will referve however the remarks natu- rally ariling fiom ibis parable to a future op- portunity : eaiiieftly recommending in the inean time a ferious enquiry, whether we be of the number of thofe who are laying up treafures for ourfelves — or of thofe who are rich towards Gcd ? It is very neccffary that we fliould fatisfy ourfelves in this enquiry, in which thofe in a meaner are no lefs con- cerned than thofe in a more wealthy and ex^ cited flate : lince experience fufficiently proves to us, that the heart of man is frequently tied down by the love of the world even in a mean eftate, as well as in an higher condition : tho* it be indeed true that riches and worldly goods have the aiofl natural tendency fo to engage the heart, and therefore in that ftate the more careful and diligent heed is necefiary. Such therefore Of the Rich Fool 25 therefore of you, my brethren, as are bleft with an abundance of this world *s good, con- (ider how gracious God hath been to you in blefling you with fo large a portion of the comforts and conveniencies of this life; but remember that he hath jntrufted them to you not to fquanderaway in the purpofes of luxu- ry and fin, but hath committed them to your care, as to ftewards, whom he expecSs to find faithful : and think how much you are in- debted to this great and good God, who hath put it into your power by the due ufe of his own blefling, to fecure to yourfelves everlaft- ing treafures, treafures that fade not away, im- mortal in the heavens. Labour therefore to be rich towards him 5 rich in love, rich in thankfulnefs, rich in charity and works of faith, in all afts of kindnefs and beneficence to your fellow-creatures : and when riches in- creafe fet not your heart upon them, nor be anxious what to do with them for your own purpofes — but increafe in love, and in good works, and the more God blefles your honefl: endeavours with fuccefs, labour the more to rife in thankfulnefs, in love and charity; then if fuch be your difpofition, you may be afliired that you are rich towards God, rich in the fight of him, rich in having a glorious trea- fure, 7.6 0/2 //6^ P A R A B L E fure fafely laid up, and fecured with him for your precious foul eternally. But if you find thefe gifts of God, thefe goods intrufted to your charge likely to en- flave your heart, and to gain your affedions— then caft your eye upon this parable — fee in this rich man a fatal inftance of the foUv ot all mere worldly views : and remember, that your Saviour has declared — that fuch, exadtly fuch is, and will be the cafe with all, who like this man lay up treafures for themfelves, and are not rich towards God. Let his other admonition alfo be ever prcfent to your thoughts, Take heed and beware of coveioujhefs : for a mans life ccnfjfeth fiot in the abundance of the things which he poffefjetb : As a proof that his future ftate doth not, look at this rich fool, fnatched away in a moment, and at wealthy Di'ves wanting a drop of water in hell to cool his tongue: as a proof that the being, comfort, and felicity of this prefent life doth not, look at the nu'mberlefs rich as well as poor hurried to the dark grave, where wealth is unable to procure them a moment's refpite ; nay whofe v»^ealth generally ferves greatly to ihorten their days, by its fubferviency to luxu- ry and intemperance, and which frequently by the evils it induces, and the difficulties it leads them into, has occafioned many to put an Qf the Rich Fool. 27 an end to their own lives, and to rufli headlong into the flaming pit : whofe wealth cannot at all avail tQ the removal of the languors of bo- dy, and the acutenefs of difeafes : whofe wealth cannot at all avail to the procuring fweet peace of mind, and repofe of confcience, a blefling preferable to all the fplendor of the moft ex- alted Eftate. Confider, moreover, that when you die none of thefe riches can follow you — and whofe it may be you cannot tell- — Children mayfquanderit all away ; enemies maybecome polTeflbrs of it — Saul's kingdom fell into the hands of the man he moft hated, David — Hermans riches were given to his inveterate foe, Mordecai — xkioi^ very riches and poffeffi- ons which have ingroffed your heart, and per- haps ruined the foul for ever, may fall to their (hare who will never remember you with gratitude, or if they did, could avail nothing to the eternal help of your foul. Oh ! that thefe reflections might avajl, through God's grace, to make us all wife and rich to him, fo that we might labour to fecure the glories of his inefl:imable bounty, and to lay up for our loul Treafures in heave??, ivhei-e neither ruji tior moth doth corrupt^ and ivhcre thieves do not break through and fie al — thatfo where our treafure is our heart might bealfo — then would no fum- mons 28 On the P A R A B L E, £^r. mons come upon us unawares i we fliould be always ready and defirous to depart — we fhould not then fear that horrid fentence, thou fool this night {hall devils demand and carry into the flaming pit thy fenfual foul ! — but the bleffed angels around our dying bed, would carry our immortal fouls to the bofom of our God, from whom we fhould hear that tri- umphant found, Come ye ble£ed of my Father^ receive the Iwigdom prepared jor you from the foundation of the world I DISCOURSE XI. On the PARABLE 0/ /Z^^ R I C H F O O L, P A R T II. St. Luke xii. 15. ^72 d he /aid unto them^ take heed and beware of covet oiijnefs ; jor a man's life confifleth ?iot in the abundance of the thifigs which he pof feffeth. 3e(M)§C)eC!^ H U S our Saviour prefaced a pa- O -p S rable, wherein he hath given us )^ ^ a ilrlking and av^akening exam- ^MMMM pie of the infufficiency of worldly abundance, either to procure the comforts or the continuance of life. The man is left upon record in the everlafting Gofpel, as a flaming example of God's juftice, and man's folly, and as a lively admonition to all who fhail 30 0/2 /y^^ P A R A B L E fhall think, rrfohe, and aB, like him. Me is charged v^iih. folly by infinite Wifdom itfeif : and not only him, but all, who, like him, — ■ how wife, fagacious, and prudent foever they may feem — lay up treafures for themfelves, and are not rich towards God. For thus our Saviour concludes his parable — So is be that layeth up freafurefor himfelfy and is not rich to- wards God — fo is he, even fuch a fool, as this rich man v/as ; fo is he, even thus contemp- tible in the fight of God, and thus aflliredly to be difappointed and blafted in all his worldly fchemes and purpofes. There is not a more beautiful and engaging way of inftrudting than by parables : thpfe of our Saviour are all remarkably ftrong and af- feding : this of the rich fool is peculiarly nervous and lively: and far exceeds all hu- man compofitions, becaufe as delivered by the all-wife and all-feeing God, it lets us into the moft fecret fprings of adtion, and the moft retired workings of the human mind ; which none can do, but the Difcerner of hearts. We enter by means hereof into all the fecret purpofes and defigns of this man's foul ; and have all his anxieties and all his refolutions laid open before us : we penetrate into his moft retired fecrets, and behold, how the v/ife God of heaven in one moment defeats his plan? of Of the Rich Fool 3 i of pleafure, which he had concerted for many years, and terribly convinceth him of his ar- rogance and pride, in fuppofing himfelf the lord of Hfe and of time, which are only in the hands of Omnipotence ; terribly convinceth him of the vanity and folly of his fouFs boafted goods, from which he is fearfully torn away in an inftant, none of which (hall follow him, none of which avail him, at the awful tribu- nal of heaven ! The reprefentatlon Is fo lively, that it wears rather the face of a fadl than a parable : and when we look round the world and read its frequent and fad accomplifliment in many in- ftances, we cannot furely fail tp lay it to heart, and to grow wife unto God by the fatal ex- perience and folly of others. Man's ingrati- tude to his Creator, tho* but too common and notorious, is certainly one of the greateft won- ders in creation : the beneficence and bounty of God fhines forth and is mod richly difplay'd in a wonderful variety of excellent creatures and good things, wherewith he hath fur- niilied the earth, not barely for the fubfift- ence, but the blifs and comfort of his chofen and favourite creature man : thefe are be- flowed liberally upon him, the proper ufe freely given him, the abufe only denied : and thankfgiving and love to the Giver required as 3^ On the P A R A B L E as the fole condition of enjoyment. Yet alas, fee how this bounty is abufed : this liberality rewarded ! Man, as if he were indeed inde- pendent lord of all, iifes the creatures with ^ kind of fovereign right ; and ungracioufly forgets the hand that gives them : the hand that formed both them and himfelf ; and not content to forget the giver, he abufes the gifts alfo, and makes them the very inftru- ments of his bafe rebellion. For this the whole creation groaneth and travaileth toge- ther in pain until now. Of this we have daily but too much proof thro* the world iti all the creatures, nay and in the bafe back- wardnefs even of thofe hearts, which we may fuppofe renewed by grace, to thankfgiving and praife : but it is feen in nothing more, than in the abufe of wealth and worldly abun- dance, which God gives to man for the pro- per ufe, and which hath no value, and is of no fervice, farther than this end 5 and againft laying up v/hich he hath given a plain and po- litive command, a command plain and pofi- tive as any in the Gofpel : and yet we fee the greater part of the world tranfgrefs the pre- cept, and idolize the thing forbidden, wor- {hipping the creature gold^ as if it were the creator, and giving thofe hearts to /V, which God made for himfelf, and which he claims as OJ the Rich Fool, 33 as his temple ! — All the world are bufy in paying court to, and labouring to engage this idol deity's favour : which yet is no more able to hear their prayers, to grant their hearts del^re, or to give them the hap- pincls they expedc from it, than the wooden images to which the poor heathens burnt obfcquious facrifice. — Our Saviour's parable of the rich fool clearly proves this : and we fliould be careful to receive that proof, and profit by his gracious cautions. — For let us remember, that this parable and thefe admo- nitions were not given by mail : are not the words of human wifdom: but they are the infallible truths of the God of wifdom, they are the words of God himfelf : and to cur peril it is, if we rejed the words of God himfelf fpeaking to us. — Humbly relying upon his grace, and earneftiy hoping, thathe would make his word powerful to the falvation of thofe who hear, I endea- vour'd in the laft fermon to explain the para- ble ', fhew'd you the occafion of it ; in brief fuggelled the neceffity of a ferious examina- tion, whether you w^ve of the number of thofe, who lay up treafures for themfelves, or of thofe who are rich towards God, rich in faith, rich in love, rich in good works : and concluded with a general exhortation to Vol. IV, No 12. D thofe 34 O/i ike PARABLE thofe efpecially, who are bleft with this world's good, advifing them of the necef- fity of thankfulnefs, of charity, of faithful- nefs in the difcharge of their ftewardihip, and of fuch an ufe of their wealth, as is a- greeable to the gofpel rules, if they delire to partake of the gofpel bleflings and rewards. I propofe now jufl: in brief to fiievv you from the circumftances of the prefent para- ble, how incapable an abundance of this world's o;ood is either to procure the comforts or continuance even of this Hfe, much lefs the comforts of the life to come, if ufed for ourfelves and in a fpirit of covetoufnefs : for a man s lift\ faith our Saviour, cofjfi/teth jiot in the abundance of the things which he pojjeffeth. As a proof whereof I will conclude this dif- courfe with an account of the death of a perfon cut off in the midil: of worldly pro-, fperity, as delivered to us in the excellent writines of a celebrated modern author, which I hope will be in the place of many ar^um.ents to perfuade you to a care of the foul and an earneft endeavour to be rich and wife towards God : feeing, a day is hail- ing towards us all with large ftrides, in which this will be found the only profitable v/ifdom, in which thefe will be found the only profita- ble riches ! Thefe we cannot too diligently fcek 0/ the Rich Fool. 35 feek after : while worldly wealth and the de- fire of it can never be too diligently guarded againft : for there is no enemy to the fpiri- tual life, like the love of the world, like co- vetoiifnefs, or the unfatiable defire of ftill hav- ing more — i^Uoviiia, — 'Tis a fubtle traytor, that infinuates itfelf into our good graces, and gains our efteem, deceiving us with a falfe fhew, and perfuading us, that it is good and right to be anxioufly careful for the things of this world, tho' infinite wifdom hath com- manded us not to be fo : and when once it hath gain'd our good liking, it cannot bear to be fpoken againfi: — how can a man bear to hear his dearefl: friend or his beloved mifi:refs abufed ?— hence its favourites are much in- cens'd to hear it branded with the name of folly : and when a preacher happens to touch too clofely upon the fubjed:, the man of the world cannot contain his indignation, while at the fame time he finds out fome means to delude his foolifli foul, and footh his confci- ence. Thus covetoufnefs gains the end de- fired, clofes the man's eyes, and fhuts his heart, and prevents the word from obtaining the due efi^ed:, from difcovering the mifchiefs and evils of this curfed abomination Bu is not the foul better than the body ? is not eternity better than time ? is it not better to D 2 fuffer 36 On the? ARABLE fuffer a fmail wound now, than to let the evil, like a cancer, grow upon us, and eat away our whole foul ? How much better is it, according to our Saviour, to enter into life, with one eve, halt, or maimed 5 than to be caft into hell-fire, having two eyes, and all our members perfect ? Let us learn there- fore and refolve to tear this bafe covetoufnefs, this love of the world, out of our hearts, which whatever fair promifes it may make, has no real good to beftow, as I hope will appear, while !&., I endeavour to fljew, that a mans life, the comfort or the con- tinuance oi it, confijieth not in the ahund- ance of the things which he poffejeih : and therefore we fhould taJze heed and beware of covetoufnefs, of the deiire of having this abund- anee^ of the deiire of flill having more, of adding more to much, and amaffing riches, which can be of no fervice to our fouls. But tho' infinite wifdom, tho* the Saviour who is to iudge us, hath delivered this in- fallible truth, and caution'd us with this care and earneftnefs — who is there that lives, as if they believed his words to be true, as if they thought not the only happinefs of life confiiled in an abundance of the good things of it ? — 'Twas neceffary therefore to draw off the veil : and to ^d^w this uL^ly monfter co- ^■cetciifnrfs Of the Rich Fcol. 37 •vetoufnefs in its proper form : which affumes the robe and outward appearance of happi- nefs, and fo deludes men with a falfe outfide into its flavery and deftruftive fervice : which often goes under the name oi frugality, " but if you look narrowly to its armour you will find the motto thereof to be, careful about many things, but negkahig the one thing needful." It cannot beftow, it is incapable to give the happinefs or to procure the end we defire : for all men with one confent, feek happinefs ': the only matter is, that we diifer in the ob- jects, and accordingly, as we feek it in im- proper objefts, fo we fail of attaining if fince there is but one objedl capable of afford- ing folid fubftantial happinefs : and that is GOD. Seek happinefs for ever out of him, in the whole round of creature- comforts, and of creature-goods, and you will for ever be difappointed. But in none more than in covetoufnefs : for do we fuppofe ift, that abundance will fup- ply us with the comforts of this life,— with which, of all things, it is moft likely to fupply us— even here we flull be fadly miAaken. For what are all earthly comforts without an eafy mind and a quiet confcience ? Thefe the layer up of treafures for himfelf can never know : you have a proof hereof in the rich ^ 3 man. 38 0» /fo PARABLE man^ mentioned in the former fermon : no fooner did his fields afford the defired in- creafe, than his cares and perplexities were increafed alfo : what Jkall I do, faid he, he was in fore diftrefs, where to bejlow hhjruits. And cares always increafe with riches : they get pofleffion of the heart ^ and the foUici- tous concern what to do with them, how beft to beftow them, ingroffes the whole mind, and troubles the foul and confcience. Moreover they bring new dejires with them, and defires mull: be fatisfied : and the more defires we have to fatisfy, the more the mind is dif- tradted, the more difappointments it is like to meet with, and the more uneafy it becomes upon difappointment : the fewer defires we have, we muft of neceffity be the more happy. — Befides, the happinefs of the foul, and the internal comforts of the heart are things of fuch a nature, that riches and worldly abundance can by no means reach them : and the foul isfpiritualy and it is as unreafonable to think of gratifying its wants with any thing earthly, as it is to fuppofe, that one of the higheft angels can be diverted with a puppet-fliew, or droll upon earth : like natures muft have like objeds to fill and take them up. Befide it is immortal, and 'tis abfurd to think, that any temporal perifliing things of the Rich Fool. 39 things fhould fatisfy its wants : we may footh it, but can never fatisfy it with any thing more or lefs than the love of God and eternity. As to outward comforts riches are ftill as incapable to procure them for us : they are not fufficient, ftrange as it may feem, even to drive away want very often : 'tis no un- common thing (tho* next to a miracle) to fee a man, fo wholly ingrofs'd by the love of money, as to deny himfelf the ufe and pleafure of every earthly enjoyment: nay, and feeking after money for no other end, than this maddefl: of all madnefs, the flrange defire to live poor and die richy Struck with the rage canine of dying rich^ Guilt's blunder y and the loudeft laugh of hell. So that riches fometimes, amazing paradox, cannot even remove want : and what a curfe do they then become ! Nor are they more available to remove pain : let a man drink out of gold, and have infinite wealth piled around him, when on the rack with the ftone, when tortured with the acute pangs of the gout, or delirious ia the height of a fever — and what comfort will he receive from thence ; how will this tend in the lead to aflliage his pain, or remove D 4 bis- 40 On the PARABLE his dlfeafe ? — And as abundance of wordly wealth will neither fecure us from a troubled confcience, from want, or from bodily pain, fo neither will they fecure us from the con- tempt of the world, or the ridicule of man- kind. They cannot gain us refpedt. True, it may be, feme of our dependants, and the like, may be obliged to flievv us an outward refpedl -, and fycophants may flatter in hope of advantage ; but real regard will never be the lot of the man, who loves wealth better than his God, at leaft the regard of thofe whom a wife man would wifh chiefly to en- gage and enjoy. But there is another blefling of this life, which riches again are as little able to fe- cure, and that is domejiic peace ^ and the com- fort of friends and relations. And without this what is life, what is earthly happinefs ! riches cannot make a man happy either in his wife, his children, his fervants, or his friends : and how bitter is the cup, when unkindnefs, undutifulnefs, ingratitude, and negled rob us of all the focial comforts ! and fo far from bleffin? us with thefe, riches have the mcll natural tendency to deprive us thereof : fince, thro' the love of money, matches are frequently contraded, where no other love enters : fince the wealth of the fa- ther Of the Rich Fool. 41 ther too frequently infpires the child with pride, and fo leads him to folly : fince the fervants and the friends are friends and fer- vants for intereft only, and of confequence fure to chagrine and forfake us, when inte- reft, which is their motive, fhall make it their advantage. And as riches cannot procure the comfort s^ fo adly, neither can they, as we are well affured, procure the continuance of life — if they cou'd, how many thoufand pounds would many men give for the addition of a few wretched years to their fpan ? — But they cannot : why then alas — why are we fo foolifh as to give them the pofTeffion of our hearts, and to ling a requiem to our fouls in fecure enjoyment of our wealth, when we know not, but this moment our fouls may be required of us ? You fee a terrible inftance of this in the parable, fufficient, one wou'd think, to awaken all our fouls, and convince all our hard hearts. Soul, faid the deluded, felf-deceiver, thou haft much goods laid up for many years — He talks of many years, who had but a Jew hours to live ! Take thifie eafe^ eat^ drink and be tnerry — oh blind and wretched to talk of taking eafe, when upon the brink of hell ; of being merry, when juft about to be dragged away into everlafling woe, where mirth 42 On the V" ARABL'E mirth and eafe fhall never come ! For hear the dreadful fentence — Thou fooU fool to talk of mirth and eafe and life, when thou haft no way fecured the favour of God, but art under his wrath — Thou fool^ this night Jlddl thy foul he required of thee : it fhall leave thefe promifed enjoyments : it fhall be cut oft in a moment, and come to judgment ! It fliall leave all thy full barns and beloved treafures behind ! And then — then, when this dreadful doom is paft, and thou art loft from all that's dear to thee, whofe fhall thefe things be which thou hafi provided ? per- haps thy fpendthrift heirs : perhaps fome of thy relations, who never cared for thee in thy life, and have reafon to thank thee only for dying : perhaps theirs who, in life were moft difagreeable to thee : perhaps the de^ vouring Lawyers, who will fwallow up thy eftate in large fees ! Certainly not thine ! Thine is another, a different lot ! Oh fool^ fool indeed, to damn thy precious and im- mortal foul for fuch an end as this !— Thus riches cannot fecure to us the cojitinuance of life : in the mid ft of wealth let us but re- member, that we may be the next moment perhaps fummon'd to give an account, and then furely we can never ufe our riches ta improper ends : then furely we can never fail Of the Rich Fool. 43 fail to lay up trcafures with and to be rich towards God : then furely we can never fail to provide for that future unending ftate, that folemn, awful, eternal ilate, for which we are all bound, and into which ere long each one of us muft launch, as our fathers have done before us : leave our places be- hind, and fpeedily be forgotten and erafed from the memory of men ! and then, whofe iTiall be the things, which we have provided! Oh let us take care that they may be our own, by beftowing them well to the glory of God, and fo providing for our future recep- tion with him in the eternal kingdom. Thus an abundance of the things of this life, we fee and all know, is wholly infuffici^ ent either to give us peace of mind, the moft valuable of bleflings, without which there can be no true bleffing -, or even to deliver us from want, to refcue us from bodily pains, and corporal fufferance, the lot of the rich as well as the poor : to fave us from contempt and ridicule, or to crown us with the choiceft earthly felicity, domeflic happinefs and peace. And as to the continuance of life, they can juft as much avail, as to the giving of it : life is in God*s hand only s and it is likely to be taken away the fooner from us, the worfe ufe we make of it. — What then are thefe fame riches 44 On the P AR ABLE riches good for, or to what end is all this cark- ing and caring, all thefe covetous defires, this anxious folicitude, after thefe unavailable trea- fures, after a poor little quantity of earthly yellow duft ? — When there is no happinefs beneath the fun, which may not be poffeffed to the full without them, to which a compe- tency doth not wholly conduce : and which frequently abject poverty beftows, in derifion as it were of proud fuperfluous wealth ! — But perhaps, if they ferve not to fupply the good things of this life, and to make us happy here, yet it may be faid, lldiy, that they will profit in the life to come.-^ — Yes, they will profit ihen, if ufed to God's glory ?20w, and if the rich fhall be fo wife as to lay up their treafures in the ftore-houfe of God's mercy, by making them fubfervient to the good of mankind ; then the comfort will be fweet which they will afford a man upon his death bed ! No comfort fo fweet as the remembrance of wealth employed to neceflary, holy, charitable, kind and beneficent purpofes, which God will re- ward, and the confcience rejoice in, as teftify- ing to a man's faithfuinefs in his ftewardfhip : for it can never be too well remembered, nor too diligently confidered of every wealthy man, that he is a fleward only of God, and that it is required of flewards to be found 2 faithful. Of the Rich FooL 45 faithful. But alas, if fidelity be wanting, if the riches of this world ingrofs the heart, and take up the foul defirous of refting in them : if indirednefs hath beenufed in the procuring of them, nay, or a fole attention to the pro- curing of them, without remembering God : (whofe glory and honour ought to be the An- gle intention of all his creatures, but efpecially of Chriftians:) if they have been ufed to our own purpofes, and are treafures laid up for ourfelves : then, fo far will they be from giv- ing us comfort in death, or availing us hereaf- ter, that they will be the very things which will fill our affrighted fouls with terror. As a proof hereof, hear the true eflimate of all worldly goods, from the mouth of a dying man^ whofe evidence (hould always be ad- mitted, as the true value of earth and heaven is never fo clearly difcerned, as when we are ftanding upon the very verge of each. And fuch was the Cafe with PENH ENS'': '* He was a bufy, notable tradefman, and very profperous in his dealings ; but died in the 35th year of his age. A little before his death, when the dodlors had given him over, fome of his neio:hbours came one evening to fee him -, at which time he thus fpake to them. * See Mr. Law*s Serious Call, &c. '' I fee 46 Ontbe P A R A B L E " I fee, fays he, my friends, the tender con- cern you have for me, by the grief that ap- pears in your countenances, and I know the thoughts that you now have about me. You think how melancholy a cafe it is, to fee fo young a man, and in fuch flourifliing bufinefs, delivered up to death. And perhaps had I vifited any of you in my condition, I fhould have had the fame thoughts of you. But now, my friends, my thoughts are no more like your thoughts, than my condition is like yours. *' It is no trouble to me now to think, that I am to die young, or before I have raifed an eftate. Thefe things are now funk into fuch mere nothings, that I have no name little enough to call them by. For if in a few days, or hours, I am to leave this carcafe to be buried in the earth, and to find myfelf either for ever happy in the favour of God, or eter- nally feparated from all lights and peace, can any words fufficiently exprefs the littlenefs of every thing elfe ? Is there any dream like the dream of life, which amufes us with the negled: and difregard of thefe things ? Is there any folly like the folly of our manly ftate, which is too wife and bufy to be at leifurefor thefe refleSions ? When we confider death as a mifery, we only think of it as a miferable reparation from the enjoym.ents of this life. We Of the Rich Fool. 47 We feldom mourn over an old man that dies rich y but we lament the young that are taken away in the progrefs of their fortune. You yourfelves look upon me with pity ; not that i am going unprepared to meet the judge of quick and dead, but that I am to leave a pro- fperous trade in the flower of my life. This is the wifdom of our manly thoughts. And yet what folly of the fillieft children is fo great as this ? For what is there miferable or dreadful in death but the confequences of it ? When a man is dead, w^hat does any thing dig- nify to him but the flate he is then in ? Our poor friend Lepidus died, you know, as he was drefling himfelf for a feaft, do you think it is now part of his trouble, that he did not live till the entertainment was over ? Feajis, and bujinefs, and pkafures, and e77Joyme?its, feem great things to us whilfl we think of nothing elfe 'y but as foon as we add death to them they all fmk into an equal littlenefs ; and the foul that is feparated from the body, no more laments the lofs of bujinefs, than the lofing of a feafl. If I am now going into the joys of God, could there be a reafon to grieve, that this happened to me before I was forty years of age ? Could it be a fad thing to go to heaven before I had made a few more bar- gaiiis ^ or flood a little longer behind a coun- ter ? r?Vf, 48 G;2 Z/:'^ P A R A B L E ter? And if I am to go amongft loft fpirits, could there be any reafon to be content, that this did not happen to me till I was old and full of riches ? If good angels were ready to receive my foul, could it be any grief to me, that I was dying upon a poor bed in a garret ? And if God has delivered me up to evil fpi- rits, to be dragged by them to places of tor- ments, could it be any comfort to me that they found me upon a bed of ftate ? When you are as near death as I am, you will know that all the different ftates of life, whether of youth or age, riches or poverty, greatnefs or meannefs, fignify no more toyou; than whether you die in a poor or JIately apartment. The greatnefs of thofe things that follow death, makes all, that goes before it, fmk into nothing. Now that judgment is the next thing that I look for, everlafting happinefs or mifery is come fo near me, all the enjoyments and pro- fperities of life feem as vain and infignificant, and to have no more to do with my happinefs, than the cl oaths that I wore before I could fpeak. But, my friends, how am I furprized, that I have not always had thefe thoughts ? For what is there in the terrors of death, in the vanities of life, or the neceffities of piety, but what I might as eafily and fully have ktn in any part of my life ? What a ftrange thing is Of the Rich Fooh ^g \s iU that a little heakh, or the poor bufinefs of a fliop, fhould keep us fo fenfelefs of thefe great things that are coming fo faft upon us ? Jufl as you came into my chamber, I was thinking with myfelf, what number of fouls there are now in the world, in my condition at this very time, furprized with a fummons to the other world ; fome taken from their JJ:ops and JarmSy others from their /ports and plea- fares, thefe at faits at law, thofe at gami?2g tables y fome on the road^ others at their own firefidesy and all feiz'd at an hour when they thought nothing of it 5 frighted at the ap- proach of death, confounded at the vanity of all their labours, defigns, and projefts, afto- ni(hed at the folly of their part lives, and not knowing v/hich way to turn their thoughts, to find any comfort. Their confciences flying in their faces, bringing all their fins to their remembrance, tormenting them with deepeft eonvidtions of their own folly, prefenting them with the fight of the angry judge, the worm that never dies, the fire that is never quench- ed, the gates of hell, the powers of darknefs, and the bitter pains of eternal death. Oh ? my friends, blefs God that you are not of this number, that you have time and fl:rength to employ youffelves in fuch works of piety as may bring you peace at the laft. And take Vol. IV. E this 50 Of the PARABLE this along with you ; that there is nothing but a Ufe of great piety, cr a death of great ftupidity, that can keep off thefe apprehen- fions. Had I now a thoufand worlds, I would give them all for one year more, that I might pre- fent unto God one year of fach devotion and good works, as I never before fo much as in- tended. You perhaps, when you confider that I have lived free from fcandal and de- bauchery, and in the communion of the church, wonder to fee me fo full of remorfe and felf-condemnation at the approach of death. But alas ! what a poor thing it is to have lived only free from murder y theft^ and adultery, which is all that I can fay of myfelf ? You know indeed, that I have never been rec- koned a Jot -, but you are at the fame time witneffes, and have been frequent companions of my intemperance y Jejifuality, and great ijidul- gence. *^ And if I am now going to judgment, where nothing will be rewarded but good God is merciful and they fliall be fafe in the €nd ! Dreadful delufion ! Far different is the view, which the gofpel gives us of this matter : except a man dejiy himjelj, our Saviour declares, take up his crofs daily ^ and follo%v me^ he cannot be my difciple. Strive to enter in at the Jirait gate^ for many fiall Jirive to enter in and cannot : for Jirait is the gate, and nar- row is the way that leadeth unto life, and few ' E 4 there S6 On the PARABLE, there be that find it: becaiife wide is the gate ^ and broad is the way that leadethiinto deflruUiofi^ and many there be that go in thereat, — Of this be affured, nothing will fo certainly keep us from heaven, as the love of the world, J or if any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him : the love of the world and the love of God can never poflefs one heart : if you love the world and the things of it, you do not love God ; and if you do not love him, you will never live with him, for God is love^ and he that dweleth in love^ dwelleth in Gody a fid God in him. Thankful therefore, forever thankful, that he hath fpared you to this hour, refolve from henceforth to turn to him, and to work out your own falvation w^ith fear and trembling : remember, that while in a worldly courfe you are under the immediate wrath of God : and think that you hear that terrible fentence thundering in your ears, Thoufooly this night (hall thy foul be required of thee^ — To avoid which, follow the example of the rich pub- lican Zaccheus, climb up, by fincere prayer to meet and fee y^yz/^ : iVelcome him unto your houfe: and as the fure fruits of faith, be zea- lous in good works : give according to your ability to the poor : and if you have done any wrong to any man, by all means, and inftant- ly Of the Rich Fool 57 ly make ample reftitution : for without refti- tution, there can be no lincere repentance : and without repentance no true faith, and without faith, no falvation.— And to complete the whole, follow the great Apoftle*s advice. If ye then be rifen with Chrijl^ feek thoje things that are above ^ where Chriji fitteth on the right bandoj God* Set your affections on things above not on the things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Chriji in God: When Chriji who is our life jloall appear^ then Jhall as well as the occafion of it \ upon which I have dwelt the more accurately as fome igno- rant of the power of God are apt to wreft this, with other paflages of facred writ, to their own deftrudlion : like the fool, in the Pro- verbs, playing with firebrands, arrows^ and death, and faying, T^hej are but infporL--^ I proceed now to confider fome of the great dod:rines which are taught us in this parable : and more particularly thefe j Ift. That God, is the great and univerfai Lord of all, the rich man^ and vve only his ftewards and fervants, all we are and all we have, being delivered to us only in truft. Ildly. That we muft all one day givS an accourit : the day will come when we fhall hear the dreadful fummons, *' Give an aetount of thy ftewardfhip, for thou mayeft be nd longer fteward." And, Illdly. The care and prudence required of tis all to prepare for that great day of account, F 3 bjr 76 On /A/P A R A B L E by fidelity in our ftewardfhip, and a due ufe of the goods entrufted to our charge ; to which the condud of the children of this world, and their prudence and foreiight in their temporal affairs, lliould by all means in- cite us. I (hall dwell but very briefly on the two firft, and confider more efpecially the third particular, as being that to which the parable and our Lord's application more im- mediately direds us. — Happy they who ever mindful of that great day of account, la- bour to make themfelves fuch friends as may intitle them to the favour and approbation of their divine Lord and mafter, and may mi- niiler unto them an happy entrance into ever- lafling habitations ! And a Confideration in the firfl: place, that GOD is the univerfal Lord of all, and we only ftewards of whatever goods he is plea- fed to entrufl us with, muft conduce to this great end, caufe us to be circumfpe<5t and wary in the management of thefe goods, as know- ing, it is ever required of flewards, that they be found faithful. Ihe Earth is the Lord' s^ and thefuhiefs thereof y faith David: all things were created by him : Tkoti art ivorthy] 0 Lord^ fay the the four and twenty Of the Vnjuji Steward. ^i twenty elders, to 7'eceive glory and honour and fower : for thou haft created all things^ and for thy pleafiire they are and uuere created^ He created them for man : but man he created for himfelf, and having formed him in his own image, fulDJeded the whole creation td his dominion, requiring only in return, fide- lity in his Reward, and a grateful acknovv- ledgment of his royal fupremacy. He hatH diftributed to all, with a liberal hand, frohi his rich treafury, though to fome mora, i6 others lefs. J. Temporal bleffings. 2. The bleffings of the body, and 3. The Bleffings of the foul, of all others moft excellent and valuable. But he hath referved the abfoiiite propriety of thefe to himfelf: and of thertS man, as his ftev/ard, muft render an exadt account : therefore you obferve iii the clofe of the parable, our Saviour calls riches an- other s^ ver. 12. If ye have not been faithful in that which is another man Sy who will give you that which is your own ? " We are all the ftewardo of God, fent into the world to employ to ouf own falvation, the riches and talents which God hath put into our hands : arid which are by no means our own. He alone is truly rich, and no man has any thing but what he has received from him, and for which he muft pay intereft." An awful truth, not only F 4 iif * 72 On the FAR ABLE inculcated in the prefent, but in other parables of our Lord, particularly that of the Talents^ the return of which the Mafter requires of his fervants with their due improvements: and out of his unexhaufted goodnefs requires thefe improvements with fuitable rewards. But before that reward will be beftowed, a ilridt enquiry will be made into the ufe each one has made of the talents of our fidelity in our ftewardfliip, as we are taught, Ildly, from this parable. From hence we learn, that we are all flewards of the gifts and bleflings of Gpd, entrufted to our charge : fo a day will copne, when we muft give up our accounts, when we muft hear the final fentence, Give an ac-^ count of thy fiewardfiiipy for thou may eft be no longer few ard, This is neceflarily implied In the office : a fteward doth not adt for him- felf : it behoves him therefore to keep good accounts, fince they are ever liable to the in- fpedlion of his lord, and his continuance in favour and office depends upon their fairnefs and honefty. His lord hath ever a right to call him to an account ; but more efpecially when he is accufed to him, as unfaithful, as having wafted his goods, the cafe in the pre- fent parable. We are all God*s fte wards : and be as fovereign lord and proprietor of all> hath 0/ the Unjujl Steward. 7J jbath a juft right to call us to an account^ whenever he fees good ; and to examine hoW we have ufed thofe bleffings of foul, of body, and of the world, which he hath been pleafed to commit to our truft. But more efpecially hath he a right, when we are accufed before him, too juftly accufed of having embezzled his goods, of having employed his gifts and graces to other ends than his glory, and the defigns for which he entrufted them to us.— While we live in the abufe of our ftewardfhip, we have great reafon to expeft the fummons : a fummons for which we are continually warned, which will infallibly one day reach our ears, when Death demands his due, and the Soul is bid to prepare and meet its God in judgment ! — Oh ! how awful is the fenfe of this fummons to every foul ! to every one of us, who are but too fenfible, that we have wafted our Mafter's goods, and been at beft but very unthrifty fervants ! But if convinced hereof, we have, by true repentance and fin- cere faith, made Jefus our friend, and have fecured an intereft in him, the terror vanifties and our fears are done away. If we have not,- —then how much more awful, how horribly dreadful will it be to all thofe who have lived in a continual forgetfulnefs of their fteward- fhip, who have ufed the Gifts of the world^ wealth ^4 On /Z^^ P A R A B L E wealth, pofleflions, and all temporal enjoy- ments, to carnal ends and finful purpofes * who have given their bodies up to the fervicc of Satan, and of lin, and made them wholly inftruments of iniquity and uncleannefs : to thofe, who have profaned the faculties of their fouls to feeulaf and irreligious ufes, and have been careful to improve their underftandings, and enlighten their minds with all knowledge and wifdom, fave the only knowledge and the only wifdom that will profit them, the knowledge of Chrift crucified, and the wif- dom which is from above ! — Their diftrefs will be far greater than that of the fteward in the parable : happy will it be, if their anxiety in proper time, and before it be too late, lead them to as zealous a preparation for a future and eternal dwelling : what fJ^all I do^ faid he, for my lord taketh away from me the ftewardjhip. — So, poor thoughtlefs finner, what wilt thou do, when God requires thee to give an account of thy ftcwardfhip, a fiewardfhip^ wherein thou haft been grofsly unfaithful— what wilt thou do, or whither wilt thou flee from want eternal and from mifery everlaft- Jog ? — When the dread fummons once is part, when once the awful call is given, juft as they ftand our accounts muft be lay'd before cur judgd, and juft as we are muft' We Of the Vnjuji Steward. y^ we appear in his holy prefence. There will be no reverfing the unalterable decree — and who but trembles at the fearful thought of that dread trial, of that important moment, when fentence, a righteous and unalterable fentence., muft fix us in an eternity of blifs or mifery for ever ! — and as certainly as we are now in the courts of the Lord's houfe, fb certainly will that moment come, fo certainly will that fentence pafs : for we muji all appear before the judgment -feat of Chriji — Tre- mendous judgment-feat — that every one may receive the things done in his bod% according to that he hath do?ie, whether it be good or bad I Oh my beloved, into what mere nothingnefs fink all earthly hopes and fears, while our fe- rious thoughts are raifed to that awful fcene ! (hould we be found wanting there, what will it profit us, that on earth we have been wealthy, beautiful, wife and powerful! when the abufe of thefe will be the caufe of our irrevocable woe! Oh fad to think of an eternal baniftiment from the kingdom of love ! Oh fad to think of an eternal confinement in the kingdom of horror! if we really believe thefe things, let us fliew o\xx faith by our zealous preparation for the folemn day approaching: it requires our utmoft care and prudence to prepare for that day, which can be done only 2 by *7t On the PARABLE by a wife ufe of the prefent goods, and by a faithful difcbarge of our ftewardfhip, which is the Hid, and laft thing taught us by this parable. This is indeed the main fcope of it. When thefteward was inform'd of his Lord's defign, and heard, that he muft no longer be fleward: he did not difregard the information or amufe himfelf with vain hopes and wretched ex- ped:aneies, — the cafe of but too many called chriftlans, who feem to live, as if they thought the day of account would never come, and ftill difbelieve the voice of God and of nature exhorting them to prepare for another, a more important life. Not fo the fteward : he fe£ all his thoughts to work, how he fhould make a future provifion for himfelf, obtain a future dwelling, and be fecured from po- verty and diftrefs ! So anxious was he to provide for his future well-being in this World, th^t he thought not even honejly it- felf too confiderable a price, but to fecure his interefts on eatth, was willing to give up the interefts even of his foul ! See what men will do to provide for themfelves the poor tranfi- tory things of this life : and this is no un- common cafe : we daily fee eafe, repofe, content, nay even honefty, God, and Hea- ven itfelf given up by men to fcrape toge-* ther Of the Vnjufl Steward. yf tfaer the poor riches of this world, nay, and often even a bare fubfiftence ! We fee every fcheme devifed, every thought at v^ork, eve- ry method tried, every counfel taken, that may advance v^orldly interefts, and procure the mammon of unrighteoufnefs — But where is this labour, where is this anxiety, where is this fearching of heart, this prudence, and counfel to fecure the love of Jefus and the kingdom of glory ? " The world, fays Kern* pis^ promifeth temporal and fmall things, and is ferv*d with great eagernefs : God promifeth high and eternal things, and the hearts of men are unmoved ! Who is he, that ferveth and obeyeth God, with fuch care as the world and the lords of it are ferved with ? Blufli, oh Sidoriy faith the fea, and if thou afk the caufe hear it. For a little money a long journey is undertaken, for everlafting life many will fcarce once lift a foot from the ground : a thing of fmall value is fought af- ter greedily : for the flight hope of a trifle men ceafe not to toil day and night ! But alas for an unchangeable good, for an inefl:i- mable reward, for the highefl: honour and everlafting glory, they are loth to take the leaft pains ! Blufli therefore, flothful and complaining fervant, that they are more ea- ger for deftruftion than thou art for life," ' And 78 O/? //6^ P A R A B L E And of this our Saviour complains at the end of the parable, the children of this world are in their aifairs and concerns more fubtle, fagacious, and prudent, more wife to provide, more careful and zealous to execute, than the children of light are in theirs. Look at the Children of this World, and you will find, that when once they have firmly and fixedly refolved upon the end, which they propofe to themfelves, whether it be gain, or honour, or pleafure : whether they are led on by either of thofe three great worldly idols, pridcy profit, or lujl : you'll perceive how wife they are in the choice of all proper means to attain the end defired :• — how diligent they are in the ufe of them— how indefatigable and laborious, rifing up early, and lying down late, and eating the bread of carefulnefs • how conflant and invincibly pertinacious, not daunted by difficulties, and difcouraged by difappointments : how ready to make ail, things fubmit to their great end propofed . and how prudent and fagacious to make an advantage of every thing that may tend to it. ■ — While the children of light are neither fo refolutely fixed in their end, nor fo wife in the choice, or diligent in the ufe of means : neither fo indefatigable and laborious to fe- his prefent ftate, and future expectations, wou'd rob his foul of this eternal bleflednefs by ufing riches to the ends of luxury, pride. Vol. IV. No 13. G or 8a 0« /& P A R A B L E or covetoufnefs : fo making them the greateft curfe, and himfelf a miferable fteward fpee- dily to be called to an exad: account, fpee- dily to be deprived of his ftewardfhip, of all his wealth 3 and with it, of his God, his Sa- viour, and his Soul's beft Peace for ever ! — A fatal Example lliall we fee in the next Parable, of this delufive folly in that moft wretch- ed, moft unfaithful fleward of his God, the miferable Dives, loft in hell, to all his Wealth, to all his comforts : tortured in a bed of flame, and wanting even a drop of water to cool his tongue. 'Tis an example fure, fufBcient to awaken and unlock the moft pe- nurious, felf-indulging hearts, and to caufe them to make friends of the mammon of un- righteoufnefs, left they alfo come into the fame place of torment! But all are not intrufted with riches, and therefore cannot be faithful ftewards in that refpeft. — 'Tis true indeed that riches are the goods to which the parable is chiefly deter- mined : yet we are not, by any means, to ima- gine, that rich men only ftand in the capacity of ftewards, and that the ufe of fach poflfef- fions ftiall be the only article in our future account. For (to ufe Dr. Stanhope^ words) every advantage of nature or of grace, as well as thofe of fortune : our life, our health, our 3 ftrengtK OJ the XJjijufl Steward, S3 firerigth, our wit and parts, our knowledge hatural and acquired : our time, our leifure, our every ability, our every opportunity, our every inclination to do well : every difpenfi- tion of providence, whether it be to honour or diflionour, to abundance, or to poverty, to eafe, or to fufFering, our very affiidions and temptations, all are our matter's goods, all are intruded with us, all are capable of improve- tnent, all will at laft be brought to our ac- count. And therefore every man ought to cfleem himfelf a fteward ; for tho' all have not the fame truft, yet all have fome truft. A truft in which the greater circumfpedion and diligence is neceflary, becaufe it cannot con- tinue always : and becaufe fo much depends upon the wife management of it, for the time It does continue.'* A truft which equally concerns all men, high and low, rich and poor : for tho' ^11 have not abundance of earthly bleffings • yet all have gifts of body^ yet all have gifts of foul : and an improvement of thefe will be expected on the day of ac- count. And if we have not ufed our bodies to the fervice and glory of God, nor cultivated Cur folds in divine grace and knowledge, but have given them up to the fervice of diverfe lufts and appetites, as unfaithful ftewards we fhall be forever difpoffeffed of our ftewardfhip, G 2 and 84 On the PARABLE and left to the mifery v/e have fo juftly drawix upon ourfeh'es. With all the powers of our bodies, with all the faculties of our fouls, let us labour then to honour the great and univerfal Lord of all, and to dedicate ourfelves and all we have to his glory. For as he created us for himfelf : fo hath he redeemed us : and placed us in this ftate of probation, intruding us with what is leajt^ to give us an happy opportunity, by the hnprovement of our truft, to gain the poffef- fion of the true and eternal goods. But if we are found unfaithful in that which is lead, how can we expert any other than to be deprived of all truft and regard from God for ever ? Bear it therefore always in mind — and may the good Spirit of God deeply imprint it on all your hearts — that you are only fte wards of the manifold grace and gifts of God intrufted to you : that it is required of ftewards to be found faithful : and that according to your fidelity, fo fliall you be rewarded or punifhed eternally. — Whatever gifts of body, foul, or goods are given you by the great Lord of all ^ confider, that as they are his free gift, fo they muft be ufed only for the honour of his glo- rious name. Above all confider, that your fouly capable of enjoying God, is by him cre- ated to that glorious end : to fecure which the bleffed Of the U?ijiift Steward, 85 l)lefrcd Jefus hath bled upon the tree, paid the full raniom, and now is ready to blefs it with a pardon, to cleanie it by his blood, to inha- bit it by his Spirit. — This is the chief of gifts : this you are bound to hufband wifely: and if, as unthrifty fte wards, you are provident for all things, but this main improvement, neg- ledled grace will, at the day of judgment, cry out againft you, and a Redeemer's blood rife up in fearful condemnation. Be wife then to fecure this your future, your only valuable intereft : and let not the care and prudence of men for worldly bleffings ftand forth as ftrong accufers of your folly and remiffiiefs in the purfuit of eternal*. — G 3 Learn * Nicholas He?mnge, m his Pojilll^ on this Gofpel, ob- ferves, " Tis a moft grevous complaint that the children tf this world are ^ &c. that worldly men are more careful in getting things temporal, which pertain only to this prefent Life, and that continuing but a very (hort time, than chrillians are careful for the getting of heavenly goods, which fhall endure tor ever. Surely this blindnefs is lamentable. The body is regarded, and the foul is neg- leded. Who feeth not how true this faying of Chrift is ? Shew me a hufbandman, that is not more careful in gathering goods, and finding his houfhold, than fome chriftians to get the treafiire of heaven. The merchant- man that faileth the fea, is in hazard of many dangers, of- tentimes fuffereth great lofs, and endureth cold and heat, and that not for one hour, one day, or one year, but all his life long, only to fcrape together earthly pofTeiTions. But the Chnftian man fcarce fir.deth in his heart to tarrv out 86 0/i /'^j^ P A R A B L E Learn from the indefatigable, and prudent concern of Men for temporal things, a labour and a prudence far more zealous, far more in- defatigable, for the eternal things of heaven, for the rich pleafures at the right hand of God. And let every objedl, every fight of worldly induftry and care remind you of your duty, and of the care neceffary to fecure eter- nity. When you fee the labourer, the farmer, the artificer, the merchant, rifing early, zea?- loufly bufied, ^nd prudently planning every out one hour to hear God's word, or to be prefent at the diftribution of the Sacrament. They fpend many hours in toys and tales : but they cannot find one hour's leifure, no nor fcarce a minute of an hour to call up- on God, and to talk with Jefus Chrifl- in Prayer. But what are the caufes of this blindnefs ?— They are chiefly two. The one (which is alfo the caufe of other inconveniencies) js the corruption of man's nature, which maketh a man more forward to evil than to good,— -The other caufe of this blind nefs is, for that earthly goods are feufible, and therefore do move the mind more itrongly : for a good thingmoveth not unlefs it be known. Whereupon Ju/iin-, we may love things unfeen, but things unknown we cannot love. Now fenfible t ings are more known than fpi ritual thin;!S, becaufe fenfible things nre more known by experience, whereas fpiritual things are Renown only by faith. What is to be done then ?— We muft endeavour to abound in knowledge of heavenly things, to the intent we may alfo abound in the feel- jng of them. And theiefore Pai/l wi(heth the Phi- lippians that they may abound in all knowle;dge and under- itanding, to this end, that they may be pure, and with- out offence unto the day of ChrijL'" — Hemings Pofiill^ iirfit. of 1569. fcheme Of the Vnjufl Steward. 87 fcheme to get the things of this pafling world, think with yourfelf, * Here's a lefTon for me :' and learn from them to be wife and adlive in the purfuit of never failing goods. * How fhould it make our blood to rife in our faces, (fays a fine writer of our church) and fill us with confufion, that the men of this world fhould be more prudent aud fkilful in the contrivance and management of their little af- fairs, more refolute and vigorous in the pro- fecution of them : than we are about the everlafting concernments of our fouls ! that the men of this world fhould toil and take more pains for the deceitful riches, than we do for the true ■: and be contented to hazard more for a corruptible crown, than we for an incorruptible / that they (hould love pleafure more than we do God, and mind their bodies and temporal eflates more, than we do our fouls, and our eternal happinefs.* That they fhould be more anxious for the things of fhort uncertain time, than we for the things of fure unending Eternity I Eternity^ how doth it fink the value of all ftyl'd great and excel- lent below. Eternity y how wife in man to think of and prepare for it ! — in man created to inherit an eternity of mifery or pleafure. — And oh let us remember, that it is every mo- ment at hand : every moment brings it nearer G 4 and 88 On the? AR A B L E 1 and nearer to us : think you bear the folemn found, Son of man^ give an account of thy Jiewardfripy for thou mayfi be no longer flew- ard. What, my brethren, what if that awful fummons (hould now be fent io you ? and ere long it will : it may be inltantly : it muft be fhortiy : fuppofe a few years roll away fir ft, what are a few years in the account of eter- nity ? what is the longeft life of man ? look back upon all your pafl: days : fee, how they are fled, like a fliadow : all that is paft is as a dream and a vapour : but awful eternity is yet to come 1 'tis wife then to prepare for eternity ! And, fay, oh fteward, of the manifold gifts of God, how ftand thine ac- counts with him ? if yet unfettled, for thy precious foul's fake, I intreat thee, delay not a moment ! make thyfelf friends of God and of Chrift, friends^ that may receive thee into everlafting habitations ! For fhouldeft thou, oh my brother, fliouldeft thou ftand before the bar of God, a poor unrigh- teous fteward, how horrible will thy ftate, how fearful will thy condemnation be !— — Could you fee the flaming pit, could you hear the dreadful groans, could you fee the judge enthroned, you would not delay, one moment delay, by true repentance and living Of the Unjuft Steward, 89 living faith to turn to Chriji, and fecure fal- vatlon ! Happy you, my beloved brethren, who have chofen this good part ; may the Lord eftablilh, ftrengthen, and fettle you ! To con- firm you in holinefs, to quicken your zeal, to make you more and more zealous over all your ways, to increafe that humility, which is the very foundation and fupport of Chrift*s religion, never fail to confider yourfelves in the dependent character of ftewards of your God : never forget the great day and folemn fummons foon approaching, ' Give an account of thy ftewardihip :' never fail to raife your contemplations to that awful judg- ment-feat, before which we muft all one day ftand : Oh may we all appear on that day, as friends, and brethren, as faithful ftewards, and approved fervants of our Lord and Saviour, Jefus Chrtft ! May we enter to- gether the everlafting habitations prepared, by his infinite love, for us ^ and may we each one be made finally happy in the enjoyment of our God, and the fellowfhip of all the faints in glory, thro' Jefus Chrift our Lord, (Sc. — Amen, D I S- DISCOURSE XIII. On the P A R A B L E Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. Being the Subftance of two Sermons, PART I. St. Luke XVI. 19, 20, 11, There was a certain rich man^ which was chathed in purple and fine linen ^ and fared fumptuoufiy every day. And there was a certain beggar^ named La- zarus, which was laid at his gate^ full of fores, and defiring to he fed with the crumbs^ which fell from the rich man's table : more- ever the dogs came and licked his fores, FX^^"^iFTER our Saviour had delivered M A w ^^ parable of the unjuft ftewardy w ' ^ and ufed many motives to exhort iL^^JKj^ his hearers from covetoufnefs, and a love of this world, and to perfuade them to charity Of the Rich Ma?i and Lazarus, gi charity and an anxious care to provide for them- felvcs everlafting habitations : We find, that his words, fo far from having their defired eflfeft on thofe whom they principally concerned, were received with the utmoft contempt, and heard with the higheft indignation. For the Evangelifl tells us, the pharifees, who alfo were covetous^ heard thefe things and they derided him : the word is expreffive of the higheft contemptand ridicule, EHgfxuxTvjp/fov — they turn d up their nofesat him-, as one worthy the moft ab- jedlfcorn, who fhould prefume to fpeakagainft their beloved Riches, and talk of a future ac- count, which fuch wealthy men as they, to be fure, would by all means be exempted from. Tell them of a ftewardfliip — talk to them of fidelity in the goods intruded to their charge '. — what fo abfurd, what fo much deferving Laughter ; more efpecially when taught by fuch a poor man as our vSaviour was in the world, who had not fo much as a place where to lay his head I — And who can wonder that the fame Dodlrine is equally ridiculous to the fame kind of men? who can wonder that they alfo turn up their nofes at the Minifters of Chrift, and hold them in abjedt contempt, who place their fole happinefs in the pofTeffion of worldly wealth, and to whom a more difagree- able truth cannot be delivered, than that folemn one 92 0;2 //j^ P A R A B L E one of our Saviour's, Give aiz account of thy Stemardfhip^ for thou ?nayeji be no longer Stew- ard, Their contempt, however, muft be no argument for our holding our peace : w^e muft fpeak, whether they will hear, or whe- ther they will forbear : and the more their in- dignation and difrelifli increafes, the more ihould our zeal and labours increafes to awaken and admonifh them, if haply God may give them repentance to the acknowledgment of the Truth. This we are taught by our Sa- viour's Example : who increas'd the more in zeal, as the Icorn and contempt of his adver- faries increased. And there is nothing more obfervable, than our Saviour's freedom and boldnefsin reproof : he regarded not the per- fons of Men : and tho' reproof is an office of all others moft hazardous, as likely to gain the hatred and difefteem of the perfon re- proved, (fo ungrateful and proud is the human heart) yet aw'd by no fears or favours, he dif- charged this office as became the great teacher of mankind. This is remarkable in no in- ftance more than the prefent : for the more the Pharifees derided him, the more he in- creased in the boldnefs of his rebukes : Te are they, faid he, that jujiify yourfehes before men^ hilt God kyicweth your hearts : fr that which is highly efccmed among ft wen, is abomination in the Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 93 the fight of God. -f- Your fair outfide, cloak to your inward pride and covetoufnefs, your feeming regard to God and the Temple, may deceive Men, but God, who feeth the heart, -is confcious of your vile hypocrify, your lives t The conn€6lion of the words following feeming to me very abftrufe, 1 mentioned the matter to a learned friend, who in a letter of reply obferved, <« My Notion of the connection, which at firit Tight, does appear very dif- jointed is this, — And he faid unto them^ ye are they^ &c. — And to confirm this, let lis compare your behaviour, who are fo highly honoured among men, with that of thofe perfons who are generally delpifed by them. The Law and the Prophets were (or prophefied^ Matt. xi. 13 J until Jofm: they only typified and foretold the good thino-s of chriftianity, but from that time the Kingdom of God is preached, zn^ every one {HdLxlois^ Publicans, and Sinners, he. Matthnv. xxi, 31, 32.) prefTeth into it. But when I diltinguifh between the Difpenfation of the Law and the Prophets, and the Kingdom of God ; and fpeak oi every one's, however great a Sinner, preiling into it : do not imagine that I either intend to depreciate the for- mer Difpenfation, or to difpence my followers from ric;hte- oufnefs and holinefs of life — No, it is eafier for heaven and earth to pafs, than for one title of the law to fail : the ceremonial and typical muft be fulfilled in me ; the moral, in the righteoufnefs of my followers, Mattheut 5. 17. And to Ihew how far I am from allowing any impurity of life in my followers, I do abfolutely condemn a practical tenet very common among you, and teach in contradiction to it, that every one., &c. Our Saviour then in the Parable of the rich man diwdLazarus., expofes and cen- fures the covetoufnefs, and hard-heartednefs for which the Pharifees were notorious, and which, as we may ob- ferve, were the occafion of thefe remarks.*' of 94 On the? A R A B L t of luxury, and hard-heartednefs to the poof. -*-And as a dreadful proof what the iffue hereof muft be, he delivers an alarming pa- rable, wherein as being the Lord of life and death, he opens, as it were with one hand, Paradife^ and (hews us, as in the twinkling of an eye, the happy ftate of the one wretched Lazarus ; while he ftr etches forth the other hand, even unto Hell: and brings thence, as a fmoking brand, a once rich, felf indulging Sinner, one moft probably of the pharafaical tribe, or of their brethren the Sadducees who denied any future State, that both Pha- rifees and Sadducees might contemplate well| the dire example, and confider, whether they fhould laugh, and turn up their nofes, when they came into that place of torment. There is not a more awakening, alarming^ example through the whole Gofpel: It is drawn in fuch lively colours, that very many have been of opinion in all ages of the Church that it is not a parable, but a real hiftory, and many of the Fathers tell us, that there lived about that time at Jerufalem, a notable Beg- gar Vi2crc\ti Lazarus, a common name amongft the Jews, and very proper for a man in his fituation, as it fignifies, a he-plefs perfon^ or, as others, God ts my helper, — But the cir- cumftances of the flory are evidently parabo- Ilea! Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 95 lical : and fome ancient manufcripts, particu- larly that of the learned Beza at Cambridge^ have thefe words, at the beginning, And he fpake unto them afiother Parable, It matters however not much to us in the application of it, whether it be a parable or a real hiftory, fince the important truths delivered in it, are equally clear and equally certain : very in- ftrudive to all mankind, who in the prefent ftate of trial, according to the good will of God are placed fome in a high, fome in a low condition : fome in the enjoyment of all this world's good, others in the fufferance of all its afflicl:ions and evils, and as they im- prove thefe different ftates of trial, as they forget or ferve God in either of them ; — as- the rich ufes or abufes his wealth, as the poor ufes or abufes his poverty and affli<5lion, fo will they accordingly be removed after death, which is common to each, rich as well as poor, to a ftate of mifery, or a ftate of blifs : for God is no refpedler of perfons, and the moft abjed: fufferer upon earth, who bears with patience, and with love, the af- flictions laid upon him, fhall as certainly when he dies, be carried by angels into the paradife of God, as the wealthy, earthly- happy finner (hall, into the place of everlafting torments. A g6 Onthe? A R A B L E A proof of this, we have before us, given by him, whofe juft judgment is to pafs the final fentence of life or death on us all. For there was a certain man, fays our Saviour, who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared fumptuoufly every day. — And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus, who was laid at his gate full of fores, and defiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, fo great was his mifery, fo exquifite his diftrefs, that the dogs came and licked his fores. Thus wretched in this life, it pleafed God at length to fet him free : it came to pafs, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham*^ bofom ; nor could the rich man's riches refcue him from the like fate : the rich man alfo died and was buried. See now the mighty change ! For in hell he lift up his eyes being in torments, and feeth A- braham afar off, and the late defpifed, afflided Lazarus in his bofom. And he cried and faid, Father, Abraham, have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus, that he may dip the /// of his finger in water, and cool my toiigue : for I am tormented in this infufferable flame ! — ^ But this was denied him : Son, fzid Abraham , remember, that thou in thy life-time receiv- edft thy good things, and likewife Lazarus evil Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 97 evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And befides all this, between us and you, there is a great gulf fixed, fo that they who would pafs from hence to you, cannot : neither can they pafs to us, that would come from thence. The miferable wretch finding it impoffible to pro- cure any relief for himfelf ; was defirous to preferve his thoughtlefs relations from the like diftrefs. Then he faid, I pray thee, therefore, father, that thou wouldeft fend him to my father's houfe, for I have five brethren ^ that he may teftify unto them, left they alfo come into this place of torment. — But be men never fo rich and powerful on earth, and be their requefts granted there never fo readily, it is far different in another ftate : no requefts are granted in hell, 'tis then too late to petition : this alfo was denied him. Abraham faith unto him, They have Mofes and the prophets : let them hear them* And he faid. Nay father ^<^r<2;/^^/w, but if one went unto them from the dead, they will re-- pent. But Abraham replied. If they hear not, nor obey the voice of Mofes and the pro- phets, neither will they be perfuaded tho' one rofe from the dead. As was but too mani- feftly proved by this nation of the fews^ thefe brethren of the rich man, who faw another H Lazarus 9? 0/ //&(? P A R A B L E Lazarus return from the dead, nay and Jefus himfelf, and yet would not be perfuaded : fo juft are our Saviour's words, delivered on an- other occafion, Had ye believed Mofes^ ye would have believed me, for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings ^ how can ye believe my words ? Remarkable viciffitudes in fortune, either good or bad, are ever apt to claim our atten- tion : great wealth and high worldly happi- nefs finking in abjedt mifery, and low poverty raifed from the dunghil to fit with princes never fail to ftrike the mind with peculiar ob- fervatlons. The prefent parable gives us an example of fuch viciffitude, and fuch a one as greatly concerns us all : the better to im- prove which, I will, by God's grace, Ift, Confider, the different conditions of this rich and poor man in the prefent fl:ate : lid, Theit' very different conditions in a fu- ture flate— and Illd, The converfation which pafled be- tween Abraham and the rich man : taking in- the mean time all occafions to inforce and ap- ply the general dodrines, taught us in this parable, as well to the confolation of the poor and Of the Rich Man and L azarus. 99 and afflided, as to the admonition of the rich and the full. And God give us all the grace to profit by thefe ftriking examples, and this divine word of life, which if we hear not, our cafe is defperate : which if we obey not, as its fandion and authority is given by one who rofe from the dead, nothing will per- fuade us to repent, and if we repent not, we muft alfo come into that place of torments, Ift Then, I am to confider the different conditions of this rich man, who happy on earth, was miferable for ever ; and of this poor man, who miferable on earth, was bleft for ever. Their conditions in this life were fo re- markably different, that they feemed to agree in nothing but that they were men: and in- deed to confider a great and noble perfonage, in all the fplendor of wealth and power, and a poor fufferer, in all the extremities of po- verty and diftrefs, their diftance on earth feems fo marveloufly great, that one would almofl fuppofe them of a difterent order of beings : but the life to come will fet all thefe matters even. There was this mighty dif- ference between thefe two in the parable. The cne was rid\ moft probably, (as was be- fore hinted) a rich pharifee : and as a con- H ^ fequence 100 0?t the? ARABLE fequence of his great riches, his drefs and living were elegant and fumptuous. — He was clothed in purple, andfijie linen, and fared fump- tuoujly every day. His drefs was of the moll coflly fort, fuch as kings wore, the royal purple — (from whence fome have fancied, that our Saviour had Herod in his eye, but it feems a mere conjeclure.) Magnificence and grandeur adorned him, and wherever he came his fplendid appearance caufed gazing admi- ration, and rerpe6l. He fared fumptuoujly every day, the original is very expreffive, — evtppam- [LEvog acc^' vii/.epa.v Aflj/x7rpw; — He delighted himfelf, and cheared his heart, with fumptuous ^/^«- dor and luxury every day. His houfe re- founded with perpetual mirth and gaiety ; there he indulged his genius in pleafures of every fort, there he rejoiced his heart with his blythe companions : his table was loaded with the richeft niceties and dainties : the moil: delicate wines delighted his tafte, while all things ferving to luxury and fenfuality were plentifully provided, — women, mufic, joy, and jollity! — Who fo bleft as he — for every day this fame delight returned, every "day preiented a new fcene ofblifs; he was ^clothed as before ivith purple and fine linen, and -fuh'jptuoni^y delighted himfelf, every day ! Not 0/ the Rich Man ^W Lazarus. loi Not fo the wretched Lazarus : unlike the rich man, he had no houfe even to hide his head : his wretched body rendered him in- capable of all enjoyment, and * miferably di- ftreft, he was laid at the gate of this rich man's houfe where every day fuch fumptuous fare was found : at this gate was he laid full of fores : and there, beholding at a diftance the plenteous feafts, and hearing the per- petual mirth, he defired only to be fed with the crums which fell from this rich man's luxurious table. He aiked no more, than what even his dogs would have almoft refufed. And thofe dogs feemed more compaffionate than their thoughtlefs mafter ; for Lazarus had no purple, no fine linen, to cover him, nay he had no covering : a few rags ferved only to difcover his exquifite wretchednefs, and gave the dogs — thofe dogs which perhaps this rich man kept for hunting and diverfions at a large expence, tho' he had nothing to fpare for poor Lazarus — gave thofe dogs an opportu- * He lay at the rich man*s gate, (fays St. Chryfoflomy in his Homily on the parable) that he might have no ex- cufc, faying, I faw him not. He was full of fores, that he might be to the rich man, a fpeclacle cf his own mor- tality, feeing in the body o^ Laxarus^ what himfelfwas fubjed to: and he is fet forth, as requeuing food, not Lomplaining of his fores, to (hew ihe greatnefs of that poverty, which preded him fo exceedingly, that he for- gat the pain of hib fores, ^c. See the reA. ij 3 nity 102 0;? f/&^ P A R A B L E nity to come and lick his fores, from which fad office he was too feeble to prevent them ! Here he lay, an objedl of contempt and fcorn ; difregarded by this wealthy, happy, gladfome man, who had no bowels ofcompaffionto the poor : and was too intent upon his own magnificence and fumptuous fare to caft a thought, to caft a look upon a wretch fo con- temptible, fo miferable as Lazarus /-—And yet a little notice, a very fmall relief from his abundant plenty would have fatisfied this poor beggar : the crums had been fufficient : but the rich man's hard heartednefs is much ag- gravated by this, that he did not take care to afford him thefe bafe crums, even this fordid refufe of his feaft ! His dogs might have taught him better; and the extreme mifery of the objecft daily prefented at his gate muft have melted, one would have thought, a heart, wherein the leaft humanity had place : but it is obfervable that pride, and fenfual indulgence fteel the icy heart of man to the miferies and calamities of his fellow-crea-^ tures : 'tis remarked, of many, given up to thofe paflions, in our days, that they feem void not only of all becoming natural affec- tion, but even of all feelings, of all bowels of compaPnon, to their afuifted fellow-creatures, with whofe diftrefles they can trifle, over whofe Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 103 whofe fafFerings they can infult, and whom they are aimofl apt to look upon as another fpecies from themfelves, high as they are in worldly fplendor, low as thefe are in worldly mifery ! It is remarked by Archbifhop Tillotfon on this parable, very judicioufly, that our Savi- our names the poor man, but only fpeaks of the rich Man under a general appellation. We indeed, have agreed to call him Dives^ but this is only a Latin word for a rich man : our Saviour gives him no appellation at all. '' And here, I cannot but take notice, (fays the bifliop) of the decorum which our Saviour ufes : He wou*d not name any rich man, be- caufe that was invidious, and apt to provoke. He endeavours to make all men fenfible of their duty : but he would provoke none of them by any peevifh refleftion : for nothing is more improper, than to provoke thofe whom we intend to perfuade. While a man's reafon is calm and undifturb'd, it is capable of truth fairly propounded : but if once we ftir up mens paffions, it is like muddying of the water, they can difcern nothing clearly afterwards." Such then were the different ftates of the rich man, and the beggar in this world : a difference every day very difcernable : the one had all this world could give to make him H 4 happy, 104 On the PARABLE happy, a plentiful fortune, a fine dwelling, rich cloathing, fumptuous fare, elegant living, full enjoyment ! a happy man indeed in this world s eye, and truly happy, were man upon the fame footing with the hearts that perifh, were there no futurity, no reckoning in the world to come ! — wretched Lazarus wanted all of thefe : without fortune, without friends, without home, without cloathing, without food, without health, expofed almoft naked in the open air, cover'd with fores ! — wretch- ed Lazai^us^ could there be greater mifery than thine •— could there be greater piety, than to retain thine integrity, poor fufferer amidft all this diftrefs ! Look, my afflidted brethren, thofeofyou, whom, in any ftate, God is pleafed to corred: for your fouls eter- nal good, look at the miferable Lazarus^ and learn in whatever ftate you are to be content, and joyful. Great caufe for which you will fee in the fequel, when we confider in the lid Place, the very different conditions of thefe two in a future ftate. Happy for the unfortunate, all earthly woes mull have an end : death is the wretch's laft and certain balfam. — At length the defired rnpment came to Lazarus : he died ; and won- derful, delightful change, the blefled angels attending on their charge, immediately re^ ceived Of the Rich Man aridL^z^rns. 105 ceived his foul, and carried it into Abraham'^ bofom, into Paradife, the place of pleafure and repofe, the place, where all his forrows ceas'd, the place where his everlafting joys began! — What an aftoni filing change was here ! that he, who but now lay at the rich man's gate almoft famifh'd for huno-er, exhaufted with painful fores, whom the rich man would not have fet with the dogs of his flock: whom no eye pitied or relieved ; and whofe mifer- able carcafs like that of a dead dog, was proba- bly thrown into a pit — that angels (hould wait upon his immortal foul, and he in a mo- ment, amidfl the fervice of the blefTed hofts, fhould be admitted into the regions of blifs, into the bofom of Abraham^ into the joy of his Lord ! Who can tell good or evil from all that they fee beneath the fun ! we can make no efti- mate thereof from any thing on this fide the grave ! The dread events which follow death, are they alone, that can ftile us happy or mi- ferable. But poor men only do not die : death knocks with equal boldnefs at the palace of the prince and at the cottage of the peafant : 'This rich man alfo died^ and was buried. His fine purple and fumptuous fare could not keep death from him, nay, probably they ferv'd to haften io6 O;^ /^^ P A R A B L E haften its approach ; for difeafes and thofe of a very dreadful and diftracfling kind are the certain confequences of luxury, and high liv- ing. He was buried^ our Saviour tells us : whereas we read nothing of poor Lazarus^s funeral : and indeed this is one advantage which the rich have over the poor; their wealth will provide for them a coftly funeral ! Their clay-cold corpfe perhaps fliall be in- clofed in a coffin covered with velvet — many days ihall they lye in Jlate — a poor putrefy- ing carcafcy my brethren, ifi STATE! Many mourners ihall be hired to put on a melancholy afpedl, cloak for a glad heart, and horfes deck'd with nodding plumes (hall bear their wretched obfequies to the cold, fenfelefs tomb ! But alas ! what is all this pomp to the foul, which the moment it leaves the body enters on an eternal fcene of blifs or woe ! And of all refledions this feems to me the moft awakening, and the moft reafonable for every man to entertain : that the moment death feparates the foul from the body, either angels carry it into the Paradife of God, or devils bear it into the flames of hell. This was the cafe of wretched Dives : for we read, that foon as dead, he was in hell : there he lift up his eyes, being in torments^ ond there he faw Abraham afar off, and La- zarus Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 207 zarm in his bofom : he faw Lazarus afar of in joy, as poor Lazarus upon earth had at a diftance feen him, and his jovial companions, caronfing in mirth, and feafting, while fa- mifli'd with hunger he could not gain a crum from the feaft. Now fad reverfe; Lazarus is comforted and the rich man {hall lliare none of his comfort ! — Ah poor deluded finner — now too late he perceives the folly and mad- nefs of his former life ! What now can all his purple, all his fumptuous fare avail him : where is his former mirth, his life of luxury and joy ? Chang d, pafs'd and gone, and hor- rid torments feed upon his diftraded foul ! He cried and faid, father Abraham have mercy on me, and fend Lazarus^ that he may dip the tip of his finger in water — I dare only afk that fmall requeft from him, to whom my confcience upbraids me with having denied the crumbs from my table — but oh father, fend him, that thus he may cool my parched tongue, * for I am tormented, infufFerably tor- mented in this flame ! But it was but reafon- able, that he who in his life time had denied poor Lazarus the crumbs that fell from his * As corporal a£cs are attributed to God in fcripture, fo are they alfo to Oparate fouls. For this plain reafon, becaufe otherwife we could have no idea of them. See St. Aujiin. de Origin. Anima, L, 4. c. 16. table, io8 0;2 tbe P A R fi B L E table, fhould be denied even a drop of water : that his tongue * which had been feafled with dainties of every fort, fhould now be torment- ed with a peculiar thirft ! Here is a di-eadful change, from an elegant dwelling to the in- fernal pit : from a bed of down to a bed of flames : from mulic and mirth to bitter howl- ing and gnafliing the teeth : from fumptuous fare, choice dainties, rich wines to the want of a drop of cold water ! Oh ye that forget God, oh 3^6 that pafs your lives in wretched thoughtleffnefs, and in a round of fenfual indulgence, look, look, I be- feech you, contemplate well this agoniz'd, tormented foul : grow wife by his example, and fear, left when death, which foon, very foon will approach, left when death fevers * St. Gregory obferves, In that his tongue Is tormented, it appears, that as in feafting he had finned by loquacity and much abufe of the ton.:ue, fo his tongue did burn the more ardently, for there is commonly much abufe of the tongue at feafts. — 40 Homily. — And as one well obferves. In what thing a aian hath fmn^^d, in the fame fhall he be the more g; ievioufly punifhed. There ftia'l the flothful be drove wi[h burning goad-, and the gluttons be tormented with great hunger and thirft. There fhall the luxurious and lovers of plcafure be bathed in burning pitch and ftinking brimftons : and the envious (hall howl for pain. There the proud ilr.ll be f.lled with all fhame, and the co- vetous fhall be pinched with mlferable penury. There Is no fm but fliall have its proper torment. Thorn. aKempis. B. I. c. 24. your Of the Rich Man <^;/ J Lazarus: 109 your foul from your body, the devils fliould bear it into that place of torment, where not a drop of water can be gain'd to cool your tongue ; where no alleviation can be had, where horror and anguifti will furround you, which way foever you turn, and where the dreadful refledion that thefe woes will never have an end, will aggravate each woe, and horribly enhance each torment ! Oh be wife and confider, what will all this world's goods profit you, if fuch fhould be your future lot ; prevent it, bleffed Jefus^ prevent it to all here prefent, and teach us by thy good fpirit that true wifdom, which alone can guide us unto life! Thus you fee the different conditions of the poor and rich man after death y the unalter- able ftate of which, on both fides, and the caufe of the rich man's mifery we fhall fee when we come to confider the third parti- cular, namely the converfation which paflled between Abraham and the rich man : but of this, hereafter. — From what hath gone before, we learn abundantly, that a man may be mi- ferable, extremely miferable, and yet dear to God : no diftrefs could be greater than that of Lazarus — his evils were extreme, his fuf- fcrings intenfe — and yet you fee, the moment that he died, angels carried him into Akra- no 0/?/^^ P A R A B L E ham\ bofom.- ■ This fhould be a leflbn of great confolation to all in afflidlion — while they improve it to their foul's advantage, by grov/ing in patience, and chearful refignation to the will of God — as affured, that in his good time, a change will come, and a change infinitely to their profit 1 But to be poor and to fuflfer afHiftions are not in themfelves fufRcient to procure eternal blifs for us: v^e (hall greatly miftake the matter if we fuppofe, that merely becaufe we have our evil things here, we fhall have good ones hereafter — or on the other hand, that all who have good things here will have evil things hereafter. 'Tis well obferved by irjany writers on this parable, that in order to confute fuch a perfuafion, the beggar^ La- zarus is faid to be carried into the hofom of the rich Abraham to let us fee that both poor and rich have a place in heaven — and that it is only the right ufe of our ftate, be it rich or poor, that can bring us to that bleifed kingdom. Had Laxarin repined at God's dealings, envied the rich man's pro- fperity, made ufe of ill methods to fatisfy his hunger, ftole, and aded as necefiity but too commonly drives many to ad — his foul had been carried not by angels into heaven, but by devils into hell — on the contrary, had the rich Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 1 1 1 rich man confidered himfelf as the fteward of his God, and had he followed our Saviour's advice, making himfelf friends of the mam- mon of unrighteoufnefs, had he, like Job^ been eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, a father to the fatherlefs and a hufband to the widow : had he by works of this kind fliewed love to God and love to his neighbour — his riches, fo far from an impediment to his fal- vation, had been a great means to increafe his felicity, and angels inftead of devils had carried his foul into the bofom oi Abraham^ and not into the place of everlafling tor- ments. Be it ours therefore, as men defirous to fe- cure eternal life, to improve by either ex- ample : and if in a poor and afflided ftate, let us learn with Lazarus chcarfully to fub- mit and fay, // is the Lord, let htm do what feemeth him good ! Our mifery cannot be greater than that of miferable Lazarus ! He wanted even a crum to fnpport him from pe- rilling— and yet his hunger tho' thus fevere, was but the leaft fevere of his fufierings— He was almofl: naked and expofed to. all the in- clemencies of the air, and not only naked but full of dreadful (ores and ukers, pitiful to the fight and afflidiing to the eye of every be- holder. Even the do^s licked his fores : and were 112 On the V AV. AB h E were almoft ready to devour his fcarce breath- ing corfe : the voice of mirth and happinefs founded from the rich man's dwelling in his wretched ears, and he faw the joys of others^ which he was not permitted to (hare — yet for all this we find he approved himfelf in the fight of God by his patience and long-fuf- fering: without murmuring, without difcon- tent he filently fubmitted to his hard lot, and waited the good pleafure of his God ! After his example, we muft learn to fuftain our fouls amidft all their forrows with the com- fortable refledions, that thefe will fpeedily have an end, but that the joys which we hope to receive, are eternal, are unfading ! And let us never forget the example which we have in our bleflid Mafter, who hath fanfti- fied a poor and afflided ftate to all his fer- vants : tho* he were rich, yet for our Jakes he became poor, that we thro' his poverty might be made rich I He endured all the extremities of need — all the contempt which a poor man muft bear from the frowns of infolent office — nay, and to complete the pattern, he became obe- dient even unto death, to (hew us, that how great foever our fufi^erings and forrows here may be, he out of love, pure love to us, en- dared much more, and hath promifed eter- nal life to thofe who fuifer with him ! 2 But Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 113 But hath God dealt more liberally with us? are we bleft with an abundance of this world's good ? — let us labour to improve this flate alfo to our fouls eternal welfare ; for which pur- pofe let us be continually thankful to God for the dirtinguiilied blelTings wherevyith he hath favoured us above many, far more deferving : and with humble love to him and to all man- kind, let us labour in a fpirit of humility and benevolence to extend an helping hand to all within our reach. Above all let us be par- ticularly careful, not to abafe our fortune either to the ends of luxury, fumptuous liv- ing, extravagance or debauchery — to the pam- pering of the fleih in finful lujft and appetites —and on the other hand, let us be as careful to avoid niggard covetoufnefs, and an infa- mous hoarding of riches which will not pro- cure us one drop of water to cool the tip of our tongue in hell torments! — A er a mo- derate and competent fupply for families and children, let us never fail to communicate with thofe in neceffity and need : and as the beft way to obtain from God that bleffing of an open liberal heart, let us attend uoon his fervices, and pray continually for his love ! If we love God, we cannot but love our bro- ther alfo ! And we cannot but love God, if we recoiled:, that he is our Father, that 'he Vol. IV. I hath 114 On the P A K A B L E, &c. hath given us all things richly to enjoy, and beftowed his favours upon us with a Hberal hand — that he hath conftantly preferved us from a thoufand evils — and to crown all, hath given his Son, — fo rich, fo ineftimably rich is his love to man, — to die for our purchafe, and to redeem the eternal inheritance for us. And when moreover you reflect upon that inheritance which all the faithful fhall en- joy, the glories of which, eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive, — you cannot fail to be liberal in difpeniing abroad the good things of this life, all of which are fo very poor and mean in comparifon of that ineili- mable treafurc. How^ever elegant your houfes here, however fpacious your domains, how- ever great your wealth, how^ever abundant your felicity : truth it is a day v/ill come when you muft leave them all behind ! And as the foul once loft in eternal mifery can never be refcued from thence, the great gulf be- in^ for ever fixed — So, when once poffeffed of the eternal Joy, no time nor accident can •ever rob us of it ; — no alteration fhall thence- forth ever more fucceed 3 one everlafting day, one everlafting fcene of happinefs with God, with Ckrij}, and all the glorified fhall p-jad our jovfu! fouls for ever,Gf^. Which, &c. D I S- DISCOURSE XIII. On the PARABLE Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. PART 11. St. Luke xvi. 25, 26. But Abraham faid^ Son, remember, that thou in thy life- time received/i thy good thi?2gs, and likewifc Lazarus evil things, but now he is co7nforted, and thou art tormented. And be fides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed ; fo that they which would pafs from hence to you, cannot ; neither can they pafs to us, that would come from thence. )^)^)§C)^M N my former fermon on this pa- 0 * S rable, I propofed to conlider, ift> M M the different conditions of the rich )^MMX^M and poor man in the prefcnt date—' 2d, Their different conditions in a future I 2 ftatc ii6 OntBe? A R A B L E itate ■ and 3dly, The converfation whlcfi pafTed between Abraham and the rich man. Hid. We have feen, in confidering the two- firft particulars, that nothing could be more different than their fortunes in either ftate. On this fide the grave the rich man Hved in the full fruition of every pleafure ; the poor man under the oppreffion of every mifery. In the other ftate the tables are turned ; the rich man finks into the deepeft woe, and makes his bed in hell : the poor man rifes to the height of blifs, and is received into the bofom of Abraham. The caufe of a change fo affedingly great, muft needs deferve our attention, and excite our curiofity : and in the converfation which pafTed between Abraham and the rich man, the Ift Thing we are made acquainted with is the caufe of this change. The rich man being in torments in the flames of hell, and feeing Lazarus in the bo- fom of Abraham, cried with an exceeding bitter cry and requefted the patriarch only to fend Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue : for lam tormented^ faid he, in this flame. And alas how poor a relief, could he have obtained it, would one drop of cold water have been to a miferable creature Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 117 creature fo horribly tormented ! but not even one drop of cold water — oh hear and confider it ye that forget God — ye that love pleafure, or profit and the v^orld, better than God — not even one fingle drop of cold water, not the leaft, the very leaft fliadow of comfort can ever be obtained when the pit once clofeth its mouth, and the irrevocable decree is for ever paft ! For Abraham faid, S071 — you fee Abraham doth not revile or reproach even a damn*d fpirit in hell. He gives him good language. A leflbn for us never to let railing dwell on our tongues in any difpute, or on any occa- fion. Reviling becomes not the mouth of Chriftians : indeed true faints can never ufe it : and if even Michael the archangel, when con- tending with the devil durft not bring a railing accufation, how fhall we dare, in any difputes with the imjiijt, much lefs with thtju/i^ to ufe words of contempt and reproach ? — Probably our Saviour put this word Jon into the mouth of Abraham to confute an abfurd, but pre- vailing notion of the Jews, that " Abraham fits at the gates of hell, and prevents all his defcendants from entring in thither." This parable abundantly confuted that opinion : for Abraham acknowledges the rich man his fon^ after the flefh ; and yet he adds, Remember I 3 that n8 On the PARABLE that thou hi thy life time receivedji thy good things t and likewife Lazarus, evil things : but now he is comforted^ and thou art tormented. And befides all this^ between us and you there is a great gulf fixed ^ fo that they who would pajs- from hence to you^ cannot : neither can they pafs to tis^ that would come from thence. In which words our Saviour acquaints us firft with the caufe of the rich man s torment, and the poor man's comfort, and fecondly, with the everlafting, unchangeable flate and dura- tion of each. For the firft, Son^ faid he, remember^ that thou in thy life-time receivedft thy good things — elegant cloathing, fumptuous fare, conftant good-living, joys and pleafure, the full indul- gence of thy lufts and paffions ; but Lazarus evil things : poverty and hunger, ficknefs and forrows, contempt and anguifh, mifery and nakednefs : but now he is comforted^ he who had no houfe to hide his head, now is a free citizen, and bleft inhabitant of Heaven : im- rnortal joys and everlafting love refrefh his foul, who lately wanted the crumbs from thy table : glory is his fplendid robe for ever, health and gladnefs attend him always, who was covered only with fores and ulcers upon earth ; ^^nd he is delighted with the fweet fo- Qety of God, of ^ngels, and of all the faints, whom Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 1 1 9 whom no man regarded upon earth, whofe fores the dogs lick'd, more compaffionate than thou^ who now art tormented: and inftead of thy fine purple, art inverted with a robe of fiery flame : inftead of fumptuous fare art fed with bitter tears, and gnaw'd continually by a condemning confcience : inftead of thy paft elegancies and comforts, nothing but torment and anguifli furrounds thee : inftead of thy friends and pleafant companions, upbraiding devils alone attend thee : thou art tormented, and he is comforted : and remember the juft re- V€rfe, thou received/} thy good things on earth : La2:arus received evil. What then may it be aftced, is it fufficient to every ones damnation, that they have re- ceived their good things on earth ? — God for- bid ! For, as I obferved in the former dif- courfe, it is not either ftate, poverty or riches, thatj in themfelves, fave or ruin the foul : but it is the right or wro?ig ufe of either ftate. When a man receives the good things of this hfe, fo as to chufe and accept them as his Good: when his heart is taken up by them, and he is fo intent on the enjoyment of them as to forget his duty to God, and to man : when he makes his riches the inftruments of pride, luxury and uncharitablenefs — of impiety to- wards God, and inhumanity towards his fel- I 4 low lao On the V ^ R A B L E low creatures : — 7hen be fo receives his good things here, as to give up all right to the good things hereafter, and having been comforted by the enjoyment of earthly goods, will eternally be tormented by the iufFering of future evil. *^ For, as an able writer * well obferves, our Saviour -s principal view in this difcourfe, moft evidently was, to warn men of the dan^ ger of that worldly-mindednefs^ negledl of reli^ gion and intenfenefs upon pleafure, and proifit, which is not fo much any one vice as it is the foundation of all vices. It is that which makes man regard lefs of futurity, and not to have God in all their thoughts. It is that deceit-? fulnefs of riches, ambition and voluptuoufnefs, and the care of things temporal, that flifle all notions of religion, choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. It is that temper which expofes a man to every temptation, and makes him ready to facrifice the inter efls of truth and virtue, v^henever it comes in competition with the good things of tnis life, on which his heart is entirely fet.'* A temper and life of this kind is direftly contrary to what the fpirit of the gofpel re- quires : for how can a man — who lives in fuch a lenfual worldly round, in the gratifica- tion of all his paffions, and intent only on the objedts ^- C, Clarh m a ferpion on this parable. Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 121 objefts of fenfe — either truly believe y whea fatth leads us from the love of things that are feen, to the love of things that are not feen ? Or truly repent^ when he has not leifiir< enough to think of his fins, nay, is too happy to fup- pofe himfelf a finner, and has not the leaft diftant intention ever to change or leave this carnal courfe ? How can fuch a one love God, when his God is his belly, his money, or his luft ? How can he love the word of God^ fince in it his vices are daily reproved, and the awfur threatnings denounc'd on finners muft be grievous to his ears ? Or, how can he love his neighbour or fhew that mercy, which God pre** fers to facrifice, when he will not even grant a poor fufferer the crumbs from his table ? In truth hard-heartednefs to the poor is of itfelf a damning fin : for all our duty is included in love to God and love to man : and uncharitable- nefs is the want of both thefe : it is at once impiety^ and inhumanity : a man cannot be un- merciful, but he muft fin againft God and a- gainft his neighbour. And now if a worldly carnal courfe, prevent a man from true faith, repentance, love to God, to man, and the word 3 who can wonder that fuch a one pe-- riilies eternally, and the' comforted on earth, is tormented in hell ? But JZ2 Of2 the PAR ABLE But moreover, if we confider a little, what it is that the gofpel immediately requires of all, who defire falvation, we iliall fee, ftill more dearly, how contrary a life of this fort is to the fpirit of the gofpel. The great and ftanding leflbn of the gofpel is, Ferily verily, except a ma7i de?iy himfelf^ take up his crojs daily, and Jollow tht meek, the lowly, fufFering Jejus^ be cannot be his difciple. Now how can a man, that like Dives fares fumptuoufly every day, ftnd every day indulges his fenfual appetites in full delight ', how can he have any pretenfion to be a difciple of Chriji ; who fo far from denying, indulges himfelf every day : who io far from taking up his crofs, and mortifying all his finful appetites, gives them their full fwing, and feeds them with all his power ? Who, fo f^LV ii'om following ChriJi, lives in the utmoft contrariety to his precepts and examples, a ftranger to that humility, meeknefs, and temperance, fobriety and chaflity, v/ithout which no man can be Chriji'^ difciple. For the grace of God hath appeared u?2to all men^ faith St. Paul^ teaching us that denying ungcd- linefs, and worldly lufts, we Jhould live fiber ly, righteoujly, and godly in this prefent world, — . It is but too evident from a view of the world, and the manners of men, xhitiho good things of this life, either the anxious fearch after thern, Of the Rich Man and Lazarus. 123 them, or the full enjoyment of them, are com- monly, too commonly attended with the neg- ledt of fome one or other, if not all thefe three cardinal \\vii\^^y fobnet)\jufiice, 2indL piety. Rich felf-indulgents know nothing of true evangelical Jobriety : eager fearchers after wealth, commonly negledl jujlice^ at leaft it is faid, that a covetous man can fcarcely be ho- neft : and both are ftrangers to true piety : for not God, but the world, and its pleafures have polfeffion of their hearts ; and to what- ever we give our hearts^ that we make our Cod. It may fuffice therefore to fay, to prove this Rich Man's condemnation juft, and to fliew that the like caufes will produce the like ef- fed:s \ — that whenever men fo receive their good things in this world, — be they of what kind foever they will, riches, pleafures, pro- fits as to forget God and the poor : as to forget felf-denial, mortification and obedience: as to forget the war they muft be at with their lufts and paiTions : as to forget the neceiiity of living fober/y, righteoufly, and godly: — when- ever men fo receive their good things, as bv their means to forget thefe important duties, and to with- hold their hearts from heaven : — then as certainly will it be faid to them, in a future day, as it was faid to the rich inan, fon. 124 0/2 //5^ P A R A B L E Son, remember that thou in thy life-time re- ceivedft thy good things and now thou art tormented, infuflferably tormented with evil things in this flame/' It is faid of Lazarus alfo, that he received his evil things and therefore 'was comforted: upon which we muft neceffarily conclude, as was before obferved, that he made a due ufe of thefe evil things^ receiving them with humble faith and lowly refignation to his hea- venly Father's will, and waiting with holy confidence for a happy dehverance, and a bleffed entrance into the kingdom of peace. For fuch a difpofition only can render poverty and afflictions profitable to the foul, which do not by any means, in themfclves, qualify for heaven. It is a melancholy but too fure a truth, that there are many who have their evil things here, as well as hereafter: fince the abandon'd difpofitions and evil lives of too many in poverty utterly difqualify them, for the bofom of Abraham, This is indeed a wretched cafe : and the poor and afilided ihould well confider it : that they may not by murmuring, difcontent, and ill conduct in their ftation, be utterly deprived of good things always \ but for their torments and fufiferings here receive thro' patience, faith, and refigna- tion. Of the Rich Man and LazaruS. 1 25 tlon, the everlafting comforts of their God hereafter. It muft be confefTcd, that much grace and ftrong faith is requifite to fupport all the ex- tremities of poverty and diftrefs, with chear- fulnefs and refignation, and to fee a foul, in fuch a ftate as that of Lazarus^ without any of the comforts, with all the afflidlions of this world — Hill confiding in God, ftill hop- ing in his promifes, flill fervent in his love> ftill refigned to his will ; is a fight highly de- ferving admiration : and however defpicable in the eyes of the great and mighty of this world, more pleafing in the eyes of the great and almighty Lord of heaven and earth than all the grandeur and pageantry of earthly greatnefs *! — Happy are the poor, who thus ufe their poverty and diftrefs ; and to encou- rage and perfuade them to chearful acquief- cence in the divine good pleafure, they fliould remember, that if they have not the comforts, they have not the allurements of riches, to captivate and endanger their fouls : and are * What Seneca fays oi Cato^ may with Infinitely more truth and propriety be applied to a fuffering Chrijlian. Ecce fpe£laculum dlgnum^ ad quod refpiciat^ intentus operi fuo^ Deus ! Ecce par Deo dignum^ vir fortis cum mala fortund compofttus ! Non video^ iJiquam^ quid habcat in t err is Jupiter pukhrius fi convertere am?mm velit, quam ut fpeSfet Catonem^ jampartibus non femelfraSfisy nibilorninus inter ruinas piihlicas ereSfum, Sen. de Divin. Provid. there- t26 On fheV A R A h L ^ therefore, in much mercy denied them by their heavenly Father, that they might efcape the great temptations of worldly wealth to fin ; and that having received their evil things here, they might receive their good things in the everlajti72g kingdom. 2. For the comforts^ as well as the torments of the future ftate are everJafiing^ as the words of Abraham^ 2dly, inform us. Bejidesall this, between us and you ^ there is a great gulf fixe d^ fo that they which would pa fs from hence to you^ cannot j neither can they pafs to us^ that would come from thence, — The paffage is for ever clofed : the great gulf is for ever fixed : and art thou happy or art thou miferable in a fu- ture ftate : each is unchangeable, each, oh folemn thought ! — each is eternal ! It is fome damp, to the greateft earthly fe- licity, that an end muft come, and the re- fledion, that death fpeedily will demand his due, muft bring a black cloud over the bright- eft worldly funihine. But in the joys to come this fear will be done away : and the certainty that our happinefs fiiall never have an end, will perfect our blifs, and heighten every enjoyment ! It is fome comfort to the afflidted fufferer upon earth, to the poor, the fick, the needy and opprefTed 3 that time will at length put 2 a Of the Rich Man and Lazarus, it a period to all their woes : and that place re- ceive them, where the wicked ceafe from troubling, and where the weary be at reft. But this comfort will be denied to all in hell : nay, the dread refledtion that the exquifite torment they endure, will never have an end, that they muft fufFer from everlafting to ever- lafting, ftill no nearer a refpite than at firft, will augment the anguilli of their defpair, and wrack their tortured fpirits with unfpeak- able diftradion ! — The dire refledlions that there will rend the heart on the fenfe of their paft folly and negledt of grace, of their lofs of heaven, of God, of J fits, and of blefied- nefs for ever ; the extreme tortures of body which they will fuffer, more tormenting than all the acuteft difeafes joined together in one : the piercing ftings of confcience for their paft fins, which like burning goads will never fuiFer them to reft — the horrid blacknefs and darknefs of the infernal pit dreadfully enlight- ened only by the fierce glare of the fulphu- reous flames : the fhocking noife of conftant weeping and wailing and gnafliing the teeth, joined to the continual upbraidings and in- fults of devils and damned fpirits — all thefe horrors of hell, tho' great and diflrading be- yond the utmoil power of human imagination — all thefe horrors will be but trifling in com- parifon 128 O;/ /^^ P A R A B L E parifoii of the tormenting remembrance of their eternity — ^" If thou once come there, faith one*, and there mod certainly thou muft be this nighty if thou dieft this day in thy finful, carnal ftate, — fo terribly will the confideration of eternity torture thee, that thou wouldeft hold thyfelf a right happy man, if thou mighteft endure thofe horrible pains, and extremeft horrors, no more mil- lions of years, than there be fands upon the fea fhore, hairs on thy head, or ftars in the firmament 1 For thou wouldeft ftill comfort thyfelf incredibly with this thought, My mi-- fery will once have an end I But alas this word never will rend thy heart in pieces with much rage and hideous roaring : and give ftill neW life to thofe infufFerable forrows which infi- nitely exceed all expreflion or imagination. Let us fuppofe this great body of earth upon which we tread, to be turned into fand and mountains of fand to be added ftill, until they reach unto the empyrean heaven, fo that this mighty creation were nothing but a fandy mountain : let us then further imagine a little wren to come but everv hundred thoufandth year and carry away but the tenth part of one grain of that immeafurable heap of fand: what an innumerable number of years would * BoltoHy in his four laft things. ^ be Of the Rich Man a?id Lazarus. 129 be fpent, before that world of fand were all fo fetcht away ? And yet, wo and alas that ever thou waft born — when thou poor finner, haft been fo many years in that fiery lake, as all they would amount to, thou art no nearer coming out, than the very firft hour thou en- teredft in ! Now fuppofe that thou fliouldeft lie but one night grievoufly afflifted with a raging fit of the ftone, cholic, ftrangury, tooth-ach, Qfr. tho' thou hadft to help and eafe thee a foft bed to lie on, friends about thee to comfort thee ; phyficians to cure thee : all cordial and com- fortable things to affuage thy pain, yet how tedious and painful, how terrible and into- lerable would that night feem unto thee ? How wouldft thou tofs and turn from one fide to another, counting the clock, telling the hours, efteeming every minute a months and thy prefent mifery matchlefs and infup- portable ? what will it be then (thinkeft thou) to lie in fire and brimftone, kept up in the higheft flame, by the unquenchable wrath of God for ever and ever! where thou flialt have nothing about thee but darknefs and horror, wailing and wringing of hands, defperate yellings and gnailiings of teeth ; thine old companions in fin to curfe thee with much bit- ternefs and rage, even thofe who fat at thy Vol. IV. N0.14. K table 130 On tie PARABLE table and fliared thy fumptuous fare, mad mirth, foolidi riot, drunkennefs and intem- perance, all thy old partners in iniquity : — oh the refledion on thy many, jovial, pleafant nights will then be horrible indeed : while wicked devils join to infult over thee with helliih cruelty and fcorn : the flame that fhall never be quenched, and the worm that never dieth, feeding upon thy foul and body, world without end 1" Since it is thus then that upon the little Inch of time in this life depends the length and breadth, the height and depth of im- mortality in the world to come, even two eternities, the one infinitely accurfed, the o- ther infinitely comfortable, lofs of everlafting joys, and lying in eternal flames : — fince never ending pleafures or pains do unavoidably fol- low the well or mif-fpending of this fhort moment upon earth : with what unwearied care and watchfulnefs ought we to attend that one thing neceffary all the days of our ap- pointed time, till our change fliall come ? How ought we as ftrangers and pilgrims to abftaln from fleflily lufts ? what manner of perfons ought we to be in all holy converfa- tion and godlinefs ? how thriftily and induf- trioufly ought we to hulband the poor remain- der of our few and evil days for the making our 0/ the Rich Man ^W Lazarus. 131 our calling and election fure ? In a word> with what refolution, to do and fuffer any thing for "Jefus Chriji ? with what induftry and care to ply this moment and prize that eternity ? Oh think, what would wrethed Dives give for the enjoyment of fuch a moment, for the enjoyment of fuch an opportunity, as you now all enjoy of reconciling yourfelves to God, and efcaping that place of torment ! — But alas his day of grace was over : yet ob- ferve tho' he found it impoffible to procure any relief for himfelf, tho' now too late he difcerned his paft folly ; yet even he — yet even a damned fpirit fl:iewed a concern for his re- lations fouls, an earneft defire that thev mipht not fuffer with him. And fhall we be out- done in concern for our own fouls by a con- demned fpirit in hell ? in concern for each other's, in concern for our relations fouls ? fhall we be lefs anxious than fuch a one to prevent them, to prevent ourfelves from com- ing into that place of torment — For once let us learn wifdom from the mouth of one fpeak- ing to us from the infernal pit. ^heji he faid, I pray thee therefore^ father that thou wouldejl jend him to my father s koiife ; fori have jive brethren :-^{o it appears, (as many have obferved) that this rich man was K 2 fingle, 13^ O;? /& P A R A B L E fingle, and had no children to provide for, which is but with too many a ftrong plea for covetoufnefs, and for fcraping together vaft fums of money, which the wafteful idle heir generally fquanders away, fafter than themif- taken father got it : but the rich man in the parable, had not even this to urge in plea for his uncharitablenefs : he was like many of our modern fine gentlemen, too genteel to marry : and living a life of excefs and debau- chery, gave his brethren an opportunity to enjoy his fortune the fooner, and do the fame: — for I have Jive brethren^ faid he, who live the fame thoughtlefs, fenfual, felf-in- dulging lives that I lived : oh fend him, that he may tejlify unto them, that he may witnefs my mifery, his happinefs, and the importance of futurity : and warn them to repent and turn to God : left they alfo come into this dire -place of torment ! Oh wretched Dives^ now too late thou per- celveil thy folly ! whence was it that thou didft not confider thefe great truths before : and prepare an everlafting habitation for thy foul, by a due ufe of thy riches, by benevo- ience and charity, by faithfully difcharging thy flewardfhip ! — Thou didft not believe it 't7^uey that fuch torments were referved for the ungodly ! — i\nd how many even in a brighter day, Of the Rich Man andlu2iZ2LVVi^, 133 day, even under Gofpel funfhine, either dif- believe, or live as if they difbelieved thefe truths ? and confirm abundantly Abraham'^ words, that //men believe not Mofes and the prophets^ neither will they be perfuaded^ tho one r of e from the dead. My brethren, put your own hearts to the trial : do you really believe this awful repre- fentation of future things, which we have been confidering, and which is given us by him, who is ordainedyW^^ oi quick and dead? Do you really believe^ that lives of fin and vo- luptuoufnefs, worldly-mindednefs, love of pleafure, profit, luft : — that thefe will affur- edly bring the foul to that place of torment, where a drop of water is not to be had ? If you do believe this, what madnefs, what exceedingly ftrange madnefs is it to continue one moment in fuch lives, and to have lefs regard for your own mod precious fouls, than a damned fpirit for the fouls of his relations ? — But if you believe it not, what, think you, would perfuade you of the truth ? would it convince you, were the requeft of the rich man on behalf of his brother, granted to you? and did one come from the dead to teflify to you thefe dreadful truths. Do not miflake the matter — the Jews pretended, they would have believed, if Chri/l had come down from K 3 the 134 0;2 /feP ARABLE the crofs : if you believe not upon the abun- dant evidence already given, fufficient to con- vince any reafonable thinking man, whofe eyes are not put out^ by v^orldly lufts and de- fires, — neither would you be perfuaded, tho' one rofe from the dead to convince you. A- braham affures Dives of this, even when the proofs of a future ftate of rewards and pu- nifhments, tho' indifputable, yet w^ere far lefs clear and evident, than they are now that Cbrijl hath brought life and immortality to light thro' the G of pel, They have Mofes and the prophets y faid Abra- ham : let them hear them. And hefaid^ earneft for his brothers falvation (oh that vv^e were all no lefs earneft with the divine intercefTor for our own and the falvation of all our friends and kindred!) Nay^ jather Abraham ^ but if cne ivent unto them from the deady they will repent. And he faid unto hi?n. If they hear not Mofes and the prophets ^ neither will they be per^ fuaded tho' one rofe from the dead, " For the dead, faith St Chryfofiomy are fervants : but what the facred Scriptures fay, the Lord Mihi fo that if one ihould arife from the dead, or an angel defcend from heaven, the Scriptures are yet more worthy of credit than they all, as being inftituted by the Lord of Angels/' Bifhop Of the "Rich Man and Lazarus. 135 Bifliop Atterbury * on this text, has proved with great ftrength of reafoning and argu- ment, that to fuch as will not be convinced by an external revelation, the appearance of a fpirit from the other world would be utterly infufficient and unavailing. — But abftradl rea- fonings are in fuch cafes by no means fo con- clufive as fadts, nor io obvious to the general apprehenfion : and fads we have to prove un- deniably the truth of what Aby^aham afferted, that thofe who will not hear '^ Mofes and the prophets,'* that thofe who will not be con- vinced by a ftanding revelation, will not be perfuaded, tho' one rofe from the dead. * See vol. 2. p. 39. of his Sermons. Heobferves, p. 49, that the dodrine of the text may be more fully repre- fented after this manner : " That where men have been brought up in the firm behef of a divine revelation, and have afterwards fhaken it off, have reafoned themfelves not only into a difbelief, but a contempt of it, and given themfelves up to commit iniquity with greedinefs : in fuch a cafe the {landing, ordinary means of convicStion failing to influence them, it is not to be expe£fed, that any extra- ordinary means of what kind foever, fhould be able to do it : no, not tho' one fhould come from the dead, on pur- pofe to warn them of their danger. For however fuch a meflage might flartle and amaze them at the firfl-, might for a while put new thoughts, new refolutions into them ; yet it would work no total change : they who were abfo- lute infidels, before fuch a mefTage, would, in all proba- bility, continue infidels after it." See the whole Dif- courfe. See alfo Ab}).T/7/ very light will all the fuiferings of time be, to the exquilite joys and pleafures of eter- nity ! Both now are in our own power : we have it in our choice, whether like Dives to be tormented in that flame ; or with Lazarus to be comforted in that paradife. And can it be poflible that we fliould hefitate one mo- ment in our choice ? Oh if your hearts are yet unmoved, if your refolutions are yet un- fixed, dearly beloved, let me once more in- treat you to turn your ferious thoughts upon the Of the Rich Man and Lazarus, ijj^ the two great objects in this parable, the poor man in paradife ; the rich man on a bed of flame ! And when you die, to one of thefe ftates mud you infallibly be configned : and death is approaching : time is on the wing : every moment brings it nearer and nearer : eternity is opening on all our views : and the moment death approaches, either angels, blef- fed angels will bear your foul lo blifs, or devils and damned fpirits hurry you to the infernal pit ! Oh horrible to think ! and can we ne- gledl a preparation for fo awful a change ! a change which we fee can never end, and to which, we are affured, a carnal, carelefs, worldly courfe mufl inevitably bring us, And fearch in ferious thought, not now only, but in your clofet, afk yourfelf, as in the fight of God— What flate am I in ? — Should God this night demand my foul, as perchance he may, as foon he will — fliould he call me hence, would angels receive and carry it into his bofom ; or, — oh fad, but fure alternative, would devils receive and carry it into the flam- ing pit ? Oh my brethren, this is fo important a con- fideration, that all befides feems lefs than no- thing in comparifon of it : for fliould we lofe our fouls, {hould we be in this miferable rich man's cafe : what would it profit us more than 'I40 On the PARABLE than him, that here we have been cloathed with purple, and fared fumptuoufly every day ? Let us then poftpone every thought for this, and labour to fecure a happy eternity. — And to conclude : whether in a high or a low ftate, letus fincerely examine our own hearts. If in the former, thus let us a{k: — As bleft with this world's goods, fay, oh my foul, am I thank- ful to my God, — and do I labour to live godl)\ foberfyy and right eoiijly ? Is not my heart fet on thefe prefent good things, and fadly with- drawn from my maker : do I not negledl my duty to him^ who hath given me all things richly to enjoy ; my duty to my Creator, Pre- ferver, and Redeemer, my God, my Father> and my all ?^ Am I not remifs in prayer, in attending his public worfhip ; in the ufe of his bleffed facrament ? Am I not fadly un- grateful to him, by neglefting thefe and the other means of grace ? — Am I not proud and puffed up with my worldly advantages ? Am I temperate and moderate in the ufe of all the good things lent me of my God ? Do I deny my finful lufts and appetites ; not feed and in- dulge them ? faring fumptuoufly every day, and refufing even the crums from my table, the fparings of my feafts, to the poor Lazarus's in my neighbourhood ? Am I not extrava- gant in procuring dainties, delicacies, and wines Of the Rich Man and Lazarus; 141 wines for myfelf, iparing no coft, but fparing in my fupplies to the afflidled, and very hard- hearted to the fons of forrow and diftrefs ? — Do I adl as becometh a fteward, who muft one day give an account ? Am I willing to diftribute, ready to communicate, and free from hard-hear tednefs and injuftice to my meaner and fuiffering brethren ? BlefTed are they who can anfwer thefe queftions to their foul's content : and by God's grace and our own endeavours they may eafily be an- fwered : fuch fhall enter into the joy of their Lord, and be carried when they die into Abra-- ham\ bofom. But if in a poor and fuffering fiate afk your own hearts, Do you receive it with thankfulnefs as far beft for you, and as the will of the all-wife God towards you ? Do you patiently endure your afiflidtions : humbly refigning to God's good pleafure, and have you learnt with Paiil^ in whatever ftate you are therewith to be content ?• -Do you not murmur at God's providence, and the out- ward feeming worldly happinefs of the great and wealthy ? Do yo not repine at your pre- fent evils ; and do you fcek God in Chrift^ as your only friend, and attend him conftantly in prayer, the church, the facrament, and all the appointed means ? Doth your poverty * not I4a 0/ /h P A R A B L E not lead you to fin againft your neighbour, to Ileal, and forget God ; to commit any flagrant offences, and fo put yourfelves from under his protection ? In (hort, is your well-grounded hope in heaven, and doth your faith and life give you a good and reafonable affurance, that your hope will not be in vain ? — If fo, — happy are you -, when God is pleafed to fet you free from your miferies here, like Lazarus y {hall you be carried, the moment you die, into Abraha?n's bofom, and fo fhall you be ever with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another ivith theje words, — And may the God of com- fort give us all in Chrift Jefus^ bowels of com- paffion and mercy, long-fuffering and meek- nefs, humility and patience, and fo confirm our faith, eftabliih our hope, and enflame our love — that we may all live in the happy, peaceful expeclation of his mercies here, and fpeedily be removed to the full fruition of thofe mercies and pleafures at his right hand for evermore. Amen. D I S DISCOURSE XIV, On the P A R A B L E Of the Two Sons. St. Matthew xxi. 28 32. But ns)hat think you ? A certain man had two JonSy and he came to the jirfi and faid^ Son^ go, work to-day in my vineyard. He anfwered and [aid, I will not : but after- ward he repented, and went. — And he came to the Jecond and f aid likewife. And he an- Jwered and [aid, I go^ fir : and went not. Whether of the?n twain did the will of his fa- ther ? Jhcy fay unto hitn, Thefrji : — Jefus faith unto them. Verily, I fay unto you, that, the publicans and harlots go into the kijigdoni of God before you. — For John came unto you in the way of right eoufnefs and ye believed hi^n m not : 144 On f/je P A K A B L E not : but the public am and the harlots believed him. And ye when ye hadfeen ity repented not afterward^ that ye might believe him. ?<^)^¥^'^Mongft the many other wife rea- Q A B fons, why the bleffed redeemer 5j( y^ open'd his mouth in parables, one k.^)lK){(j}( was that he might, by this means, refute and convince his adverfaries even out of their own mouths ; for when he had gained an anfwer to his parable^ he then ful- ly applied it to them : and fo made them their own accufers. This we fee particularly in the prefent parable : and alfo in the next to it ; concerning which we read in the 45th ver. that when the chief priefts and pharifees had heard his parables they perceived^ that he fpake of them — Jefus found that they would evade plain queftions, and give him no pofitive reply : and that not thro' ig7iorance^ but perverfenefs : He endeavoured therefore to convince them by other means. They came to him with a plain qiiejiion^ tho* de- monftrative of their blindnefs, after the won- derful work he had done, of driving the buyers and fellers out of the temple — T^ell us, fay they, by vjhat authority thou dojl theje thitigs^ and who gave thee this authority. Jefus replied, that as they had afked him a queftion, he would Of the Two Sons. I45 ^ould alfo afk them one — which if ye tell me^ faid he, / will alfo tell you by what authority 1 do thefe things. And his queftion was this, The baptifm ^ John whence was it, from hea^ *uen or of men ? Upon this queftion, which was incumber'd with mighty difficuhies for them, we find they reafoncd much amongft themfelves — not willing to eonfefs Jolm a pro- phet, tho' he was univerfally held and e- fteem'd as fuch, fince they knew Jefus wou'd upbraid them with their unbelief — and yet being afraid to deny that he was a prophet, and his baptifm from heaven, as they fear'd the people — and they loved the praife of men more than the praife of God — Where- fore upon due deliberation, thefe worldly- wife and earthly-prudent priefts and elders thought it beft to fpeak moderately ; they hefi^ tatingly declare, that in truth they could not tell. Neither then tell 1 you, faid Jefus, by what authority I do thefe things : But what think you, faid he ? if you will not anfwer a plain queftion, hear a parable, and this our lord delivered fully to confute and convince them, when plain fpeeches, and a dired: ap- plication to their confciences were, by the flfield of hyprocrify, and worldly wifdom, wholly warded off. A certain man had two fons, and coming to the firf, it is not faid, whether elder or Vol. IV. L youngei 146 On the PARABLE younger *, but Jfixft coming to one of his fon^y he faid, Son, go, work to day in my vineyard. But he, an ungracious youth, very roughly an- fwer'd the kind command of his father, and without any preface, or any appellation of re- fped faid only, /W// not: but afterwards refledt- ipg on the impropriety and indecency of fuch behaviour to his father, he came to a better mind, repented of what he had done, and went to work in the vineyard — After the fa- ther had met with fo ill a reply from the former fon, he comes to the fecond, and faid in like manner. Son, go, work to-day in my vineyard. This was a very fmooth-tongu'd, fair-fpoken youth ; and he anfwer'd and faid, with the utmoft compliance and readinefs > 1 gOy fir, I, Sir — Ey« Kup/s — as much as to fay, " I am there already, in an inftant, I fly to obey your commands — '' yet fpite of all this feeming obedience, it was in lip only ^ for he went not into the vineyard, as he had been thus forward to promife. And now, faid our Saviour, whether of thele two fons. did the will of his father ? the priefts and pharifees, tho' they would not reply to the plain queftion concerning John'^ baptifm— very readily reply to this, becaufe they did not fee its dired aimjat them- felves Of the Two Sons. 247 felves f. They faid to him therefore ; the firjt i doubtlefs the firft did the will oj his fa^ ther. Then faith Jefus unto them, thus you con- demn yourfelves, for to you is this parable fpoken : For verily I fay unto you that the publicans and the harlots, whom the firft Ion reprefents, go into the kingdom of God be- fore you— P'or "John came unto you in the way of righteoufnefs, and ye believed him not, nor entered into your father's vineyard, tho' like the 2d fon you are fair promifers 5 but the publicans and harlots believed him, repented of their former difobedience and en- tered into the vineyard. Nay and when ye faw this, neither did ye repent afterwardSf that ye might believe him. The great and main points of doftrine to be deduced from this parable are, ift, That hypocritical outward profefTors are not in fo likely a way to receive the kingdom of God even as open and profeft finners. Ildly, That neither of them can receive it, unlefs they enter into the vineyard, and do the works of him that fent them. And Illdly, That grace is not irrefiftible 5 but it is in the power of man to receive or refufe it. t See Theophylaif on the place. L a 14S On the T? ^R A BL E I v/ill firft give you a general expofition of the parable, and tfien fpeak as briefly as may be to each of thefe particulars. By the man^ who had two fo?2s, is'fneantGod the great fa- ther of all mankind — who hath created, pre- fer ved, redeemed y and will give an everlafting inheritance to all his obedient children : By his coming forth and calling his fons into the vineyard, is meant all his gracious calls to re- pentance and faith, but more efpecially the great Gofpel call : By the vineyard is meant the church of God, militant here, trium- phant in heaven. By the isNofons are meant all mankind in general, who are, tho' in dif- ferent ways, finners and difobedient before God : but by the^r/?, more particularly the openly difobedient and afterwards penitent Jinners are meant \ by the fecond^ the fecretly difobedient and outwardly righteous finners. Many fuppofe that in thefe two fons are fi- gured out to us the two people of the "Jews and Gentiles : the latter of whom at firft re- fufed to hear and obey, but on the preaching of the Gofpel, readily entered into the vine- yard : while the former, being the profefling fons of God, yet gave him only fair prom ifes, entered not into his Gofpel kingdom, and fo never did his will. By the anfwer of the pharifees and our Saviour's approbation of it we are fhewn, that Of the Iwo Sons. 149 that repenting finners are acceptable to God, not fmooth-tongu'd profeflbrs ; that not every one who faith, Lord^ Lordy who faith, I go, fir — {hall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doth the will of his Father who is in heaven : And we learn from hence alfo, not to defpair of thofe, who at firft refufe to hearken to the Gofpel call, nay, and are ab- folutely difobedient to it : but to go on as the minifters of Chrifl^ ftill to preach the word, flill to perfuade, invite, exhort, fince many hke the fon who firft faid, I will not — repent in time, and go into the vineyard : nay, and frequently the very words which they have once defpifed, become the means of their fu- ture conyerfion, and that perhaps when the preacher's head is laid low, who delivered them. Such is the power of divine grace and fuch is the encouragement, which our bleffed Mafter gives us to fpeak, to cry aloud, and not hold our peace, whether men will hear or whether thev will forbear. For he hath declared, and who fhall dare to difpute his in- finite veracity, that his word (hall not return fruitlefs. For as the rain cometh down and the fmw from heaven, and returneth not thither^ but watereth the earth and maketh it brt7ig forth and bud, that it may give feed to the fower a fid bread to the eater — fofiall my word be that go^ eth forth out of my mouth : it flmll not return L 3 unto.^ ijo 0« //5^ P A R A B L E unto me 'void : but it Jhall accomplijh that which I pleaf% and it Po all prof per in the thing whereto Ifent it * — and oh may it pleafe him ever- more to profper it in all your hearts, as a means of fpiritual fruitfulnefs. as a means to accomplifh the great work of your fouls ever* lafting falvation ! Thus much for the parable in general : the firft and main dodrine which we learn from it is, that hypocritical outward profeffors are not in fo likely a way to receive the grace of Chrift and to enter into his kingdom as open and profefl: finners. This is our Saviour's own application. Verily I fay unto you ; that the publicans and harlots^ profeft and open finners, go into the kingdom of God before ycUy felf-righteous, hy- pocritical profeffors, fcribes and pharifees. It does not follow that becaufe our Saviour fays, They go before you, that therefore thefe followed after — the word means no more than they go rather than you -f- : they go indeed be- fore you and fhew you the way into the king- dom of God, the Gofpel kingdom, and the fure introduction into the celeftial kingdom • but you follow them not, repent not after- wards, and believe j for this is the way into * Ifalah Iv. 10, II. the Of the Two Sons. 151 the Gofpel kingdom the plain and broad Gofpel way — repent and believe. But whence is it, we may reafonably en- quire, that the cafe fhould be fuch that pro- feft and open finners, fuch as publicans and harlots, the moft abandoned and profligate, that they fliould be in a more likely way to embrace the Gofpel, to repent and believe, than fuch as thefe pharlfees, men who are outwardly decent, pious, and charitable, who fpeak fmcoth things to God, and from whofe fair appearance one would conclude the greateft fandity ?— Can it be fuppofed, that the great and holy God approves of fm ? — Far be fuch a thought from thofe who know that he gave his Son a facrifice iov ftn ! But the truth is, thefe feemingly righteous profefTors are finners as well as the other : ^ they fay to their Father, I go, fr, but go net ; they pretend much regard to God, are very cxaft in prayer and outward duties, while their hearts are far from him, full of iniquity, pride, felf-confidence and deceit : and while they keep up this outward fhew, while they pretend obedience to God, while they are full of the opinion of their own good works, merits and performances, they are at the ut- moft diftance, nay, and at the utmoft con- trariety to that fetf-abjcBion, that lowlinefs and humility, that fubmiffion, and vilenefs of L 4 them- vi_ 152 OntheV A R A B h "E themfelves in their own eyes, which are ab- folutely neceffary to an admittance into the Gofpel kingdom, and eflential to repentance znd faith. This we faw fully heretofore inthe cafe of the pharifee and the publican : and from hence it is, that fuch men are in the moft dangerous fituation of all others, and the moft unlikely to embrace the Gofpel -, fince their own good opinion of themfelves, their pride, and feeming fandity, wherewith they deceive both themfelves and others, lead them to fuppofe that they want nothings that they are whole and need no phyfician^ and of confe- quence never apply to the true om for a re^ medy. The cafe is juft the contrary with profeft finners : their own evil lives abundantly con- vince them of their linfulnefs 5 their con- ferences declare to them the truth, they, like the fon in the parable know clearly, that they have faid, / will noty that they have difr obeyed their Father,, and therefore con- vinced of this, as they have nothing to plead, nothing to urge in excufe for their contumacy and difobedience, when th^y hear the glad tidings of pardon and peace, thro* repentance apd faith, they gladly accept the offer, and joyfully hafte to the vineyard that they may be reconciled to their offended Fath^T. ' Ana jSL. OftheT^woSons. 153 And from hence the reafon is evident, why ftlf-rlghteous, hypocritical profeflbrs are lefs likely to embrace the Gofpel, than open and felf- conceited fmners. " Perfons, openly pro- fane have nothing by which they can defend themfelves againft the terrors of God, when once they begin to faften upon their con- fciences. Whereas hypocrites having a form ofgodhnefs, fcreen themfelves therewith from all the attacks that can be made upon them, by the ftrongeft arguments drawn whether from reafon or the word of God.*" We fhall fee this point ftill more clearly, if we confider a little the natural (late of all mankind. All men are finners — all by nature, all by volun- tary tranfgreffion — all are born in fin all the world is become guilty before God The grand defign of the Gofpel was to provide a remedy for this univerfal difeafe : Cbriji came into the world to fave finners : to fave them from the condemnation, the guilt, the power and the fervice of fin ; and it can never be enough remembered by us, that the joyful tidings which the Gofpel brings are tid-^ ings oi jrce pardon and remiffioJi of all our of- fences thro' the one facrifice of Chrijl: I will blot out their tranfgrejjions^ and their fins and iniquities will I reme^nber no fnore. To none but fuch as are fenfibleof the weight and bur- * See Macknlghth Harmony, on the Parable. dea 154 0/2 /y^^ P A R A B L E den of fin can thefe be glad tidings : but to thofe who are, to thofe who labour and are heavy laden, it is fweeter than life itfelf, to hear, " Come unto me^ come unto me in true repentance and faith and I will refrejh your fouls. I isoill heel your back-Jli dings ^ Iwill love you freely. No wonder then on fuch de- clarations open finners are ready to come and embrace the offer : no wonder fuch decla- rations have no fweetnefs or relifh in them, to thofe who already think themfelves good e- nought and like the pharifees will ftand upon their own bottom, thanking God for the dignity and excellence of their nature, and boafting that they faft, pray, come to church, and foon, and have no need of humbling pe- nitence, and lowly bowing to that fovereign redeemer, to whom God hath fworn every knee fhall bow either in the way of voluntary or involuntary obedience For as I live y faith the Lor dy every knee fhall bow to me^l — And as * Rom. xiv. II. There cannot be any words, when compared with the context, more flrongly confirmative of our blefled Mailer's true divinity : and I am pleafed to fee them fo well ufed, p. 28 and 50 in a treatife on that fubjecSi: entitled, The Catholic Dotlrineof a Trinity^ proved by above an hundred fhort and clear arguments, exprefled in the terms of the holy Scripture, &c.'* printed at 0;^/<7r^/, and for Rivington and Withers in London. I cannot w:th-hold from the author this public teftimony to his excellent per- formance, which, I doubt not, every Chriftian, defirous to Of the 7^0 Sons. t 5 5 as upon a ferious review of our hearts and lives we cannot but be convinced, that we have grievoufly offended our heavenly Father ia thought, word, and deed,-— let us be careful to avoid any thing of this pharifaical, abominable, hypocritical fpirit, and with the loweft abjec- tion acknowledge our difobedience, and en- deavour to {hew our fincerity as the fon did, by repenting and hafting to work in the vine- yard— For you obferve in the lid Place— that the only proof of doing our Father's will is going into his vineyard, ei- ther when htjirji commands, or if we have been difobedient to his firft call, repenting and going afterwards *. Which of thefe twairiy [aid our Saviour, did his father's will. The pharifees readily replied. The Jirjl : and why fo ? becaufe he wefit and worked. He faid ill, but did well : the other went not and worked not. He faid well, but did ill : And God doth not love talkers : to believe aright, and to have their faith ftrengthened on Co important an article of faith, will read with great profit and pleafure. * It is very pleafing, and highly profitable to obferve, with what confummate goodnefs and wifdom the plan of Gofpel acceptation is laid down : in it we fee the utmoft encouragement for repenting finners, 'tis indeed, the more accurately we view it, nothing but comfort and glad tidings to fuch : and yet there is not the leaft encouragement given to Jin, not the leaft encouragement to unrepenting finners ! ^--Oh the depth of the wifdom and goodnefs of God ! tongue 156 On the PARABLE tongue doughty profeffors, fmooth-lip*d de- ceivers 'y who fay, Lord^ Lord^ make a deal of do, and pretend a deal of regard ; who fo zealous for the Lord as they 5 who fo loud in the cry, The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lordy the temple of the Lord are we ^ -, while at the fame time they commit iniquity and are iinners in a double capacity, loaded with the guilt not only of the outward offence, but of the vile deceit which they would infa- moufly put not on man only, but on the all- feeing omnifcient God ! By their Jruits ye Jhal^ know them^ faid our Saviour : by their work in the vineyard : know them and all — fince vain, very vain is the pretence to^any part or portion in Chrijl\ faith, if we do not work the works of him that called us, bid adieu to that fin, which feparates him from us, and live in exa(3: conformity to that rule of holinefs, which he hath prefer ibed. Let no man in this refpedt deceive himfelf : fin is the utmofl contrariety to the holy |^od, the utmoft abomination to his purity — the rnoft audacious outrage to his adorable Majefty — ^ and to deliver us at once from the guilt, the wages, and the fervice of this, Chi'ijl died on the crofs, that he m\^^X. piii'ify to himfelf a pe- culiar people zealous of good works. Whoever therefore is not purified from fin, is not zea- * Jer. vii. 4. lous Of the 7wo Sons, 157 lous of good works, let them perfuade them- felves what they plcafe, they are not ofChri/r^ peculiar people : holinefs diftinguifheth that people — holinefs of heart and life— the fon re- pented and went to work in the vineyard : the publicans and finners who heard yohn^ re- pented and believed : they forfook their fins, and followed the Lajjib of God whom John pointed out : but had they remained in thefe fins, very vain had been all their profeffion : it was a change of heart and life that only could give them admifllon into the kingdom of heaven, which ^^^ and blood cannot inherit. The pharifees would not fo repent and believe> and therefore they continued in their finful ftate — abominable to God, while they fup- pofed themfelves righteous in his eyes 5 fpeak- ing him fair and giving him fine language, while their hearts were far from him 3 and their obedience in tongue not in deed, for- getting that not the hearers of the law are jufl before God, but the doers of the law jJ: all be juf- tified. And fuch felf-righteous finners as before obferved, are in the worft: cafe : for nothing will affefl: them — John CdiXnCy our Saviour tells them, in the way of righteoufnefs, both preaching and praclifing it ; and they believed not ; they hardened their hearts and clofed their eyes ; nay and moreover, when the pub- 2 licans 158 0« //6^ PARABLE licans and harlots believed him, and To fet them the example — yet even this did not dq ; ftill they repented not, ftill they would not believe. " When a foul is not wrought upon either by the good example of the juft, or the re- pentance of finners j what hope can be en- tertained of its falvation ? Worldly men pe- riih continually amidft all forts of good ex- amples 3 that of faints frights and difcourages them ', that of great finners converted, they are aihamed to follow ; that of the generality of good men is not ftrong enough to affedl or ftir them. It belongs to the Lord only to ren- der all thefe examples ufeful ; and to make them fubfervient to his defigns concerning fouls ■*." But tho\ it is by the powerful grace of God only, that men can come to repentance and faith, yet we learn from hence, that this grace doth not acl irrefiftibly : it is in the power of man to rejed: or receive it — which is the Hid And laft thing whereof I fliall fpeak. Were not this the cafe, it would be no won- der that thofe upon whom it aded, repented and believed : fince no man could refift it : it would be no wonder that others repented not, where it did not a6t fo irrefiftibly. " An * See ^efnelk on the Parable. o inter- Of the Two Sons, ^ 159 internal, irrefiftible force or power, fays Dr. Whiiry *, cannot be necelTary to produce this repentance and faith : for if the publicans and harlots were thus moved to repent, ^.by an ir- refiftible grace 1 what wonder is it, that they went before the fcribes and pharifees, who having no fuch powerful impulfe, were left under an impoffibility of repenting r Why is it that it is reprefented as their crime, that they did not repent at the preaching of John^ or follow the example of the publicans, fince the event fhews, that no fuch irrefiftibie mo- tive to repentance was contained either in the Baptift's preaching or their example." They were left to their own choice, whe- ther they would hear or whether they would forbear : and the preaching of the Baptift with the example of the publicans, whojufti- fied God, being baptized of Johi — were fuf- ficient, to have inclined their hearts, by the affiftance of God's grace, had they been difpof- ed to have received that grace or to have made the due improvement of that preaching and thofe examples. But they were not : and fa were juftly condemned for their own obftinacy, pride, and unbelief. But fuch a condemna- tion would furely have been highly unjuft, let us fpeak it with reverence to the God of juftice, had his grace been irrefiftible and of * See his Comment. /b kco^ con- j6o 0// /&P a R a B L E confequence denied them, or had they httti eternaUy predeftinated to a denial of that irre- fiflible grace. Not fuch is the God we worfttip : a God, of infinite love, ftridl juftice, and abundant mercy : he defireth not^ as he himfelf informs us— much lefs eternally decrees the death of any poor finner : but wifheth, that all fhould come to repentance and live. For which pur- pofe he propofeth grace and favour to all, gives to all, who afk, his good Spirit to en- lighten their minds, and lead them to the truth, and affords to all moft fufficient matter* and means of convid;ion, repentance, and faith. They therefore that refufe to be per- fuaded, that will not accept his terms, that refift and grieve his Spirit, that will not come to him^ that they may have life : their con- demnation is on their own heads: he would have gathered them as a hen gather eth her chic- kens under her wings ^ and they would not. — But whofoever in filial dependance upon him, ufe fincerely their own endeavours, thefe he will affift, thefe he will ftrengthen, thefe he will fhew the truth, and blefs their diligent and careful labours, with a difcovery of his rich love, and a joyful knowledge of his glorious falvation. Wherefore convinced hereof, let us by no means fruftrate the grace of God, fuppofe it irrefijlihle^ or unattainable : it may be Of the ^wo Sons. i6l be refilled, important truth ! fo as wholly to be quenched : it may be attained^ even by all, by all born into the world, by every creature under heaven* Gofpel grace, adored be the God of mercy, Gofpel grace is free to all, in- fidelity and impenitency only can keep us from it : the door of heaven is open to every comer who comes in faith, who knocks, de- fires, feeks : who will ufe the appointed means, and follow the great St. Paul's advice, work out their owfi falvation^ do their part to- wards it, and God will do the reft ; for it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his good pie a fur e, Cheared, my beloved, by the comfortable affurance of the truth hereof : a truth wrote as with a fun beam in the blefled Gofpel; let us learn from the firft point of dodtrine ia this difcourfe, to humble ourfelves in the fight of God, as poor miferable finners : af- furedj that felf-abafement and felf abjedtion only can render us fit fubjeds to receive his grace : this parable agrees with the reft of the divine word in afi^uring us of a favourable re" ception, when we return and repent, tho' we have difobeyed, and faid unto God, that we ^ovX^ ViQ\, go ijito his vineyard. The fon, this notwithftanding, on his repentance was ac- cepted, and they, whom this fon figured out, the publicans and harlots, were on their re- VoL.IV. M pentance i62 On the P A "^ AB L'E pentance and faith readily admitted into the Gofpel kingdom. This is the higheft encou- ragement to finners, to repent and turn unto God, but no encouragement to fin : for none but repenting finners can be acceptable to God. Let none therefore defpair, who hath finned : let none therefore prefiime, who hath been kept from fin. The firfl may be- come lafi:, and the laft firft : who was worfe than Mcmafeh ; but when he was converted and turned to God, with penitence and prayer; he found that God, merciful and gracious ? Who was happier than Solomon ? but when he negledled God, and Jlept to his duty, how deeply did he fall ? Nay, to fhew them both in David, how greatly did he fall, thro' car- nal negligence, how was he again raifed up by fincere repentance } Who more happy than yuiJas ; yet he became a betrayer of his Mafler? Who more miferable than perfe- cuting Said ? yet was he made a vefl^el of elec- tion. Many by care have recovered health and fl:rength from a violent difeafe, and many from ftrong health by want of care have fallen into grievous ficknefs. RabS was an harlot, yet (he and her houfe were faved. The thief on the crofs was made a citizen of paradife. It profited not Jucias to have been a difciple oi Cbriji^ this notwithftanding, he periiiicd, Thefe are the wonderful things'of God. Ofthel'woSons. 16^ tSod. Thus the Magi were approved : thuS the publican made an evangelift : thus the blafphemer and injurious an apoftle. Con- fider thefe things, and then never defpair : but humble yourfelf before God by fincere repentance : and remember, that they who thus humble themfelves, fhall be exalted ; that God defpifeth not the broken and con- trite heart, and fuch a fpirit only is capable of receiving his grace : v^hile a pharifaical opinion of our own righteoufnefs, grieves and will drive the Spirit of God from us. Let us lay no ftrefs on any thing we do, on any of our poor works and performances: much lefs imagine, that they rrierit any thing in the fight of God, before whom the all-fufficient facrifice of his only-begotten Son is alone me- ritorious. From the fecond particular, let us be well informed, that if we Would partake of the be- nefits of that all-fufficient facrifice ; we imijl work in the vineyard ; we muft with the fon repent that we have difobeyed our gracious Father's order, and (liew our real forrow by our zealous and future obedience to it. Be it ours to keep a ftrid and exad: watch over the heart, which is defperately deceitful, and to take care, that we lofe not our own fouls by a too good opinion of our fpiritual proficiency, Hypocrify is a crime beyond meafure abomi- M 2 nable. 164 On the V A R A B L E nable. And fpiritual pride the veriefl: oppo- fition to the crofs of Jefus. The devil has the art fometimes to cloke over thofe vices fo, that the profeflbr while he is deceiving others, is guilty of another and more fatal de- ceit, that of himfelf. Some fuppofe them- felves very excellent and exemplary Chri- ftians, while, like the fon in the parable, they fpeak God fair, while they make prayers to him, extol his word and ordinances, and are very fond of good and holy people ; yet live perhaps in known fin, or fuffer pride and felf- efteem to fwell their hearts. Others plac6 their religion in a fecfc or a party, and fuppofe themfelves far better than others, becaufe they belong to what they are pleafed to call the people of God : and while they accuftom themfelves to a formal phrafe, and a fet of terms, they deceive their own hearts into a notion, that they are very pious : till a temp- tation comes and convinces them, that they have no root. Others, like the pharifees, place their religion in external works and church fervices, (very excellent means to at- tain the end) but they ufe the means, and are proud of fo doing, while they do not attain the end : for the ^W of the outward command-' ment is love out of a pure hearty a?id a good con- fciencey andjaith unjeigned, Thefe Of the Two Sons. ' 165 Thefe are fruits that can never deceive you: if your Jaith is unfeigned, your cojifctence good, and witnefling to the fincerity of your faith : and if your Icve to God and to man is exerted in all works of piety to the one, and righteoufnefs towards the other : then may you reft affured, that you have not received the grace of God in vain, but are a member, a living member of the kingdom of grace here, and thro' that blefled Jefus, who hath given you this happy admiflion, if you perfevere in love to the end, will be a member of his king- dom of glory hereafter. If then with iht Jir/i fon, you have hitherto refufed the call of God, and lived in fm ; now while it is called to-day endeavour to make him and yourfelf all the amends you can : and while free pardon for all your paft fins is of- fered to you thro' the blood of Chriji, lay hold, gladly lay hold of that pardon, repent and believe the Gofpel, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance. And if, like the fecond fon, you are one of thofe who fpeak God fair, who fay and do not 5 remember, that you have to do with the fearcher of hearts ; and all your fine fpeeches, fair promifes, and outward fhew, will avail nothing before him, who regards not the leaves, nor the bloffoms only on the trees, but looks for fruit. And if you be found, like the fig-tree, flourifhing M 3 fair i66 0;2 ^^^ P A R A B L E fair to view, but void of fruit, like that will be your end, you will wither and be caft out as an ufelefs branch. And to conclude, let us, as a farther mo- tive to repentance and faith, ferioufly remem- ber, that if we continue in fin, we muft each one of us have the aggravated crime of hy- pocrify to (ink us deeper in the flaming pit. For we are all, by profefiion, in the kingdom of God ; we have all in baptifm faid, I go, fir: we have all folemnly promifed to work in the vineyard, and therefore (hall be doubly guilty, and doubly condemned, if we negledl fo great falvation, and fo terribly accufe ourfelves. Nothing is more folemn than baptifm ; and fcarce any thing, alas ! fo little regarded, "Tis ftrange to fee parents of all kinds fo anxi- ous to have their children baptized, while yet themfelves are forgetful of the duties of their own baptifm , and far lefs anxious to fee their children perform their covenant, than be fprinkled with water : far more anxious to fee them figned with the fign of the crofs, than to fee the rn do what that fignifies, — '* to confefs the faith of Chrijl crucified, and man- fully to fight under his banner, againft fin, the world, and the devil, and to continue ^briJC% faithful foldiers and fervants unto their lives end ," and yet that water, wherewith they are fprinkied, and that crofs, wherewith ?hey Of the Two Sons. 167 they are figned, if they are not anfwered by a correfpondent life, will only ftand up in the day of judgment to accufe and condemn ! You therefore that are parents, I earneftly befeech, not only for your own fouls fake> but for your dearly beloved offspring's fake, and for the fake of him, vvhofe bleffed, bleeding crofs, hath been marked upon your foreheads : if you have any love to him, if you have any love for your own fouls, if you have any love for the fouls of your children, — think of thefe things : remember what you have promifed, even to " renounce the devil and all his works, the pomps and vanities of this wicked world and all the linful lufts of the flefli : to believe all the articles of the chriftian faith 5 and obediently to keep God's holy will and commandments all the days of your life : and upon thefe terms only you expedt to be made members oiChri/i^ children of God and inheritors of the kingdom of hea- ven." God's promife cannot fail : he will moft furely perform his part : oh take care, left you fail of the divine inheritance, by not performing your part : but labour in the love of God, to make your calling and eleflion fure, and to inftil early into your children the knowledge of thefe things, ever bearing in mind what you were told in baptifm ; would to God, we were wife enough continually to M 4 remem- i68 On the? ARAB h E, &c. remember it — ''That baptifm doth reprefent unto us our profeffion ; which to follow the example of our Saviour Chri/i, and to be made like unto him, that as he died, and rofe a- gain for us, fo iLould we, who are baptized, die from fin and rife again unto righteoufnefs, dady mortifying all our evil and corrupt affec^ tions, and daily proceeding in all virtue and godlinefs of living." ^men. Which, &c. D I S. DISCOURSE XV. On the PARABLE Of the Vineyard. Being the Subftance of two Sermons. PART I. St. Matthew xxi. 33. Hear another parable : Inhere was a certain houJJjolder^ which planted a 'vineyard^ and hedged it round about ^ and digged a wine-prefs in ity and built a tower y and let it out to buf- bandmen, and went into afar country. X^)QCM3^ N the former parable of the ^wo w T S ^om our Saviour convifted the pha- )eC )@( rifees, the chief-priefts and elders MmmmJOC of abfolute difobedience to their heavenly Father, notwithftanding all their fair fpceches and fmooth promifes : here he rifes upon them, and (hews them as in a glafs the high iyo O^the F A R A B L E high privileges they enjoyed, and their ex- ceeding great ingratitude, that if poffible he might awaken their fouls, and difarm them of the horrid purpofe they had already con- ceived of murdering him, the true heir of the vineyard, v^hereof they were fuch unfaithful hufbandmen. And indeed they muft have proceeded to great lengths in iniquity, and have hardened their hearts above meafure, who could go on in their black defign of de- ftroying Jefus, after he had thus plainly fliewn them, his knowledge of their defign, laid open their devices, and the dreadful confe- quences of it to themfelves, to the juftice of which they had fubfcribed with their own lips. For when he afked of them what the Lord would do to thefe hufbandmen — they reply — He will mtferably de/Iroy thefe wicked men and will let out his vineyard imto other huf- bajtd^nen, which JJmU render him their fruits in their feafons. Thus were they caught and con- demned by their own words : which never- thelefs fo far from changing their purpofe, rather confirmed them in it — for it is the na- ture of obftinate wickednefs to grow worfe by reproof, and to abhor the faithful reprover. For we are told, when the chief-priefts and pharifees had heard his parables, they per- ceived, that he fpake of them. And they fought to lay hands on him 3 but they feared the Of the Vineyard. lyi the multitude, becaufe they took him for a prophet — as indeed he clearly proved himfelf by this parable, which the event fo fearfully and fignally fulfilled : for foon after thefe chief-priefts and pharifees caught this only beloved fon, this heir of the vineyard, caft him out of it and flew him — and very foon af- ter, his words were fulfilled — the vienyard was taken away from them, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. The feafon of the year more particularly calls our meditations to this fubjedl : for the* day is approaching wherein we commemorate this death of the beloved Son, fo fatal to thefe hulbandraen, fo happy to us of the Gentiles : a ferious confideration of their ingratitude and the fatal effedts thereof, cannot fail to make us careful that we difappoint not our heavenly Maftefs expectations of fruits from us 5 for fruit he expedls, the good fruits of faith and obedience 5 and we may be aflured, that if he fpared not the natural branches for want thereof, neither will he fpare us, if like them we be found barren and unfruitful. Like them he hath bleft us with many ineftimable privileges, and it is not the pofTeffion of them, but the due ufe, that will render us acceptable. To fee this in the cleareft light, let us firft * Preached at Weft-Ham^ the Sunday before Good- Friday. furvey 172 0/2 //j^ P A R A B L E furvey the divine parable of our Lord, and then endeavour to gain fuch inilrudion from it, as it was defigned to convey to all our fouls, by the gracious Spirit, which caufed it to be written for our dodrine, reproof, cor- redlion and inftrudion in righteoufnefs. Hear another parable, faid our Saviour 5 as well to the people who flood by as to the priefts and elders : — There was a certain houf- holdtr, which planted a vineyard, and fenced it round about ^ and digged a wine-prefi in it, and built a tower ^ — and having thus furniflied it with all things neceffary, and proper for the purpofe of a vineyard — he let it out to huf- bandmen, and went into a far country. And when the time of the fruit drew near, he fent his fervants to the hufbandmen, that they might receive the fruits thereof. And the hufbandraen took his fervants, and beat one and killed another and floned another. Thus treating them udth the higheft indignities and increaiing in their abufe and ill-ufage of each one of them — This however did not dif- courage the mild and beneficent houfholder : again he fent other fervants more and greater than the firft : and they diiAunto them likewife! Having therefore yet one fon, his well-be- loved, he faid, what fliall I do — 1 will fend my beloved fon — it may be they will reverence him, be afljamed of their pail: offences, and receive OJ the Vineyard. 173 receive him with due refpedt, when they fee him. But when the huftandmen faw the Ton, they fald among themfelves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, let us feize on his in- heritance. They accordingly put their wicked devices into a6l, they caught him, caft him out of the vineyard -, tho' he came to his own, his own received him not — and not only caft him out, but flew him When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do to thofe hufl^andmen — faid Chrijl ? They fay unto him, not yet aware that the parable was aimed at them — He will miferably* deftroy thofe wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other hufl^andmen, which fliall render him their fruits in their feafons ?— — Truth, faid our Lord, as we read in St. Luke^ >^ chap, XX. ye have anfwered well — He fliall come and deftroy thefe hufbandmen, and fhall give the vineyard to others. Upon faying which, as probably by fome gefture, the mo- tion of his finger or head, he pointed out to the priefts and elders {landing by — he (hall deftroy tbefe huft)andmen. When they or the people heard it, they faid, God fori?: d — fure thefe huft)andmen will not proceed to fuch defperate iniquity, fure the vineyard will not thus be taken from them. To confirm the truth of which, our Saviour adds a remarkable prophecy of himfelf and his rejedion from the 174 0///6^ PARABLE the cxviii Pfalm. And he beheld them and faid, if the cafe will not be fuch, what is this then that is written — The ftone which the builders rejefted, the fame is become the head of the corner. This is the Lord's doing and it is marvellous in our eyes — whofoever fliall fall upon that (lone, fhall ftumble at it thro* unbelief, (hall be broken, but on whomfoever it (hall fall, pulled on him by his obflinate in- fidelity and apoftacy and oppofition to it, it will grind him to powder. After which, to leave them no fort of ex- cufe, and in plain terms to fet before them the meaning both of the parable and of this paf- fage in the Pfalms — Therefore I fay unto you, faith he, Since thus you will do, thus kill me the heir, thus rejedl me the headcorner-ltone — the kingdom of God, the vineyard fliall be taken from you — and given to a nation bring- ing forth the fruits thereof. It was impofli- ble, that they (hould miilake this : and, as was obferved before, we find they did not, but the knowledge only irritated their malice, haftened their refolves againft Jefus, and in- creafed their future condemnation. For the fame hour, fays St. Luke, — ftrange infidelity—* the very fame hour, they fought to lay hands on him ; and they feared the people. Fo|^- they perceived that he had fpoke this parabll aeainft them— and we find that they never fQr2:avai Of the Vineyard. ij^ forgave It — and henceforth never refted, till they had fulfilled it, till they had caught the heir, caft him out of the vineyard and killed him. The parable hath itfelf fo plain a reference to the dealings of the Jewifli priefts and eld- ers w^ith our Saviour, and is fo evidently ap- plied thereto by himfelf, and fo clearly ex- plained by the event, that there wants no- thing further to inform us of its general fcope and intendment. It naturally divides itfelf into three parts. Ift. The exceeding great care and manifold mercies beftowed upon his vineyard, upon the Jewifli church, by God the great houf- holdcr and Lord of it. II. The extreme ingratitude and perverfe- nefs of the huibandmen. And Illdly. The jufl punifhment of fo bafe be- haviour. I will endeavour briefly to confider thefe three particulars, and make fuch an applica- tion of thein to ourfelves, as may tend, by God's grace, to caufe us duly to value the mercies devolved upon us, from the Jews, — to avoid the like ingratitude, and to render tlie fruits in their feafon to our Lord, that he may j76 O;; the PARABLE may not be difappointed of his hope, nor wc be miferably deftroyed and deprived of all ad- miffion into his vineyard, his houfe and church for ever ! Ift. The firft particular then obfervable in the prefent parable is, the exceeding great care, and manifold mercies beflowed of God upon his church, fignified to us by this hoiif- holders provifion of all things necelfary for the fervice of his vineyard. And this we have fet forth to us in the firft words of the parable^ — There wai a certain houjholder^ "which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about ^ and digged a wine-prefs in it^ and built afsmer^ and let it out to hujhandmeny and went into a far country. The comparifon of the church to a vine- fatd is frequent in the facred Scripture : but this particular parable, for the fuller convic- tion of the Jews, is taken exprefly by our Sa- viour from the vth chapter of the prophet Ifaiah : with which they could not fail to be well acquainted, and the meaning whereof could not be hidden, as at the end of it, the prophet adds The vineyard of the Lord of hofs is the houfe offudah^ and the men ofjudah his pleafant plant. The whole palTage /'uns thus — Nonjo ivill I fing to my ^luell-beloved, the very name of Chriji in this parable, having 3 there- Of the Vineyard. 177 therefore one fon^ his well- be loved — Now wil^ I Jing to my well-beloved^ a fong of my beloved ^ touching his vineyard. My well- beloved hath a vineyard^ in a very fruitful hill^ and he fenced it^ and gathered out the flones thereof and planted it with the choicest viiie^ and built a tower in the midjl of it^ and alfo made a wine* frefs therein 5 and he looked that it fl:ould bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now y 0 inhabita?2ts of Jerufalem, and men ^Judahj judge, 1 pray you, between me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, than I have not done in it ? Wherefor^ when I looked that it fhould bring forth grapes^ brought it forth wild grapes ? And now go tOy I will tell you what I will do to my vineyard : I will take away the hedge thereof, and it Pmll be eaten up, aiid break down the wall thereof, and it fhall be trodden down. And I will lay it wafte : it fhall not be pruned nor digged, hut there f:all come up briars and thorns. I will alfo command the clouds, that they rain no rain upon it. For the vineyard of the Lord of hojls is the houje g/'Ifrael : and the men of Judah his PLEASANT plant: and he looked j or judge^ vient, but behold oppreffon ; for righteoufnefs, but behold a cry : for good grapes, and behold, it brought forth wild grapes only ! Such is the prophetical parable, from whence our Saviour took that, which we have juft be- No. 15. Vol.1 V. N fore 178 Oj2 //^^ p a r a b l e fore delivered : in both of which you obferve, that the Jewiflj Church is compared to a vine- yard : the only diJfFerence is, that in the pro- phetical parable the fault is laid on the vine^ on the men of Judah : and in our Saviour's parable, on the hulbandmen : becaufe the former was intended to rebuke the whole houfe of Ifrael: the latter was direfted chiefly at the priefts and elders, through whofe iniquity the great Lord of the vineyard was deprived of his fruits : and therefore you obferve, in our Saviour's comparifon, that he omits the par- ticular found in the prophet, of planting the vineyard with the choiceji vine : which he ex- plains of the men of Judah in a fubfequent verfe, the men of Judah are his pleafant plant y from the chofen flock oi Abraham^ and the choice vine, which he brought out of Mgypf, which he planted a noble vine^ wholly a right feed^ tho' it turned info the degenerate plant of a Jirange vine unto hi?n,^ There could not be a more natural compa- rifon of the church, or one more familiar and obvious for the prophets and our Saviour to ufe in Judaea, than that of a vineyard : as that country abounded with vineyards^ and fo gave * Jeremiah ii. 21. — What we tnnflate the choiceji vine In Ifa'Uih^ and a nohk vine in Jere?mah, is the fame word in both prophets ^1'2^. See ?l\(o Gen efts xYi^, ii. See St. Jerom on the place. 3 the Of the Vineyard. 17^ the people aconftantoccafion, by having them always before their eyes, to recolleft and ap- ply the great leflbns and fpiritual inftrudions taught- and drawn from thence. But the comparifon was not only obvious, but natural : and thefe particulars, whereof our Saviour and the prophet fpeak, as they are effential to a vineyard, fo do they beautifully correfpond to the effential bleffings vouchfafed of God to the Jewijh Church. For iy?5 It is neceffary that a vineyard be planted: vineyards do not grow of themfelves^ and therefore our Saviour mentions this parti- cular firft, the bouJJjolder planted a vineyard^ fe- ledted a portion of proper ground, and planted it with the choiceft vine. — So God, the great houfholder, the Lord of the vineyard, planted the y6"Z£;//Z) church : he chofe Abraham and his pofterity, and planted that chofen vine in the land of Canaan^ in a place feledied from all the earth, a land flowing with milk and ho- ney, in a very fruitful hilly under all the be- tngn influences of divine grace, and in the full enjoyment of the vivifying light of hea- ven.— ^ * I have aimed at expreffing In a kind of paraphrafe the .meaning of the very remarkable original, which you will obferve in the margin of the bible, the horn of the fon of N 2 But i8o 0/ the PARABLE But 2dly\ Vines being tender plants, and vineyards fubjed: to the incurfions of beads and enemies, it is neceffary they fliould be in- clofed : therefore in the parable we read, that this vineyard was fenced, be hedged it round about, made a wall around it. — Whereby is fignified to us, the divine protedion, vvhich was as a wall of fire round the Jewip church and people, whereby he inclofed and defended them from all their enemies— /or I will be a wall oj fire round about, aftd will be the glory in the midjl of her, faith the Lord. Thus h» made an hedge about his church, as he did about Job, and about his houfe, and about all that he had, on every fide : thou haft bleffed the work of his hands, faith Satan, and his fubftance is increafed in the land. — But a wall, or hedge is not only for defence, but for the diflinBion and feparation of property : and fo God diftinguiflied and feparated his church by \htfe72ce of circumcifion, and the ceremo- nial law, which were, what St. Paul calls the partition-wall, which was broken down and taken away in Chrift, who yet has appointed a gofpel order and difcipline to be the hedge round about his church. '* He will not have his vineyard to be in common, that thofe who are without may thruft in at pleafure : nor to lie at large, that thofe who are within may la(h out at pleafure : but care is taken to fet bounds Of the Vineyard. 1 8 j bounds about this holy mountain."* So it is faidof ih&fpoiife, the church of Chrift, in the fong of Solomo?2, a garden inclofed is my fifter my fpoufe, a fpringyZ)/// up, a fountain /^/^^/. Ifaiab adds, that he gathered out the /tones thereof and planted it 'with the choice fi vine : which is well explained to you by this verfe of the Ixxxth Pfalm, Ihcu haji brought a ^cine out of ^gypt, thou haft caft out the heathen and planted ^ tt, Thefe heathen nations, the feven nations* of Canaaji, were the ftones, which were caft out of the vineyard, the wicked nations whofe iniquity was full, who were rooted up for the Ifraelites, and deflroyed to plant them in their land: and were emblems of they?^;y; heart, which God promifed, by his prophet, to re- move from all his chofen under the new co- venant— / will take away thefojiy heart out of yourflejl:^ and I will give you an heart of flfj. A vineyard being thus planted and fenced, muft 3^/)r, be provided with a place for the huftandmens reception and dwelling, and for the gathering in and receiving of the fruit. Ac- cordingly we are told, that this houdiolder bmlt a tower, or place of dwelling and fpecu- lationforthe firft : and prepared a wine-prefs for the latter. So God provided for his * See Henry on the p!ace. N 3 church i82 Onthe P A R AB L E church ana people a temple*, wherein his fpi- ritual hufbandmen might dwell and watch continually (for the pnejls are the Lord's watchmen:) where alfo he himfelf promifed to dwell, and give them the tokens of his prefence among them, and pleafure in them : and in this temple he fet up his holy aitaJ^^ which, as the wine-frefs flowed with the blood of the grape, was to flow continually with the blood of the facrifices^ the fruits of their obe- dience, the teftimonies of their faith, and then truly acceptable, when offered up in faith of that great Jacrifice^ whofe blood, all the blood- (hed in facrifice prefigured, and who was him- felf troden in the wine-prefs of the fiercenefs ^nd wrath of almighty God. The houfholder having thus provided his vineyard v/ith all things neceflfary, let it out to l)ufba?2dme?7, and went into a far country : whereby is fignified no more than this ; that God, having by his extraordinary alfiftance ^ftablifhed, and provided his church vi^ith all * The word for totver In the original fignlfies a temple Jikewife, *7"1^^. the Targum of Jonathan paraphrafes this place. •' And I built my fanSiuary in the midil: of them'* : ^nd concerning the wine-prefs this fame Targum has it, 't And alfo my altar I gave to make an atonement for their «' fins.'' See Gz7/'sexpofition of the prophets, now pub- lifhing in numbers — and alfo a learned and laborious dif- courfe on the parable of the vineyard^ &c. by the reverend Mr. Merrick^ printed for Withers, Tmple-Bar, things Of the Vineyard. 1 8 3 things neceflary to life and godlinefs, now committed it to the care of the paftors, the priefts and elders, by whofe miniftry the peo- ple were to be '' inftruded in their duty, with- out expedling fuch extraordinary marks of God's conftant prefence and immediate direc- tion, as appeared at his forming them into a church." — And at their hands he expecfled to receive thofe good fruits of juftice and righte- oufnefs, whereof he found himfelf difappointed, when the vineyard brought forth wild grapes only— oppreffion and a cry. Such was the great care of God in eftabliiliing the JewiJI} church, and fuch the manifold mercies which he beftowed upon the chofen vineyard. He himfelf appeals even to the judgments of men, whether it were poffible for him to have done more : what could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it — what can a man do more to his vineyardnhan chufe out the moft fruitful fituation — plant it with thechoiceft vine— fence it ftrongly around, cad out all that may hinder its growth, all ftones and every impediment — than build a tower for fafety and defence, than make a wine- prefs for the reception of the fruits ? — And after all this to receive wild grapes only, after all this to be denied his rent from the ungrate- ful hufbandmen — who can wonder, that he is refolved to deftroy both the one and the other, to 384 On r/:;^ P A R A B L E to lay the vineyard wafte — miferably to de- ftroy thofe wicked men. And what could God do more for his people — he chofe the fruitful and pleafant land of Cafiaan^ a land flowing with milk and honey— he chofe the faithful patriarch Abraham, and to his feed he gave this fruitful land. He drove out their enemies before them, and was as a wall of fire round about them on every fide. He gave them fl:atutes and ordinances, fervices and ce- remonies, fuch as no nation enjoyed befide themfelves : he hedged them in by his holy law, and feparated them, as a chofen people to himfelf from all the world. And he ap- pointed an order of men on purpofe to teach them in the right path ; to them only of all the world he revealed his Vv^ill, gave them his written law, and the divine promife of the Meffiah ; and till his coming inftituted facri- fices and fervices, which immediately led their faith to him. — What could have been done more ? Yet inftead of fruits, he received af- fronts, and for all his love and forbearance met with ingratitude and rebellion only : as we {hall fee, when in the fecond place we confider the extreme ingratitude and perverfenefs of the Jewijh elders, and priefts, as reprefented to us in this parable, by the conduct of the hufbandmen, who abufed the fervants, and flew Of the Vineyard, 185 flew the heir of their Lord : but this muft be omitted to the next opportunity. In the mean time, let us be careful not to condemn ourfelves by condemning the 'Jew^^ for their abufe of thefe exceeding mercies, vouchfafed unto them of their God. — His 'Dineyard is now with us ; he hath taken away from them his kingdom, and given it to us of the Nations — happy for us if we bring forth the fruits thereof! — He hath planted his church amongft us, and the choice vine grow- ing in it, is that divine Redeemer^ who hath told us, that he is the true vine, and his father the hufhandman. If we would bring forth fruit we muft be ingrafted, as branches in him, fever' d from whom we caji bring forth fruit no more than a dead branch cut off and cafl: from the vine, for without me, fays he, ye can do nothing. His divine protection, like a wall, is round his people ; thofe people, who are within his facred inclofure, by that faith which feparates the church from Jews and heretics, and who, by that living faith, are in- grafted in him : he hath prcmifed fuch, that he will indeed prote6l them, that he will never leave nor forfake them : that he careth for them, and therefore they fhould caft all their care upon him, who hath affured them, that all things fhall work together for good to them that fear God, to them that are eled, through i86 O;//^'^? A R A B L E through faith and love : for the Lord God is a Jun and a Jlneld : the hord will give grace and glory. y and no good thi?7g will he withhold from them that lead a godly lije, — He hath built a tower alfo and digged a wine-prefs : efta- bliihedin his church the divine means oi grace, and bleft us with his i£/'^rJand his facrafnentSy whereby \yq may be enabled to bring forth fruit, and whereby we may defend ourfelves ao-ainft all the attacks of our enemies. He hath appointed too for our inftrudion, pafiors and teachers^ hufoandmen to take care of his vineyard, and to whom he hath intruded it> while he himfelf hath withdrawn his bodily ^ though not his fpiritual prefence, and is gone into a far country^ even into heaven, from whence he will return to gather all his fruits in their feafon. And now may we fay alfo, with refped to ourfelves, what could he have done more for his vineyard : w^hat more than thus provide all things neceffary to its fruitfulnefs ? — oh let us take heed, that we be not found wanting — that the fame complaint be not made of us, as of the Jeiviflj church, when I looked for grapes behold it brought forth wild grapes I we fhall be much more inexcufable than they, as bleft with more abundant privileges, and admo- nifhed by the terror of their example. But alas it is to be feared, there is the utmoft rea- fon Of the Vineyard, 187 fon to complain of us : we are planted on a very fruitful hill, and yet how barren of good are we ? nay, how doth evil abound in our church : how is iniquity daily multiplied amongft us ? Could we wonder, if our long- fufFcring God, having fo long waited, waited in vain for our better fruits, fhould at length give us up, take away the fence, and lay us open to the incurfions and devaftations of the wild boars of the foreft ! It is melancholy to think, that the ill-con- du(5l and ingratitude of thefe hujhandmen^ of the priefts and elders^ fhould bring on the de- ftrudtion of all the people : but the cafe is, bad hufbandmencaufe bad vines ; nothing requires more care, watching, pruning, and proping than vines, if they be negleded, and left to themfelves, they foon become rampant and bring forth no fruit. See hence, how much depends upon good hufbandmen^ upon good pajiors : and how much it is the intereft of every nation, that her clergy be holy\ zealous and a5live. The want of fuch amongft the *Jews, brought on the crucifixion of Chrift, and the de(lrud:ion of the whole nation 3 and the want of fuch in every nation, however light we may make of it, and however laugh at, and with idle cenfure ridicule the vices of the clergy — the want of fuch in every nation will furely end in that nation's ruin : for as is the i88 0?i the V kK A Bl. E. the priefl fuch will the people be 5 and as is the inftrudf^r, fuch of neceffity inuft be the inftrudted. See then how much it is your in- tereft to pray to God continually for an holy^ imblameahky laborious priefthood : and to do all in your powers to obtain and eftablilh fuch a one. Truth it is, and a truth which ought to be fpoken on the houfe-tops, — that the venality and corruption of the prefent age taints even the clergy themfelves : and the notorious practice of buying and felling pre- ferments (now become fo open and avowed, as to be done and acknowledg'd unblufhing in the fight of the fun — as almoft every daily news-paper witneffes*) this fhameful, abo- minable * For a proof hereof we have need to look no further than the common papers, the' indeed there is no neceffity for fo much trouble, fmce patrons and clergy are not back- ward openly to avow, and publickly to talk of thefe mat- ters— flrangely deceiving themfelves by wretched ftiifts and poor evaficns, which may lull confcience for a time per- haps, but cannot avail before God. As I am well affur'd, all ftrious, thinking clergy-men muft be alarm'd and much afflicted at this particular, I have not been back- ward to fpeak aloud of fo dreadful an abufe, nothing doubting of the concurrence of all, far as they are able, to ftem the torrent, and flop its overflowing progrefs. Were the clergy of this nation fo happily united, a joint refolution in all never to huy^ or have any thmg to do v/iih preferment on fuch terms, would fpeedily remedy the mifchief. But while this is not to be expelled, every minifter of Chrifl is bound at leaft to do his part, and to bear his tellimony againfl fuch enormous fcandals. Would Of the Vineyard. 189 minable praftice as it muft corrupt the cler- gy, fo muft it deftroy our holy religion, haften our country's impending mifcries, and caufe our vineyard alfo to be troden down and Would patrons ferloufly weigh the matter, they would no more dare to fell the prefentation of a Hving, than to commit facrilege : and would the c'ergy obferve the eftedls upon th ofe who do fj, they would tremble for themfelves. May the God of mercy, in pity to the na- tion, put it into the hearts of all, whom it concerns, to do their parts in this important concern ! Otherwife farewel piety, holinefs and zeal, farewel learningr, in- duftry, and merit — gothic darknefs, and heathen impuri- ties will overwhelm the land. — But that I may not be thought to vent the fancies of one only, I fliall here fub- join our excellent church's opinion of this matter, which may in many refpecSts be ufeful — And my foul's fmcere and fmgle defire — God is my witnefs — is to the advantage and good of my country-men and our country, of our holy religion, and common-faith. Canon 40. To avoid the detejlahle fm of ftmony^ becaufe buying and felling of fpiritual and ecclefiaftical functions, of- fices, promotions, dignities, and livings is Execrable (A^. B.) before God : therefore the archbifhop and all and every bifhopor bi{hops,or any other perfon orperfons having authority to admit, inftitute, collate, inflall, or to confirm the eledion of any archbifhop, bifhop, or other perfon or perfons to any fpiritual or ecclefiaftical fundion, dignity, promotion, title, office, jurifdidion, place or benefice, with cure or without cure, or to any eccleCaftical livino- whatfoever, {hall before, every fuch admifiion, inftitution, collation, inftallation, or confirmation of eledion, re- fpectively minifter to every perfon hereafter to be admit- ted, ^V. this oath, in manner and form following, the fame to be taken by every one, whom it concerneth, in his own perfon and not by a pro£lor — " I N. N. do fwear, that 1 have made no limoniacal payment, con- traa. 190 On theV ARABLE and laid wafte. — The Jewiih priefthood wa^ bought and fold at the time oiir Saviour was crucified 2imongi!t them. One of the ftrongeft arguments Frctejlants have always had again ft the church of Rome^ has been its veiiality and corruption : there we have faid, all things are bought and fold j and at Rome even Hea^ tra6l, or promlfe, dire(5lly or indire£Wy, by myfelf, or by any other, to my knowledge, or with my confent, to any perfon or perfons whatfoever, for or concerning the procuring and obtaining of this ecclefiaftical dignity, place, preferment, office, or living, nor will at any time hereafter perform or fatisfy any fuch kind of payment^ contrad, or piomife, made by any other, without my knowled2;e or confent : So help me God, thro' Jefus Chrift \< How folemn, how flrift, how clear againft all pecu- niary contrails in eccleftaJJ'tcal affairs is this oath I would God, every parent that purchafes prefentations^ &c. for his fon would ferioufly confider it ! would God, every clergy- man would ferioufly confider it, who by friends and other wretched (hifts, would evade its force ! 'Tis fad to trifle with the omnifcient — but much worfe for thofe, who are called his fervants ! Jlethes thought not fo : and tho' honed and flncere, not duly confidering the cafe, pur- chafed a prefentation, ufing all proper methods to evade the letter of the oath — but confcience foon did its work : he was foon convinc'd of the enormous offence, all com- fort forfook him, he never more held up his head, but in lefs than two years, amidff a thoufand evils, finifh'd his wretched being with the halter. Similar in pra(51:ice, and fimilar in forrow was my poor friend Ingeuuus — He too droop'd beneath the fad fenfe of his miidoings, and con- cealing ihe fatal caufe, took poifon, and was loft! — Oh that thefe fearful examples might have fome influence — - that they might prevail to the ufe and admonition of Biany ! ven Of the Vineyard. 191 *ven itfelf may be purchafed with money ! But how mufi: the Roman Catholics rejoice to find, that the proteji ant church of England is become as corrupt as {he 5 and that preferments too, with her, are to be obtain 'd by money! Tell it 710 1 in G^iih —pubUfJj it not in the Jireets of Alkalon ! — Join therefore, my brethren, hand, and heart, and counfel, to flop thefe evils, and by your fervent prayers and zealous endeavours, labour to obtain faithful and in- duftrious hufbandmen in the vineyard, w^ho will render to their Lord the fruits, and not wickedly and covetoufly kill the heir, and trample Chrift under foot, to poffefs themfelves of his inheritance ! But remember that thefe folemn truths fhould be made not the matter of mere paffing obfervation only, but of deep thought and forrow of heart. For, whatever we may think, they nearly very nearly concern us all. But you (houid not forget, that no negledl of the clergy to do their duty, will be any excufe at all for you : the Jewijh priefts alone did not perifh for their ingratitude, the whole ftate perifhed with them. And as every individual is in one fenfe the Lord's vineyard — every in- dividual is at leaft a teacher and an hulband- man, if not of others yet of himfelf. The foul is the vineyard of God. When he cre- ated it he planted it : and by fandlifying it in baptifm he fet an hedge about it, w^hich is that 192 On the PARABLE, C?^. that of his commandments. The wine prefs is the reprefentative facrifice, which caufeg the blood of Chrifl to flow into it. The tower is the church, the houfe of prayer, in which the foul being raifed from the earth, is fecure from its enemies, and finds in the word of God arms ftrong enough to over- come them. — Our foul is not our own : God who is the creator, is likewife the proprietor of it — we hold it of him as it were by leafe — only that we may cultivate it, and render to him the fruits which it is capable of pro- ducing by his grace. Let us take great care, that we be not found either not having any at all, or claiming the property of them to ourfelves*'* — Evermore remembering the con- ftant care and diligent attendance which the vineyard requires, let us learn from thence to prune and cut off all luxurious branches, by the mortification of our finful flefh — let us bind ourfelves by true faith to the ftrong fup- port of the divine word — let us keep our vine- yard free from all brutifh incurfions, from all filthy lufts and filthy adtions. Let us pluck up the thorns and briars of evil paflions and corrupt appetites — and let us be careful to produce that good unne^ rjhich chem^eth God and man, thofe blefled fruits of holinefs and love, wherewith God himfelf is well pleafed, and which, through Chrift, will adminifter zn entrance to us into everlafting joy. Amen, * See ^icjnelle on the Place. DISCOURSE XV. On the PARABLE Of the Vineyard and Husbandmen, PART II. St. Matthew xxi. 34. And when the time of thejruit drew near, he Jent-hisfervants to the hujhafidmeny that they might receive the fruits of it. !^)^)§C)QCM N my former fermon on this pro- ^ J Q phetical parable, I obferved, that )@( )e( it naturally divides itfelf into three mmmM)§C parts 5 ift, The exceeding great care and manifold mercies beflowed upon his vineyard, upon the Jewifli church — by God the great houfholder, and Lord of it : 2d. The extreme ingratitude and perverfenefs of the VoL.IV. O huftand- 194 On the ? A R A B L E hufbandmen , and 3dly, The juft punifliment of {o bafe behaviour. In fpeaking of the firft — it was fliewn, that this parable was taken by our Saviour from the vth chapter of the prophet Ifaiab^ who mentions all the fame particulars — of the planting and fencing the vineyard — building the tower and wine-prefs — and letting it out to hulbandmen — " By the houfholder, as one of the fathers obferves *, and as was fhewn you in the former difcourfe, is meant God, who for his loving-kindnefs and mercy is likened to a man. The vine is the Jewifti people planted by God in the land of promife. The hedge around them is the law, feparating them from the Gentiles, or the divine pro- tedtion, like a wall of fire around them. The tower is the temple. The wine-prefs the al- tar. The hufbandmen the teachers of the people, the fcribes and pharifees. The houf- holder going into a far country is God's with- drawing his manifefl and immediately mira- culous prefence, or his long-fufferance. For * Theophy^aSi on the place. AvG^Tr©- oiKohaTtor-^q o Kv^i'^' A«^ ruv laocciuv, ^VTtv^siq Trccpix ru Qea ev 7V) yn rvx; ccTrayyz' »a^. (pfa,y[A.^ ^s 0 vo(/.'^ hk luv ccvT8g t'myi,iytvui rot? i^viaui' t) o* a7»o»' • a,yyE}\oi o» ^(pvT^atr'lov rot Ja^cx-ViX. Aviv^, to fiyatar'-^pou Ylvft)-} » WTTioviuLvia-i o£ 0 oiX.oaio-'TrQrriq 0s^, o rs /x'/jxert £v'Ztv?,u iiB(p b ■>.'/} q sXoc^et 'Kioq uvreq. r,, ccTTG^'/iuiccr m ©j», y) MaxpSy/itta. Aox« yccp >^ vTtvcj-fie-iV y^ a.'nrior.i/.eiv o ©£'©-', w TW |x«p^pi0o^«!/, xj jj.'n TCXfx ttcooj God Of the Vineyard, 195 God feems, as it were, to fleep or abfent hlm- felf while he is long-fufFering, and doth not immediately punifh the fins of men"— -Thefe were the privileges and bleffings which God vouchfafed unto his chofen people the Jews, and having thus provided all things necefiary, he looked for fruits from the hufbandmen, who with extreme ingratitude denied him, and added cruelty and murder to their ingra- titude, which we find fet forth in the lid part of the parable. For when the time of the fruit drew near, he fent his fervants to the hufbandmen, that they might receive the fruits thereof. The vineyard was only let out to thefe hufband- men, and they were to render duly Ko their lord the fruits agreed on, befide which there was enough for their own fuflenance and fup- port. So it is faid in the Song oi Solomon^ viii. ir, 12* concerning this vineyard of the true Solojiioriy the King of peace, Solomon hath a 'vineyard at Baal-hajnon ^, he let cut the 'vine- yard unto keepers : every one for the fruit thereof 'was to bring a thoufand pieces of fiher — My vineyard which is mine^ is before me : thoii^ O Solomon^ mufl have a thoufand^ pieces, and thofe that keep the fruit thereof two hujidred^ * See Cocceius on the pliice, for an able illuflration : as alfo Airifworth. O 2 The 196 On the PARABLE The time for the pa^/ment hereof being come, the lord of the vineyard fent his fer- vants to receive it — but the hulbandmen fe far from rendering their lord his due^ took his fervants, heat one, killed another, and Honed another. Tho' his fervants were thus indignantly treated, the good lord of the vine- yard, being very long-fufFering towards thefe hufbandmen, and not defirous that they ihouid periih, fent again other fervants, more and greater than the firft : but thefe met with no better treatment from thefe ungrateful huflandmen ; thefe alfo were beaten, ftoned and killed by them. Who would wonder now, if his patience and forbearance had been utterly weaned out, and if he had fent to de- ilroy at length he refolveci, '' I v/ill fend my fon, niv only, my beloved fon it may be thev will reverence him when they fee him." But inveterate in guilt, and hardened in their crimes, thefe wicked hulbandmen fo far from reve- Of the Vineyard, 197 reverencing the fon, whtn they faw him, faid among themfelves, This is the heir, come let us kill him, and let us feize on his inhe- ritance. Their impious combinations were attended with fpeedy refolves, and as fpeedy execution — They immediately caught him, and caft him out of the vineyard and flew him — thus filling up the meafure of their ini- quity, and declaring themfelves very monfters of ingratitude. Thus as in a glafs, our Saviour fet forth the great ingratitude of the Jewilh nation, and the long-fuffering of God towards them, with whom he had intruded his vineyard, and from whom he expefted the fruits thereof. A paflage from the prophet "Jeremiah *, and another from the mouth of our Saviour will be the beft expofition of this part of the pa- rable. In the viith Chap, of the former, ver.23. we read — Tfo thing I commanded your fathers^ faying^ obey my voice and 1 will be your God and * la iChron. xxxvl. 14, 15, 16, we read alio,. Moreover all the chief of the priefts and the people tranfgrefled very n)uch after all the abominations of the heathens, and polluted the houfe of the Lord, which he had hallowed at 'Jerufalcjii. And the Lord God of their fathers feat to them by his meflens^ers, rifing yp betimes and fending ; becaufe he had compajfton on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the meflengers of God and defpifed his words, and mifufed his* prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arofe againft his people, till there was no remedy. O 3 yc 198 On the? A R A B L E ye fhall be my people : and walk ye i?i all tkc "ways, that I have commanded you, that it may be well with ycu~Th\ji^ render unto me the defired fruits of my vineyard. But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counjels and in the imagination of their evil hearts, and went backward and not jorward — refufed the fruits required- — brought forth not grapes, but wild grapes ovA-^—^ince the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt, unto this day, I have even fent unto you all my fer- vants, the prophets, (as it is reprefented in the parable) daily rifing up early and fendi?jg them^ fpeaking and calHng for fruits, but they heard not nor anfwered, Tet they hearkened not untQ me, nor inclijted their ear, but hardened their neck : they did worfe than their fathers — pro^ ceedingeven totheutmoft lengths of iniquity, ferving falfe gods, and perfecuting and mur? dering the prophets and fervants of the right Lord and owner of the vineyard. The pror phet goes on in this and the next chapter to deplore their finfulnefs, and to foretel their deflruftionj which our Saviour in the pre- fent parable declared would be the confe- quence of their overflowing ingratitude, and iiiurder of the heir— 773^ carafes of this peo- fie, faith he, f:all be meat to the fowls of the heaven, and for the be aft s of the earth, and none pall j ray them away, l^hen will 1 cgufe to ceafe from Of the Vineyard. 199 jrom the cities of Judea, and from thefreets of Jerufalem, the voice of mirth and the voice of gladnefs^ the voice of the bridegroom^ and the voice of the bride ; for the land fjall be defo^ late"^.'' And this too, foon after he had de- livered the parable we are fpeaking of, our Saviour denounced againft thefe wicked huf- bandmen in very clear and plain terms — For in the xxiiid of Matt. ver. 29, we read — Wo unto you fcribes and phari fees ^ hypocrites, wicked hulbandmen of the vineyard, becaufe ye build the t07nbs of the prophets^ and garniJJd the fepuU chres of the righteous : and fay ^ if we had been in the days of our father Sy we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the pro- phets ; wherefore ye be witnejfes unto yourfelves^ that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets^ of them which beat, ftoned, and murdered the fervants fent by the houfholder to require the fruits of his vineyard. Fill ye up then the me a fur e of your fathers — which you are about to do, by murdering me the true heir of the vineyard. (Te ferpents^ ye genera^ tion oj vipers^ how can ye efcape the damnation of hell ?) Wherefore behold^ I fend unto you pro- phet s^ and wife men^ and fcribes^ and fome of them yefhall kill and crucify y and fome oj them ye P^all fcourge in your fynagogues, and perfecute * So fays our Saviour, as you will read at the conclu- fion of the following paflage. O 4 them 200 On the T ARABLE them from city to city, T^hat upon you may come all the righteous blood Jhed upon the earthy from the blood of righteous Abel^ unto the the blood of Zacharias the fon of Barachias whom ye Jlew between the temple and the altar. Verily I fay unto you all thefe things Jlmll come upon this Ge- neration, O Jerufalem, Jerufaleniy thou that killeji the prophets^ and ftonejl them that are fent unto thee — how often would I have gathered thy children together ^ even as a hen gather eth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not I Behold your houfe is left unto you dc folate I Thus from the words of the prophet and of our Saviour, and from the hiftory of the JewiJJj people fully explaining each, you fee evidently, that by iho^fervants'm the parable, fent to demand the fruits cf his vineyard, are meant the prophets of the moft high God, fent to demand the fruiis of judgment and righteoufnefs — whofe treatment from the Jewijh people, but more efpecially from the priefts, who ftirred up the people, and through whofe iniquity the whole nation was involved in the guilt of innocent blood — is figured out by the treatment which thefe fervants met with from the hufbandmen. While the ful- nefs of their iniquity and ingratitude in cruci- fying Chrift, the only beloved Son of God, fully declared to be fo, by his miracles, pro- phecies, and dodrine, againft which they impioully 0/ the Vineyard. 201 impioufly clofed their eyes and hnrdened hearts, while feeing rhey wo-^M ih hearing they would not under (1.^ this laft and higheft aft of the Je'K^iJh tency is plainly fet before your eyes b- hufbandmen*s murdering their Lord's oi.. y beloved fon, and the rightful heir of the vine- yard : to do which the JewiJJj priefls were now meditating, and which they foon perform- ed, while, after their wicked confultations, they ftirred up the people to join with them in the cry for his blood — thus fulfilling the prophecy of Chrifl, and bearing witnefs to his divinity — for they cad him out of the vine- yard as he foretold, and crucified him without the gate of Jerufalem^ thus ignorantly com- pleating one of their mod remarkable types, whereof St. Paid fpeaks — For the bodies of ibofe beafis^ faith he, whofe blood is brought into the fanElucu^y by the higb-priejl for fm, are bur?it without the canip^ ivberejore Jefus alfoy that he might fauBify the people 'with his own bloody fuffered without the gate — was caft out of the vineyard, and crucified. Giving us a lively proof, how vainly men endeavour to defeat the divine counfels, and how certainly the defigns of infinite wifdom will be accom- pliflied, even by means, that feem purpofely intended to defeat them. How much fliould thi-s teach us to accjuiefce ia the divine good plealure. 202 On //7^ P A R A B L E pleafure, and to commit ourfelves and all we have to the divine protedion, as fully affured that the Lord he is God, and that no human power can hinder the progrefs of his mighty works, the completion of his fovereign will> and that he can and will do whatfoever feem- eth him good. The exceeding great goodnefs and for- bearing mercy of this heavenly houfholder, as it much exaggerates the extreme ingrati- tude of the hufbandmen, fo doth their ingra- titude in return, wonderfully inhance the greatnefs of his mercy. His great goodnefs is feen, in that he fent fervants at all to afk for his fruits — furely the hufbandmen ought voluntarily to have offered them. It is feen more, in that after the in- dignities offered to one and another of his fervants, he did not inflid: fevere punifhments en the hufbandmen : but kindly fent more to advife them of their duty, fending to them by his meflengers, rifing up betimes and fend- ing.— And why — becaufe we are told he had compajjion on his people^ and on his dwelliJig place ! But how is his goodnefs enhanced beyond conception, that after fo much bafe- nefs and ingratitude, he fhould fend, from the abundance of his love, as the only means to reclaim thefe hufbandmen, his fon, his only- begotten fon, his befl beloved. Neither the infidelity Of the Vineyard^ 203 infidelity of the "jews, nor their abufe of God's benefits, could put a flop to his goodnefs, or hinder him from fending his fon into the world. My God, how fiir from this fpirit are the children of Adam ! The leaft triflle is enough to raife their refentment and to flifle their good-will ! — Not fo the great, the mer- ciful, and long-fufFering God — his goodnefs ftrives, as it were, to conquer man's wicked- nefs, and labours by all means to foften and engage his hard and ftony heart. And what means could he have chofen to attain this end like fending his fon, his beft beloved fon, his only begotten, to die for and ranfom a guilty world ! Oh who fhall dare to fay upon a view of this unfpeakable inexpreffible loving-kind- nefs, who (hall dare to fay, that this God, this God who thus fent his fervants time after time, and after all his fon — that this gracious God hath, by an abfolute decree^ determined fome, nay the greateft part of mankind, to eternal deftrudlion ! oh believe them not, who would thus reprefent to you the God of love as a God of injuftice— oh be not per- fuaded to think thus of him, who is unbound- ed in mercy, and freely offers comfort to all who will come to him and be faved — believe them not, but turn your eyes to this parable, %q thefe dealings of God with the Jewifi peo- ple. 204 On the T? ARABLE pie. See his prophets fent from time to time, fee his fon at length coming for the fame great purpofe, the falvation of his people, and then never doubt but that God is love, and that all he delights in is the happinefs of his people, and in this was manifefted, clear- ly fhewn as in the mid-day light, the love of God towards us — towards all the world — becaufe that God fent his only begotten fon iiito the world , that we, all of us, if we will believe, that we might live through him ! Here- in is lovey not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and fent his fon to be the propitiation for our fins ^. And this unfpeakable mercy and love of our God, as difplayed in this parable, is ftill mightily increafed by the vile ingrati- tude of thefe hufbandmen, in whom alas wc have but too plain a pidure of the world * On a view of this parable m the letter, one would be almoft tempted to beUeve it impofTibJe for fuch love and regard to be fhewn by an houfholder. But on a view of this parable in the fpirit, in its true and fpiritual meaning, how can the heart, at all fenfible of the love of God, for- bear with the warmeft gratitude to extol and admire the exceeding riches of that love, which no tongue can gxprefs, no heart conceive — and which feems to have forgot itfelf (may I be allowed the expreflion?) in its regard to and remembrance oi us ! BlefTed Jefus, thou didft indeed /<7r^^^ thy own eafe and joy^ when thou fo kindly rememberedft us poor fmners, and gave thy life on the crofs for our re- demption ! Pardon, Lord, our coldnefs and difregard of thee, and give us the grace henceforward never to forget thee ; but to remember thy love with the utmoft ardor of afFedion ! — the Of the Vineyard, 205 — the finful world, for which Chrift died — not for the righteous, not for friends, but for linners and unjuft Enemies ! — They were un- grateful for the benefits vouchfafed to them, in being placed as hufbandmen in the well- provided vineyard, which, as the prophet complains, they deftroyed, treading it under joot^ and making the pleafant portion of their lord a defolate wildernefs. So far from offer- ing the fruits of it on their own accord, they even deny the authority of their mafter in his fervants, and not only deny, but cruelly treat and inhumanly murder thofe fervants, who were fervants of the fame lord with themfelves, and who came on the jufteft er- rand, to demand the fruits of their lord's vineyard in their feafon. But there ingrati- tude did not end here — happy had it been for them if it had done fo ; after the murder of the prophets, the fellow-fervants of their God, with bafe premeditated defigns, the chief friejls and fcribes took counfel together to take away his life — they rofe up in vile rebellion againft the fon of their Lord, the heir of the vineyard — they knew him to be the heir — this is the heir^ come let us kill him, J^fus abundantly proved himfelf by his worksy and fully declared himfelf by his words, to be the Mefliah, the Son of God, and yet thefe priefts and elders would not fee, prejudiced as they * were. 2o6 On theV KK K B h E were, and refolved on his deftrndion : by their vile and horrid inftigations they ftirred up the people to join with them in that (hock- ing and execrable cry — crucify biin^ crucify him — hii blood he on us and our children, let him be crucified'^— and all without any fault or of- fence of his at all 3 he only came to demand the fruits of his father's vineyard—- he ear- neftly and gently befought them to beftow them, but thefe wicked priefts and elders would not hear, they had proceeded already too far, and their vile and odious envy and rank malice, would not fufFer them to reft till they had deftroyed the fon, and fo brought on their own deftrudlion. They would not reft ; and at length, tho* his innocence was manifeft beyond a doubt, even his judge, who knew that for envy they had delivered him, decla- ring, that he found no fault in him, they would be fatisfied with nothing lefs than his blood, and thus filling up the meafure of their iniquity ; caft him out and deftroyed him on the crofs ! When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto thofe huft>andmen ? he will miferably deftroy thefe wicked men, and inflict upon them the juft puniftmient of their ungrateful behaviour — which is the Hid and laft thing taught us in this parable. Our Of the Vineyard. 207 Our Saviour put the queflion to the priefts and elders, that being condemned out of their own mouths they might have no fliadow of an excufe — for certainly their condemnation mufl be juft, who pafs fentence with their own lips upon themfelves. This was the cafe with the pharifees now 5 they acknowledged that thefe wicked hulbandmen would defervedly perifli for their vile ingratitude : and Chrijl then held up the glafs, as it were, to them, and plainly (hewed, that they were the men. Truth, faid he, he will come, and miferably deftroy thofe wicked men, and let out his vineyard unto other hufbandmen, which fhall render him their fruits in their fea- fons, as they themfelves acknowledged it was but right and reafonable they fliould do, their behaviour abundantly juflifying the feverity of their punifliment. Prophecies are always beft explained by the events that fulfil them : and this of our Saviour in particular is feen in its fuUeft light, when we look to that dread event at which it points, the deftrudion of the Jewijlj place and nation, when thefe wicked men were miferably deftroyed indeed and when the vineyard was taken, from them, and the church of God wholly removed and given to others, who by faith in Cbrif approved themfelves more acceptable hulbandmen. The vengeance of God was 2 fo ao8 O;? ^/5f P A R A B L E fo vifible in the deftrudlion of Jerufalem, in the terrible and unheard of ruin of thefe priefts and this people, that the Roman Em- peror Hitus himfelf could not help obferving the divine hand, could not help weeping over a city fo fearfully brought to defolation, and even refufed, according to the cuftom, to tri- umph on that account — there was fo little caufe of triumph in an overthrow fo fhock- ing, and unfpeakably horrible. And even their own hiftorian Jofephiis^ though blind to the real caufe of their miferies, obferves, that *' their execrable fins drew down this punifli- ment** — for the people, he remarks, were ar- rived at fuch a height of iniquity, that he verily believes, fire and brimftone would have delcended from heaven to have confumed them, had not God thus deftroyed them by the Romans-, and he particularly remarks,' that many fuppofed this owing to their cruel murder of Ja?nes the Jiffiy the apofl:le and brother of our Lord — ignorant that Cbrijl had foretold all thefe miferies, and that they arofe from their vile murder, not of James the Jiijl only, but of all the Prophets in general, and in particular of the Son of God, and heir of their vineyard ! — Look at that unhappy nation, and you will clearly fee, that the great God of Heaven, though unfpeakably mercifuU and forbearing, will not fuffer finners continu- ally Of the Vineyard. 209 ally to prefume upon his goocinefs, will not fuffer fin for ever to triumph — but having ufed all means, as a tender father, to reclaim and awaken, when all means prove at length unavailing, and fin is at the full, he will take to him his jealoufy for compleat armour, his fevere wrath fliall he (harpen as a fword, and the world iliall fight with him againft the un- wife. He will gird on his glittering faulchion, zndjiveep the nations with the bejom of deftruc-- tion^^ — magnifying at once his dread juflice and his wondrous mercy ; his mercy in (o long fparing a guilty people, and ftriving by every method to bring them to repentance, fending fervant after fervant, and even his beloved Son ; — his ju/iicey in inflidting the due and de- fer ved punifhment on thofc who defpife his fatherly kindnefs, abufe his fervants, crucify his Son, and rejed: his infinite grace to the everlafting overthrow of their fouls ! Be it ours neither vainly to prefume on the one, nor to arm the other in terrible ven- geance againft us : as we have a God of in- finite ??iercy to deal with, let us labour to ren- der ourfelves fit objedls of that merjcy ; as we have a God of ftrid: ju/iicey let us labour to difarm the terrors of that juflice, by taking (belter under the banners and protection of him, who hath fatisfied the demand of ever- ^ * IFifditn y. 17. Vol. IV. P laft- aio 0/^/^^P A R A B L E lafting juftice, and opened to the believing penitent fjul, a door of everlalling mercy. Wc have leen in this parable — and what 'part of the blelfed Scriptures- — nay, what part of univerfal nature doth not bear witnefs to the fame delightful truth ? — that our God is a God of love, of love unfpeakable, of forbear- ance and long-fuffering kindnefs, like a fa- ther pitying his own children, — like a bene^ volent maf^er, willing and wdfhing the wel- fare of all his fervants ! Had any tenants of ours ufed the meffengers we fent, as thefe hufbandmen ufed the mefiengers of our God, which of us fhould not have been moved in fuch a cafe — which of us fhould have pro- ceeded to fiich lengths of loving-kindnefs, as to fend our only beloved fon to reclaim and bring them to a better mind ! Alas, a very fmall indignity prefently fwells us with angry refentment — poor, imperfecfl, finful mortals ! and were our God like us, like us extreme to mark what is done amifs, which of us could abide it— -which of us could ftand one mo- ment before him ! But St. 'jobn tells us, that he is love—Y\o\. meerly loving, but perfefl love itfelf — an unbiafTed will to benevolence and the happinefs of his creatures. He trieth all means to bring them to repentance/ and is Joath, when their ingratitude demands the ex- erttpn of his juftice, is loath to lay to his hand, and Of the Vineyard. ' 21 1 and to deftroy the finner ! Nothing can mag- nify his love fo much : oh that we were wife duly to confider it ! As the fending his only- beloved Son in the likenefs of our poor flefh ; to live defpifed and reviled, to die as a crimi- nal, to be crucified on the tree ! We do not enough contemplate this aftonifhing in- ftance of divine love ! did we meditate thereon more frequently, and with all our hearts, we could not fail to love him who hath fo loved US; we could not fail to abhor that fin, which I caufed him thus to die ; we could not fail with the fulled truft and confidence to rely on this heavenly Father's protedlion and good- nefs, who hath fo fully, fo undeniably evi- denced his ineftimable love ! " We fhould certainly be very fenfibly affeded, were but any thing of the like nature with this parable to happen in our fight, even tho' a father I fhould fend his fon only for his own intereft : and yet we are but too infenfible as to that which faith teacheth us concerning the only Son of God, Jent into the world, and hum- bled by his Father, purely for our falvation. This ought to convince us that out faith is very weak, and that o\xv falvation is little re- garded by us***'^ — would we increafe the one, and be happy in a greater anxiety for the o- P 2 ther a 1 2 On the ? A R A B L E ther — we can fix our thoughts on nothing fo likely to attain that end, as the great obje(fl of divine love, " the Son fent into the world humbled by his Father for our falvation ! This week * more efpecially calls our contem- plations to this fubjed: : and the various and excellent parts of Scripture appointed to be read in the church will all tend to fix our thoughts on this diftinguifhing glorious ob- jeft of the Chriftian faith, " the Son of the rrioft high God, bleeding on the crofs for mi- ferable finners !" We are invited too, we all y are called to commemorate this his unfpeak- able love in that feaft of love, which he, our dear and dying Friend, our Lord, our Gody our Saviour, and our hope, which he ordained the difmal night before he gave his precious foul a ranfom for our fins, — before he cried out in bitter anguiOi on the tree, — bled for the fins of men,- — bowed his head — and gave )y up the ghofl ! And at this blefl^ed feafl:, I truft, my brethren, — oh that I might not for your fakes be difappointed of my hope 1 trufl:, we (hall fee you united in one defire to do honour to jefus of Nazareth, and to re- member him, who hath remenibred you — and who, if he remember you not on a fpeedily ap- proaching day-^you can find, you W// havg, no other friend to remember you ! * Paflion Week. Which Of the Vineyard. 2 1 3 Which of your hearts feels not a juft indig- nation againft thefe wicked hulbandmen, who ^fter their lord had favoured them with fo- choice a vineyard, yet ungratefully refufed him the fruits, and not only fo, but abufed and killed his fervants — and adding iniquity to iniquity at length rofe up againft the fin and heir himfelf — (lew him and caft him out of the vineyard — afk your own hearts — would any of you have aded thus bafely — would any of you have refufed fo beneficent a lord, the fruits of his vineyard ? would any of you have defpitefully ufed his fervants, and have flain his fon ? — Or to fpeak of the fadls, which this parable reprefents — Would you, my brethren, have had a hand in fhedding the innocent blood of the prophets ? or have joined the horrid cry at Jerufalem — Crucify him^ crucify him^ his blood be upon us and our children ! I doubt not but you fhudder at the thought, and tremble even at the diftant apprehenfion of being acceffaries in fuch black deeds. Take heed therefore, that while ye con- demn the Jews, ye condemn not yourfelves. The vineyard is now with us the church of Chrifl is taken from the Jews, and planted amongft us. Fruits are required of us — the only acceptable fruits of repentance^ f^^th^ and living works : the facred Scriptures are as the meffengers demanding them, and we miniftcrs P 3 unfold- 214 On /fo P A R A B L E unfolding thefe fcriptures, are as the fervants of God fent to receive the fruits in their fea- fon. If you defpife and rejedt thofe Scrip- tures, difregard their holy inflrudlions and the rule of faith and life which they propofe — if you negled: to hear the minifters of your God, the fervants of the heavenly King, demanding fruit in their Mafter's name, — then alas ! then like thefe hufbandmen you are ungrateful to your Lord and God, and muft be efteemed in his fight, like thoie wicked tenants who with- held the fruits and abufed the fervants. More- over, as the Scriptures offer to you eternal life thro' Chriji^ as they point you to him, and dired: you to partake of him in the holy facrament — as there he himfelf invites you and calls for fruit — oh that you would be wife to confider, that while you negled that blef- fed facrament, and come not there in true repentance and faith, you are doing all you can to caft the Son out of his vineyard and to flay him : and like thefe hufbandmen, if you continue to do fo, will be efleemed as mur- derers of the heir ! For if they who dejpijed Mofes's law died without mercy tmder two or three witneJJeSy of how much for er funifl^mejit^ fippf^ ye^ JJ'mU he he thought worthy^ who hath trodden under joot the Son of God, and hath counted the b toed cf the covena?it wherewith he was fandfi- ficd^ an unholy things and hath done dcjpite unto the Of the Vineyard. 2TJ the Spirit of grace ? ----It is a fear fid thing to fall into the hands of the living God ^ ! Awed by the dread of wh'ch. rr.vv v- i^e our utmoft efforts to bring fortl. unto ( rod l\\Q fruits oi his holy love , and in cber'iepre, to his commands, do honour to b ' v. ftricftiy conform to all the holy '^n -jxt cOrn mands of his divine Gofpei, '1 ins i^ lu way to be happy — ihis :n 'ht ^• cure our fouls from the etc ..;,.. which will certainly fail on -he ungrateful and obftinate finner, as was figured out by rhe ut ftrudlion of the Jews. And this is the only way, as to fecure our perfonal happinefs, fo alfo to fecure the happinefs of om /late^ and to difcharge our duty not only to ourfelves^ but our country : on which, inevitable ruin mud indifputably fall, if the fervants of the Lord of heaven, his word and meiTengers be reviled, defpifed, and fcorned, if his Son him- felf be mocked, call: out and crucified afrefh ! And all deadly fms are fo many murders of Jefus Chrifi, It feems as if finners had con- fpired to kill him by innumerable deaths. The Jews killed him only, when he was mor- tal : wicked Chriftians crucify him afrefh even now that he is become all glorious and immortal^ wicked Chriftians kill and caft him gut of the vineyard, when they caft him out *^eb.x. 31, P 4 of 2i6 Oft the V A R A B L E of their hearts, or deny him an entrance into them. To caft him out of our heart is to caft him out of the vineyard, which he has purchafed with his blood, and to take away the Ufe which he had in us ! How many hearts are guilty of this murder in the fight of God ! How many which are at leaft a prifon, where yefus Chrijl is detained captive ! And if fo great deftrudion overwhelmed the Jewifli flate and nation for that one crime, what may we imagine will overwhelm thofe per- fons, and that place, who live in a con- tinual crucifixion of their Saviour, by living in continual fin — for to fin is to renew his death, fince it was by fin only that he died ? May the gracious Father of mercy give all fuch a due fenfe of this moft important truth : and may we, who are about to honour the divine Redeemer ^% and who profefs his faith and love, abound more and more in the fruits of holinefs 5 and increafe in our zeal and love to his eternal glory, as we find the prefumption of finners increafe \ by their negligence, be fi:irred up to more watchful- nefs, by their contempt of the things of God be more filled with thankfulnefs for our re- gard to them — and by their reviling be ani- f In the holy communion. 3 mated Of the Vineyard. 2 17 mated to more fervent prayers, that ere it be too late they may know the things which be- long to their peace, and at length enjoy in the knowledge of the love of God — that peace unjpeakable^ which his children only know, which is the foretafte of heaven, and the ear- neft of future glory, ^c. Amen. D I S- DISCOURSE XVL On the P A R A B L E Of the T E N V I R G I N s* Being the Subftance of two Sermons. PART I. St. Matthew xxv. i, 2. T^hen [hall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten Virgins y which took their lamps ^ and went forth to meet the bridegroom' And five of them were wije^ and five were foolifi, f^W^W^ H E time of our Lord's minlftry ^ 'p ^ drawing to a conclufion, he labours ^ >; in this and the foregoing chapter, k!^^^k to eftabhfli in his difciples hearts the beUef of that fundamental article of the cJ^rilM^n faith, '' his future coming to judge the world, and to affign eternal blifs or mi- fery Of the Ten Virgins, 219 lery to the children of men.'* Having fully informed them of the circumftances and ge- neral leafon of his coming to deftroy the Jew- ifh place and nation, that lively earneft and ftrong figure of his future coming to judge the v^orld — he pafTes, by a natural tranfition, to a declaration of that dread event ; of the watchfubicfs neceflary thereto ; and of the pu- niJJjment confequent upon thofe who fliould negleft fo to vi^atch, and prepare for their Lord's coming. Therefore^ faith he, in the former chapter — te ye alfo ready : for in fiich an hour as ye think not^ the Son of man Cometh^ not only to punifli the Jev^s, but to judge the world. Who then is a faithful fer* vant^ whom his lord hath made ruler over his houfhold fo give them meat in due feafon ? Bleffed is that fervant whom his lord when be cometb fljallfndfo doing ; fo employed in his proper fervice, and fo ready for his mafter's coming. Verily I fay unto you^ that he fhall make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil fervant fiallfay in his hearty My lord delayeth his com- ing: andfojijall begin to f mite his fellow -fer-- vantSy and to eat and drink with the drunken ; the lord of that fervant fJj all come in a day when he looketh not for him^ a?id in an hour^ that he is not aware of— and fhall cut him afunder^ and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites z there Jk all be weeping and gnaflding of teeth. And 220 On the PARABLE And then, fays our Saviour, at that timc^ when the lord ("hall thus come to judge and punifh the wicked fervant, then fliall the kingdom of heaven, the Gofpel kingdom, in the laft difpenfation of it, when the kingdom of grace is about to be fwallowed up in the kingdom of glory — then fhall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wife, and five of them were foolifh. They that were foolifh, as a proof of their folly, took their lamps indeed, but they took no oil in their veflfels with them. But the wife, as a proof of their prudence and wifdom, not only took their lamps^ but took oil in their veflels with their lamps ; as knowing that the com- ing of the bridegroom was uncertain, and that they might probably have long to wait. And as they fuppofed, fo it happened : the bride- groom tarried and came not fo foon as they expelled : and while he tarried, they all numbered and flept. And at midnight, there was a great cry made. Behold the bride- groom Cometh, go ye out to meet him Upon which all thofe virgins arofe from fleep, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolifh faid unto the wife, *' Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out j and we have no oil in our veffcls to trim them." But the wife anfwered, Of the Ten Virgins. ia t anfwered, faying, "By no means; there will not be enough for us and you * : but go yc rather to them that fell, and buy for your- felves." And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and the door was fhut. Afterward came alfo the other virgins, faying, Lord, lord, open to us. But he, from within, anfwered and faid unto them. Verily I fay unto you, I know you not. Watch therefor Cy faid our Saviour, clofing the parable, watch and be ye always ready, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Upon which he de- livers a fecond parable to the fame purpofe, concerning the talents, the more forcibly to incite men to a due: preparation for his com- ing, by an improvement of the gifts and graces beftowed upon them — and after having finifhed this, heroes on to give a moft awak- ening defcription of the procefs at the great day, whereby we are plainly diredled to the true meaning and import of thefe parables, and as plainly taught the utter unprofitable- nefs of a bare froje/fion of Chrifi^s faith without works of mercy and charity — which alone, we perceive, are renumerated on that day, I was an hungred and ye fed me 5 and for the want 222 O;^ //&^ P A R A B L E want of which only — not for notorious crimes, and open offences the wicked are fentenced unto everlafting fire- — / was an hungred and ye gave me no meat, I have been the larger in confidering the connexion of the pr-icnt parable, becaufe by this means, we ihall more eafily arrive at its general fcene and defign, and be better able to explain it, as well as to underftand that im- portant pnrt of fcripture which ftands in con- nedlion with it. From thence it is evident that the general fcene of the parable is to flievv us, that a bare profeflion of the gofpel v^ithout the works of holinefs will ftand us in no ftead at the laft day — that faith without good works, a lamp without oil and light, a life without the fruits of the fpirit,— will leave us in darknefs, at the coming of Chrift, — for which coming if we would be duly prepared, we muft fo watch, as to do the works of him that called us, and to be found in the fervice of the mafter that employs us — fo watch, as to have oil in our lamps, ready to difFufe their light, when the great cry of his coming is heard. This obferv'd, 1 will go thro' the parable and explain it, in its feveral parts, fo far as the comparifon will admit; and afterwards make fuch remarks upon it, as fliall ferve by God's grace, to ftir us up to a zealous preparation for our Lord's comingj to a due care, that we provide Of the Te?i Virgins. 223 provide oil in our veffels, abound in the love as well as.profefs the gofpel of Chrift; for otheru^ife vain will be all our profeflion : to do no evil is not enough for a chriftian; that is but half of his charader; he muft abftain from evil, and do good : and if while he is careful of the one, he is deficient in the other; he will find his faith in the laft day but as a lamp, without oil : incapable of fhining forth, and therefore hehimfelf willbe incapable of entring with the bridegroom, into the marriage feaft. For then, fays our Saviour, at that great day, when everlafting life or death muft be ad- judged to all, — then/Ijall the kingdom of heaven be liken d unto ten virgins — which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. — » In order to underftand this parable, we muft remember, that here is an allufion to the cuftoms of the jewifli marriages— as well as thofe of the other eaftern countries. *' With them it was ufual, for the bridegroom to bring home his bride in the evening, fooner or later, as it might happen. And that fhe might be received properly at his houfe, his female friends of the younger fort were invited to come and wait with lamps, till fome of his retinue, difpatch'd before the reft, brought word that he was at hand ; upon which they went forth with their lamps trimmed and burning, to welcome him, and conducfl him with *• 154 0;^ //&^ P A R A B L E with his bride into the houfe. For which they had the honour of being guefts at the marri- age feaft, and of fharing in the'ufual fefti- vities of the occafion/' * To ten fuch virgins our Saviour compares the candidates for the heavenly kingdom, the complete number of all chriftian profefTors: he fpeaks of ten^ becaufe this was the general number appointed to wait upon the bride- groom, in which as the Fathers have fuppofed, there feems to be no foundation for any fur- ther and myftical fignification ; -f- ~r- and he compares profelTors to virgins for no other reafon, than becaufe the allufion in the para- ble fo required it — To ten fuch virgins all chriftian profefTors may be liken*d,who taking the lamp of chriftian profeflion go forth to meet the bridegroom — that is, prepare themfelves, as candidates for the kingdom of heaven, and delire to be admitted with Chrift the celeftial bridegroom into that kingdom of heaven. — Every one, in the chriftian communion, (for to fuch only the prefent parable, is addreft) takes the lamp of the chriftian profeflion, and goes forth to meet the bridegroom, by being * See Grotlus^ Macknlght and the other commentators and Gerhard %\\2irmony^ p. 583. -j- Tif« is the number o^ perfeSfion : and therefore u fed to expreG the cofnplete number of chriftians — and thus fay many of the firft expofitors. See Gerhard's harmony, ad- «• Of the Ten Fir gins, 225 admitted into the church by baptifmy and thereby made at leaft a member of Chrifi's out- ward communion— as he will be of the in- ward, if he takes care to fulfil his baptifmal vow^ — to provide oil in his lamp. But the cafe of Chriftians is reprefented to us, by this of the virgins ; half of whom only were wife, and the other hdM foolijh. There is and ever will be a mixture in the church, till the great day of feparation comes ^. The folly of the foolifli is feen herein, that they took no oil in their veflels with their lamps j while the wife took oil, together with their lamps — that is, the foolifli Chriftian profef- fors, content with the bare lamp of a pro- feffion, think not of providing it with the oil of divine grace, the fruit of which is a life of holinefs. Whereas, the wife, knowing well that without oil a lamp will fpeedily be extin- guiflied, that without love and holinefs, faith will ftand them in no ftead, take care to fup- ply themfelves by all the means, with a plen- tiful fupply of divine grace -, and to fliew forth in their lives, all the fruits of the Spirit, all the works of love and charity -f-. Oil is, thro' * So Gregory the Great : there are goodouly in heaven, bad only in hell : this ftate admits a mixture of the citizens of both cities. Homily on Matt. f Thus the beft of the fathers expound this particular. The learned reader may refer to them : Gerhard hzs col- lecfied them together in his Harmony, p. 583, and %o him N0.16.V0LJV, Q the 226 On f /5^ P A R A B L E the Scriptures made an emblem of divine grace, of the holy Spirit : Chriji was fo called becaufe he was anointed with that holy otl^, and we are therefore called Chriftiaiis, or per- fons anointed with the divine Spirit of God. And as it is oil which caufes a lamp to burn and caft forth its light around -, fo is it the My Spirit only, which enables Chriflians to tfliew forth their works in a holy converfa- tion, and to witnefs the fincerity of their faith by the goodnefs of their lives. And hence our Saviour faith, Let your light fo SHINE before nien^ that they may fee your good worksy and glorify your Father who is in heaven, A bright fhining lamp can as well be hid, as a Chriftian whofe faith fliines forth -, brightly witneffed by a holy life, and by all adts of love to God and to man. And a Chriftian can no more fo {hine without the grace of God, than a lamp can fliine without oil : and juft as ufelefs as a lamp would be, forever deprived of oil, fo ufelefs and vain is a Chri- ftian profeflion without the light of holinefs? the light of all good works, iht fruits of the Spirit, teftifying the fincerity of faith. It happened, that when tbefe virgins thus differently fupplied, had fet out upon the fame errand, that while the bridegroom tarried, they alljlumberedandjlept', that is, all Chriftians, f Of the fame import is the word Mejfiah, the anointed, good Of the Ten Virgim, 227 gbod and bad, fincere and hypocrites, thoft who really love and wait for the bridegroom, and thofe, who only profefs to do fo ; all lie down together in the fleep of death : all, while the bridegroom delayeth his coming, flumber in the grave — and fleep till the great call that fhall awaken them to different fituation?. Some expound this particular in the parable of a fpiritual fleep and flumber; which they fay is apt to creep upon the befl: of Chri- flians, as well as the mofl: carelefs : and tho* fincere Chriftians do not perfedlyy?^^"^ in the night of fin ; yet, they will have it, that they flumber^ are apt to nod, and not to watch duly : it is indeed but too true, and we have all abundant experience of it, that however willing the fpirlt may be^ the jlejh notwith- ftanding is "weak: and the cares and troubles and perplexities of a wicked, vain and vexa- tious world, joined to the treachery of our own hearts, are but too apt to deaden the fpi- ritual vigour of the foul, and to fhake us in our befl: refolutions. But I apprehend, as the parable immediately refers to God's dealings at the lafl: day, this expofition cannot have place, neither can this be the meaning of the prefent circumfl:ance, as the connexion of the parable above-given clearly fhews — and as the next circumfliance feems to prove beyond 0,2 a 228 On the ? ^ R A B L E a doubt, which is by all commentators under- flood oi Chrifl's coming to judgment. For at midnight there was a great cry made^ behold the bridegroom corneth^ go je out to meet him. The Jews have a tradition, that Chriji's coming to judgment will be at midnight : certain it is, it will be at a time, the moft a- larming, and leaft fufpe^led. The great cry will then be heard throughout the ends of the earth ; the trumpet {hd\\ founds and the mighty archangels voice pierce thro* all the corners of the world — Beboldy the bridegroom comethy go ye out to meet him. All muft then arife, good and bad : all men (hall be awakened, and all will then begin to think how they may prepare themfelves for a happy admiffion into the kingdom of heaven. 7hen all thefe virgins arofe, and trimmed their lamps — when the foolifh perceived their folly : their lamps were gone out, totally extin- guiflied — and they had no oil to fupply them with — no oil from whence to caiife them to Jhine* So the hypocrites hope fliall perifli. But the wife were in better cafe ; they had oil in their vefTels : but none to fpare— — -for when the foolifli virgins would have pro- cured fome from them, they tell them of their fears, that /here would not be enough for both, and advife them to go and buy for themfelves. Herein Of the Ten Virgins. 229 Herein we have reprefented to us the dif- ferent ftates of nominal profeiTors and fincere Chriftians on that day : thofe who upon earth have only had the bare lamp of a profeffion, who have been admitted indeed into Chrifl^s church and faith, by baptifm^ who have been called Chri/tianSy but not lived agreeably to the precepts and examples of their Mafter, who have not been felicitous to gain the oil of divine grace by a conftant ufe of the means appointed, who have not been careful to let the light of that grace {hine forth in all good works ^ — thofe who have been contented with a merely negative righteoufnefs^ with fuch a juftice and honefty, as heathens boafted of> to whofe charge no grofs fins can be laid, while at the fame time no good can be fpoken of, as a fruit of their faith : fuch are they who in this parable are reprefented by the foolifh vir- gins— and like them they will fare 3 while they read their folly in the prudence and hap- pinefs of the wife, whofe zealous endeavours to flock their lamps with divine oil upon earth hath perhaps been their mockery^ but will now be their fliame and condemnation ; for none are fo great rjiockers upon earth, fo great defpifers of real living Chriflianity, as thefe hiTit for 7nal da?' k- 1 amp bearing profeiTors. It is generally fuppofed, that the particular of the wife virgins advifmg the fooliflu to go Q 3 and 239 On //J^ P A R A B L E and buy oil, is nothing more than a circum- ilance necefTary to accommodate and carry on the parable, while it teaches us the impofii- bility of transferring good works "^^ : for it will then be too late to think oi buying •, now only is the time, when we may come to God and to Chrijl^ by the Go/pel, and the 772ea?2S of grace, and there buy the divine oil, which will never fail us, without ?noney and "without price. Nay, we are counfelled and exhorted to do fo : if we defpife thefe counfcls and re- je6l thefe exhortations, while they may be ufeful, our cries and widies will be as furely rejeded another day — and our vain attempts to purchafe, wlien the bridegroom is coming, will caufe us forever to be excluded from his kingdom. For while thefe foolifli virgins went to buy, the bridegroom came : and the wife, who were ready, their lamps trimmed and burning, went in with him to the marriage — happy fa^- voured virgins — and behold, the door was Jlmt, Afterward came alfo the other virgins, they found their way to the door, tho' their lamps were extinguifhed, and they could get no oil to light them -f-, and with great importunity * See the beginning; of the next fermon. f This was impoflible : and therefore it is onjy faidjWith a beautiful propriety in the parable, ver. ii. Jfterward came aljo the other virgins, faying^ Lord^ Lord, open to us. they Of the Ten Virgins, 231 they cry, Lord^ Lord^ open to us. But he an- fwered and faid, Feri/y I fay unto yoUy I know you not — you attended me not, you are ftran- gers to me —the door is (hut — and entrance for ever denied. Very fimilar to this is a paf- fage in the xiiith Chapter of St. Luke^ ver. 24. Strive to enter in at the ftrait gate ; for many, I fay unto you, vjiWfeek to enter in, as thefe foolifli virgins did, and fliall not be able when once the mafter of the houfe is rifen up, and hath fliut to the door, and ye begin to ftand without, and to knock at the door, faying, Lord^ Lord^ open unto us : and he {hall anfwer and fay unto you, I know you not, whence you are : then fl:iall ye begin to fay, we have eaten and drunk in thy prefence, — we have taken our lamps, and gone forth to meet thee — and thou haft taught in our ftreets. But he ihall fay, I tell you, / know you noty whence you are 5 depart from me all ye workers of iniquity, which all thefe eminently are, under the Chriftian difpenfation, who are not workers of good, nor obedient to the com- mands of Cbrijl, There fhall be weeping and gnafliing of teeth, when ye fliall fee Ahrabamy Ijaac and Jacob, and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, with all the wife vir- gins, and you yourfelves caft out. Such will be the miferable condition of all formal pro- feffors, of all who (hall be excluded, like Q_4 . thefe 232 On the PARABLE thefe fbolifh virgins, from the eternal mar- riage feaft ', of all who while they have oppor- tunity, negleft to fill their veflels with oil, to gain the divine grace, and to abound in all works of faith and labours of love I li'atch therefore *, fays our Saviour, what I fay unto one, I fay unto all, watch therefore, that ye may be found ready, fince ye know not the day nor the hour when the Son of man cometh, He cometh to judgment with regard to us, whenever he cometh to us by death— whenever we flumber and fleep, till his great and mighty call in the cold grave* And as that day is moft uncertain, fince we know neither the day nor the hour of the Son of man's comings—and fince, when once he comes, if we are found unprepared, all la- bour to prepare will be fruitlefs — let us ac- cept his kind and generous caution 3 and make our whole life a conftant preparation for the meeting of our bridegroom. The only way duly to watch and to be ready is, as we learn from this parable, to provide our lamps with fufficient oil -f* : is to caufe our faith to fhine by the light of good works ^ the only fupply for which can be had frorn * This command of our Saviour is frequently repeated in the Gofpel, upon which one obferves, nunquam fails dicitur^ qi-cd nunquam fails difcitur. That can never be faid too much, which we never can learn too well. t See this confidered at large in the ntxtfermm, -^ the Of the T'en Virgins. 233 the oil of divine grace, without which the light of our lamp will be extinguifhed, and we fhall at length be left in the dark, only with the foul, ofFenfive fmell and fmoke of an un- profitable profeffion. You cannot but obferve, that thefe virgins differ in no refpeds fave this ofie : they are all called virgins — they all took lamps — they all went forth to meet the bridegroom — they all numbered and flept — they all were awakened and arofc they all prepared to trim their lamps -but the great and only difference, which fo materially diftinguiflied them, was, with thtfooli/h the want of oil in their veffels, was with the wife the poffeffion of that oil. And this is the only thing that can diftinguifh true 2iV\i formal ChnK\2in% : both are called by the name of Chriji — both bear the lamp of a profeffion — both are baptized, both candi- dates for immortality both die and are laid in the fleep of death — both will be awakened by the laft trump — but then the material dif- ference will be found, while thefe fliall hear. Come ye ilej/ed of my Father^ receive the king- dom prepared for you Jrom the beginning of the world : for I was an hwigred and ye gave me meat ; I was thirfy and ye gave me drink — and fo fliewed forth your faith by your living holy works of mercy and of love — while thoie fliall hear — Depart ye curfed into everlafling fire pre- pared 234 On tbe ? ARABLE pared for the devil and his angels : for I was an hungred ^nd ye gave me no meat — thirfty and ye gave me no drink — profeffing my faith only, but deftitute of that love and charity to your brethren, which is the fure charafteriftic of all my difciples : for he that loveth not his brother, whom he hath feen, how can he love God whom he hath not feen ? And whofo hath this world's good, and feeth his brother have need, and fhutteth up his bow- els of cocnpaffion from him, how dwelleth the love of his brother,, and of confequence, the love of God in him * ? Thus then I have explained the parable to you, and muft omit the remiarks I intend to our next meeting. Till which time, be it ours carefully to provide for a better meeting, a meeting with our glorious Lord — to provide for the coming of our Saviour in the clouds : and to fee that we bear not an empty lamp only, are not Chriftians merely in name, but Chriftians in heart and in life — and to obtain this divine oil of the Spirit, let us now go to them that fell, and buy — let us be careful to examine ourfelves with regard to our baptif- mal covenant, to fee whether as we have been baptized with vt^ater, fo we have alfo been baptized with the Holy Ghofl: ; — whether as admitted into the outward pale of Chrift's * I John ill. 17. church, Of the Vineyard. 22 S church, we are by a due performance of our baptifml covenant, ingrafted as living mem- bers in him — whether as earneAly defirous of his grace v/e omit no opportunity to obtain it j more efpecially by frequenting the blefled communion, the moft plentiful cbmel of di- vine grace. And let us be efpecially jealous over our own fouls, that we be not found for- mal frequenters of that bleffed communion — but let us carefully examine from time to time, how we have improved in grace, how we have performed our promifes there, to a- mend and advance — whether we are lefs and lefs worldly, lefs and lefs uncharitable, lefs and lefs luftful, lefs and lefs ambitious and vain — whether we love God more and more — whether we find the love of our neighbour more and more increafed — whether we find our love of holinefs and our defires to be dif- folved and be with Chri/i, daily advancing and quickening into perfection *. Thus fhould we * 'Tis furprifing that this fhould not be the longing de- fire of every Chriftiaii— But alas, while our faith is fo dim, and our pra^ice fo languid, no wonder, that, which fhould affe6t us with peculiar joy, becomes rather a mat- ter of terror! Juft with fuch ardor, as the bride experts and longs for her beloved bridegroom's approach, fhould the true believer long for his foul's only beloved --Cd/,v/^, Lord Jefus^ come quickly ; fhould be the fervent, devout, continual afpiration of the heart. But all that I can fay on this fu: jiccl is alre^idy expreft fo much belter by the good Bifhop 236 On tk T ARABL E, &c. we be follicitous and careful in our enquiries after the fupplies of grace — not content merely to fland flill, and to remain from year to year the fame, the fame trifling, vain, worldly, uncharitable, cenforious, and envious profef- fors — but zealous to pluck all thefe evils from our hearts, and to implant there all the fair flowers of paradife, all the fweet graces and holy affedtions, that make the foul indeed the kingdom of God, and transfufe an ineflfable fweetnefs and happinefs into all our life and converfation. — Let us then be more than or- dinary zealous to increafe in holinefs, and in all good works, that we may not only adorn the profeflion of our God and Saviour, but be found happily prepared with our lamps trimmed and burning, when the bleffed Bride- groom calls, and gives us a glorious admif- fion into his everlafting joys. — Which, &c, Bifhop Patrick^ in his work called, '* The glorious Epi- phany, with the devout Chriftian's love to it," that I can da my reader no greater kindnefs than recommend to him s ferious perufiil of that excellent book. See 2 Tim. iv. 8.. D IS- DISCOURSE XIV- On the PARABLE Of the Ten Virgins. PART II. St. Matthew xxv. 13. Watch therefore^ for ye know neither the day^ nor the hour^ when the Son of Man cometh. 3eC)^)@C)eC^ T Paul tells us, that, without hoU^ O 5 M nefs 710 man fhall fee the Lord: and yk )§C our Saviour declares, ^^X, not every )^MmMM one who faith U7tto hiniy Lordy Lord^ fiall enter into the kingdom of heaven : but he that doth the will of his Father who is in heaven . which great and important truths well delerv- ing the ferious meditation of all profeflbrs of Chriftianity, are fet before us in the prefent parable 238 On the V A R A B L 1£ parable of the ten virgins ; the immediate re- ference of which to the awful tranfadlions of the laft great day, is plainly difcerned, from the particle then, which connects this parable with the former chapter ; and from the par- ticular account of the general judgment given by our Saviour in the fubfequent verfes* This I obferved, in a former fermon on the fubjedt, when in explaining the feveral circumftances of the parable, it was fhewn, that by the king- dom of heaven is meant the Gofpel-kingdom, the kingdom of grace in its laft difpenfation, when it is about to be fwallowed up in glory : by the ten virgins are meant the complete and general number of all Chriftian profeflors — the church of God upon earth, mixed with good and bad : by their taking their lamps and going forth to meet the bridegroom, (an allu- fion as was noted, to the cuflom and manners of the Jewifh marriages) is meant, their tak- ing upon them by baptifm, and their leading their lives in the outward profeffion of the Chriftian faith — by the bridegroom is meant the Lord Ji^Jus, the everlafting bridegroom of his fpoufe the church — by the foolifh virgins are meant, mere profeflors ; fuch as are Chri- ftians only in name, who have a /amp without oil, faith without love : — by the wife virgins are meant real Chriftians, who to an out- w^ard profeffion join inward holinefs, who Jiave Of the Hen Virgins, 239 have not only the form, but the power of god- linefs, and faith which works by love, a life beautified by the fruits of the holy Spirit ; whofe gifts and graces, particularly, are fi- gured out to us by the oil. By the flumber and fleep of them all — wife and foolifh, is meant death, the common lot of good and bad. By the midnight cry to go forth and meet the bridegroom is meant, the laft aw- ful cry to come to judgment, the archangels trump and the voice of God. By the follici- tude of the foolifh virgins — the difcovery v/hich nominal profeffors will make too late, of their deficiency in holinefs. By the re- proof of the wife is (hewn, the impoflibility of any transferring of good works from one to another, and of confequence the abfurdity of the paplfts dodtrine oifiipererogation : fince no man at that day will be found to have more than enough for himfelf *. By the admif- fion of the wife into the marriage-feaft, is meant the happy entrance of true Chriftians into blifs eternal with their all-glorious bride- groom ; and by the exclufion of the foolifli, the everlafting banifhment of the ftrangers to true holinefs, from that blifs and kingdom. — Such is the parable, * See Abp Ti Hot/on s Sermon on the prefent parable, who confiders this particular at large. * The 240 Onfl^eP A R A n h E The plain praftical inference which our Sa- viour draws from thence is this - Watch there- fore, for ye know, neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man comet h. And upon this I will dwell principally at prefent, fliewing. you, Ift, From the tenor of this parable, what our Saviour means by this command to us, Watchy which as being of great importance, he delivered in the former chapter alfo, ver.42. and enforced with the fame motive — Watch thereJorCy for you know not what hour your Lord doth come — and in St. Mark^ chap. xiii. ver.35. he gives the fame command and urges the fame reafon — the uncertainty of the mafler's coming — Take ye heed, WATCH and pray, for ye know not when the time is. For the Son of man is as a man, taking a far journey, who left his houfe and gave authority to hisfervants, and to every man his work, and commayided the porter to watch : watch ye thet^efore, fr ye know not when the majler of the houfe cometh -, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock-crowing, or in the morning — lefi coming fuddenly he find you fleep- ing. And what I fay unto you, I fay unto ALL, WATCH. His apoflles alfo, are earneft in exhorting us to the fame duty, Watch ye, faith St. Faid, f and f oft in the faith, quit you like men, bejlrong. Let all your things be done with charitv. Of the Ten Virgim. ^^4! tharity. And behold^ faith Chrift, in the Re- H)elation, I come as a thief, Blejfed is he that ivatcbeth^ mid keepeth his garments *, le/i he walk naked, and they fee his fiame. From all which paflages the importance of this duty of Watching is abundantly clear, the nature and extent of which having fhewn, as taught us by the prefent parable, I will, lid, Endeavour to enforce it by our Lord's own motive, the uncertainty of his coming, , the bleffednefs of being found fo doing, and the danger of the contrary ftate, Ift. We (hall beft underftand what is meant by this command of our Lord, to watch^ or as he exprefles it in the foregoing chapter, to be ready^^xi we furvey the different condud: of the wife and foolifh virgins; the former of whom really 'Watched, and were ready when their Lord came ; the latter of whom watched not, and fo were not ready. It is evident^ that in this parable, watching is not oppofed to jleeping : the virgins aiifMmhered ^.nAf^fpt : and of confequence if that referred to a Ipi^ ritual Jlumber^ to a decay and decreafe in duty, none of them could properly have been fdid to watch. But this, as I obferved, mufc of neceffity refer to the fleep of deaths from * See chap. xvi. 15, comp. xix. 7,8. VoL.IV. R which 242 O^tbeFARABLE which they were no fooner awakened, than the wife ftood in their /before- provided readi^ nefsy and fo entered in with the bridegroom. Of confequence therefore their njcatcbing con- filled in what they had done, before they fell afleep : and this was '^ providing fufRcient oil in their vefTels to keep their lamps burning." By which particular, as was before fhewn, is meant, '* their adorning their faith with all the works of love, all the fruits of the Spirit," fruits which never fail 5 love, which fhall ne- ver be extinguifhed \ the* the faith on which it w^as built, fhall be loft in y?^i6/, and the ^^/f, by which it was animated fhall fweetly ceafe in enjoyment. For hve^ faith St. Faul^ never faileth *. To watch then, as thefe wife virgins did, and fo be ready whenever the bridegroom calleth, is to take care that our faith be ani- mated by divine love, that the light of divine grace fo fhine forth to adorn our profeffion, that men jeeing our good works ^ may glorijy our Father which is in heaven. The holy Spirit is the fountain and life of all good works 5 it is impoffible for Chriftians to be holy without his fandifying prefence j juft as impoffible as it is for a lamp to give light without oil: the holy Spirit is that to a Chriflian, which is oil to a lamp : and a Chri- ^^ iCor. xiii. 8. ftian, Of the Ten Virgins. 24.^ ftian, without the fruits of that Spirit, is juft as ^Wand dark and i(fe/e/s, as a lamp without oil, and fo without h'ghL And hence you may clearly fee how vain a profeflionof Chri- ftianity is, without thefe good works, with- out thek fruits of the Spirit : there can be no medium : the wife virgins had oil ; the fooHfh had none : to one or other of thefe parties muft all of us of neceffity belong ; if we have not the oil of divine grace, if we have not the Spirit of C/ori/i, if we do not manifeft his fruits in our lives ; it is in vain to depend upon mere harmleffnefs, doing no evil, and fuch like delufive pretences, wherewith the enemy of mens fouls fooths but too many into ever- lafting deftrucftion ;— the foolifh virgins were excluded for no other caufe, but the want of oil, the want of holinefs, the want of thofe good works, thofe gifts and graces, which teftify the divine Spirit dwelling: in us. And it concerns every man ferioufly to con- fider, that in the awful procefs at the laft day, which is reprefented by this parable, and which is the beft expofition of it as ex- plained in clear terms by our Saviour, at the end of this fame chapter, that nothino: is brought m evidence to condemn the wicked, but the want of this oil, the want of this holi- nefs, and the want of thofe works of love and mercy, which are the fruits of the Spirit, R 2 and 244 0« the PARABLE and the only e idences of our true chrifti- anity. To this agrees what St. P^«/ fays, as men- tioned at the beginning of the difcourfe : Without holinefs no vian pall fee the Lord, This holinefs is * a complex virtue, made up of all the duties and graces which adorn the chrifti- an profeilion, and the bleffed Spirit is the alone worker of it in our hearts. He is properly called the fanBiJier, as his office is \.o fanBifyy or make all believers holy. And a continual attention to the great bufinefs of our fouls JanEiification by this bleffed Spirit, is truly and properly that which is meant by chriflian watcbfulnefs. He, that is fo fandified by the indwelling Spirit of his God j he who is made holy thereby, and in whom the fruits of this Spirit are found ; he is always ready, whenever his mafter cometh. His lamp is provided * The holy anointing oily poured on the hlgh-prieft, was a mixture of various <2rff//7^//Vj, as you will read in Exodusy XXX. 22, ^c. and being thus a compound ointment was typical, not only of the holy Spirit, but aifo of its fruits and effe^s : or of that compound virtue called holinefs^ which is the effecSl: cf the holy Spirit living in and fan£ti- fying us ; and is made up of all thofe fweet tempers and heavenly graces, which were in Chrifl formed in him by the holy Ghoft, and which alfo mud be formed in every c'hriftian by the fame divine power/' There are various particulars relating to this ointment^ much deferving our contemplation, but this more efpecially, that if any one attempted to make a compound like it,he was abfolutelyto be cut off from the people. See verfe 33. with Of theTenVirghn. 245 with oil, and whenever the bridegroom calls, with that lamp fo (hining forth, he fliall enter with him into the eternal marriage fcaft. 2. How then it may be aiked, fliall we gain this divine oil, where fhall we go and bu^r, how fhall we obtain the grace of this bleffed Spirit ? — oh that ye were all really as folicitous to obtain the divine Spirit, as this queftion is reafonable and becoming thofe, who without his gracious influences (hall never enter into the eternal marriage feaft — -for if any wan have not the Spirit of Chrift, he is none of his — if any man be not fealed with this^^W* of the living God, he cannot be known of him, and will furely hear from him at that day. Verily I fay unto yoii^ I know you not, 'Tis then moil highly reafonable for creatures of a day like us, to fecure to ourfelves this blefTed ear^ neji of our future inheritance.- And an humble defire^ joined with earneft prayers for the gift, will never fail to bring this bleft in- habitant to our breafts, for our bodies are his temples ; and 'tis with grief that he leaves thofe habitations, beloved by him, and pur- chafed by the blood of that redeemer, who gave this good gift unto men i and who hath told us to our comfort, ij ye then being evil^ know how to give good gifts to your children^ how * See Ephejuins i. 13. compare Revelation vii. 3. ix. 4 &c. R 3 much 246 On //;^ P A R A B L E much more Jhall my heavenly father give the holy Spirit to them that ajk him — ? Come to that heavenly father with earneft petitionr, and walk with him, by removing all fin from that dwelling, where you defire his Spirit to dwell, and be affured, that his promife fhall never fail. — But exped not that Spirit, never look for his grace, if you live in the open pra6lice of any of thofe fins which are contrary to his nature, more efpecially to his holinefs and love : he is a holy, and he is a loving fpirit, and all zinholinejsy and uncharitablenefs above any thing, muft and doth above all things grieve, refift, and if perfifted in, will totally quench him — If therefore you defire this Spirit to dwell in you *, beware of all foul and filthy ini- quity and uncleannefs : beware of all uncha- ritablenefs, cenforioufnefs, and malice ; of an envious, proud, and unforgiving fpirit 5 the Lord of love and holi?2efs, be fure, will never dwell in one abode with thefe. But as by prayer^ and fincere defires, with a heart itt againft fin, this holy Spirit may be obtained to all our comforts, fo doth he vouchfafe alfo to make the word read^ heard, and preach'' d^ a powerful channel to convey his grace to the foul, if that word be heard and read in meek- nefs and love, and with a true and fingle inr * ZtQ Q. Corinthians v\. 16. tention Of the Ten Virgins] 247 tention to all the poffible fpiritual profit that can be derived from it. But there is a third glorious mean and in- ftrument whereby divine grace is conveyed to our fouls — and one perhaps the moft profita- ble of any : namely, that blefled feaft of love to which we are continually invited by the church, and where we cannot fail to be filled with God's grace and heavenly benedidion, if we come with humble fouls and rightly difpofed hearts ! oh fuch fhall never be fent empty away— the ftreams of holy love (hall water and refrefh their fouls, and fo furnifh them againft the future day, that their lamps fliall be found trim'd and burning, and them- felves be ready to enter with the bridegroom ! Happy they, of all others moft happy, who communicate at this table with humble, low- ly, loving and fincere hearts ! Miferable they, who prefume to come thither with a finful, unforgiving, proud and felf-fufiicicnt fpirit ! But moft miferable, of all men moft mifera- ble they, who never come thither at all, who rob their fouls of that divine and unfpeakable comfort, who rob their fouls of an admif- fion into Chriji's true communion here, and of confequence his eternal communion here- after ! bleffed Jefif, have mercy on them ! bleffed Jeju, awaken them ere it be too late ! blefted Jefu, have ccmpadion on their fouls, R 4 and 248 On the? A R A h L E and bring them in lowly repentance to this altar and thy love ! 3. Such are the great wf^;?^ of grace, which God himfelf hath inflituted, and which ufed, with due humility, and a fpirit of penitence, can never fail to attain the end defired : con- cerning which we cannot be too follicitous, as without a happy fatisfadion that we have at- tained it, we ihould never prefume to reft, feeing if we are not fo found ready, if we have not thi§ 0^'/ in our lanips, we can never enter in with the bleffed bridegroom into his eter- nal feaft of joy. But fome may fay, I have long ufed thefe means, I have prayed, read, heard, communicated, and yet am greatly doubtful concerning my ftate, and yet dare not pronounce that I have attained the end defired- ? We may reply in the firft place, that *tis happy to be thus anxious— 'tis a good fign— too many alas called chriftians never trouble their heads at all at this chief concern of all mortals, and never think of enquiring whether they have the grace of God or not. But this doubtfiilnefs proceeds moft probably from the weaknefs of your graces, and rrorn your want of proper and conftant exaa:iination, otherv'/ife the fruits of the fpirit, as delivered in the fcriptures, are fuch that no man can doubt, if he really has thcrn, and no man cai:^ deceive himfelf if he really has them not. St. Paul OJ the Ten Virgins. Z^g Paul gives us this infallible criterion of our ft ate — They that are after the fiejlo, faith he, do mind the things of the fiejh : but they that are after the fpirit do mind the the things of the fpirit. Let us fee then what are the things of xhtfejhy and what are the things of thefpirity and we fhall immediately know whether we are after the feJJj, or after the ^ir/t. And of this in his epiftle to the Galatians he fully informs us : The works of the flejh are manifejl^ which are thefe^ adultery^ forjiication^ unclean- nefsy lafcivioufnefs : witchcraft and idolatry y of which covetoufnefs is a foul fpecies : hatred^ 'va- riancCy emulations ^ wrath ^ flrife^ feditionsy here^ JieSy envyingSy murderSy drunkennefsy revelings^ andfucb like : of the which I tell you before y as I have alfo told ye in time pajly that they which do fuch things y fijall not inherit the kingdom of God. Now every man living can in a mo- ment tell, whether he doth fuch things: and as honeft confcience replies, fo he may be af- fured of his ftate, and that if he continues to do fuch things, as certainly as God is true, one jot or one tittle of whofe word fl-jall ne- ver fail, fo certainly fhall he never inherit the kingdoni of God, but fliare the foolifli virgins fate. Thus it is eafy to tell whether we are after they? place. 2 God J Of the Ten Virgins, ' 251 God 5 whether he is angry, paffionate, quar- relfome; whether he is proud, envious, heady, high-minded -, whether he is a murderer, and fuch is he that hates his brother * ; whether he is afoul drunkard, a fihhy epicure, a nightly re- veller, and a wanton chamberer, and a lover of lin more than of holinefs : So is it on the other hand eafy for a man to tell, whether he loves God and his brethren, and as fo loving, pays all duty to the one, and all adls of kindnefs to the other ; whether he joys in do- ing good, whether it is his meat and drink ; whether he has peace and fweet repofe in his confcience under the fenfe of God's wonderful mercies in Jefiis Chri/i ; whether he is long^ fuffering^ patiently abiding all affii^lions, nay and thanking God in the midft of them -, whe- ther his behaviour and condudl is gentle, mild, and difpofed to ads of beneficence -, whether he is kind, tender-hearted, ready to forgive, even as God for ChrilV% fake hath forgiven him ; whether he is faithful in every ftation to God and to man ; whether he is meek and lowly in his own eyes ; and v/hether he is temperate, moderate, chafte, and fober in all things. * No * See Matthew v. 22. * Downame in his Spiritual JFarfare^ p. ii6. fpeaks well on this fubrd. " Would we then be ajfuved that we are endued wiih the Spirit of God ? Why then let us coiifider, 952 0/ /& P A R A B L E No perfons living can deceive themfelves In thefe marks : but let no man attempt to de- ceive himfelf, or to fancy that he has them, when really he has them not ; or to reft fatis- fied without them, fince thefe are the genuine fruits of the fplrit, hereby the Spirit is infal- libly known as a tree by its fruit: and to what- ever profeffions men may make pretence, of whatever inward feelings and affurances they may boaft, which the devil may feign, and their conftitution encourage ; whatever they confider, if our eyes blinded with ignorance are lightn- ened in any good meafure with the knowledge of God's truth ; if our fouls, polluted with the filth of fin, are purged in fome fort from our corruptions ; if our cold hearts are inflamed with the zeal of God's glory and the love of our brethren j if our hearts, more hard than ada- mant, and more inflexible than fteel, are foftened and made obfequious to God's will ; and if the other members of our body, which were benumbed, and as it were taken with a dead palfy, be made nimble and a6live in the works ofholinefs and righteoufnefs ; if we feel a fight and combat between the flclh and the fpirit, the one {Iriving to lead us captive unto fin, the other refifting, and drawing us out of this captivity ; if the fins, which heretofore we have loved, be now loathfome unto us, and the virtues which ■we have abhorred be delightful and pleafant ; and then we may affure ourfelves, that it is the light of God's Spirit, v/hich h th fhined upon us, it is this heavenly water, which hath wafhed us ; vi is this divine fire which hath inflamed us ; is is this precious oil that hath mollified and foftened us, it is this Champion of the Lord of hofls which maketh war againft our traiterous flefti and fubdueth the lufts thereof; in a word, it can be nothing but God's Spirit, which makes us hate that fin, which naturally we fo dearly love, and to love virtue and godlinefs v/hich by nature is (othfome and bitter unto us. 3 n^ay Oj the Ten Virgins. 253 may fancy, if they have not thefe fruits, they have not the Spirit; and if they have not the Spirit — they are dead to Chriji^ he know^s them not—- and if he knows them not they muft have their portion with the hy- pocrites, where is weeping and gnafliing of teeth : as in this ftate of mind, they will be found by him off the watchy and fo will be for ever rejedled by him, when he comes to judgement, the uncertainty of which moft certain event (hould be a powerful motive to incline us always to be ready, and this is that which I propofed lid. To urge upon you, following our Sa- viour's example, who hath enforced his com- mand of watchfulnejs upon all men, with the folemn declaration 5 that tbey knew neither the day nor the hour when the f on of man comet k But at fuch a time as they think not of, the Lord will come ; and finding them thus unprepared, finding them thus without oil in their lamps, thus off their guard how miferable will their cafe be— -how vain all their endeavours to provide ! See that emphatically painted in the foolifli virgins ! When the awful cry was heard, ** behold the bridegroom cometh,'* then too late they perceived their negled: — then too late they found their folly — the door was for ever fhut as they were unprepared, and no ad- mi ffion 254 0/2 /i'^ P A R A B L E miffion could for ever be given ! So when the awful fummons (liall thunder in thine cars, oh man — a fummons ever uncertain, yet ever fure — when thou (halt hear, " Come to judgment, come away,'* how milerable will thy condition be to think, that thou haft no holinefs, no good works, no true love, no di- vine charity to urge in plea as a proof of thy faithy and a token of thy love to Chriji. Truth it is, thou haft born his name, been baptized into his faith, heard his word, and made pro- feflion of his religion, and yet never followed his divine example, never conform'd thyfelf to his glorious pattern, never thought it in- cumbent on thee to obey his bleffed precepts, and have never been foUicitous to gain that holy Spirit, without whofe gracious aid no man fhallfeethe Lord! alas, that ever thou waft born, if fuch fhould be thy wretched ftate on that day, depart thou curfed, will be all thy comfort- «-i was an hu?2gred and thou gaveji me no meat, will be thy dreadful condemnation. Labour then to avert thofe unfpeakable evils, gr-eater far than I can defcrjbe, by deter- mining henceforth to add love to ihy faith, and fo make it perfedt : you have heard the necejjity of the inhabitation of the holy Spirit — you have heard the means, whereby he is to be obtained— you have heard the fure and in- fallible 7narks of his dwelling in the heart — Of the Ten Fir gins, 25$ go therefore, and refolve to pradtlfe— and you will find your hearing not in vain in the Lord. God will abundantly flrengthen thofe, who are fincerely dcfirous to do his will : happy they, who live in conftant and uniform obe- dience to it ^ they, like the wife virgins, found ready when their Lord comes, Ihall enter with him into joy eternal, and fo fiiall live for ever with him. In expectation of which fpeedy approaching blifs, Jiandjaji in thefaith^ my beloved, perfevere in the good ways, watch^ quit you like men^ be Jirong^ and let all your af- fairs be done in love. Fail not diligently to continue in all the 7neans of grace, and to watch carefully over your own hearts, conftantly examining, and fearching for the fruits of the Spirit in them. Obferve more efpecially how great a ftrefs is laid upon love * : it is the very * The devout reader fhould, in this view, moft care- fully and frequently perufe that divine firft Epillle of St, John^ where the evidences of our Chnftian ftate are fo clearly laid dov/n. and marks fo fare and plain propofed, that no man can deceive himfelf. It would be well, if all Chriftians would particularly confider at prefent the doc- trines of this incomparable Epiftle, and labour by the grace of God, to form their conduit accordingly. Fewer di- vifions in principle, and more zeal in practice would then enfue. Strange dodrines would blu(h and hide their heads, and the one ftrifc of all would be to excel in that lovf^ which has its foundation in God's free love in Chrift to us — IVe love hini^ hicavfe he fir ft loved us. God is love ^ nndhe tJh't loveth^ dvjelleth InGod^ and God in him! fum 2^6 OntheP A k A B L E fumand fubftance of a Chriftian's duty ; it is that which ennobles and recommends all his fervices; it is that which peculiarly diftin-' guiflies the difciples of Chri/i ^ and it is fuch that the want of this only, will render us, tho' never fo wife, charitable, eloquent, and zealous ; it is the want of this will make us, but zs founding brafs and as tinkling cymbah"^ Let us be particularly jealous, that this holy, long-fufFering, forgiving, patient, mild, bene- ficent, fweet, lowly, tender-hearted love be found in us, and (hewn in all our adlions. Let us not deceive ourfelves by any means in this refpe£t ; the want of it will be like the want of oil to the foolifli virgins— let us there- fore be careful even to beficge with our prayers the throne of mercy for an abundant fupply of this Spirit of love. Thus let us watch^ and then when the bridegroom cometh, the cry proclaiming his approach will be joyful to our hearts, full of love and tender affedtion towards him : then will he take us, as his beloved fpoufe to his immortal bofom : and there we (hall enjoy at his right hand an eternity of pleafures ; our bodies made fpiritual, incorruptible and divine ; our fouls raviflied v/ith the full fruition of his glory and the knowledge of his marvellous works ; and our heart and tongue continually engaged in adoring his love and refounding his praife ! Since Of the Ten Virgins* 2 -7 Since therefore fuch is our hope, fince fuch are the joys prepared for us -, '^ let us not Jleep as do others : but let us watch and be fiber. For they that Jleep y Jleep in the night, and they that be drunken, are drunk in the night. But let us who are of the day bejober, putting on the breajl^ plate of faith af7d love, and J or an helmet the hope ojjalvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain Jalvation by our Lord "J ejus Chriji, who died for us, that whether we wake orfleep, the deficiency, as I have endeavoured to fhew in the context above. S 2 another 26o 0« //&£- P A R A B L E another one only : diftributing to every man according to his feveral ability ; as each was capable of managing a greater or a leffer fum '- ^* to one man he gave five talents, as being able to traffic with them : to another two, as being not fufficient to manage more, and to a third one, as being ftill more infirm*/'. And this done, he ftraitway took his journey. Immediately upon his matter's departure, he that had received the five talents loft no time, but went and traded with the fame, and his increafe was equal to his induftry and application ; he made them other five talents. He that had received tiiDO, did likewife 5 and met with no lefs fuccefs : he alfo gained other two talents. But he that had received cne^ very unlike his fellow-fervants, went his way and digged in the earth, and there hid his lord's money, idle and ufelefs, unemployed and unimproved. After a long time, and at an hour, when they thought not of it, the lord of thafe fervants returned, and fummon- eth them all to give an account of their fe- veral trufts. Upon which, he who had re- ceived five talents, as a proof of his fide- lity, came and brought other five talents, fay- ing. Lord, thou deliveredft unto me five ta- lents, behold 1 have gained befides them five * So fays Oi'igen on this part of the pa^'-able. Kstra ya^ 'sr.Vj &c. See Edit. Huct, Tom. L p. 344;. talents Of the Talents. 261 talents more :— his lord, highly applauding his induftry and fidelity, faid unto him, Well done thou good and faithful fervant ; thou haft been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things : enter thou into the joy of thy lord. In h'ke manner alfo* he that had received two talents, came and declared his gain of two more : upon which he was honoured with the fame applaufe, and admitted into the fame joy with his fellow- fervant : their Mafter having regard to the inctiiflry '^w^ fidelity of his fervants, not to the number of the talents only, and the greatnefs of their increafe. After this, he that had received the one talent came, and faid, with a fhameful falf- hood in his mouth to excufe his vile flothful- nefs ; Lord, I knew thee, that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou haft not fown, and gathering where thou haft not ftrawed : and I was afraid ^ and went and hid thy ta- lent in the earth. Lo, there thou haft thine own, ijg— f%£;f Tov^ov * — thou haft thy own, * Nothing can exceed the emphatical beauty of the original : nor more ftrongly exprefs the morofe, furly brevity of the flothful fervant : the very words found the thing, and the language is a moft lively pi6^ure of the mind. No tranflation can come up to them. Lo^ thou haft that thine — Eke'is ton fan. This is one inftance, a- mong a thoufand, of the excellence of the Scriptures in jhis refped alfo. S 5 and t6z On the V ^ R A B L E and tho' not improved, yet not diminlflied. His lord anfwered and faid unto him, thou wicked and flothfal fervant — wicked^ thus to ^ccufe thy mafter falfly : Jlothjul, thus to have buried his talent in the earth : didft thoa know, that I reap, where I fowed not, that gather where I have not ftrawed ^' ? then behold from thine own mouth will I condemn tihee : for if thou kneweft this of me, (which yet is only thy un'juft calumny) how much rather muft I expedt to reap, where I have fowed, and to gather, where I haye ftrawed • upon which account, as I had intruded thee -with fuch a gift, thou oughteft at leaft to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I ihould have received mine own at leaft with the ordinary profits of intereji^ if not Vv'ith the extraordinary ones of trade -f*. But thou has fuffered it utterly to * Every intelligent reader will fee the propriety, and neceflity O' reading this paflage with an interrogation. f Dr. Whitby well obferves, that, " when it is faid, ^hou knev,:sft^ (or, kneweft thou?) that I was an aujlere man^ he this is no concefiion that the mafter was truly fo, but an argument out of his own mouth to condemn him, for not acting fuitab'y to his own hard conceptions of his lord, Luke xix. 22. Nor do thefe words, 7hou oughteft to have put my money to the exchangers, {hew that Chriji approved of ufury : but only that he who thought fo fordidiy of h's mafter, fhould have ufed bis talent agreeably^ that fo he might have had his oWn with i;fury, lie i^fthe talents, 263 lie idle and ufelefs to thyfelf, to others, and to me. Take therefore the talent from himj, and give it unto him who hath ten talents. For unto every one that hathy and improves what he hath, fliall be given ftill more, and he fhall have abundance : but from him tl^at hath not, that improveih not what he hath *, and fo is the farre as if he had it not, Ihall be taken away even that which he hath^ which he but feemetb to have — as he applies it not to the proper ufe. But this (hall not fufiice caft ye moreover the unprofitable fervant into outer darknefs : there fliall be weeping and gnafliing o^f teeth : for not they only, who wa/ie my goods, but they who do not improve them, fhall never enter into my joy," a par- ticular in the prefent parable, in that of the ten virgins, and in the fubfequent account of the future judgment which can never enough be attended to : fince from each of them we learn that mere negative goodnefs will not a- vail the fervant of Chrifl 'f^ that I:^rfnleffnefs S 4 only * Phavorinus fav", that to tx^\f to have^ is *7n/»£X£tcr9a* xj ^Xa(7crwv, to take care of and preferve. See Whitby on Matt xiii. 12. t ^t.ChryfoJiomm his 6th Serm. de Sacerd. obferves, that it availed not ihis flothful fervant, that he wafted not his lord's talent, but this ruined him, that he returned it not improved with ibme increafe." And the author ImperfeSf^ Operis, commonly efteemei St. 'Jerom^s^ in his 53d Ho- milyj obferves beautifully, that as the fervaiii, -^ho^ hav- ing 264 On ffff 1? ARABLE only will be no plea fafficient to ward off eter- nal condemnation, and that nothing can ren- der us meet to enter in with the bridegroom, into the joy of our Lord, into the kingdom prepared for us from the beginning of the world, but oil in our lamps, but improvenmit of our talents, but ijcorh of charity and mercy, but 2. faith which is operative by divine /ow. Such is the parable : another very fimilar to w^hich, our Lord delivered to his difciples, as he was going up to Jcrufalem, which we find in the xix Chap, of St. Luke, and v/hich fome have imagined to be the fame with this recorded by St. Matthew : but they are evi* dently very different, both in circumflances and defign : that being primarily intended to difcountenance the opinion of a temporal Mef- fiah, which the difciples ftrongly entertained, and direded principally to themfelves and their f a ccfjors in all ages of the church, who zrt ihtfer^ants oi Chriji, and v/ho have re- ceived gifts for the work of the miniftry, which it behoves them very diligently to im- prove, otherwife they fee in the fate of the fiothfui lervant a dreadful picture of their ing ropeived feed to fow, lofes the feed-time and omits to fow it, injures his lord, thu' he lofes not the feed : (o, he who receives faith in ChriJ}^ and omits, in this feafon of fowiiig, to work righteoufnefs, tho' he may not lofe hi& faith, yet offends fo much, as he might have wrought fighteoufnefs, had he not beenflothful and negligent. own; Of the T:alenf5. 26 $ own : for Cfjn/i above all things difapproves, in his miniftry efpecially, a ufelefs, and un- profitable fervant; and it is abfurd for thofc to think of reft in a fervice, by which they are called to perpetual labour *. " This neg- ligent and flothful fervant, fays ^uefueile^ ought to make all paftors and clergymen trem- ble, who imagine that they lead an innocent life, if they do but avoid the grofier fins, and only lead an eafy and quiet life in idlenefs and indolence. In a prieft it is a great evil not to do any good. Not to ufe the gifts of God is to abufe them. He lofes them who does not make them ferviceable to the good of the church. Reft is a crime in one, who is called to a laborious life : and we cannot live to ourfelves alone, when we belong to the church -f-." But * It would be well, if every thinking man, In thefe days more efpecially, would confider ferioufly thefe im- portant truths, which many of the primitive writers have ilrongly infifted on, and which Bp, Burnet^ in his Pajioral Care^ hath excellently laid forth, to the crreat advantage of clergy and laity, if they would diligently perufe that very ufeful treatife. f Gregory^ in his 17 Homil. on the Gofpel, applying this parable to the clergy, has this fine expoftulation. *' Let us reflect, who were ever converted by our preach- ing, who, moved by our rebukes, have repented of their evil ways ; who thro' our teaching have forfaken luxurv, covetoufnefs, pride? Li^t us reflect, what gain we have jDadc for God 3 who have been fent by him to labour, with 266 On the PARABLE But the fcope of the parable delivered in St. Matt hew y is more exteniive : not confined to the clergy only, but direded to all man- kind : 1 will endeavour therefore by God's grace fc to improve it ; and after having given you a general and brief explication of che pa- rable, WiW dwell upon the marks and charac- ters, ift, of a good and faithful fervant s and 2d, of a wicked and flothful one, as deline- ated and reprefented to us herein : the dif- ferent rewards of whom will of necefiity be ours, according as we find ourfelves upon a with the ta^ents Intruftcd to u?. For he faith, Occupy till I come. Behold now he cometh, nov/ he requires the profit of our labour. What gain of fouls fhall we be able to (hew him from our toils ? What fheaves of fouls fhall ■we be able to prefeit to him from the harveft of our preaching ? Let us place bcrcre our eyes that day of fo great ftiic^nefs, in which the Judge will come, and take an account of thefe ft. rvants to whom he hath committed his talents ! Lo, he will be feen in terrible majefty amidft the company of angels aiid archangels! Good and bad muft be examined before him, and the works of each made manifeft. Then Peter will appe;^r, with Judea^ con- verted by him and following after him : there Paul, bring- ipo- with him, if I may fo fay, the converted world ! There And ew will \)nv\g Greece -, John, Jfia ; Thomas^ the Indies unto the fight of their Judge. There ail the leaders of the Lord's flock will appear with their gain of fouls, won by their preaching to the Lord. And when fo many paftors fh^-U appear with their flocks before the eves of the eternal pallor — wretched men. what fhall we fay, who return after our employ empty to our Lord ! who have borne the r.amt of fhcpherds, and yet have no Jheep to fhew ! called ^ajbi s here, but without any flock thpre!'* ^ fincere Of the Tahntu 267 sincere furvey, either in the happy number of the former, or in the miferable clafs of the latter. For there is no medium betvveen the favour and disfavour of God j no medium be- tween a good and wicked fervant in his fiaht, no medium between the joy of our Lord1>nd outward darknefs: 'tis vain therefore to deceive ourfelves ; let it be all our care to become faithful fervants of our heavenly mafter, that fo we may with a pleafing hope expedl his re- turn, with the reward of our fidelity. For he it is who, in the parable, is repre- fented to us under the charafter of a man tra fhykSl, * any? who was made for us is faid to do. either in reference to his «W into heaven, or to that long-fufFerance of his whereby he waiteth for the fruit of our works* By bis own fervants are meant, not mankind in general, but the fubjed of his gofpel kine- dom, who are entrufted with his fpiritual gifts and graces, as well as with fuch as are common to the reft of the world : And fo of neceffity by the goods or talents entrufted to them, muft be meant not only the gifts of nature, but o^ grace ; which God diftributes to his fervants, to fome more, to fome lefs ac- cording to his own good pleafure and fove- reign will and according to the ability and papac.ty of improvement, which he in his ? See his Commentarjr on the Place, '^'^'^OW 2^8 OniheV A R A B L E wifdom difcerns in the feveral fubjedls of-his free bounty. By the fervants who improved their lord's talents are meant thofe, who dili- gently labour to improve all the gifts of God, jiatural and fpiritual, agreeable to the will of their heavenly mafler, perfecting holinefs in the fear of the Lord : while by the flothful Jervant^ fuch are pidtured out to us as live folely to themfelves, without regard to the glory of God, or the good of mankind. '* He who lives not folely to his own profit, fays ^bcophylaB^ but, whether he have /'rx/^^;?^^, or 7-iches^ or power and cuikcrity with the great, or whatever influence and art he hath, endea- vours thereby to ferve and be ufeful to others, this is the man who doubles that which is given him : o zoisrog dnr)^ccXMM it and to keep it: and moreover gave him a commandment not to eat of the tree Of the Talents] 28^ tree of knowledge of good and evil. God had beftowed many and excellent gifts upoa Adam, he had created him in his own image, in righteoufnefs and true holinefs : he had furni(hed him with perfedl powers both of body and foul \ he had introduced him into a place of pleafure and happinefs, and made him lord of the creation : yet he would by no means have him idle and unemployed, but exercife the gifts beftowed upon him by his creator : who, as he made man to confift both of body and foul, therefore affigned to each its proper office and employment. To the body^ the dreffing and keeping the garden of Eden v^diS affigned : to the fouly the care of obeying that great precept enjoined. — And thus God deals with each one of us : for al- tho' on account of the voluntary tranfgreffion of that original command, the lirft man and all his pofterity, were, by the juft judgement of God, driven from Paradife 5 yet out of his infinite goodnefs to us, he hath planted ano- ther Paradife on earth, namely the church, his fpiritual kingdom, into which he intro- duceth us by the word and baptifm ; receives us through faith into grace ; and becaufe bap- tifm is the laver not only of rege?ieration, but of renewing ^ alfo by the holy Ghoft, from * See an incomparable treatife of Dr. TVatcr land's^ en- titled. Regeneration Rated a>id explained, thence ^86 O^f/jeP A R A B L E thence he confers upon us various gif^s and graces of the holy Spirit, which he hath/W on lis abundantly^ through our Lord Jefus Chrijt, But he hath not given us thefe, to keep them idle and unemployed -, but hath commanded us to cultivate this fpiritual paradife, to ufe the gifts freely committed to our care, for the advantage of the church, and the good of our neighbour, and to preferve them, as a facred depofit, with all our power. For it is not enough to a6t well, but it is required, that we preferve the goods which we have, and where- with we ad, with great diligence, left we lofe them, either by doing evil, or by proudly ex- tolling . and thinking highly of ourfelves on account of thefe things, which are only com- mitted to our truft. " For all we do is loft, fays Greogory, unlefs it be anxioufly and care- fully preferved by humility/' The gifts of God are not preferved by burying them in the earth, but by cultivating and exercifing them : this is the only acceptable method, not to receive the grace of God in vain : but as good and faithful ftewards to ufe it to the profit of our neighbour.' — To this fcope and defign the prefent/>^r^^/^ concerning the talents^ is im- mediately direded, in which a wealthy houfe- holder is introduced, dividing his goods amongft his fervants, not that they fliould hide them, or keep them idly by them unemployed, but 3 that Of the Talents. 287 that they fliould trade with them, and gain pro- Jit by them for their matter, to their own great happinefs, and future abundant retribution. This great and weighty truth our Lord exemplifies, by fetting before us the different charadlers and condud: of a good and faiths Jul, and of a wiqked zni Jlothful fervant : the former of whom, acting up to his Lord's in- tentions, and making fuch improvements as might reafonably be expeded, was honoured with the moft ample commendations, and bleft with the moft complete reward : while the latter, failing to improve what was committed to his truft, was not only deprived of the truft he had, but punifhed with the lofs of his matter's favour, and fad imprifonment in outer darknefs. In confidering the character of iht faithful fervant, I gave you four marks or proofs of his fidelity : and fo of \\\'^^ fidelity , which is re- quired of us all towards our heavenly Lord and matter : {ovwhat have we, that we did not receive ? i . His acknowledgement hereof and h\xmh\t depejtdence on his Lord. 2. His acti^ vity and diligence in improving the talents in- trutted to him. 3. His readinefs to give up his accounts, and 4. His perfeverance in duty, unfliaken even to the end, are fo many leflbns inttruding us to acknowledge God, our fa- ther, the great giver and author of all we are and 288 On the PARABLE and all we have : to improve to his glory, and our neighbours good, whatever he hath bc- ftovved upon us, whether gifts of mind, body or eftate : to perfevere with all diligence and faithfulnefs to the end, tho' the coming of our Lord may feem long : and fo, when he doth call us, to obey the fummons with chearful- nefs, and with readinefs to give up our ac- counts unto him. Happy they, whom their Lord, when he cometh ihall find fo doing ! They read their felicity in the joyful accep- tance which the faithful fervant met with from his lord. Miferable they, who fhall meet that Lord, like the flothful fervant; they read in his condemnation their fearful puniihment. I come therefore in the next place to confider his condud and charadler ; that we may be advifed, by avoiding and ab- horring it, to efcape its dreadful confe- quences. Unlike his fellow-fervants, who, as foon as they had received their talents went and traded with them, we are told, that he went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money ; wherein is figured out to us, the fupine neg- ligence of thofe, who receive the natural and fplritual gifts of God, by birth and baptiftfiy and yet take no care to improve them, not con- fidering the end for which they are com- mitted to their truft : and herein you have the M Of the Talefits. 289 ^r/? charafteriftic oi 'Sijlothful kxv2S\!i\ of one, who has received from God many and ex- cellent gifts, yet fuffers them to remain ufe- lefs and unemployed, uncultivated and unim- proved y like money laid up in a bag, which if properly ufed and difperfed might be of much advantage as well to the poffeiTors as others, but while fo locked up is at once un- profitable to the owner and to all befides *• This fervant, you obferve, dug in the earth, and hid his lord's money, for fear it fliould be ftolen : he did not mifpend, or mifemploy it, did not embezzle or fquander it away : but he hid it. Money is like dung, fays my lord Bacon, good for nothing in the heap ; to make it ferviceable it muft be fpread : yet it is an evil we have often feen under the fun, treafure heaped together, which doth good to nobody. And fo it is in fpiritua! gifts, many have them, and make no ufe of them for the end to which they were given. Thofe that have eftates, and are not liberal in works of piety and charity : thofe that have power and intereft, and do not ufe them to promote re- ligion in the places where they live : minif- ters, that have capacities and opportunities of doing good, but do not ftir up the gift that is in them ; are thofe flothfal fervants that feek their own things more than the things oiChriJl, * See Henry on the place, VoL.iV^ U and 290 On the P A R A B L E and fall under this firft mark of flothfulnefs. And this is yet highly aggravated, in that the talent intrufted to this fervant was not his own : he hid his LORUs money : had it been his own he might have afked, is it ?iot lawful jor me to do what I will with mine own ? But, whatever abilities and advantages men, as the fervants of the living God, pofTefs, they are not their own 5 they are but ftewards of them, and muil give an account to their Lord, whofe goods they are. It was moreover an aggra- vation of this fervant's flothfulnefs, that his fellow- fervants were bufy and fuccefsful in trading -, their zeal and afiiduity fliould have provoked his, and incited by their example, he (hould have gone, and done likewife. It will be an high aggravation of the offence of flothful profeffors, who have fufFered thq gifts of God to remain unimproved, that their fel- low-fervants have with the fame means, and under the fame opportunities, aded with the fidehty required, and gained to the talents committed to them, a fufficient increafe to obtain their Lord's applaufe. And for this reafon doubtlefs it is, that we fee fome in every profefHon, and in every occupation, living agreeably to the rules oiChriJi, and dif- charging their duty acceptably, that thus all vain pretences may be wholly taken away and cut off from thofe, who would make their fi- tuation Of the Talents, I91 tuation and circuni (lances an excufe for their negledt of God and of their fouls. If fome in the fame circumftances are able to difcharge their duty, why not all ? The evil, for the moft part, is not in the profeffion, buf in the ill difoofition and ilothfuinefs of the fervant. But if the profeffion be indeed fuch as is in- confiftent with a found confcience, — and it is to be feared there are fome fuch amongft us — a man furely is bound at the hazard of all temporal good to quit that profeffion rather than run the rifque of lofing his foul, e er bearing in mind our Saviour's awakening ad- monition, What is a ??2an profited y if he gam the "whole worlds and lofe his own foul I More- over the zeal and moft extraordinaiy piety of the primitive profeffors of Chriflianity," mi- nifters and people, martyrs and confefTors, who were fo remarkably faithful unto death ; and who fo induftrioufly, at the hazard of all they had, and under the greateft inconve- niences, ferved their Lord, and improved his facred talents ^^^ their zeal will greatly aggra^ vate the flothfulnefs of fuch in our days, as negledl to iir.prove their fouls in holinefs, tinder fo plentiful and bleffed opportunities, with fo few, not to fay with no inconve- * See this fubieci finely improved in the i8th Chap, of the firft book oi Thomas a Kemps — Of the Examples of the ho!y Fathers. U 2 niences, 292 0/2 ^^^ P A R A B L E niences, but with the higheft conveniences ' as negled: to ufe the means, fo continually of- fered to them, nay, fo afFedlionately preffed upon and recommended, on their fouls eter- nal behoof, to their ferious ufe. Oh what would many Chriftians in many days have given for fuch opportunities to join in the great congregation, and to approach the holy table, as we all enjoy ! For fuch opportu- nities they were well pleafed to give up their lives. And for the ufe of the divine word of God, which many in this nation fo much de- fpife, and fo feldom read, fee, what even our forefathers in this nation have not done and fufFered ! Oh how would they bluih to be- hold their degenerate offspring defpifing thofe facred volumes, while they court every idle jaBion to amufe, and greedily catch at every poifonous deceiver, that has confidence e- nough to difcredit the living oracles of the eternal God! Oh how will they condemn thofe flothful fervants, that negled: this word, and thofe means of grace : and fo to cultivate and improve thofe heavenly gifts and holy af- fedions, by which alone they can be intitled to the charader of faithful fervants : not by hiding their talent in the earth, or wrapping it up in a napkin, by merely doing no evil, as they do no good, and {o making vain pre- tences to the favour of God, Nothing but in- "creafe Of the talents. 293 creafe can recommend us to our divine Mafter: every tree that hringeth not forth good fruity is hewn down and cajl into the fire : and we fee by this parable, that the want of this increafe will of itfelf alone be caufe fufficient to over- whelm us in bottomlefs perdition : and this is the /ry? charaderiftic of a flothful fervant, namely, '* a neglecfl to improve the gifts of God, whatever they may be, which he hath committed to his truft,*' A fccond, and no lefs certain mark of a wicked and flothful fervant is *' entertaining hard thoughts of his mafter." Love naturally begets love : and from fidelity ever flows con- fidence and efl:eem : while on the other hand, a fenfe of our own ill-condudl and behaviour generally eftranges our aflfeclion and efl:eeni from thofe to whom we have behaved our- felves ill. This was the cafe with the fervant in the parable. All the apology he could make for his wretched condud: was moft ma- levolently to afperfe a gracious mafter. I knew tbee^ faid he, that thou art an hard man^ reaping where thou haft not fown and gathering where thou hafl not fir awed : and I was afraid^ and went and hid thy talent in the earth — Lo there thou haft thine. What a bafe excufe doth this wicked fervant make for his miferable flothfulnefs I Ungrateful and perverfe, thus to transfer the blame upon a lord, whofe U 3 benignity 294 On the PARABLE benignity he had proved, and who had kindly committed a talent to his truft, which was far more than he could have required, and which, if he had been wife enough to have improved, agreeable to his lord's gra^ cious defign, the improvement would have turned out to his own great profit ; and he would have found this mailer, fo far from hard and auftere, that he would have re- ceived from him exceedingly abundant in li- berality, above all that he could have afked or thought. He knew, that his mafter was an hard mail: and fo flothful fervants think of God, a very hard and cruel Being to con- demn poor fouls to the flame that never is quenched, for taking the innocent pleafures of life, (as they are pleafed to call their favourite criminal indulgences) — for omitting things of fuch trifling co?2fequcnce as ** prayer, reading the Bible, coming to the holy communion, and the like:" wherein they have not leifure to employ themfelves, and from which their other many neceffary employments oblige them to abflain. Butthefe wretched thoughts, as they arife from their ov^n flothfulnefs, fo are they highly injurious to God, and their own fouls : a labour to improve what is in- truded to them would foon beget better thoughts of God. Men only diflike the per- fon and religion of Chrijl^ becaufe their lives ^nd Of the Talents. 295 and aflions are fo contrary to both. And good thoughts of God would of neceffity be- get love : and love would ftill make them more and more faithful and diligent. But hard thoughts of God beget fear, ^and that fear makes the wicked and llothful, ftill more flothful, wicked and unfaithful. The commandments of God are fo far from grievous, and fo far is he from being a hard mafter, that \\\^ fervice is ^txitdifreedo7n'^ as well it may be, feeing its grand motive, end, and principle is h'-oe : love which renders every labour eafy, and makes the weight even of the heavieft burdens light. But where that love is wanting, no wonder the lighteft load becomes intolerable. We evi- dently fee in thofe who complain of God and his fervice as hard and fevere, that it is not the labour, but the fervice itfelf they diflike : fince whether in the purfuits of worldly plea- fure or profit, thefe perfons take infinitely more pains, endure much greater fatigues, and fufFer a variety of hardfhips more, than the fervice of God calls them to — nay, and fuch and fo many very often, that were they applied to the great end of their fouls falvation, half thefe pains would make them faints, half thefe labours canonize them for martyrs. Let them therefore not blame God and religion, but the hard mafters they fervc, U 4 fin. 296 On tbeF A R A B L E fin, fatan, and the world; and let them but wifely apply, with the lame indefatigable zeal and induftry, to the fervice of their hea- venly Mafter, as they do to the fervice of thefe earthly ones ; and they will foon expe- rience the felicity of the change, in the pre- fent, much more in the future reward ; and never dare to tax the infinite fource of love with hardnefs and aufterity ; which is the charge of floth and wickednefs only, and which every fnicere fervant of God can abun- dantly refute. For God is love and defires only the felicity of his fervants, and in all he enjoins, in all he prornifes, in all he threatens, in every law, in every precept, hath a view folely to the eter- nal welfare of his people. To Vv^hom he hath given many and excellent gifts, and is ready ftill to increafe his bounty, and enlarge his love, are but his fervants ready to improve what they have, and diligently to feek for increafe. So far is he from an hard mafter, fo far is he from defrauding his fervants. If Samziei could make fo bold an appeal on behalf of his up- rightnefs during the time he judged Ifr^/e/^ with how much greater reafon may the great Judge of the world appeal in behalf of his juftice and judgmtnt—ivbom have 1 defrauded^ or wkotn have I cffreffcd? So far from it, moft 0/ the Talents. z^y moft gracious and glorious Lord God, that from thy Hberal hand all thy creatures are filled with good : in thee we live and move and have our being: the earth is full of ihy goodnefs, thy wifdom, thy bounty. So far art thou from reaping where thou haft not fowed, that thou foweft a great deal, where thou reapeft nothing : cauling thy fun to fliine, and thy rain to fall, upon the evil and unthankful, and filling thofe ungrateful hearts with food and gladnefs, who fay to thee, De- part from us, we will have none of thy ways ; who fpurn at the hand that fiiowers bleflings upon them, and kick at the mercy that would crown them with glory ! But moreover, even upon their own prin- ciples thefe flothful fervants are condemned : the mafter, in the parable, you fee condemned the fervant upon his own concefiions : 1 knew thee to be a hard majier^ reaping where thou ha/i not fown^ liCC. faid the fervant. Grant it then, faid the lord ; and if you did know this, why did you not ad: agreeably to fuch a convidion? the leaft you could have done in fuch a cafe was to have ufed your endeavours to have gained me all pofllble profit, as you v/as con- vinced, my aufterity would demand it. So may the flothful fervants of God be confuted, as they will be condemned, out of their own mouths 298 OntbeP A R A B L E mouths ^ : and it will abundantly appear that their ruin lay at their own door for rejeding that grace, which God never denies to thofe who feek it -, nay, and wherewith he prevents the fearch of his people, ftriving with them and ufing every means to bring them to re- pentance and life. So that it is not in the fe- verity of God, nor in his denial of grace to man, but in man's f.othfiilnefs and abufe of that grace, that the caufe of his utter deftruc-* tion is found. But I mufl own, I cannot fee, how it is poffible for thofe Vv^ho hold the dodlrine of unconditional eleBion and reprcbation to avoid the confequence of fuch an imputa- tion upon the great Lord of heaven and earth: and therefore we are bound to rejeft a doctrine which refledls fo ftrongly upon t\\t goodnefs and jujiice of God. For if he has from eternity decreed fome certain fouls to be damned, (as this dodrine declares,) do what they will, hath he not denied them his grace ; and is he not an hard mailer indeed, who iliall condemn fouls eternally for that, which it was impof-. fible, from his own decree, they could ever attain ? It is forrowful to think, that a doc- * This is well exprefl and explained, more efpecially in reference to thofe who have heard much and talk much of Eledion, in Pooled Annotations on the place : to which I refer the reader, as the pafTage is too long to be pro- duced here. trine Of the T'aleijfs, 299 trine fo manifeftly derogatory to the honour of God, fliould ever have had place in the Chriftian church : it is v^onderful to think, that luch a dodrine fhould have ever at all prevailed : yet prevailed it has, and v^ants not even to this day fome to efpoufe it, to the high difcredit of Chriftianity, and the evident diflionour of the beneficent and gracious Lord and Author of it ! May the grace of God keep us ever pure in the faith, and preferve us from fuch corrupt and dangerous prin- ciples '* ! An * The favourers oi EleSiion and Reprohatkn are at evcrv turn urging the 17th article of our church, as if it were confiftent with their doclrine : whereas there is no- thing lefs true, as might eafily be fhcA^n : and the follow- ing extra61: from Dr. Waterland^ '' Supplement to the cafe of Arian Suhfcription," p. 57, may ferve briefly to Ihew this : " I may farther hint, fays this moft found di- vine, that even the article oi prede/Iination has been vainly enough urged in favour of the Cahini/Iicai tenets. I'or not to mention the faving claufe in the conclufion, or its faying nothing at all of reprobation^ and nothing in favour of abfolute predeftination to life : there feem.> to be a pla-n diRindtion (as P/aiferef has well obferved) in the article itfelf, of two kinds of predeftination^ one of which is re- commended to us, the other condemned. See the article. Predeftination, rightly 2in^ pi oujly cox\{\'A:vtdi^ that is, con- fidere' [not irrefpeofively^ not ahfolutely) but with refpe6l to faith in Chri/l^ faith workirg by love, arid perfeverino; : fuch a pre^eftination \s 2l fweet -j^n^ comfortable do6trine : but the fentence of God's pre.eft'nation (it is not here faid, in ChriJ}^ as before) that (ente: c^ Jimply or abf.lutely con- fidered fas curious and carnal perfons are apt to confider it) [s a ?noyi dangerous downfall leading either to fecurity or defperation, 300 On Z/:'^ P A R A B L E An hard opinion of God, and ill thoughts of his juftice and mercy, is a fecond charac- teriftic of a llothfal fervant : and indeed thefe two, " a negled: to improve the goods in- trufted to them,'' and " hard thoughts of the Mailer who hath intrufted them" are the two principal and diftinguifliing marks of wicked and flothf ul fervants. Falfe conjidencey is a third: the fervant is reprefented as expeding no other than appro- bation, becaufe he had, as he thought, a good pica to urge — Lo^ there thou haji that is thiiie. defperation^ a? having no rerpe£l to for efeen faith ^ and a goodlije^ nor depenoing upon it, but antecedent in order to it. The article then Teems to fpeak of two fubje6^s, iirft., of predeftination foberly underftood, with refpedl to jaith\i\ Chrift, which is wholefome doctrine : fecondly, of predeftination y/OTp/y conGdc-red, which is a dangerous doc- trine. And the latter part feems to be intended againft thofe gcfpel ers^ whereof Bp Burnet, on the Articles, fpeaks. N r is It imaginable that any true znd fund docSlrine of the Gofpel (hould of i'.felf have any aptnefs to become a downfdl 'ven to carnal perfons . but carnal pe-fons are apt to c^^rrupt a found d. (ferine, and fuit it to their own lufts ar.d paffions, theieby falfifying the truth. This do6frine fo depraved and miftaken our church condemns. That is, fhe condemns abfolute, irrefpeSiive predeflination, not the o her." And fo the befl writers of our church have alw.ws underflood it. See by ah means the excellent au- thor, and hi; remarks, p. 6o. It dcferves remarking, that xh^ fothfid fervunt in the pref nt parable -Wdis con- demned^ not btcaufe of any afoutt\ unconditional decree, etcrnzWy reprobating him, but becaufe he traded not, be- caufe he did nox in prove hh\c>Td's money. -[• See Piaifee s Analyfis of the 17th Art. p. 387. 2 And Of the T'alents. 301 And relying on this weak plea, he comes to the account with a good deal of affurance. " Lo^ there, &c. If I have not made it more, as the others have done, I have not made it lefs : I have not fquandered it away, but re- turn it as I received it :" and this he thinks may ferve to bring him off, if not with praife, yet with fafety. Many a one goes to judg- ment relying upon the validity of a plea that will be over-ruled as vain and frivolous — and how many, at the great day, will find, that the pleas wherein they have trufted, are weak as the broken reed, and light as a wave of the fea to lean upon 3 fince they have not their ftrong foundation in that divine book, from whence alone all our true confidence can be derived. Thofe, who content them- felves with the mere outfide form of relip-ion, and are not willing to do too much for God, willing to fave both interefts, that of the flefh, as well as that of the Spirit, yet hope to come cfi^, as well as thofe, who take fo much pains, and are fo zealous and anxious in the concerns of their fouls. Thus the flueeard is wifer in his own conceit, than kYtr\ men, that can ren- der a reafon. Thisfervant thought his account would pafs very well, becaufe he could fay. There thou hajl that is thine: and fo many think they fliall pafs and do' as well as others, be- caufe they can fay, Lord, I was nofpendthrift of 302 On the PARABLE of my eftate, no prodigal of my time, no mlf- fpender of fabbaths, no abafer of minifters— I never ridiculed my bible, nor fet my wits at work to banter religion : nor abufed my power to perfecute and diftrefs any good and honeft man : I never drowned my parts, nor wafted God's good creatures in drunkennefs and glut- tony :-— I never did any man wrong : and if 'tis true, have not ferved God as many others have done, yet I have not been fo wicked as many others : and God is merciful, and I hope, I fhall fare as well as my neighbours." — This alas is the miferable plea of but too many : but too many that are called chriftians, build great hopes of heaven upon this merely negative juftice, upon their being able to make fuch an account, and yet all this amounts to no more than, 'There thou haji that is thine: as if no more were required or could be expedled. Many a m.oral heathen has been able to fay more than this: and wo to the chriftian that has no better a plea to rely on, when he comes to give up his final account. It is matter of great wonder, that any man fliould be fupine or negligent in fuch a mo- mentous concern : or at all deceive himfelf by admitting any imaginary plea to lull his confcience, when his eternal all is at flake. How much wifer are the children of this world in their generation, in their affairs, than * the of the Talents. 303 the children of light ! where life or death is concerned, men are not ufed to come to the bar without anxious preparation for their de- fence : and knowing the indidment, and the means to efcape, feldom are wanting to \i^q all their efforts to obtain thofe means. Nay, if it be but to obtain a fmall earthly eftate, how careful, deliberate, and nice are men to afcer- tain their titles, and to prove their rights ! — 'Tis in the bufinefs of eternity only that w^e find them thus remifs, luke-warm, and felf- deceiving. -And yet God of his infinite mercy, hath ufed the moft paternal care to prevent this felf-deceit, by giving us in the word^ a copy of our future indidments, and clearly direding us what means to niQ, and what plea to urge, to avert eternal punifhments, to obtain eternal bleffednefs. Men often delude them- felves, by founding their hopes and building their confidence on feme one or more parti- cular texts or portions of this word, to the exclufion of the refl : a manifeft abfurdity : for the rule of life and death therein propofed, muft not be taken from this or that feieded part, according to our own fancy : but from the whole iiDord, as one confiftent rule, from the general tenor of fcripture, as one compleat revelation of the divine will. They who are ferious in the bufinefs of falvation, and not willing to be rejeded in the laft day, will be careful 304 0/i/5f P AR ABLE careful thus to fecilre to themfelves a valid and fufficient plea : while they^who are in- different in the grand concern, will fall flhort, and too late be convinced of their folly. Would they be convinced, the punifhment which the flothful fervant found, might hap- pily conduce to that end : for therein they behold a Hvely reprefentation of that mifery and diflrefs, which, like him, all thofe will experience, who have not improved their ta- lents, nor made happy increafe from the gifts beftowed upon them, to the glory'of God and the good of mankind. Cafl ye the improjitahle fervant^ is the fad fentence that will thunder in their ears, caft him into outward darhiefs^ there jJoall be weeping and gnaflAng of teeth I Thus then we fee what are the main cha- radleriftics of a flothful fervant. ifl, A neg- lect to improve the goods intrufted to him. 2d. An hard opinion of God, and ill thoughts of his juflice and mercy, and 3d. Falfe con- fidence. Let us compare thefe with the marks of a faithful fervant, as given in the former fermon, and we fhall fee what we are to avoid, and what we are to practife to efcape the dreadful punifliment of the one, to obtain the glorious reward of the latter. — I ob- ferved, when fpeaking of the parable of the ten virgins, that o?ie thing only diftlnguiflied the wife from the foolifli : namely, the having oil Of the Talents. 305 dl in their lamps: we may obfervc in tliepre- fent parable, that one thing only, to reduce all to one,^hat one thing principally diftin- guifhed the faithful and the flothful fervant, namely tradings and not trading : improving, and not improving their talents. Each re- ceived gifts, each v^ere called to an account : and each received a recompence : but their recompence was eflentially different to each : iand that, becaufe the one had improved his gift, and the other kept it hid in the earth. So in the defcription of the day of judgement, which is given in the immediately following verfes, which fhould always be kept in view while we are confideriiig thefe parables, you perceive that there is no difference but that ef- fential one, of feeding and not fee ding iht mem- bers of Cbrif. — Let us attend carefully to this diftindlion ; and be well affured that whatever marks of chriftianity we poffefs, how much foever we may be like real chriftians in every external privilege and refpedt, yet we are no- thing, and (hall fo be found, if we have not the oil of divine grace, if we do not improve the talents committed to our trufts, in the love of God and our neighbour, if we are not zea- lous and careful to maintain all good works, through the faith of Chrift ; if we have not that divine love^ without which all we are, or all w^e have, will be found but as founding Vol. IV. N^ 18, X braf. 3o6 0^2 f^eV ARABLE brafs^ and a tinkli7ig Cymbal : If, in fhort, we do not employ, what we are and what we have, body, foul, and goods, riches, power, and underflanding to the glory of God, and the edification of our brethren, it will avail us nothing to be free from grofs fins 3 our omif- fions will be fufticient to condemn us, and the want of having improved our Lord's talents, fiifficient to draw down upon us that fad fentence, Ca/i ye the unprofitable fervant into outer darknefs^ there JJo all be ^weeping and gnaflj^ ing of teetb I A fentence fo fevere, and a puniihment fo dreadful, contrafted by fo excellent and fub- lime a reward, cannot furely fail to influence every ferious mind : and to awaken us to a due improvement of our talents, that the blef- ^ fing of fidelity may defcend on our happy heads. There lives not a m.an, who would not chufe on that future day of account to be found in the number of thofe, whom their Lord fliall welcome into his everlafting joy : Suppofe yourfelf only ftanding on that day, before theawfulbar of judgement: — and there muil we all as affuredly one day ftand, as we now breathe this vital air: — and when thou art there prefent, there prefent to receive thine eternal, thine unchangeable doom , there pre- fent either to be admitted into the blifsful io- ciety of God, of faints and angels, or to he cad Of the Talents. 307 Caft out for ever into the flaming pit, 'midlt devils and tormented fouls — oh think with thy- felf, wouldft thou not wifh to hear the joyful acclamation — well do?7e, good and faithful fer^ vant — wouldft thou not wiQi to enter into the joy of thy Lord?- Then live now, as if thou waft in hourly expectation of appearing before that Lord : then live now, as thou wouldft wifti to have lived, at that hour. For 'tis folly to expeft any favour at the time of judgement, if during the time of preparation thou haft been unconcerned. He who ex- peds his mafter*s approbation, muft labour to deferve it by fidelity and labour. Be faithful to the truft repofed in thee, do thy diligence to improve thy lord's talents, and the natural confequence is the favour of that Lord. And how v^e may each one of us improve our feveral talents hcre,fo as to meet our Lord with fatisfadion hereafter, the above confiderations, fuggefted in this difcourfe will abundantly diredl. But, as in a matter of this moment we can never be too plainly inftruded, we may fay, in fine, that acceptably to improve our talents, is faithfully to difcharge our duty in whatever ftate of life it hath pleafed God to place us : ever labouring with a fingle eye to his glory, to fulfil his fovereign will, influ- enced by that gracious love of his towards us, wherewith he hath loved us, while we were X 2 yet 3^8 On //j^P A R A B L E yet enetiiies, in Chrifl Jefus bis only beloved fon. — And we fliall no where be taught our duty to G^d and our neighbour in terms more plain, clear, and excellent, than thofe of our church catechilm, from which if we can but become humble and wife enough to learn, we fhall find inftrudlion enough to teach and di- redl us in the grand principles of obedience* There we are taught, that our duty to God, is 1. To believe in him. 2. To fear him. 3. To love him with all our heart, with all our mind, with all our foul, and with all our ftrength : and as evidences and fruits of that faith^ fi^^i and lovCy to worfliip him, to give him thanks, to put our whole truft in him, to call upon him ^ to honour his holy name and his word, and to ferve him truly all the days of our life. — Happy that fervant who thus faithfully dif- chargeshis duty to God, to which if be adds his duty to his neighbour, he need not doubt of the reward promifed to the good fervant hereafter. — And our duty to our neighbour is comprized in.thefe two great and general pre- cepts, ift. To love him as ourfelves, and 2d. To do unto all men, as we would they ll:iould do unto us. The full extent and meaning of ^ which ourcatechifm fully explains in the fub- fequent words — would we love our neigh- bour as ourfelf, would we do unto all men, as we w^ould they fliould do unto us, wx muftin every » Of the Talents. 309 every ftate and relation of life truly difcharge the duties of that relation : we muft love, ho- nour, and fuccour our father and mother : we muft honour and obey the king, and all that are in authority under him : we muft fubmit ourfclves to all our governors, teachers, fpi- ritual paftors and mafters : we muft order ourfelves lowly and reverently to all our bet- ters : hurt nobody by word on deed : be true and juft in all our dealings : bear no malice nor hatred in our heart : muft keep our hands from picking and flealing -, our tongue from evil fpeaking, lying and flandering : we muft keep our body in temperance, fobernefs, and chaftity 3 not covet nor defire other mens goods ; but learn and labour truly to get our own living, and to do our duty in that ftate of life unto which it (liall pleafe God to call us/' — And by thus doing, through the grace of God, we ihall improve the talents committed toourtruft, meet with a joyful acceptation on the laft day, and enter into the joy of our Lord : while the neglefl: hereof will plunge us into ruin everlafting, and make us wretched fellow- fufferers with the wicked and flothful fervant in outer darknefs. It may very eafily be gathered from the pu- niihment of the flothful fervant, that far hea^ ier chaftifements await thofe, who have not only omitted to difcharge their duty, and to improve X 3 ' the 310 0;^ r^'^ P A R A B L E the gifts of God, but have alfo moft fhame- fuliy and wickedly abufed them. If they will be caft into outer darknefs, who have only hid their talents ip the earth, of how much forer punishment fuppofe ye will they be thought worthy, who have confumed their gifts in lufl and luxury : who have ufed the bleffinp:s of God in bafe rebellion ag^ainft him ^-who have employed their power to opprefs innocence, and honefly, and to prejudice reli- gion : their underftanding to fpread herefies, and d.epreciate the fcriptures, their riches to the vile ends of felfiihnefs, pride, extrava- gance and voluptuoufnefs? — Such may well tremble to confider how grievous their pu- nifhment will be. Nay moreover, if he, who buried but one talent in the earth, is thus fe- verely puniflied, how much heavier will be their condemnation, who have received more and greater gifts f^om God, and yet have never ufed them to the ends of fpiritual profit: and indeed the danger is much greater with refpefi: to more talents, and of confequence, where they are, greater care and affiduity is required. Let us therefore carefully remember the great Icffons which this parable inculcates, and always brar in mind, that whether we have few or riiore talents, few or more gifts, graces, and opportunities, they all come from God^ they muft all hereaher be accounted for, and 3 PUf OftheTaknfs. 311 our reward or punifliment be eternally af- (igned, as we are found faithful or not. If we have more, the greater circumfpeftion is needful: if we have fewer, yet no lefs appro- bation from our Lord will enfue, if we arc but faithful in managing what we have ; and if we endeavour to do fo, we are alTured of his affiftance and our own reward, jis enjery man, therefore, hath received the gift, even fo minifier the fame, as good few ards of the mani^ fold grace of God : if any man fpeak, let him fpeak as the oracles of God; if any man minifier, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth : that God in all things may be glorified through Jefus Chrifi. And to conclude, let us ever bear in mind the charge of Chrift our great mafter to us all, " Trade, occupy, be bufied till 1 come," And let us each one with truly humble fouls breathe forth this petition to him, who afcending into heaven hath left us this command : to him, till he fiull be pleafed to come and reckon with us— let us conti- nually pray, *' Lord, * thou haft delivered many talents to others, and to me as thy poor unworthy * This Is the fubftance of two lines of Gerhard : Miilta talenta aliis, mlhi Drachmula contigit una ; ^huc ui rite bcem, da, bone Chri/h, precor. X 4 Which 312. On /SPARABLE unworthy fervant o*ne little drachm : oh blleffed Saviour give me grace rightly to ufe, and duly to improve what little thou haft fo gracioufly intrufted to me ! Amen. Which we may thus paraph rafe. To others many talents thou haft given. One Iirde drachm alone to me : Oh give me grace, all bounteous king of heaven. Well to improve that little drachm for thee I D I §r DISCOURSE XVIII. On the P A R A B L E Of the Marriage Supper. Being the Subftance of two Sermons^ PART I. St. Matthew xxii. 2. T^he kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king^ which made a marriage for hi i Jon. )^^)i(^'^N the prefent parable we have a w J S lively reprefentation of the great ^ 3^ mercy and ftridt jujiice of God ; k-^)^)5(ji^ wherein we are fliewn from his dealings v/ith the Jews and Gentiles, that as he will never be wanting to his people in all of- fers of grace and life : fo will he never be wanting to his own honour and juftice, by omitting to punifli thofe, who either wholly rejed:. 314 0;z //7^P A RA BLE rejeft, or fcandaloufly abufe thofe gracious of- fers. His mercy is clearly feen by thefe his kind invitations to the marriage of his Son, which were made firft to the ^eisos^ and un- kindly rejedled by them ; and afterwards ex- tended to the GentileSy who gladly received them. His juflice is no lefs clearly feen, by the punifhment inflided on thofe ungrateful "Jews, who abfolutely refufed the call : as well as on thofe Gmtiles, who prefumed to come to this feaft without the necefTary orna^ ment. There is nothing wherewith men are more apt to delude themfelves, than falfe no- tions of the mercy of God : unwilling as they are to embrace the terms of his covenant, to renounce their darling pleafures, paffions, and purfuits : they yet would fain fuppofe them- felves out of danger, while ihelter'd beneath an imaginary idea of the mercy of God ; for- getting that as is his 7nercy, fo is hASJufiice-, in- finite each, and each unchangeable.* The whole tenor of fcripture ferves fufficlently to * In anfwer to fuch obje£lions, concerning the mercy of God, we read in a poem, called Jn Lpijile to a Lady. &c. ' But oh remember, undefervmg; dult. Poor worm, remember, he'.- i?nm nfely juft : So ftriaiy juft, that for thy finfulf^ke His Son alone a ranfom he would take : His only Son, his beft belov'd alone. For thee could merit, or for thee atone, J5fr. Seeyerfe i^i of tlePoem^ drive Of the Marriage Supper. 315 drive fuch wretched felf-deceivers from the broken reed of their tottering dependance : but the prefent parable, at the fame time that it exquifitely difplays the real caufes of mens averfion to the gofpel, doth alfo, in the fulleft fort, break down all fuch falfe confidence 5 and fliew, that nothing but an acceptation of the terms of mercy, can avert the overflowing wrath of God. The hypocrite too is here unmafl<.'d, and held forth to the view of all, that none m.ay fuppofe mere cburch-memberfiip^ and outward profefTicn, however it may de- ceive men, will pafs the fcrutiny of him, whofe eyes are as a flame ; and who will fuf- fer none, on whom he finds not the garment of the new-man y to partake of thofe joys, which the brethren and Jr lends only of the ^bridegroom can relifh. The parable is clofely connefted with that of the vineyard, the hufl3andmen whereof flew the heir, which is delivered in the chap- ter immediately preceding : and as our Saviour in that had foretold the approaching ruin of the Jewijh place and nation ; he goes on in this to vindicate God's mercy and juftice, in the rejection of that people, and the calling of the gentiles ; admonifl:iing the latter at the fame time, that they were not called to licen- tioufnefs ; but through the like abufe of mercy, y/ould find the fame feverity of judgement. Becauje 3i6 On fbe ? AR A B L E Becaufe of unbelief they were broken off^ and^ thoujiandefl by faith. Be not bigh-mindedy but fear. For if God [pared not the natural branches y take heed left he alfo Jpare 7iot thee. Behold therefore the goodnefs and fever ity of God-^ on them which fell feverity ; but towards thee good- nefsy if thou continue in his goodnefs : otherwife thou alfo fialt be cut off ! But though the parable primarily refers to God's dealings with the "^eivs and Ge?2tiles ; yet doth it much concern every individual member of the church, and is full of excel- lent admonition and inftrudlion : fctting forth the exceeding and unfpeakable love of God in the gracious offers of falvation through his Son ; and the high ingratitude of thofe, who, enemies to God and their own fouls, rejedt thofe offers, through the bafe love and paffing lufts of a tranfitory life. Let us attend to it in this view, and wifely endeavour, through the grace of God, to apply its facred leffons to our hearts. The kingdom of heaven, fays our Lord, is made like- not that it is really fo in itfelf, or of neceffity, but by means of the obflinacy of men it is made like u[hom^v{ — unto a certain king, which made a marriage, with its ufual feaft, and folemnities, ^ for his fon, and fent * Grcttus contends that Ta/x^ in this place fjgnifies a marriage-feafl, which among th^- Jews lafted tor many days, forth Of the Marriage Supper ^ 3 1 7 forth his fervants to call them, that had been before invited, r^; k£kAv)ju,£v8; — to the wedding: and they would not come. — But defirous that they fhould not lofe the pleafures provided for them, he again in great kindnefs fent forth other fervants, faying, tell them who have been invited, behold I have prepared my ban^ qiiet ', * my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready : come unto the mar- riage-feaft. And they all with one confent began to make excufe : the firft faid, I have bought a piece of ground, and I muft needs go and fee it 5 I pray thee have me excufed : and ano- ther faid, I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them 5 I pray thee have me excufed. And another faid, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come, Luke xiv. 18. They made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, and another to his mer- chandife. But the remnant took his fervants and intreated them fpitefully, and flew them. -—Such was the return they made this graci- ous monarch for his kind invitation : no won- der, that 'when he heard hereof, he was * The original ap»rov doth not feem neceflarily to fig- nify a dinner, as we tranfl.^te ir, and the parable compared with thac in l.nke xiv. rather rtquirts the word I have ufed. It is called a oiipjjer in Luke: Banquet^ which afifovwill very well bear, prevents any dJagreement i tho* it being immaterial, I contend not. wroth. 3i8 0/1 if/^^ PAR ABLE wroth, and fent forth his armies, and deftroyed thofe murderers, and burnt up their city. Then faith he to his fervants, the wedding is ready, but they which were bidden, were not wor- thy. Go ye therefore into the high-ways, and as many as ye fhall find, bid to the marri- age. Go out quickly into the flreets and lanes of the city, and bring in hither the poor, and the maimed and the halt and the blind. And the fervants faid, Lord, it is done, as thou haft commanded, and yet there is room. And the Lord faid unto the fervant, go out into the high- ways and hedges, and prefs-f* them to come in, that my houfe may be filled. For I fay unto you that none of thofe men who were firft i?ivited^ {hall tafte of my fupper. TuukeiLW. 21. So thefe fervants went out into the high-ways, and gathered toge- ther all, as many as they found both bad and good : and the wedding was furnifhed with guefts. This done, the king came in to take a view of them, and to fee that they were all •f St. AujRln and many others after him liave^^rawn fome unwarrantable conclufions, in my opinion at leaH, from the word uvxyitetaof in the original, which we tranfliiie corrpel^ as if the fecular arm might ufe violence in the caufe of Chrifl- i an argument not unpleafing to the Roman church : the word prefs in my weak judgment, which fully an- fwers the original, feem^ to remove fuch obje fervant ? xj uq a.tOpoj'Troq ocTTOTot^^ioycci y^ey&i^Bvoc. He that tocii upon him the form of a fervant, the fon of God, who became man, and is faid to be font, as man. t See Dr. lVhitby*s ann rations on the place. "■' ra? ¥LiK>.im/.sitH- ftilves by the perfons bidden to this royal wed- • ding 332 0;^//5e? P A R A B L E ding feafl. In the firft, * who bought a farrn^ we have an emblem of pride : for to what end do men enlarge their eftates, and extend their borders, but that they may gain greater power, and become more important upon earth? In the fecond, who bought Jive yoke of oxen^ we have an emblem of worldly care and covetoufnefs : for oxen are for labour, and the increafe of their matter's revenue. And in the third, who married a wife^ we have an emblem of the lujls of the flefli : which muil be ferved, and will be gratified : and fo you obferve, that whereas the two former prayed to be excufed ; this latter peremptorily denied ; and therefore 1 cannot come. For the minds of thofe, who are totally given up to the lufts of the flefh, have no regard at all to their falva- tion : whoredom^ and wine^ and drunkennefsy faith the prophet, take away the heart. * Chemnitz refers this primarily to the Jews — their de- pendance on their facrifice, and outward ceremonies — their civil policy and power, and their inattention to facred things and the bufinefs of Chriji^s religion through the love of the flefh. The fathers too have laboured to apply thcfe three excufes in different manners : a too great nicety is not perhaps requifite : and it may be as well to fay in general, that they refer to pride, luft and covetoufnefs, without particularly applying each: which neverthelefs I have en- deavoured to do, in conformity to the ancient interpreters, and leave to my reader, without fwaying his judgment by authorities from the fathers, which are too numerous to b^ produced* Theie Of the Marriage Supper. 333 Thefe are the pretences which men make, why they cannot come when invited to the gof- pel feaft: and alas while overwhelmed in the cares and anxieties of life, while dedicated to pride, and the vain felf-fufficiency ariling from great pofTeffions, or fhining parts, or any other caufe : and while enflaved by the filthy lufts of the flefli, and the beaftly afFedtions of the body ; what wonder is it that the humility tem- perance and chaftity, contempt of the world, ^ anddefire of heaven, to which the gofpel calls men, arc rejected and refufed : and everlafting ' purity and joy contemned for prefent gratifica- tions, and eternal fufFering ? — Whatever pre- tences men may make, whatever objeftions they may endeavour toraife againft the gofpel and its myfteries, and by what means foever they may ftrive to footh their confciences un- der a total difobedience to the laws of Chri/i : certain it is, that thefe are the true caufes of that difobedience : from one or other of thefe fources flows that negledl of Chri/iy which men, whofe crimes lead them to wifh the gof- pel an impofture, would fain charge on a cori" fcientious infidelity. So, faith one, * " there are three forts of ftates, wherein men run the rifque of living in a continual forgetfulnefs and neglecfl of God : xhtfrfi is, that of a foft, idle and voluptuous life, wherein a man thinks of * See ^uefnd'.e on the place, nothing 334 On tbe PARABLE nothing but quietly to enjoy life, health, riches^ conveniences^good cheer, public diverfions, and private pleafures. This is the life of a man of fortune and pleafure. Thtfecond ftate of life IS that of a man entirely taken up with worldly bufinefs ; merchandize^ the public revenues, or any gainful employment, in which the love of riches and application to the means of ac- quiring them, generally ftifle all thoughts of falvation, and engrofs all that time which fhould be fet apart, for the profecution of it. The third ftate is that of men openly unjuft, violent, unclean, and nctoriouily wicked : who are finners as it were by profeffion, in the face of the w^orld, and who not only neglect their falvation, but are incenfed againft all thofe who exhort them to mind it, and impartially declare to them the truth/' Nothing can be a ftronger proof of the real caufe of mens rejeding the holy word and works of Chriji, than this indignation and wrath which they conceive againft his mini- fters and meflengers. One would conceive, "* that * Gerhard in his Har?noKy fpeaks very pathetically on this fubjeft, p. 267. I chufe, for good reafons, to give his own words. " Monftrant ipfi — (pii do(?tores) tiomi- nibus viam ad vitam, qui propterca iplis eripiunt vitam : monftrant ipfis viam ad honorem &gloriam casieftem, qui propterea contumeliis eos afficiunt. Qui in hac vita er- ranti comiter viam monftrat, qui fubmerfioni proximum ex ftudibus extrahit, qui ex iucerijio ahquem eripit, in ho- norera Of the Marriage Supper. 335 that none fliould be welcomed with more fin- cerity, and treated with greater afFedion, than a fincere minifler of Chriji, who comes, in his mafter's name, to pray men to be reconciled to God. As he brings tidings of the greatefl joy, and is employed in the moft momentous concern to men, it is but reafonable to fuppofe that all men fliould very highly efteem him for the works fake. — -And fhould we not have fuppofed, that meifengers from a powerful monarch, fent only to invite his people to a feaft of joy and gladnefs, v/ould have met with the moft grateful welcome? Yet we find no fuch matter : nay fo far from it, that the very perfons invited to partake of this honour, in ftrange contradidlion to their own felicity, not only rejected the meflage, but even murdered the m.effengers.—C/^r/// himfelf, difinterefted as he was, w^ho only lived and died for man, met with the fame treatment : thus too his holy apoftles were received by an ungrateful norem & prsemium repnrtat. MIniilrl ecclefise hsec om- nia prseftant, fed prsemii loco ab auditorlbus occiduntur. Quamvls enim non omnes corporali fupplicio a perfecuto- rii3U3 officiantur, tamen funt adhuc alia mortis crenera quibus pii doClores enecantur, quandoque enim impii iniquis fuis operibus anhnas ipforum crudant^ ficut de Lotho dicitur, 2 Pet. il. 8. ut cu?n gejniiu fuu?}i fac'iant officlum, Quandoque necejflaria vita fubridia ipfis dtuQ- gantur, ut tame propemodum eonficiantur ; quandoque per detractationes & eonvitia contumelia ipfis rnfertur, lic- que Lingua occiduntur !" Cif^. See the Author. world : 3^6 OnfbeFARABLE world : and thus to the end of time every fin- cere minifter of his will be received hy al' thofe, whom the above mentioned caufes ren- der averfe to their meffage. From hence alone it is, that men of this charader are fo fond to find every occafion of blame in the clergy, to magnify their faults, to blazon their errors, to fet in judgement on their every ac- tion. Hence it is, that the race of infidels^ deifts, and the like (the caufe of whofe infi- delity and deifm is manifeftly laid open above) hence it is that their writings are generally fo full of inveftive againil piiefts and prieft- craft: * fo that rob them of this, and you •would drive them from their ftrongeft hold* But what wonder is it, that tb^y who call the w after of the honfe Beelzebub^ fhould fo call them cf his houpjoid? A plain and evident proof of the real fpring of all this abufe and perfecu- tion of the meflfengers of Chri/t^ will be found in the conduct of thofe, whofe lives are ex- emplary, and whofe behaviour unblameable. So far from reviling, they honour the faithful and laborious meflfengers of peace ; and that becaufe they have no reafon to be averfe to the facred mefi^age they bring. Nay, and even thofe, whofe manners fuit not with their profeffion, they behold with a feeling * See for a proof the writings of Woolfion^ Collins^ Bo^ llngbroke^ Shaftjhury^ HumCy Independent- IVbig^ &c. &c. concern. Of the Marriage Supper. j-j^ c5ncern, and though they fhould rejoice by all means to reclaim and do them goodj yet would they by no means inviduoufly blazon their defedts, but labour to cover them, in the fpirit of the noble Conjlantine^ who declared, that were he to fee a btl Poop doing aught mifbecoming his holy fundion, he would even with his regal i*obe fcreen him from the viilgar eye. Thus mens behaviour to the ambaflador ferves fufficiently to demonftrate their regard to the embafly and their opinion of its Worth % which muft exped: no better acceptation a- mongft thofe who are enflaved by lujl^ by pride^ and by covetoufnefs^ and whofe minds are totally enflaved by the things of this world, than the invitation of the king in the parable, met with from thofe whom he fo kindly invited to the wedding of his fon. 3. Thus we are informed of the grand and principal caufes, which lead men to rejed: the gracious offers of pardon and peace, thro' 1 crucified Redeemer : — but let not men de- ceive themfelves : they may beg to be ex- cufed, they may fay, they cannot' coxnc : they may defpife the meffage and fet at nought the meifenger : but in the account of God, the great Sovereign of earth and heaven, fuch Vol. IV. Z excufes 33& 0/ the V AK ABL E excufes will not pafs, fuch pretences * will not avail. We fee in the parable, that the king moved with a juft indignation againft thofe who refufed to come, not only de- clared, that none of thtm /kould tafte of his- fupper -f- — but moreover fent forth his armies, and * This is beautifully and pathetically expreft by our church in the fecond Exhortation to the holy communion, a piece of rhetoric deferving our higheft admiration. I cannot injure it by quoting any part of it, butferioufly re- commend it to the perufal of my reader, intreating him to fufFer it to have its due weight on his heart. f It is diligently to be obferved, that the afFront of- fered to the king's fen by thefe perfons in refufing to ho- nour his nuptials, is received stid punifhed by the king, as an injury and affront done to himfelf. And fo all neg- le5l and contempt of Chriji^ the everlafting Son^ will be received and punifhed by the Father^ as agaiinft his own perfon : for he that honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father. Thus T^heodofius, the emperor, was convinced of his fault by a holy bifhop, when defirous to do fervice to fome heretics, impugners of Chrift'% divinity. " neo- ^^z/j had declared his {qw Arcadius, Auguftus, though he •was but fix years of age. St. Amphilochus, coming to court v/lth certain other bifhops, paid the ufual refpe3Ti : ac mari prsecipit, Mar. iv. 39. ^s^j/xwo-o, preccludatur tihi os^ velut camo conftruduin xar^iXf^rifcuq^ quafi OS marehabeat: quod ibidem exponitur per c-jwTcc obmutefce, and :f 0/ the Marriage Supper. 257 and to a due punifhment for his contumely, pride, and folly. Thus we fee the exad meaning of this part of the letter of the parable : wherein is fi- gured out to us the fate of thofe, who fhall appear before the judge in the lad day, with- out thofe garments of righteoufnefs and holi- nefs, without having put on the new man, with all thofe graces and ornaments which are the gift of Chriji, thro' the Spirit : with- out that Chriftian frame and temper of mind, that SPIRIT of ChriJI, without which they are none of his, faith St. Paul. Some have indeed fuppofed, that herein is figured out to us the piitti?7g on Ckrift by faith -, and if we properly underftand that expreflion of putting op ChriJ}, there perhaps might not lie any material objedion to it. But that the mere aft of believing, or being juftified hy Chriji'^ righteoufnefs imputed to us, or the like, is not meant by this circumftance, will appear evident to every attentive reader, from the general tenour of the parable, as well as from many parts of Scripture where this fame image is ufed, and alfo from the confent of the bed expofitors, ancient and modern. For this part of the parable is intended to reprefent, to us, in fome degree the tranfac- tions at the laft day, and to fliew, that it is poffible to accept the invitation to the marri- A a 3 age- 358 On the P A R AB L E age-feaft, to repent and believe, and become a member of the kingdom of grace, and yet not become a member of the kingdom of glory. It is evident, that the comhig to the feaft, upon the invitation, as explain'd in the former fer- mon, is being admitted by faith * into cove- nant v^ith Cbrijiy and of confequence to re- million of fins, thro' his infinite merits and allfufficient righteoufnefs. So that of plain confequence, this cannot be alfo meant, by the circumfl:ance of the we ddiiig- garment^ if we will admit our Saviour's difcourfe to be a continued narration : and not a disjoin'd and irregular rhapfody. This circumftance is of the fame import, and intended in a good meafure to declare the fame folemn truth to us, which we are taught in the parable of the ten virgins, and of the ten talents ; by the circumfl;ances of the foolifh virgins neglect of oil, and of the flothful fervants omifilon to improve his ta- lent. For both that oil and that talent^ as we found when confidering thofe parables, were the free gifts of God, even as this "wedding- garment alfo, yet it was required of the vir- gins and of the fervant to obtain that oil, and tp improve that talent, even as it was of this * Faith alone f„ys, Dr. Whitby^ cannot be here the wed- ding-garment, fince to receive the invitation and io come to the wedding- fupper, murt import heliev'uig. 3 ^^^ Of the Marriage Supper. 359 man to accept ^ and to put on this garment : iov fan&ijication^ or improvement of our fouls in holinefs, which all thefe prefigure, tho' It is the gift and work of God in the foul, thro* his fpirit, yet requires the joint concur- rence and work of man, and can no more be wrought out in the foul without their mutual endeavours to obtain the gift than a man can be covered with a garment freely prefented to him, unlefs he accept the prefent, and put it on him : hence St. Pauly work out your Own fahation ; jor it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleafure. But there are fome texts of fcripture, where this image of putting on is ufed, which plainly prove that fandlification or holinefs is meant, and fo confirm the interpretation I have given. St. Paid in his epiftle to the Romans xiii. 14. after having exhorted the Romans^ to difcharge their duty, as became Chriftians, and to avoid all fin, concludes, but put ye on the Lord Jefus : and make not provijions for the fleJJj to fidfil the lufls thereof. Where it is ma- nifeft that by putfmg on the Lord Jefus, the a- poftle muft mean, being cloathed with thefe graces, and that righteoufnefs, whereof Chrijl fet us the pattern, which he is ready to work ia us by his fpirit, and which are in imme- A a 4 diate 360 0;z //^^ P A RA BLE diate oppofition to the Jujls of the fep, the rioting a?2d drtinkennefs^ chambering and wan- tonne fs^ flrife and envying, whereof he fpeaks in the verfe foregoing. The context imme- diately requires that vv^e fhould thus under- ftand the expreffion, and befides it is ufed to Chriflians"^, who already believed, and had been baptized, and fo had put on Chrift by ^ faith, and were now to be cloathed with him, as a garment of holinefs, to imitate him in his lite and virtues : or the words of this a- poftle, in this fame chapter a little above, to put on the armour of light, Lef m therefore^ faith he, caft 0^ the worh of darknefs, that old filthy robe of our former converfation, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us *walk honejily : let us put on the Lord Jefus Chrifl. * I believe upon a careful eonfideration of the apodolic wr, tings, we fhall never find an in fiance of th.ir exhorting any of thofe in the ChriJIian churches to which they wrote to put on Chrift hy faith, or to be juftified by faith, or by imputed right eoufnefs, &c. Thefe exhortations, after the dod:rinil parts of their epiftles ufualiy are to put on Chrift, by conformity ^to his image, by being made hke him, in righteoufnefs and true hoHn^fs. And if we are to believe St. Auflin, fumma religionis Chriftianae, efi inii^ tari eutn, quern coUs. The fum of the ChrijUan rehgion is to imitare h;m, whom you worftiip.— -Wou'd to God all Chrijiians wou'd do fo more and more, rather than con- tend in any ftrife of words. Agreeably Of the Marriage Supper, 361, Ageeably to which in the epiflle to the Ethefians, iv. 22, fpeaking of fandlfication, he exhorts them, to put off\ concerning the former confer fation^ the old man^ which is cor^ rupt accordhig to the deceitful lufls : while they are renewed in the s p i k i T of their mi?2d : and PUT ON the new man which after God is created in right eoufnefs and true holinefs : after which he proceeds to enumerate the works of the old?nan, the duties and graces of the new : and fo clearly fliews us, what we arc to un- derftand by this weddifig- garment^ this holinefs^ without which no man fliall fee the Lord : — even as he doth alfo in his eplftle to the Co- lofJianSy Lie not one to another, feeing ye have put off the old man with his deeds, and have PUT ON the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him. — Fut on therefore (as the eleB of God holy and beloved) bowels of mercies, kindnefsy humblenefs of mind, me chiefs, longfuffering : forbearing one another, and forgiving one another ^ ij any man have a quarrel agaijifl a?iy, even as Chn^ forgave you, fo alfo do ye : and above all thefe things, put on love, which is the bond of perfeBnefs, &c. iii. 9. &c. Thefe texts, plain and clear, as they are, may fuffice to confirm the interpretation a- bove given, and to convince us, that by the want 36a O/? ^/5^ P A R A B L E want of the wedding- garment is meant the ^ want of that renewal in the fpint of mind^ the want of putting on that new man, which after God is created in righteoufnefs and true holinefs, the want of that armour of ' light, that fpirit of Chrifty that love and ho- linefs, without which our admiflion to par- don, and our entrance into the gofpel-cove- nant will ftand us in no ftead : for many, faith our Saviour, Ihall fay unto me in that day, Lordy Lord^ open to us ^ and he fiall an^ fwer^ 1 know you not^ whence you are -, then Jhall they begin to fay^ W3 have eaten and drunk in thy prefence ^ a?2d thou hajl taught in cur Jlreets — we have been members of thy vifible church, communicants of thy holy fupper, and hearers of thy word, from the mouth of thy minifters — But, fee how vain all this will be without holinefs, — he fiall Jay^ I tell yoUy I know you not, whence ycu are : de-- part from me^ all ye workers of iniquity^ all ye refufers of the wedding garment. Inhere fiall be weeping and gnajinng of teeth^ when ye fiall fee Abraham, Ifaac, a?2d Jacob, a?id all the proyhets in the kingdom of God, and you yourfelves thrujl out, like this wretched man in the parable, a lively emblem of fuch fipners, and who is faid to be one only, only one man without the v/edding garment, becaufe, as Origen On the Marriage Supper. 563 Origen obferves, " all the wicked are of one fort/' And thus I am come juft in brief to {hew you, that the beft expofitors agree in this in- terpretation which I have given ; and firfl: Origen in the fame paflage with that above obferves, that to be without the wedding- garment is to be unreform'd in manners. *^ All are brought in, to the feaft, faith he, not that the bad (liou'd continue fuch ftill, but be reformed : wherefore the King cometh in to fee the guefts, and feeing one that had ?20t amended his life and manners^ (for this it is to be without a wedding-garment) he adjudgeth him to be bound and caft into outer darknefs." St. Chryfo/hm obferves on the parable, " that the Gentiles v/ere the vile and bafe perfons by the high-ways, the halt, blind, maimed, &c. and fuch zs ^vq fpotted with fin ftill, are vilely apparalled, and with- out a wedding-gar?nent, Thefe are condemned out of their own mouths^ which is fignified, by the man's being ftruck dumb/' And TbeophylaB excellently remarks, " That the . entrance into the marriage-feaft is without any diftindion : for by grace alone all are call'd, good and bad: but the life of thofe who have enter'd will not afterwards be with- out enquiry, but the King will very ftridly (examine thofe, who, after their entrance into the 364 On the F ARABLE the faith, are found in filthy garments. Let .us therefore tremble to recoiled, that unlefs we have a holy life, bare faith will pro- fit us nothing, fince we fhall not only be caft out of the feaft, but into the fire un- quenchable. But who is he, that is cloathed with thefe filthy garments r He that hath not puf on howds of mercies, brotherly-kind- nefs, love.'' And fo St. Gregory fays, " By the wedding- garment underftand /ove, for a man may enter the church by faith, and yet be without a wedding-garment thro' the want of love,'' I will produce, only one authority more from the ancients, that of St., yerom, and juft obferve the agreement of modern interpreters herewith. " The ojie^ whom the King faw without the wedding-garment, re- prefents all thofe who are aflx)ciated in wick- ednefs. The wedding-garment fignifies the commandments pf God, and the works of obwdience, which are fulfilled from the law and the gofpel, and make the garment of the new man. If any one therefore at the time of Judgment (hall be found bearing a Chrifiian name, but without the wedding-gar- vient, that is, the garment of the heavenly man, while he hath on a filthy garment, that is, the rag% of the old man ^ to him it will ' be faid, friend, how camefl thou in here ? He calls him friend^ becaufe he was invited to the Of the Marriage Supper, 365 the feaft ; he condemns him of impudence, becaufe he defiled and polluted the cleannefs of the feaft with foul and fordid cloathine. But he had. nothing to fay. For in that day there will neither be any place for repentance, nor any power of denial, when all the angels, and the whole world, will be witnefs of mens fins." — ^' Thus * Some of the ancients indeed explain this garment of fa'ith^ but then they always mean faith working by lovsy unlefs by miftake fometimes they refer to the boptifmal garment, the firft introdu6lion into the Chriftian cove- nant, which for the reafons above given, cannot be meant here. Irenaus^ Hilary.^ Auflin^ Leo^ Lyric^ and many others of great eftimation, all agree in the hm^ interpre- tation v^ith thofe quoted in the text. And even Gerhard himfelf who labours hard to prove this wedding-garment to be the imputed righteoufnefs of Chriji^ for fear he fliou'd agree with the Reman Catholic interpreters, yet obferves, that " the v/edding-garment is true faith, which works by love and the defire of all good works : and exhorts to take care of vain empty faith, and any dependance on outer communion with the church and facramcnts, without that true and living faith^ whofe forerunner is contrition, true repentance, and whofe hand-maids following after, are all good works.-— V/hich is much like a remark of our old and excellent bifhop and martyr Latimer^ who fpeak- ing of Chrijlian faith tells his audience.- — *« Not long ago a great man, faid, in an audience, they babble much of faith, X I will go, lye with my whore all night, and have as good a faith as the heft of them all. I think he never knev/ other than the whoremonger's faith. It is no fuch faith that will ferve. It is no bribing judges or jufliccs faith : no rent-raifers faith, no whoremongers faith, no bafe-mongers faith ; nor no fe.ler c>{ benefices faith ; but the faith in the paflion of oui faviour ChrijL We mufl be- lieve 366 0;; ^/5(? P A R A B L E Thus the Fathers with one voice agree, that by the wedding garment is meant a holy life ; without which a profeflion of faith will avail nothing, as the end oi faith is love and holinefs : and wherever this is wanting, not- withftanding a man's outward profeflion he will fhare the fate of him, at the laft day, who had 7J0t on the wedding garment. And to this our modern expofitors agree, even CaU vin himfelf acknowledges, that *' It is need- kfs to difpute about the wedding garment, whether it be faith^ or a pious holy life. Fof neither can faith be feparated from good works, nor can good works proceed except from faith. Chrff% meanhig is only that we lieve that our Saviour Chriji hath taken us again into his favour, that he hath delivered us his own body and blood to plead againft the devil, and by the merit of his own paiiion, of his own mere liberality. This is the faith, 1 tell you, that we mufl come to the communion with, and not the whoremongers faith. Look, where remiffion of fm is, there is acknowledging of fm alfo. Fohh is a nob !e dutch efs : fie hath ever her gentleman- uJJjer goi?ig be- fore her^ the confejjing of fins : flje haih a train after her^ the fruits of good works ^ the vjalking in the commandments of God, He thiit believeth will not be idle, he will walk, will I'o his bufinefs, have ever the gentl€man-u(})er with him. So if ye will try faith, remember this rule : confi- der whether the train be waiting upon her. If you have another faith than this, a whoremongers faith, you are like to goto the fcalding houfe, and there you fhall have two difhes, weeping and gnafhing of teeth ; much good do it you : you fee your fare. If ye will believe and acknow- ledge yourfms, you Ihall come to the bltflcd communion of the bitter paflion of Chiift worthily, and fo attain to eveilafting life.'' Seventh fer?non before king Edward, p. 95. are On the Marriage Supper. 367 are called, ia order that we may be renewed in our minds, after his image. — And therefore that we may remain always in his houfe, the old man with his filthinefs muft be put ofF, and a new life defigned, that our attire may be fuch, as is fuitable to fo honourable an invita- tion."— And again, he obferves, " that they who are found in their filthinefs^ when God fhall come to take account, fliall be caft out^ though they have lived here in the churchy This evidence is very clear in favour of the prefent interpretation, and will I doubt not be of weight with fome, that would underftand this circumftance rather oi faith ^ or imputed righteoufnefs: and it will be corroborated I fuppofe, by that of Doddridge^ who obferves, and that very excellently, ^* That this circum- ftance of the parable is admirably adapted to the method of God's dealing with us. For he requires repentance indeed, and holinefs, in order to our partaking of the happinefs of heaven; but at the fame time he gracioufly offers to work it in us, by his holy Spirit : and therefore may juftly punifh our neglefl: of fo great a favour." After thefe it will be unne- ceffary to produce any authorities from com- mentators of the church of England, who all with one voice agree to explain the wedding- garment of the proper preparation for the ce- leftial 368 0« ^;5^ PAR ABLE leftial kingdom, namely, renovation of heart and life.'' Thus then we fee that this beautiful parable concurs with the grand tenor of fcripture, and the great bulinefs of redemption, and fully proves to us, that as by faith and repentance, through God's gracious mercies in Chrijl J ejus ^ we are admitted into a ftate of pardon and favour, fo we muft conflantly endeavour, through his blefled Spirit, to walk worthy our vocation and calling, to purify ourfelves as he is pure, and to perfect our fouls in that righte- oufnefs and holinefs wherein man was origi- nally created, after the image of God ; the reftoration of v/hich alone through Chriji^ can * The reader is particularly referred to Dr. Stanhope^ vol. 3- P» 557- of his very ufeful comment oa the epiflles and gofpels. See alfo Grotius on the place, who obferves Ve/Iis nuptiaUs^ ejl amhulatio d'lgna vocatione^ Ephcfians iv- I. ^efnelle obferves, by faith we come to the w^ed- ding-feaft : by charity which is the life, and by good works which are the fruits of faith, we are qualified to eat the flefh of the lamb and to receive nouriftiment from it. — He refers to the facrament. Henry obferves, thofe and thofe only that put on the Lord Jefus^ that have chriftian temper of mind, and are adorned with chriftian graces, that live by faith in C^r//?, and to whom he is all in all, have the wedding-garment. " Tt\q f eft ival- garment (fays Dr. Ham- mondy Note on Matt, xxii.) was fo neceflary (as repen- tance and reformation of life, the new garment or array of the foul, which is here parabolically expreft by it) that without it even they that were invited to come, were not yet permitted to tafte of the feift or remain among the guefts." See alfo bifliop i^<^//'s ufeful paraphrafe oi Hard Texis^ who entirely agrees with the above expofitors. make Of the Marriage Supper. 369 make him meet to partake of the inheritance with the faints in light. The want of this renovation in the fpirit of our mindSj will be fufficient to deprive us, whatever is our profeffion here, of the eternal glory : we fee it evidently in our baptifm^ by which v/e are admitted into the kingdom of gracej through repentance znd faith : but if we omit to perform the other part of our baptif- mal covenant, if we omit obedience^ or ^' daily to proceed in all virtue and godlinefs of live- ing/' our baptifm will avail us nothing, except it be the more deeply to condemn us ; and that we have been members of the church here will only ferve to aggravate our guilt, fince, un- der the means we negleded to improve the grace, which would have made us members of the kingdom oi glory for ever* A confide- ration, which, as TheophylaB well obferves,' fliould make all our hearts tremble ; {hake all vain and falfe confidences, and ftir us up to the moft diligent and faithful difcharge of our duty, that we may not be found wanting in that day, but be welcomed as the eledt of Chriji, holy and beloved, having on the true wedding-garment, the armour of light, bowels of merciesy kinduefs, humblenefs of mind^ meek" ncfs, hng'fuffering, forgivenejs, peace and love : and all thofe holy tempers, and heavenly affec- tions, which the example of our Saviour fo Vol. IV. N^ 1 9, Bb power- 370 On /& P A R A B L E powerfully recommends : and cloathed with who?77, we fhall be cloathed v/ith every vir- tue : ^ our whole fpirit^ and foul mid body being preferred blamelcfs unto the coming of our Lord Jejus Cbriji. Thus fliall we be the elecl of God, and this is the way to be chojcn : for many, fays our Sa- viour clofing this parable, are called, but few are chofen : where it is evident to remark, that not any decree or fault of God occafioned either thofe who were firft invited and would not come, or this man, who had not on a wedding garment, to be rejeded : it v^as their own faults : they would not accept the invi- tation ', they would not embrace the gift and offer, and fo they perifhed through their own perverfenefs and neglecl. Let as take heed, that we charge no God fooliflily : the gofpcl is offered to all men, and if they prefer the pleafures of iin, and the lufts of the world, let their condemnation fall on their own head -, but let God be juftified, who gracioufly will- eth that all fhould come to the knowledge of the truth and be faved. For as Thecphyladl again vvell obferves, '^ our calling is of God, but our eledion is of our felves." ^ Let us not ' be high-minded, but fear. r^y * So f^iith Thccphyla5i on Rom. y.\\, 14. O yap THxay *■ T« M.«y ©ta TO xocAeiv — ro ^i sz^tzrar yivi^ai — '^ fxr,^ 7)ij.t7c^a» eft. — On Matt. xxii. Dr, S'anhope obibrves, Epiftles and Gofpels, Of the Marriage Supper, 37 1 Thus then we learn what are the grand re- quifites to an admiffion into the eternal glory of our Lord : the want of which will of con- fequence caufe us for ever to be rejeded. "Repentance 2ii\di faith only, admit, through the facrifice and fatisfadion of Chrif^ condemned finners into a ftate of pardon and grace : whc^n in that ftate they muft walk worthy of the calling wherewith they are called, of the love which hath redeemed them, and of the end for which they are redeemed : they muft put oft^ the old man, and put on the new, ceafe to do evil, and learn to do good, and of finners become holyy or they will never enter into the kingdom of God. And to enable men fo to do, God offers them the gift of his holy Spirit, whofe divine motions if they will follow, and whofe facred infpirations and didates, if they will cherifti and purfue, the good work will be Gofpels, ver. 3. 561. that we may le^rn from hence who are the called^ and who the chofen of God. Ail to whom the knowledge of C/?r//? and ot his religion is come, whe« ther they embrace it or not : and thofe that embrace it, "Whether after embracirrg it they live agreeably to it or not, all thele are the called ; and they who do embrace and live up to it are the choj'en. Chofen freely, btcauf^ without any thing on their part to defcrve, but not fo, as that no- thing (hould be requifiteon their part to incline this choice. For thofe works, v/hich are by no means to be allowed as a meritorious caufe, becaufe accepted only in and for the fake of Chrijl (the only meritorious caufe of our falvation) are yet neceffary in the quality of an inH rumen; al and con- dici^nalcaufe, becaufe ivithmt holincjs no man JJjall fee tbt Lord. B b 2 carried 372 On //j^ P A R A B L E carried on fuccefsfully in their hearts, and when the King comes in to fee his guefts, they will be found in his own well approved and well-accepted garments; and being the bleifed of God, will receive the kingdom prepared for them from the beginning of the world. How then fhould this great and tender love of our heavenly King quicken our minds to a glad acceptance of his grace, and to a diligent working with it. Let it not be faid of us, that when God invited, we ?nade light of his invi- tation, and preferred paffing, wretched, tranli- tory things to the eternal joys of everlafling love ! How ready are men in general to ac- cept the invitations even of their equals to fe- cial entertainments : but when bidden by their fuperiors, and invited to a feaft of joy, by men in honour and exalted conditions, how do they plume themfelves upon the invitation, how carefully make themfelves ready, and how gladly attend at the place and time appointed ? — Which of us, were our monarch to make a marriage for his fon, and to fend forth his fervants and meffengers to bid us xo the wed- ding, where we were certain to receive a wed- ding-garment, fit to appear in his prefcnce, to be fed with the choicell viands, to be honoured with the nobleft company, to be delighted with the moft pleafing converfation, and to be cheered with the mod excellent niufjc — v^hich Of the Marriage Supper, 373 which of us, I fay, would make light of fuch an invitation, utterly difregard it, go our ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandife, nay, and ftill worfe, take thofe very fervants, which were fent on fo kind an errand, entreat them with all the fpite and malice we could invent, and in fine flay and put them to death ? Which of us could thus make light cf\ and utterly difregard fo gracious an invi- tation ? And who could think it any wiong done to fuch ungrateful and perverfe enemies to themfelves, and fuch defpifers of their King, if he fent forth his armies, and deftroyed thoje murderers and burnt up their city ? — We can cafily fee the truth of this in the cafe of the Jews : let us be wife, and turn our re- fle(9:ion on ourfelves : while warned by their example, we copy not after their perverfenefs and ingratitude, but accept our heavenly mo- narch's gracious invitations, and come in true faith and repentance to that kingdom of grace, and ftate of favour, which is a happy intro- dudion to eternal peace. And while we at- tend to the kind invitation of our God, let his love triumph over our pafl ingratitude, and lead us to future zeal in his ways and fer- vice. For "Behold, faith he, to his fervants and mi- niflers, tell them in my name, that I have pre- pared my dinner, my oxen and my fatlings are B b 3 kilUd, 374 On the F AR A B L E killed, and all things are ready : come unto the marriage : come and be yourfelves the bride ! Behold, I have given my only begotten Son to take your nature upon him, to marry your flefti, to unite his divine to your human, that your human may fo be united to his di- vine nature ! Behold I have given him as the only Mediator between God and man, behold I have given him as an all-fufficient Saviour, willing and able to fave to the uttermoft all thofe that come unto me by him ; by his death I am fully fatisfied : with his merits I am per- fedly, pleafed : all things are ready : grace is prepared for all, fbe head-Jione is brought forth withJJ:oiiti?2gs^ crying , grace ^ grace :^ the devil is troden under foot ; death is flain : the world is conquered 3 hell deftroyed 5 the pardon of fins merited ^ everlafting righteoufnefs brought in 5 plenty of the gifts of the holy Spirit rea- dy for thofe that afk ; adoption is offered to all s peace, joy in the holy Spirit, heaven opened, life and everlafting falvation are pre- pared for all. All things are ready : for I will give the fie(h of my Son to you for life-giving food, his blood for life-giving quickening wa- ter, and I wdll pour my Spirit upon all ^t^^y and he Ihali be in thofe that believe as a well of water fpringing up unto everlafting life. Come therefore come to the wedding : T^urriy O hackjliduig childreriy faith the Lord : for I am * Zcxhar. iv. 7. of the Marriage Supper, 37^ am married unto yoii'-—turn and I will take you : Return ye backjliding children^ aitd I will heal ycjur hackfai^ings,'' Oh that we might.all re- ply in the next words of the prophet — Behold we come unto thee^ for thou art the Lord cur God — thou art our father and wilt not turn away from us ; truly in the Lord our God is the falvation of Ifrael I Oh let it not be faid, that vile and filthy luft, Ihameful idolatrous covetoujhejsy infamous pride ^ the world, its pleafures, pomps or profits could fway our fouls, more than the tender bleeding love of our God and Saviour — or that we were fo un- grateful to him, fo bhnd to our own felicity, as to rejed: his mofl: affedionate invitations to a feaft of joy unending, while headlong v/e ran to the bottomlefs pit, where are only bitter weepings, and everlafting horror, ages of hopelcfs end. But if fo happy as to accept this favourable offer, to turn to God, to repent and believe: moved by the example of the man who was found without a wedding-garment, let us not fail to work with the ever-blefl!ed Spirit con- tinually, in the great work of our fouKs fandi- fication, alv^^ays bearing in mind that this is the will of God, even our SANCJIFICATIOX, You obferve, that we can be entitled 10 ng benefits from^ this marriage feaft, unlels we co?ne to it : we can receive no advantages from B b 4 ChriiK 376 On the PARABLE Chrin, unlefs we draw nigh unto him defirous of his grace, in fincere faith, and repentance unfeigned : when w^e do fo, he will forgive us our paft fins, and blot out all our iniquities : for we are juftified freely through faith, by his grace : — But we learn from this parable, that we may ftop iTiort, even here, and in this happy road : for this alone will not profit us : we muft alfo be Jhidlified by his bleflfed Spirit, whofe fruits we mufl: fhew forth in our lives, otherwife our faith will prove but vain, and we ihall be efl:eemed as dead branches only : for a tree is Jcnown by its fruit, even as a chriflian is known by thofe good works, that univerfal holinefs, which is the certain fruit of a faith fincere and living. Thus muft we come to the wedding feaft if we defire to be accepta- ble guefts, admitted through Chriji^ putting him on by faith in baptifm, and cloathed with him and his holinefs, wrought in us by the blefifed Spirit. Then have we the true wed- ding garment : when we live by him, and are like him. Any partial obedience wilt be found no lefs vain and dangerous, than any attempt to come in our own chathing, whether through prefumption of our own fancied filthy righte- oufnefs, or through grofs negledl and finful cmifliion to be better cloathed. Look therefore well toyourfelves, take good heed, yc who profefs yourfelyes true fervants of Of the Marriage Supper. ^77 of this Lord, ye who obey his call, and come to his fupper ; look well to your own hearts : fearch and fee — are they fteadfaft in his faith — do you fee and acknowledge your own fin- fulnefs, the imperfedtion of all your works, and your utter incapacity to be juftified other- wife than by the free grace of God in Chriji? — Do you gladly accept of him as a full facri- lice, oblation and fatisfadlion for all your fins ? • — Many indeed can go thus far : and fuch pro- feffors it is that do our Lord fo much wrong, that, like Judas ^ bow the knee, cry, hail maf- ter, and kifs him, while they come to betray him. Reft not contented therefore, O chrif- tian, with the opinion that thou haft a true faith in Chriji^ and art juftified freely by his grace, unlefs thou perceiveft in thy heart a hatred and deteftation of all fin, yea of all that is contrary to the holy and perfed law of righ- teoufnefs : unlefs thou perceiveft in thy heart an anxious thirfty defire to be complete in ho- linefs : and as fo defirous, art diligent in every means, that may perfedt the good work in thy foul : working with God, that he may be pleafed more powerfully and efficacioufly, ac- cording to his will, to work with thee. The devil has always fome fcheme on foot, fome method to fl^ake and aflault thofe, who are likely to forfake his kingdom. And none piore common, than to perfuade men, becaufe .: they ■o 378 OnfbeVARABLE they believe in Chrijl^ can acknowledge him as the only Saviour, and themfelves as re- deemed folely by his power : that therefore they are fafe, and need not be anxioufly care- ful after univerfal holinefsj fince the righte- oufnefi of C/6r^ imputed will fully anfwer the want of righteoufnefs implanted. — Thus he often takes men craftily off their guard, deals them by degrees from fmaller to greater of- fences, till at length they totally fall off, and make fhipwreck of their former faith, happily begun, but thus miferably ended. You there- fore, O chriftians, not being ignorant or unin- formed of his devices^ keep a con (1 ant and careful watch : examine yourfeives, provct fearch, and try : fee if fin hath dominion over you ; if it hath, Chriji is not yet your mafter : for ye cannot ferve two mafters : fee if you grow in grace, and make a due improvement under the means offered you : if you do not, fee if you have not fome fecret, fome beloved vice, which lies filent in your heart, which eats out the very vitals of religion, and obftruds all your fpii itual growth : even as a v^orm, which lies concealed m the heart of a plant, hinder- ing its vegetation, and caufing it at length to wither away : if you find fuch a fecret and favourite luft, and cannot be perfuaded to root it out, and crucify it with Cbrift^ you muft alfo wither away, and perifh even at the very en- trance Of the Marriage Supper. 397 trance and door of his kingdom, Chrijl calls us to univerfal holinefs, he calls us to love, the very fulfilling of the law, and we make very light indeed of his meflage, when we pretend to accept it, bow the knee ; and at the fame time buffet and fplt upon him : when we pre- tend to be his, to love and to ferve him, and yet retain that in our hearts and lives, which caufed him to pour forth his blood upon the crofs ! And now, my brethren, after having heard how kind an invitation God is pleafed to make you, and the ways whereby you may effedtu* ally difappoint his offered love, and your in- tended glory — what think you ? are you re- folved to accept this gracious invitation — to come not only to his Gofpel grace, to which you are at all times \n general invited -y but alfo to that divine feajl of love^ the Lord's- [upper ^ to which you are at prefent particularly called ? Will you then accept this call, will you now partake of your heavenly King^s marriage- feaft ; or will you ft ill make light of it : depart from thefe walls juft as you entered in, as car- nal, unmortified, unmoved, and Unrefolved as ever ? — Oh that I could prevail with you all to accept this invitation ; oh that I had a tongue or pen capable of difplaying the glories and bleffings of this marriage feaft^ fo beautifully and engagingly, that you might one and all ^ ruOi ' 3S0 On //^^ P A R A B L E rufli to the banquet, and be made happy with God through all eternity ! And why, my friends, will ye deftroy your own fouls ? what fhould hinder ? you ^may be happy if you will : a refufal of Chrift will never make you fo : for to receive him is to be bleft, to come duly prepared to his feafl is the certain road to joy and peace. And lo, he is willing to re- ceive you : all things are ready y come fo the wedding. Behold the table is fpread, the di- vine food of life, the body and blood of our dying Lord are this day offered to all your fouls : and this day how many of you, though invited to this feaft fo very often, and flill in mercy fpared to receive again the gracious invitation — though preft and intreated to come, though (liewn the abfolute and immi- nent danger of flaying from hence: — -yet how many fliall we fee this day alfo turning their backs upon this heavenly/food : and departing from this proffered feaft of love, utterly regard- lefs of it ! Do not your hearts fmite you — do not your confciences found the alarm, as you depart from thefe v/alls, and turn your backs upon this celeftial food ? Do not they whifper to you fomething like this — •'' Oh if Ckrifty the great judge, at the laft day, fhould fo turn his back on thee, as thou now doft on his proffered body and blood ; what horror and confufion of face would feize and overwhelm thee r** Of the Marriage Supper, 381 thee ?'* And will you not liften to thefe whifpers, will you not attend to thefe faithful counlels? Oh liften and be wife : come to the weddings for all things are ready. But fome may fay, would you have us come when we are not duly prepared for fo fclemn an a6l ?— By no means, my brethren : but ye were invited long fince : why then are you not prepared ? Alas, fliould God call your fouls, it would be but a vain excufe, " Lord, I am not prepared :" what would that avail you — could it ward off the fatal blow one moment ? — Let me then intreat you to be pre- pared : let me intreat you to approach this holy fupper, the next opportunity at kaft ; till which time meditate upon your prefent eftate, and cry to God day and night to reveal his love, and to make you a fit and duly qua- lified partaker of that holy feaft. Nay but fame add mor.e than this : (would to God there were no truth in the objedion) ** we fee not that thofe, who do frequent the table, are more holy than others : wherefore then fliould we come when there appears fo Imall advantage ?" — This is in truth a vi^eighty objection 5 and to anfwer it lies much upon us, my brethren, who are conftant in commu- nion.--You fee what offences, we are like to fall unto, by harming and ruining the fouls of our weaker brethren, if we are not above all 3 others 382 On the V A R A B L E others careful and confcientious in our lives : and who for ten thoufand worlds would be the means of injuring the foul of another, in fo important a concern : who for all this world can give, would be the means of caufing a weaker brother to offend, in a point of fuch infinite moment ! — Truth it is, many who come to this fupper, fhew in their lives but very fmall marks thereof: fuch I would ear- neftly exhort to confider, that the mere par-i taking of the elements operates not, whether we will or no : our tempers before and after muft fhew what God hath done for our fouls. Thefe outward thin gs, remember, are only mea/is of grace : be careful to (hew that they have be- come to you really 7neans^ and let univerfal love and holinefs, prove the great efficacy of Chrijt\ body and blood, received in true faith. Do not think it enough to receive the facrament once a month, and to fpend the remaining feafon in a manner unfuitable to that very high profeffion you there make, when you fay, '* Here we offer and prefent unto thee ourfelves, cur fouls and bodies, as a reafonable, holy, and Yivtly facriJiceJ' Thus, my brethren, chriftians who come to the table ought to do, and ought to offer them- felves: that they do not, is not the fault of the blefled fupper, but of themfelves: fince Chrift is all- willing to fave. Take heed therefore, that you Of the Marriage Supper. 383 you defpife not his plain and dying command, plain and pojitivey if there be any fuch, do this : and take heed when you do it, that your lives be anfwerable and agreeable thereto. Throw not a (tumbling block in the way of your weak brethren, and do not for the world caufe another to offend : imagine how great their condemnation will be, who harm the foul of another, by confidering how great their re- ward will be, who turn a foul from death and the error of its ways : fuch (hall (liine as theftars in the firmament. — Being made therefore, by receiving this holy facrament ; without which we can never be fo, and which unlefs we be we can never become heirs of Chriffs glory, —being made hereby, *' members incorpo- rate in the myftical body of Chriji, and alfo heirs of his everlafting kingdom, let us hum- bly befeech our heavenly Father, fo to aflifl us with his grace, that we may continue in that holy fellowfiiip, and do all fuch good works as he hath prepared for us to walk in, through yefusChriJl our Lord, to whom with the Father, the Holy Ghofl, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.''* * See the Communion Service of our church. D I s- DISCOURSE XIX. On the P A R A B L E 0/*//^^ Unprofitable Servant*. . St. Luke xvii. lo. So Ukewife ye, when ye fl:all have do7ie all thcfe things, that are commanded you, fay, we are unprofitable fervants : we have done that, which was tur duty to -Hlo. F"^K<^'^OTHING Is fo amiable and Q jsf w acceptable in the fight of God as ^ 5^ humility: 'tis a virtue which, above 5«L^^)iKjM( all others, recommends to his fa- vour : as paying to him the honour due to his * The parable of the Two Debtors was at firft propofed ; but upon maturer thoughts, the refent was judg-d more proper, erpecially as that of the Debtors hath in fome mea- lure been confiJered before. See Sermons on the Miracles, vol; ii. difcourfe xii. p. 97 and 1145 Uq. Of the Unprofitable Servant. -^85 his excellent majefty in a reverent and lowly opinion of our own mere nothingnefs com^ pared therewith.* This is the virtue which the example of our Redeemer particularly commends to us, Learn of me Jor I am meek and loidy in heart : I have given you an exam^ ple^ that ye fiould do^ as I have done to you ;* And the importance of it is clearly feen, in that he makes it the very iirft ftep to the fpi- ritual life in his divine fermon on the mountj blejfed are the poor in fpirit, Jor theirs is the kingdom of heaven^ And that it is not a firft ftep only, but a grace wherein we muft grow, and wherewith we muft ever be adorned, St, Peter fully w^itneiTeth, by exhorting us to be doathed with it, as with a garment, to be co- * A late able writer obferves, that " humility 5s the due knowledge and right eftimate of ourfelvcs grounded on the right knowledge of God." , Effay on the proper lejjons for fundays. vol. 3. p. 459. This moil: ufefui and excellent work is comprifed in four large od^avo volumes, printed for Mr. Rivingtonm St. Paid's churchyard : and as it does very high honour to the prefent age, fo it deferves a parti- cular place in every religious family, and wherever ufed, cannot but highly advance the great end of fpiritual im- provement: the thanks of every fincere chriftian arejuftly due to the pious (though to me unknown) author : who in his preface to the reader informs us that he is a lasman^ p, 31. May our divines at leaft, faith he, judpe favourably, of a poor /«^wiJ«'s attempt, who hath lified hiiiifclf in their fervice, and permit him to fay with the poet, ■ Fungor vice cotis, acutum Reddere quae ferrum valet, exors ipfa fecandi. Ell aliquid prodire tenus. Vol.lV. C c vered 386 On the PARABLE vered, as it were, all over with humility, all of joUy faith he, he ftibjedi one to another^ and be cloathed with humility : for which he fubjoins an excellent reafon, for God refifteth the proud ^ and giveth grace to the humble : even as it is frequently declared in the gofpel, he thflt ex^ alteth himfelf JJjall be abajed^ and he that hum^ bleth himfelf fjall be exalted. Pride and felf-fufBciency, an arrogant and over-weening opinion of our own worth, me- rits, or righteoufnefs, is the moft diredt and immediate contradidion to the dodrine of Chrijl^ and the life of God in the foul; and will above all things tend to deprive us of the grace of God, and the glory of heaven. Yet fo de- praved is the human heart, that there is no offence to which men are more liable ; and unhappily thofe, who are' in the faireft way for heaven, and in other refpeds the moft ex- cellent and amiable, are in the greateft danger from this quarter, and moft liable to pride and felf-complacence, from a too fond opinion and regard of their own good deeds and fuperior worth to others. Spiritual pride very fre- quently by the artifice of the tempter, is found fufficient to fap the foundations of a foul ftrongly built up in holinefs, when all the bat- teries of fin and evil would play in vain againft its imprpgnable fortifications. Wherefore there is the greater need, that we fliould be on our guard Of the Unprofitable Sernnant, 3 87 guard efpecially in this quarter, and with jea- lous watchfulnefs fearch into our foul and fee^ whether in this refped: we are in danger from our fpiritual adverfary. It is to me of all things tnoft aftonifhing, that man, proud man, a poor infignificant worm, miferable duft and afhes, fhould ever think of any claim upon God for his fervices, or imagine that any thing he can do, (hould make the Almighty his debtor. Great finners are in no danger at all, one would imagine, from this principle : yet often even they wildly think to atone for their oiffences, by fome fig- nal adls of goodnefs, and to bribe and purchafe heaven, as it were, by deeds of particular ex- cellence : hence you find fuch large in charitable donations, fometimes in life, more commonly in death. Profcft deifls^ and thofe who talk fo much of natural religion and mO'* ral virtues^ the dignity oj human nature y free-- nvill, and the like, together with the Jews^ jointly agree in this abfurd opinion, go about to ejlahlijh their own righteoufnefs^ found their claim to heaven upon a demand of debt and due from thence, and fancy they merit eternal blifs by their own poor and worthlefs fervices. St. PauPs epiflle to the Romans ever remains in diredoppofition to thefe. — The Fapijls too build their hopes on this fandy foundation ; nay they have fo large a ftock of merit, that C c 2 they 388 0^2 the PARABLE they can even do works of fupererogation : and/'// or le^Kil, as they are indined, the over- plus of their good krvices to affift others in the Durchafe of heaven. Strangle and abomi- liable prefumption ! -f-yea and many chriftians there are alfo amongft proteftants, who are too proud and felf-fatisfied on account of their gifts and graces : which be they never fo many and never fo excellent, all proceed from God; and are no grounds of felf-dependance, fince all our fervices are his immediate due. — And, wonderful to think — -there are not wanting fome, v/ho, in this finful flate of mifery and imperfedion, when fin and defedt mix them- felves in the very beft fervices of the beft of chriftians, pretend to fi/j/rfs perfe^lion : * and of courfe have no need of pardon 5 and there- fore ' f This opinion our churchhzth. totally difclalmed in her 14th article, where fhe declares, that voluntary works over and above God's commandments, which thev call works of fiiperercgation, cannot be taught without arrogance and im- ficty : for by 'them men do declare, that rhey not only ren- der to God as much as they are bound to do, but that they do mor.e for his fake than of bounden duty is required t whereas Chrijl faith plainly, when you have done all that luas. command d you ^ fay. wc are unfroftahle fervants. . * They are hke the antient Meffuiians^ who were of opinion that man might attain to fuch a degree of kn-'^wledge and virtue, as not only to rcfemhle^ but even to equal God : infomuch that it was impoffible for thofe amongft them, who were arrived at the height of ferfedion^ to fall even into the leaf fn^ nv)t even a fm Oi thought or ignorance !-— yfibsM any one of them was afkcd, whech^r he was a patri- irch. Of the Unprofitable Serz'ant. 3 89 fore ftand upon their own righteonfnefs, make- ing void the righteoufnefs which is by faith, and expedt their reward as of debt, not of grace ! when be they never fo perfed:, per- form they their duty never fo exacftly, it is no ground of pride and prefumption, fince we are commanded to fay, after we have done all, that we are but unprofitable fervants : we have only done that, which it was our duty to do. And alas, where is the perfediomji that can fay, he never offends ; that he hath done and doth all that is commanded him, all that is his bounden duty to do ? The gofpel is peculiarly adapted, in every point, to beat down all thefe vain perfuafions in the hearts of men, to fhew us the evil and danger of any opinion of felf- merit, and the beauty and excellence of that humility and felf-renunciatien, which are the peculiar cha- radieriftics of a chriflian : the one fingle doc- trine of juftification by faith, diredly oppofes all thefe tenets, and therefor^ is fo particularly and nervoufly infifted on by St. Faul. — But the parable, of wnich the words in the text are the application, vi^as immediately delivered by arch, a prophet, or an angel, or ^fjus Chrijl hin-felf, he boldly anfvveied, yes !— They who are inclined to read more of thefe Atejfalians may aovivXtl hrodoi et ov\ Herefies, or Cardinal Fkury's Ecchftaftical Hijiory. vol. 2. p, 628. C c 3 our 39© On the PARABLE our Saviour to this end, and direfted by him particularly to this fcope and defign. His difciples, in whom, as hath been here- tofore obferved, * feme fecret emotions of felf-efteem were fometimes working from their m afters favourable preference of them to others, requefted him, with a view moft pro- bably to their performance of greater miracles, that he would increafe their Jaith, Upon which he gently rebukes them, and upbraids them with their want of faith, by telling them, that if they had faith as a grain of mujlard-feedj they might fay unto the fycamine-tree^ which was juft at hand, be thou plucked up by the roots^ and be thou planted in the fea, and it fiould obey you 5 that is, their faith fliould perform any and the greateft miracles. And fo he told them on another occafion, when they afked him, why they could not caft out a devil that was brought to them, that it was becaufe of their unbelief : For verily I fay unto you ^ conti- nued he, if ye have faith as a grain ofmujlard^ feed, ye fl: all fay unto this mount ain, remove hence to yonder place ^ and it fro all remove ; and nothing fhail be impofjible unto you,'\ But left this information, and the per- formance of thefe mighty works fhould fill their hearts with vanity, or occafion them to place any confidence in themfelves : or any * See vol. iii. p. jj^j 230. \Man. xvii. 20. rnerit Of the JJnprofitahle Servant. 391 merit m their fervices : he goes on wholly to remove out of the way any fuch vain and pre* fumptuous notions, by direding them to con- fide r what was the cafe of 2ijla've or fervant^ who merely perform'd the commands of his mafter, and of confequence merited no thanks, and cou'd claim no reward for fo doing, as doing only his duty. — And as the difciples and all men living were and are really fuch fervants of God, they of confequence, fuppofmg them to perform all their heavenly mailer's imlly could claim no merit for fo doing, nor exped: any thanks, as doing only what it was their bounden duty to do ; and for the neg- ledt of which they muft have incurred the anger and punifhment of their mafter, whofe property they are, and to whom of right all their fervices belong. For which of you^ faid he, having a fer- vant ploughing or feeding cattle^ will fay to him^ when he is come from the fields go thou fraighiway, and ft down to meat ? spsi svhuc^ zupeh^m amirsciu ; and will 7iot rather fay unto him^ make ready wherewith I may fup^ and gird thy f elf *, and ferve me till I have eaten and drunken : and afterward thou fmlt eat and drink ? Dcth the m after thank that fervant^ becaufe he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not^^ I fuppofe not. — The fer- C c ^ vant 392 072 //ju- PARABLE vant or f.ave, AsAoq- (for the Jews bought their fervants for a price, and fo they were immediately their property, -f- ) — the fervant and all his fervices of right belonged to his mailer, as being his purchafe 3 and the im- mediate duty of all fervants, in a free ftate, is to obey the commands of thofe mafters, to whom they are fubjedl, and to perform what- ever lawful orders they enjoin them — for which there are no thanks due to them, nor any rev/ard to be expeded (feparate from the general one of their wages which here is not confider'd)— they have done their duty only, the omiflion of which wou'd fubjedt them in a ftate of flavery to ftripes and pu- nifhment, in a ftate of freedom to a difcharge and lofs of their living. And fo likewife ye^ faid our Saviour, applying the parable, when ye fl^all have done all thofe things that are com^ vianded yoii^ fuppofing you to be fo happy, yet are bound in duty and wifdom to fay ^ we are unprofitable fervants^ undeferving thanks or reward : * for why ? we have done only^ that which was our duty to do. Thus f Levit. XXV. 44, 45, Is'c. Lcvii. xxv. 40. Exod. xxl. 23. b'c. S.e Mr. Cruden's Concordance on the word dER-? y A N T . * This feems to be the true meaning of the word a%§£»oj, which we render unprofitable. It deferves remarking, that cur Saviour applies Shis not to the fervants in the para- ble. Of the Vnproji table Servant. 393 Thus the parable tends to beat down all fpiritual pride and felf-fufficiency, and leads ble, but to his difciples, to all 7nen : for it cannot, I humbly conceive, in Itriftnefs be faiJ, that he is an un- profitable fervant who does, a'l things whatfoever his maf- ter commands : — but of men, as the fervants of God, it may very juftly be flid. The Hebrew word *>Bi^, which the LXX render by a%§£io?, 2 Sam. vi. 22, feems truly to exprefs the meaning in this place, bafe, vile, inconfidcrable^ humble. The Latin Verfionof ;he Perfic in ih^ Polyglot ren- ders it, fervi mund'i fu7nus. I do not und rftand the Per/tan language, and therefore cannot comprehend the meaning of the word mundi. The Mthiopic verfion leaves out the zvord, and has it only fervi fumus. The learned muft jud2;e: I have endeavoured to explain the parable the moft profitably I was able, for the many. We are but unprofi- table fervants, faith V. Bede, fervants, becaufe bought with a price : unprofitable, becaufe our fcrvice cannot profit the Lord, or becaufe we are not worthy of the future glory. Therefore this is the peffe(Stion of faith in men, if all precepts being fulfilled, they acknowledge them- felves unperfen. — The mofl accurate Dr. Waterhnid, in a fermon on the fubje6f, explaining the phrafe, obfervcs, " upon the whole, when any, even the beft of fallen men, profefs themfelves to be unprofitable fervants of God, they may reafonably be fuppos'd to mean, that they are crea- tures, who can make no beneficial returns, no proper re^ quit ah to their creator : that they are creatures of a low order comparatively; human mortal creatures wh 3 neither can nor will do any thing without the aids of divine grace ; and farther that they are alfo finners, who inftead of 7ne- riting a. reward, or claiming it as a de't, cannot fo much as claim impmiity, or glory in God's fight, but mufl be content to fue to him in the humble petitionary form for reward, for grace, and even for impunity, referring all to God's mercy and goodnefs, and that alfo purchafed for them by the alone merits of Jefus Chrijl. Sermons vol. ji. p. 45. See alfo the fequel of this difcourfe. And JVhitby on the place. US 394 On tl^eV ARABLE us to an humble acknowledgement of our own utter undeferving in the fight of God, and the neceflity of an abfolute reliance on his free grace and favour for reward and ac- ceptation, even after we have done, all that was commanded us. The better to inculcate this great and impor- tant dodlrine, it may not be improper to fhew its reafo?2ableneJs^ as well as its joundation in the fcriptures, and the necefiary influence which it ought to have upon us all, in making us diligent and faithful in the performance of thofe things, which it is our duty to do— at the fame time that we are humble and felf abas'd in the fight of God, and renounce all confidence and dependance upon ourfelves and any thing we do ; putting our full truft folely in his mercies, vouchfafed unto us thro* Jefus Chrijl our Mediator and Redeemer. J ft, The do6lrine then is, that all men be- ing the fervants of God, his abfolute property and fole right, they by the moft exadl obe- dience to what he hath commanded, can me- rit no thanks or deferve no reward — but are bound to efteem themfelves unprofitable^ un- deferving fervants J' — The reafonablenefi whereof is abundantly evident, from the example v/hich our Sa- viour himfelf produces : and the objections of men can never be anfwer'd better or more iatis- Of the Unprofitable Servant. 395 fatisfadtorily than by anfwers drawn from their" own condud. Do any of us think our- felves obliged to our fervants, becaufe they perform the things wc command, and do the bufmefs, in which we employ them ? they are hired for that end, and become our fer- vants for that purpofe. Had a matter been out all day, fuppofe, in the field with his fer- vant, working with him, and when they came home together in the evening, did he order the fervant to provide him his fup- per ;_wou'd he think himfelf bound to thank his fervant, or give him any reward for fo doing ? fuppofe the fervant refufed to work in the day, or to do his bufmefs appointed in the evening, and went to places of pleafure and idlenefs, wou*d not the mafter, juftly incens'd at him, remove him from his fervice, as idle and ufelefs ? The negled: of his duty and pu- nifliment for it clearly (hews that there w^as an abfolute neceffity for his performance of it.— But the matter will be ftill more evident, if we confider it, in that refped whereto our Saviour referred, and that is, as I obferv'd, the cafe oi flaves, bought and purchased for a price, and fo the abfolute property of their mafter.— He has of confequence a full right to all their fervices, thinks not of fuch a thing as thanks or reward, but if they omit to per- form. 396 On the P A R A B L E form, what he commands, punifhes them with many ftripes. — * Now tho' God is by no means fuch a maf- ter, fevere to note and punifli every fmall omiffion, yet, in one refpedt, fuch fervants or flaves are we : for we are his abfolute right and property : and that by a double tye : both by creation and redemption : even as his crea- iures and as having received from him all v^e are and all we have, of confequence all we are and all we have, belongs to him, and fhould be induftrioufly and faithfully applied to his fervice : but as his redeemed creatures^ as purchafed by the ineftimable price of his dear Son's blood, how fhall we dare to de- prive him of any of our fervices, how can we think that any of our fervices can merit his thanks or deferve a reward, when thus by the higheft purchafe they are of right his due ? for Chrift died for all, that they which live, reftor'd from death to life by his death, * Horace makes that remark : and in the £pi/ile to a Tadyy ver. 107 it is obferv'd. — And wou'd Nicanor then his fervants praife, Bleft with rewards and high in honours raife : Becaufe his goods they never had purloin'd. But done the very duties he enjoin'd ? — Even Horace tells us, fuch a fervant gains Not to be hangd or heaten for his pains. — So who the paths of duty have purfued Can certain mmt no reward from God, for of the Unprofitable Servant. 397 for he died for all^ when all were dead : that they which live, fioi/ld not henceforth live unto themfehesy but unto him which died for them^ a7id rofe again. If then we allow it to be highly reafonable, that a flave or fervant, as being his mailer's property, deferves no thanks, and can claim no reward for doing only what his mafter commands, and what is his immediate duty ; furely we muft allow it no lefs reafonable, that man, the property of God, by a double right, by creation and re- demption, his natural and his purchafed fer- vant : that man, fuppofing him to perform even all that is commanded him, can merit no thanks nor claim any reward, as of debt from that mafter to whom, he is by duty bound to pay, and to whom by right he owes all his fervices and all his labours. — This is the cafe upon fuppofition of a man doi?2g ally that v/as commanded him : but alas, how fliort do v^^e come of doing that all ^ and of confequence, finners as we are, how much ftronger doth the argument lie againft any felf-confidence, or vain prefumption from the fervices of fuch unprofitable fervants ? — As therefore there are but two methods by which we can hope to attain eternal life, ei- ther by grace, or of debt : we fliall not furely long hefitate in our imperfedl finful ftate, which plea to urge : but humbly rely on the free 398 OnibeP A R A B L E free mercy of God in Chrifiy while we reje- froni the malice of the envious and malevo-, lent fcrib6> Tho' he had declared, that " blef- fed were |he eyes, which faw the things they faw, and the ears, which heard the things^ they heard, tho' he told them that many pro- phets a'ld kings had defired to fee thofe things that they faw and did not fee them, and to hear the things that they heard, and did not hear them : yet fo little Were many of them affeded by thefe glorious fights, fo little wtrre they regardful of thefe good tid- ings \ that we read, immediately after he had made this declaration, a certain lawyer^ a certain fcribe, or teacher of the law of Mofes^ flood up, and tempted him, fajing, Majler what fl^ a II I do to inherit eternal life ? amazing to human thought, that any creature fhouid aflv a queftion like this, with a view to tempt, not to be inftruded ! jefus, tho' no ftranger to the moft fecret thoughts of the heart, did not, as at another time reply, " Why tem.pteft thou me, thou hypocrite." But he turned the fcribe' s own artillery upon himfelf : " What is written, faid he, in that law of which thou profelTeft thyfeif a teacher, how readejl 4*i6 Ofithe PARABLE readeft thou? xhzl law will teach thee, what thou muft //:? to be faved : happy for thee if thou haft complied with its precepts; where- ih if thou continuef., thou flialt live : which if thou doefi not, thy law fully declares to tliee, that thou art condemned : for it is writ- ten, " ctirfed is every man, that contir.neth not in all things^ which are written in the book of the law to do them. What therefore doth this law teach thee, to do : for I have de- clared, that I came not to deftroy but to ful- fil it?" — The Scribe replied it is there writ- ten as the way to life, thou Jl:alt love the lord thy God With all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy ftrength, and with all thy mind : and thy neighbour as thyjelf, — This paf- fao-e was daily read in the fynagogues : and in- deed continues to this day to be read, both in their morning and evening fervice, amongft the vnoievnjews : though, (ftrange impiety !) they omit that laft and neceffary branch of duty, thou fnalt love thy neighbour as thyfeif. The Lawyer's reply is found in Deutero- nomy, chap. vi. ver. 5. where, it may be necef- fary juft to obferve, that in the original it is written, thou (halt love, Jehovah yileir, the Lord thy God: which words fufficiently prove to us, that the love of the whole bleffed and undivided Trinity is comprehended in this pre- cept. For as Jehovub is indifputably expref- five OJ the Good Samaritan. 417 five of the one^ felf-exiflent ejjence^ and^/m;;, as confefledly plural : it follows that (whatever may be the llrid: meaning of the Word Aleim) as hting plural^ and joined with iht fingularye" hovahy it not only moft clearly, but moft beau- tifully fets forth to us that great myftery of our faith, *' a Trinity of perfons in an unity of *' elTence/' Each of whom, as indeed infe- parable from the other, claims our adoration^ and to either of which we can poffibly pay no acceptable fervice, if we do not confefs them all equally, God and Lord^ equally to be Worfhipped, feared, loved and honoured. This reply of the lawyer's gained the ap- probation of our Saviour : who told him^' T'hou haft anfwcred flight : this do^ and thou fl:alt live. *^ Perform thefe duties, and thou haft ful- filled the law and every commandment : for on thefe two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Therefore if thou doft thefe things : if thou really doft love the elerjial Three ^ with all thy heart, foul, ftrength and mind : and thy neighbour in the fame degree as thou loveft thyfelf : be affured that thou art in the right way to life eternal: be afTured that thus doing thou fhalt live : fince Mofes himfelf hath declared, that th^ man who doth thefe thirigs^foall live by them,'' Vol. IV. N'^ 20. Ee But 4iS 0?i the PARABLE But whofe confcience can acquit him, and let him go free ? The lawyer, expeding pro- bably no fueh anfwer as this, inwardly con- vinced of his defeds herein, and, of confe- quence, the impoflibility of obtaining life eter- nal hereby, (for this do, and thou fhalt live, h the irreverfible decree) willing, as the facred hiftorian tells us, to jujlify himfelfy willing to ftifle the rifing fuggeftions of his own confci- ence, and at the fame time to make a fhew of his own devotion : as imagining himfelf per- fedly well acquainted with, and fo being quite fatisfied in the knowledge and per- formance of his duty to God ; he faid unto yefiiSy And who is my ?2eighbour ? — A queftion proceeding very naturally from the mouth of a bigotted Jew, whofe narrow notions led him to defpife all, who were not of his owii fold, all who were not the natural defcendants of his father Abraham, though alas, he knew but little what it was really to be the children of faithful Abraham, — To correal all fuch narrow felfifli principles, and to open their hearts to a more generous and noble way of thinking, to fliew them the only foundation of true hve^ and the extenfivenefs of the relatt- onfliip which they and all mankind, (whom God Of the Good Samaritan, 419 God hath made of one blood^) ftand in to each other, our Saviour dehvered the foUow- \ng moft beautiful and inftrudive parable. A certain man went down from Jerufalem to Jericho : and fell among thieves : who ftripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By God's providence (for fo much may be implied in the original 'aotrci (fvyxup/av-f') a certain />r/ and Kt'p''?, the Lord : as from avyKv^etv, to happen j and fo we may render the words by divine providence. Ef' E e z hoft. 420 0;/ /y^^ P A R A B L E E, hoft, and faid unto him, take care of him ; and whatfoever thou fpendeft more, when I come again I will repay thee.'* Which now of thefe three, faid our Saviour to the fcribe, thinkeft thou was neighbour to him that fell among the thieves ? To which he rightly replied, he that fhewed mercy on him. Then faid Jefus unto him, go and do thou likewife. This ftory confidered merely in the letter, or as a piece of common hiftory, ought to af- fedl us greatly with the fame zealous and hu- mane readinefs to aiTift and relieve our fellow-, creatures, to go mid do likewife. But when we look upon it in the true light, as a Para- ble, (for a parable it is allowed to be, by every chriftian writer of the greateft eminence, and hy2i parable, we muft remember, is under- ftood a comparifo?jy or a transferring of the properties or ideas, that are in one fubjed to another, in order to heighten and enhven that other to the mind : 2i putting a cafe, as we are ufed to fay.) When we view this afFedt- ing ftory in the light of a parable, and find, that thus confidered, it is the reprefentative of cur own llate, and the love of our Redeemer to us, it greatly enhances the force of the obli- gation to go and do likev;ife, and flrengthens US in that only true foundation of clirifiiaa love, Of the Good Bamariian. 42 1 love, ^^ the love of God in Chrijl to us." For brethren^ fays St. 'John^ if God fo loved us, we ought dlfo to love one another. And our Lord hath declared this to be his peculiar conunaJid- me?2t^ the diftinguifliing charaderifticof all his difciples ; This is my commandment, that ye love o?ie another : as I have loved you, that ye alfo love onea7iotber.' — Now if the prefent, as is on all hands agreed, be 2i parable, the Samaritan mud of necedity be figurative of Jo me one, w^ho hath done fomething in thtjpirtual fenfe analagous to what he did in the literal: and whofe ex- ample is fufficient to move and incline us to imitation. But as the example oijejus ov\\y is by himfelf and his apoftles made iht true foundation of chriflian love -, it is evident, from this fingle refleftion, that the Samaritan in the prefent parable^ is a lively figure of Klhrijl ye fits, who hath fet us an example, that we fould follow his {iQps,Jhould go a?7d do likewife, fhould love one another, even as HE hath loved us. His alone, and not the example of any man, however good, however beneficent is the pattern of our obedience, the copy fet for U3 to write after. In this view therefore I will endeavour to explain the parable to you ; which, it is fur- prizing, (hould ever have been enervated by a bare literal underflanding of it 3 when it is E e 3 unde- 422 0;z //^^ P A R A B L E undeniable, that as a parable^ it muft refer io fomething covered under the veil of the out- ward words : and when, confidered as a re- prefentative of our Redeemer's love, it fo highly and beautifully enhances our obligation to go and do likewife. When our Saviour was to teach the fcribe, who was his neighbour^ and to fhew how far his obligation to benevo- lence extended, it was impoffible for him to have recommended his own divine example^ the fole foundation of that benovolence, other^ wife than in this beautiful and expreffive man- ner, which he chofe : To have faid to him, as Ihave loved yoii^ioriwx^ yoti love all man- kind : would have had no weight with the fcribe 5 and therefore it pleafed him, in much wifdom, to veil over the important myflery with this exquifitely fine veil; which the con- fummation of his love hath enabled us to take off, and to behold the glorious reality 5 while it remained to thofe who feeing^ faw not^ and hearingy did not underftand : one reafon given by our Saviour himfelf, why he fpoke in para- bles.*— And though it cannot be denied, that very excellent ufe has been made of this para-^ ble in a merely literal application of it, which I would be far from decrying, or difapproving, as every method of interpreting fcripture has * Mat. xiii. 13, Seethe Trefa^e to thefe Difcourfes, Of the Good Samaritan. 423 Its advantage : yet I hope it will be evident, that there are no dodrines deducible in that way, which are not inculcated and enforced in a much more ftrong and perfuafive man- ner, by confidering the parable in a fpiritual fenfe, or as reprefentative of the love of ^efu% Chrifl to man. And this allowed, then even granting the literal to be the true interpreta- tion, the fpiritual muft at leaft be confefled in- nocent, and acknowledged to be profitable ; and fo no real objedion can lie againft it from wife and good men, lovers of th^ fcripture, and friends to holinefs. Thefe things premifed, I proceed to the explication of the parable. I ft then, By the man who went down from ycriifalem to Jericho^ is meant ma7t in general, Adam^ and in him the v/hole hitman race. " The whole human race, fays St. Auflin^ is reprefented to us by that man, who was left half dead in the road by the thieves, whom the prieft and levite paffing by, contemned, and to whofe cure and relief a Samaritan^ who came that way, defcended." This man going down from Jeriifakm to jericho fell among thieves — that is, man departing from his hap- py eft ate in the city and paradife of God, to this earthly changeable world, fell into the power of /wand Satan, who, as St. John tells us, Vv^as a murderer^ a thief, and a robber, from E e 4 the 424 On //^^ P A R A B L E ikit he ginning : and who, as being a thief ^^ conieth not but X.o jiealy to kilU and to deflroy. Man fell into the hands of this infernal thief and murderer^ who firft f ripped him of his rai- tnent^ that is, of that robe of ?-ightcoifnefs and true hoUjjefs^ wherewith he was adorned on his firft creation, which he loft upon the fally when he found himfelf naked, was full of fhame and hid himfelf: and which can now be recovered no other way than by putting on the Lord Jefiis^ by again putting on the new man, which after God is created in righteouf- nefs and t-rue holinefs^ by accepting the wed- ding-garment^ which alone csn make us ac- ceptable guefts at the marriage feaft.* 2. Thus ftript of his raiment, the man was alfo wcimded^ and in fo deadly a manner, that he was \th half dead, — This has fo exadl a reference to the ftate of fallen man, that it needs only to be obferved, or like a ftrong likenefs to be pointed out to view, for all to acknowledge the refemblance. We are all woimded hy fmyfrom the Jole of the foot to the crown of the head^ there is no Joundnefs in our nature, but womds and bruifes, and putrefying fores: " there is no health in us*/' half dead we are, our far better half, our fouls dead, ab- ^ See this corifidered at large in the foregolrig fecond fermon on the parable of the marriage feafi. folutely Of the Good Samaritan, 42^ folutely dead to God ; for in the day that Adam tranfgreffed the divine command, he died to the fpiritual life, the Hfe of God in the foul : nor can that life be recovered, or thofe wounds be -healed other wife than by him, who was wounded j or our fins, and brut fed for our iniqui^ ties, on whom w^as the chaftifement of our peace ^ and vv^itli whofe jtripes we are healed. But concerning this death of the foul, and the grand means of fpiritual life, I have had occa- fion to fpeak at large, and that more than once in the difcourfes on the miracles,^ It is obfervable, that the road between "^Jeru^ falem2inA Jericho is particularly dangerous and horrid : infomuch that from the frequency of the murders and robberies committed on it, it was called, as ^t,Jero?n informs us, the bloody v/AY. It lay through a rrelancholy wilder- nefs, and was fituated in a valley. Laying all thefe circumftances together, how beautifully exprefiive are they of ?nan's departure, of his going down from his city oj peace^ his bleffed paradife, to the horrors of this "uale of mifery^ which foon began to be a wildernefs of blood, and dfjtruclion, defiled, ftrait after the fall, with the murder of the firft brother, and fince alas through every age, what bloodflied and depre- dation hath truly rendered it the bloody way / * See particularly, difcourfe on the Widovfs Son, on La^ 3 3. Here 426 O;/ if/j^ P A R A B L E 3. Here lay the haplefs traveller, when a prieft came down that way, looked only on him, and unable to give him any relief, pafled by one fide: a Levite alfo did the fame : came, looked, and unable to affift, paffed by on the other fide : that is, the law ofMofes, as executed by the fons of Aaron^ and the tribe of Levi^ could not take away fin, reftore to and give the new life of righteoufnefs ; this St. Paul ex- prefsly declares, If there had been a law given which could have given lije : verily righteoufnefs Jhould have been by the law : but the fcripture hath concluded all imderfin, that the promtfe bv faith (?/ Jefus Chrift might be given to them that believe *. So that the priejl and Levite could not recover this half-dead man, they, as types of the law, could not give life to his foul, and foundnefs to his mind, could not affift or reftore him to that fpiritual health which was only to be had from the benign and gracious aid of the good Samaritan^ from the healing * , We may juft note, that the eplftU and gofpel appointed for the 13th Sunday after Trinity are that part of the 3d chapter of the epiftle to the Galatlans^ whence the v/ords above-quoted are taken, and that part of the loth of Luke which contains the parable of the Sa?nar'itan. A proof, as it fhould feem, that this parable was underftood in the fenfe here given it by the original appointers of the epiftles and gofpels, whofe appointment we know is of great antiquity and exadnefs — But, unlefs in the fpiritual (^nk^ there ap- pearsnocoincidenceor agreement of this efifJe with the gofpfl wings Of the Good Sajnarltan, 427 wings of Chrift^ the fun of rightcoufnefs.— Some have imagined, (and indeed if we con- fider the parable folely in the letter, I do not well fee how the objedlion can be re- moved) that our Saviour intended this as a re- fledion on the want of charity amongft the priefthood : but they who have fo thought andfo objeded, furely muft be wholly ftran- gers to the fpirit of the m.eek and loving y^- jiis : who could never make any fuch invi- dious applications at all, much lefs againft thofe who bore fo confiderable a part in that facred work which he died to confummate. And this remark, I truft, will tend to corroborate the fenfe which I have given to this part of the parable. 4. The priejl and Levzfe thus paffing by, and leaving the man as they found him ; be- hold a Samaritan came where he was, he faw him, and had cotnpajjton * on him.— Thouo-h the lav^ could not relieve fallen man, yet Chrift could and did : he was able, and happy for us, he was willmg alfo: he came down into this our valeof blood-fhedand mifery, where man, poor corrupted man, lay woii72ded, full of bruifes and putrefying fores: which he bound up for us, pouring in wi72e and oil, his own moft pre- vious bloody of which wine is the known and * See Difcourfes on the Miracles, vol. 2. p. 430. n * fagra- 428 0/ /k P A R A B L E facramental emblem, and the influences of the holy anointing comforting //?/r//, whereof oilh the general fcriptnre emblem, and which , was purchafed folely by that blood {ov us. The word Samn^itanin the original Hebrew fignifies a KEEPER-, and fo it is faid of Ckrift our God and King, that he keepeih us: yea he xSx^ihepeth Ifraely7j<^// neither Jlumber nor ficep. And when this appellation was in contempt given to him, l^bou art a Samaritan, and baft a devil: though (as St. Aujtin obfervesj he denied one part of the charge,he did not de- ny the other : he denied that he had a dtvil: he denied not that he was a Sainaritan^ "Jehovah Shemer, the keeper of IJrael, the protedor of his people. Say we not well, faid the Jews, that thou art a Samaritan, and haft a devil'? Jefus an/were d^ I have not a Devil, but I honour my Father i and ye do diftcnour me *. Many writers have obferved how much this benevolence of the goodiSatnaritanis increafed by its being fliewn to a Jew in diftrefs : for the Jews and Samaritans had no dealings with, nay rather were at bitter enmity with each other. — But how much doth this circumftance fet before us the exceeding great love of our mailer, and only Saviour dying for uSy — for//i not hisfriendsy and greater love than this hath no man, that a man lay down his lije for his friends — buf * 'John vlii. 48. herein Of the Good Samaritan, 429 herein God commendeth the exceeding great riches of his love towards us, in that while we w^ere yet finners, yet enemies, Ch7-iji died for us — the Ju/i for the unjtiji. Thus did he fhew compajjhn : thus at the expence of his own mofl precious life he cured the wounds of cor- rupted human nature, and poured heahng bal- fam into its fores. — Wine^ as was obferved, is the grand facramental emblem of Chrijl'% blood: andc/7of the /'t'/?///;^ influences of the holy fpirit. IVine^ applied medicinally, cleanfes, ftrengthens, and dries up the ulcerated part : as Chrijf^ blood alone cleafifcs 2ivA purifies from all the filth and defilement of fin : * oil healeth, it mollifies and mitigates the force of the fmart, as the Holy Spirit heah all our infirmities comforts and fpeaks peace to the wounded and afflidted confcience. Thus lew and c// were applied to the cure of the man's wounds who fell among thieves; and fo the blood oi Chrijl and the un5iion of the Holy Spirit muft be ap- plied to and can only heal our fpiritual wounds and bruifes \ there is no other remedy : nothing befide can preferve us from the death eternal ; for if we are not jtiflijicd hy the atoning blood oi Jejiis ; 2inAfa?i^ijied by the influences of the Ho- ly Spirit, we muft remain in our wretched im- potency to all good, and perifii in our fins for ever. * I John i. 7. 7 he blood as in the cafe of the two goats, the two birds , &c* To /j^^/ was the work of the divine nature, but it was the human united to the divine, Xh2iifuftained the fins of mankind. The beaft of burden is a reprefentative of the man of forrows: the Samaritan, oi Jehovah, the Lord God, the keeper and preferver of his people Ip^aeL So the high-prieft entering into the holy of holies, with the blood of the facrifice was in his perfon and holy attire, a type of thcdivine i?2tercejdr ^nd everlafting high-prieft; and Of the Good Samaf^i tan. 433 and the bloody vvhich^ he bore in hand, was figurative of the blood of the fuffering man^ the true facrifice; which was fandified, and by virtue of the eflential union of the deity^ made the blood of God. The Samaritan having thus placed the marl on his ownbeaft, brought him to an inn: Cbrijl having taken upon himfelf, and fo borne away our fins and forrows, places us in the church, the sr^yJo;^g/(jv, which receives all comers, and which, like the heaven to which it lead?^ opens its doors to and gladly admits all who are defirous of admiffion into its hofpitable bo- fom. And here he hath placed hofls^ fpiritual overfeersy or minifters in his church to provide for the wants and fupply the necefiities of thofe committed to their charge. For which pur- pofe he hath intrufted them with the two tejla^ tnentSy the word and bread of life, which are reprefented by the iwo-pe?2ce^ delivered by the Samaritan to the hofty and which equal in va- lue are ftamped with the fame image and fu- perfcription, bear the fame authority, and are the fame current coin of the fame heavenly king: *^ for both in the old 2ind new teftament, faith our church, Art, 7. everlafting life is of- fered to mankind by Chrijl^ who is the only mediator between God and man, being both God and man:" both are didated by the fame Vol. IV. F f blefled 434 On //j^ P A R A B L E bfeffed fpirit, for ALh [criptM^e is given by in* Jpiration of God, and both exad:ly correfpond in authority and value, in weight and worth* The hps of the prieft are to keep and difpenfe the knowledge of thefe divine books, and the people are to feek it from his mouth, and are therewith to be fed and fupported by him. By the Samaritan's departure is meant Chrift's afcent into heaven after he had eftab- lifhed his church, and given commandment to the difciples whom he had chofen : by his promife to repay the hoft whatever he fhould fpend more, or properly whatever he fhould fpeJid upon the two-pence, whatever labour, diligence and care -he fliould take in lay- ing them cut advantageoiifly, for the provi- fion and nourifliment of this wounded tra- veller intrufted to his charge, (for this is the ex- r-3: meaning of the jvord Tpoo-J^^Trav^v in this -place :) by this promife to repay him for fo doing, is meant that bleffed recom.pence of re- ward which fhall be given to thofe faithful ftewards and difpenfers in God's houfliold, who bring out of their freafury, things fiew and eld: that glorious recompence of reward which they fliall receive v/hen C/6r/?, their good Sa- maritan (ball come again -, when that divine king fhall return, who was to go into a far country to receive forhimfelfa kingdom, and to return to take an account of his fervants, the K)f the Good Samaritan, 4*^5 the fte wards of his ir.yfleries, and to rev/ard them and every man according to their works. The command of the Samaritan^ take care of him, &c. is not unhke St. PauW parhetic farewell which he took of the elders of thfe church of Ephefus — Take heed^ therefore, faid he, unto yoiirfelves^ and to all the flock over which the Holy Ghoft hath made you OVER- SEERS to feed the Church of God, which he hath purcbajed with his own blood I And fo to timothy he writes, O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trtift : and what this was we are told foon after -, holdjajl the jorm of found- words which thou haft heard of me^ in faith and love which is in Chrift Tefus : that ^oodthin^ which was committed unto thee^ keep by the Holy Ghoft which dwclleth in thee. And again he exhorts him to continue in the fcriptures : which were given by infpiration of God: that the man of God may be perfeti, thoroughly J ur^ nifl^edunto all good works. Whence we learn that as the overfeers of the flock are to take heed unto it, and to feed it; fo they are to be thoroughly /z/r;2//7:Jc'^ unto this work, by that which is committed to their t}'uj}y namely, the form of found words, the facred fcriptures ; to which they are wholly to give themjelves, that their profiting may appear unto all : and upon whieh^ in rightly dividing this word, xwpreach- F f 2 ing 436 On the PARABLE ing it; being inftant in feafon, out of feafon : reproving, rebuking, exhorting with all long- fufFering and docSrine,* they are to Jpend all their time and labour, as faithful ftewards of God's houfhold : which if they do, makiag full proof of their mini/lry they will be amply rewarded at their Mafter's fecond coming to take an account of his fervants -, when the chief JJjepherdJJoall appear^ they fd all receive a crown of glory thatfadeth not away. Thus then I have explained to you the fe- veral particulars of this beautiful parable, and fhewn you how every circumftance well agrees with the fpiritual interpretation of it. I fliould now proceed to make fome remarks upon it, which iliall be done in the next fermon. And I know not how I can conclude this better, than with the words of my late de- ceafed and ever honoured father^ which I find in his Vifitation Serfnon preached before the clergy at Grantham in LincolnJIjire^ in the vear 1755, on this parable of the Sainaritan-y after having explained which, and being come to the laft part, concerning our Lord's fecond coming to take an account of his fervants, his i6^^ more efpecially in his fpiritual inn, the r)nnifers of \i\'$^ church, — '' 1 his, faid he, is the point of view, whereon for the prefent 1 could wifh to fix your eyes. This fecond advent of our * See Canon 75. Of the Go: d Samaritan. 437 our glorious Lord, to call all the world in- deed, but us more particularly to an account, who are the hoft^ in his inn, the fervants and flewards in his houfhold, whom he hath in- trufted with the care of his family, whom he hath commanded to take heed unto ourfelves, and unto all the flock, over which the Holy Ghoft hath made iis overfeersy to feed the church of God which he hath pur chafed with his own blood, — The church of God which he hath purchafed with his own BLOOD ! — Words fudicient to alarm all our hearts, information (ufficient to flir us up to a mofl ferious fenfe of our duty. For if God hath purchafed this church at fuch a rate, at fuch a price, how dear muft it needs be to him-, how dread- ful the lofs of any member of it perifhing through lack of due care and inftru^ion from us? — What think you, would the good iS^- maritan have thought of this hoft^ to whofe care he commended the wounded traveller, for whofe provifion and fupport he fo kindly provided, had he laid afide thofe fame two- pence^ never concerned himfelf to ufe them, as they were defigned, and had he fuffered the helplefs man to perifh utterly for want of pro- per provifion? Would he not juflly have been enraged at fuch an hoft^ could any punifh- ment have been too fevere for fuch a crime? — F f 3 What 43? On the? ARABLE What think you then will our almighty Maf* /^r judge of us, when he cometh in the clouds? cloathed with terrible majefty, to call us to a iVrid: and exafl account — What will he judge of lis if we have not improved his holy word to the welfare of our peoples fouls, if we have never fought that which was loft, brought again that which was driven away^ bound up that which was broken, ftrengthened that which was jick, t\ox fed thztf ock, whereof he rejoiceth to call himfclf the GOOD, yea the CHIEFJJjepberdl— Bleffed, unfpeakably bleffed are thofe, whom when their Lord cometh he (hall find fo doing: faithful labourers in his harveft ; diligent workers in his vineyard : they fhall receive a crown of life, they fliall fhine as ftars in the firmament. But, my brethren, with (hame and confu- fion of face I fpeak, too, too fenfible of my own manifold defeats, how cool is our zeal, how little our labour, how lukewarm our di- ligence ! and that in an age of infidelity and en- thufiafraywhcn the higheft degrees of diligence, the moil unwearied, watchful care is required of us all ! are we not for this become a very by-word among the heathen, a proverb of re- proach : and too much, we muft with forrow confefs, by our means. — We are fuppofed to meet on thefe occafions to ftrengthcn each other Of the Good Samarlfaru 4^9 other, to reform errors ; and to confider I would hope, now efpecially, of every proper method to promote the great caufe of C/6r/y? and the Gofpel, Let us therefore unite our utmoft endeavours to combat our common ene- my : infidelity is the natural growth oi Jin : entbufiafm^ I fear, too commonly the offspring of our remiffnefs: both the one and the other, however, muft hide their diminifhed heads, were we each one of us zealous and aflive in our minifterial functions. Did we conftently preach the pure gofpel oiChri/i^ and with true love to our peoples fouls, labour continually to convince and awaken, to ftrengthen and comfort: did we by the bolinefs of our lives, and the fteadinefs of our condud:, prove our own belief of and high regard to the facred truths we preach : infidelity would not, as now, flalk abroad with bold unblufliing front, in defiance of God and man : enthufitifm would then want one of the flrcngeft arguments its abettors have to urge in its behalf. Sin^ by ouv lives and doBrines would be difcountenanced and abaflied ^ and divifions having no plea, would ccafe to torment and tear the bowels of our mother, the church, the befl and pureft, I may be bold to fay, in dodlrine and difcipline^ upon earth: — would God, I could with as much truth declare, that its doSrine and difc{pli?ie F f 4 were 440 On fhe ? A R k B L E were the beft inculcated and executed. They may be fo: that they are not, is our faults: I could heartily wifli to fee you all refolved to do your parts: for myfelf, my time will fpeedily be paft, my glafs very fhortly run out "* : but I fliall think myfelf happy, if at this latter end of a too unprofitable life, I may be the means of ftirring you up, my brethren, to the fervice of the beft of mafters, who alone, be afTured, can make you happy here or hereaf- ter; which a world of difquietude and trou- ble— (expenejice fhould be credited) can ne- ver do. And to approve ourfelves before him, let us henceforth always confider ourfelves, as in truth we are, the minifiers and mcjfeiigers of ^efus Ckrijl^ and furely we can confider our- felves in no higher or more alarming charac- ter: and as fuch, with St, Paul^ let us make it our bufinefs to bejeech men in Chrift's Jtead^ to he reconciled unto God: let us, as though God didbefeech them by iis^ labour to fhew them their danger, and to perfuade them to accept our miniftry of reconciliation. Let us labour to fhew them their natural fiat e^ even as repre- fented in this parable, and the utter impoflibi- '^^ He was indeed in this refpecfi: too true a prophet j for he was removed from this vale of forrovv iii the year fol- iowipg, Augv.fi 7^-1756, lity Of the Good Samaritan, 441 Jity of any deliverance by their own ftrength, by the works of any law, or by any other means than the juftifying blood of Chriji, and the fandifying grace of the ever bleffed fplrit. Let us diligently employ our time and ftudy, upon thofe divine fcnptures which contain the words of life, which point us to a dying re- deemer, as the only means whereby we can be faved. Of him let us approve ourfelves faithful preachers; him let us evidently fet be- fore our peoples eyes, as crucified among them ; himy let us declare to them as the only medi- ator between God and man, as the full, per- fect and fufficient facrifice, fatisfadlion and ob- lation for the fins of the whole world : and above all let us carefully endeavour by our own lives to fliew ourfelves true miniflers of his gofpel. Vain is our preaching if our ex- ample (hine not with, and agreeable to it : if we follow our lord in the way of humility and lovcy which he hath pointed out to us, our flocks will fpeak for us : and in that day we fliall appear boldly with them to witnefs our fidelity : For we rnufi all, (flocks and teachers, people and pafl:ors) appear before the judg^ ment-feat of Chrlfl:, that every one may receive the things dojie in hii body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad ! So that, my brethren of the laity, though our 44-2 0/2 //&^ P A R A B L E €ur negkul may hQ your 7ni s for tune ^ yet remem- ber it will be no excufe for you : howbeit our teaching, if difregarded by you, will be the means of' your condemnation. You muft therefore unite with us in the great work, fince it is for you we preach, and {ox you we labour. And may the good ipirit of God fo unite us in one defire, fojoin our endeavours to that one great end, that "we may be' found truly fer- viceable to your fouls eternal welfare 5 and you, happy witneffes on our behalfs, before the almighty judge, that our labours through his grace have not been wholly in vain, Wbkhy &c» D I S. DISCOURSE XX. On the PARABLE Of th^ Good Samaritan, PART 11. St. Luke X. 30 — 37. And Jefus anfwering, faidy a certain man went down from Jerufalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves^ which Jiripped him of his rat'' menty and wounded him^ and departed^ leaving him half dead. ^nd by chance there came down a certain priejl that way • and when hefaw him^ he pajfed by on the other Jide, And like wife a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him^ and pajfed by on the other fide. But a certain Samaritan, as he journey ed^ came where he was, and when he faw him, he had 'compajjion on him. And 444 On the PARABLE And went to him^ and bound up his wounds^ pour- ing in oil and wine^ and fit him on his own heafty and brought him to an inn^ and took care of him. And on the morrow y when he departed, he took out two pence y and gave them to the hoft^ and faid unto hi fn^ take care of him -y and. what- foever thou fipendeft more^ when 1 come again I will repay thee. Which now of thefi three , thinkejl thou, was neigh- hour unto himy that fell among the thieves t And he jaidy he that jhewed mercy on him, Then faid Jefus unto himy gOy and do thou like- wife, W^Wi^ H E only true foundation of love ^ ^ ^ to our neighbour is the love of y^ ^ Chrijl to us : this is evident be- K)^MMM yond difpute, not only from the plain words of our Saviour, but alfo from the fuperior excellence and firmnefs of that foun- dation. For what can be fo ftrong an obliga- tion to lovey as gratitude for innumerable, in- eflimable benefits conferr'd upon us ? and fuch are thofe conferr'd upon us by Chrijfy high as the heavens, and lafting as eternity. — Ungenerous indeed mail: they be, who can- not be wrought upon by fuch endearing mo- tives, who can contemplate the wonderful love Of the Good Samaritan, 445 love of their dying redeemer, who can refled: but one moment on his unparallel'd fuflferings for their fakes, on his kindnefs unbounded, his mercy unfpeakable : and ftiil be ungrateful enough to fet at nought thofe fufFerings, to defpife that mercy, and kindnefs, and to aft in dired oppofition to the will of that Savi- our, and the ways of that obedience, which alone can lead to life, and love eternal. Go and do thou liktwife is a conflant admonition to us all : which the example of our good Samaritan conftantly enforces, and which the uniform ^enour of his precepts exadly recom- mends. This is the very fum and fubflance of the whole : a life of obedience and love proceeding from a well-grounded faith in the divine love and mercy oi our redeemer.' To know is of little confequence, if that hiow^ ledge produceih not adion. And as the know- ledge of our duty is mod eminently clear and plain, fj the pra5Iice of it can by no means be difpenfed with : for if we would enter into lifry we mujl keep the commandments. As defirous to recommend this pradlice upon this right and only folid foundation, I endeavour'd in the lafl: fermon to give you the fpiritual interpretation of the parable of the good Samaritan^ which I have fhev/n may be well applied to the great fcheme of our 446 Ofi fh P A R A h L U cur redemption thro' the blood of Cbrl/i J^- Jus : in which fenfe moft of the ancient fa- thers of the church underftood it, as well as inany very able and excellent writers of our own. But my compafs not allowing to be fo large, as I could wifh, I have been obliged to emit filch authorities, as might otherwife be of weight ;^ and now haflen to make fomc fradtical remarks upon the whole. Before which it may not be improper to recapitulate, what hath been delivered in the former fer- mon, and to give you the parable in its fpi- ritual expofition, at one view.— Firft then, the ma?! is reprefentative of Jldam, and of all that bear his image : Jeru- falem of Paradife : Jericho of the world : the thieves of the devil and his angels : the naked- nefs and w^ounds of the lofs of original * Thefe the learned reader will not want, if he refers to the writings of the primitive fathers of the church : I have indeed colle(?{:ed many, and have more at large ex- plained this parable, in a little treatife on the fubjed, of which thefe fermons may, in one fenie be eftcem'd an epi- tome. Some favourable opportunity may perhaps call it Hito light : but for the preient it is time to breathe a Httle, to lay down my pen, manum de tabula ; and to withdraw from the publick. But I hope, none will ra.fhly and ha- ft ily cenfure this expofition of the parable, till they have carefully examined all the evidences ; and if then they do not think fit to admit it, they mud at leaft acknowledge it to be innocent : that it kath been ufeful, there are Jojne who are ready to bear me ieflmony. righte-" Of the Good Samaritan, 447 righteoufnefs, and the confequent corruption of human nature, the effects of the fall. The?, man's being left half dead reprefents Adams death in fpirit, on the day, that he tafled the forbidden fruit : the Prieji and Levite, the law of Mofes, executed by the fons oi Aar;o7i and the tribe of Levi. The Samaritan^ Chrift^ the keeper oi Ifrael^ and the preferver of his Church and people : the wine and oil, the blood and thQjpirit.to cleanfe and to heal, adminifter'd by the true phyfician : the beaft of burden, his body laden with our fins : the inn, the %ttvloyjiov or receiver of all comers, is the church, which receives all defirous of ^dmiP fion : the hoft, the priefts, the rninifters or overfeers of that church : the ti^o-peiue, the two teftaments, the treafure of knowledge, which the lips of the prieft are to keep and riifpenfe, which the people are to feek at his mouth, and wherewith they are by him to be fed and fupported. The Samaritan s_ depar- ture, Chri/fs afcent into glory, after he had cLofen his difciples, to whom he gave com- mandment to go and teach all nations : his coming again, the fecond advent of Chri/i^ whom the heavens muft receive till the times of the reftitution of all things, when he fliall return to judgm^ent, and render to every man according to his deeds. — I. From 448 On //^^ P A R A B L E L From the parable thus confuler'd vvc have firft a lively reprefentation of the ftate of all men by nature, in the afflided circum- ftances of the wounded traveller : who go- ing from Jerufalem to Jericho fell among thieves, was ftript, wounded, and left half- dead by them, in a place of defolation and horror, unable to move, unable to aflift him- felf. — And fuch is niariy unaided by grace, un- affifted by Chrifty in his fallen natural mlfera- ble ftate ! Cart out from that delightful para- dife, ordain'd the happy place of his abode, into a world of toil, of trouble and diftrefs ^ ftript of original lighteoufnefs and holinefs, of that innocence, which rendered the pre- fence of his maker defirable and joyful t wounded with the deadly ftroke of fin, and dead, utterly dead to God and holinefs — He lies in the bloody way, a pitiable objed:, on the brink of death eternal, and from any powers of his own, abfolutely incapable to reftore himfelf, to rife, heal his w^ounds, cloath his body, or revive his foul. — Such is man's ftate by nature : '' fuch is the fault and corruption of the nature of every man, that naturally is engendred of the offspring of Jdam : thus man is very far gone from ori- ginal righteoufnefs, and is of his own nature inclined to evil, the flefli luftlng always con- trary Of the Good Samaritan. 449 trary to the fpirit/'* '' Thus we are all become unclean, but we all are not able to cleanfe ourfclves, nor to make one another of us clean. We are by nature the children of God's wrath, but we are not able to make ourfelves the children and inheritors of God's glory. In ourfelves we are nothing but finful, wretched and damnable : all we do is fo im- perfeft and impure, that it is not able to ftand before the righteous judgment of God." — Thus our church teftifies in agreement with the whole tenour of fcripture, and the expe- rience of each one of us. — And can it be pof- fible that \x\ fuch a ftate, we can any of us fancy ourfelves whole, without any want of a phyfician, rich and encreafed with goods ^ need- ing nothing, not knowing, that we are niretched Tindi miferabky and pooi\ a7id bliijd and 72aktd? alas, let us but awhile feparate our- felves from the world,, and its vain purfuits ; let us but awhile take off our eyes and atten- tion from the things that fo totally fix and en- gage them, and with a fincere defire to know the truth, fearch into and examine our own fouls ; and we fliall very fpeedily be con- * The words of the 9th Arricle of our church, as what follows, are of the Homily on the m'lfery of man^ which fee, and alfo bifliup Bevcridgc and otliers on the articles. Vol. IV. G g vinc'd. 450 - On the PARABLE vinc*d, that we are indeed gone, very far gone from original righteoufnefs : that ** there is, as we conflantly confefs, no health in us,*' no fplritual foundnefs ; that we are unable of ourfelves to do any thing as of ourfelves \ that we cannot even think a good thought,* much lefs do a good adtion, - while our fouls are dead to God, and we lie, miferable outcafts, in the broad way to deftrudion, ftript, naked> wounded, the prey of fin and fatcm^ and the helplefs objefts of divine ccmpaffion. — It is an eafy matter, if we are inclined fo to do, to deceive ourfelves in this enquiry, lince we have a fubtle enemy at hand, glad and ready to forward the deceit. — But there is a time, when we muft and fliall fee and feel our mifery : oh that we might feel it, ere it be too late, ere the terrors of death en- compafs us, and the horrors of futurity make us afraid ! — If we were really and bodily in the circumftances of this man, who fell a- mong thieves, we lliould be very fenfible of our mifery, and our want of affiftance. But though our fouls are certainly thus circum- fcanc'd, yet becaufe ive are not fo attentive to their welfare as to the welfare of our bodies, we therefore fuffef them to languiih unheed- * Numberlefs coUcdfs through cur Liturgy exprefs this, which conmlt. — Of the Good Samaritan, 451 cd, and to peri(h while none regardeth. And were we but half as nice and follicitous in fearching after and providing for their health and well-being, as we are in providing for the well-being of our poor corruptible bodies: certain it is we fhould immediately fly to that divine phyfician who alone can heal them, and who without money and without price offers a compleat rcfloration to health and foundnefs, to raife us from death, to give us new life^ a life which begun in Grace here fhall be confummated in everlafting glory. 2. We learn from hence, that vain and abfurd are their hopes who expert falvatioa by any other means. Man in his fallen fl:ate> we have feen, cannot help himfelf. He can perform no acceptable fervice to God : for he is dead to the fpiritual life. VVe are (hewn, by the Fr'icjl and Levite^ that neither can any outward law, any works of men, any cere- monies or fervices, at all avail him. For if there had been a law, according to St. PW, which could have given lije^ doubtlefs it mufl have been that, which was ordained and in- ftituted of God himfelf: but that and al! other laws can only ferve to condemn, and to con- vince of fin. For by the law is the know- ledge of fin. And fin taking occafion by the commandment works in man all manner of G g 2 con- 45^ On if/^d- P A R A B L E concupifcence. The law is weak becaufe of the fiefh- And no law or human endeavours can deftroy the natural propenlity to lin which is in the flefh, can forgive fins paft, and enable to walk in holinefs for the future. — Happy would it be for all thofe, who expe6l falvation by their conformity to any outward law, by their own works, and en- deavours, to confider thefe things : but parti- cularly happy would it be if the Delft or Mo- ralift, who though baptized into Chrift, would yet be faved by his own ftrength, without the atoning blood of the redeemer, or the undion of the bleffed fpirit : happy would it be, if fuch would ferioufly refledt on thefe important truths, and by their danger be led to tremble for themfelves : for well may they tremble. Wounded as they are by nature with wounds, that nought can cure but the bhod of the redeemer, and the unciion of the holy fpirit — how can they ever be cur'd, v»'ho de- fpife the one, and abfolutely rejed the other ? Their law and works, or whatever it is on which they depend, can and will juft as much avail to the relief and reftoration of their fal- len fouls, to their redemption from fm and death eternal, as the Fnejt and Levitc avail'd to the cure of the wounded traveller. This Of the Good Samaritan. 453 This (hould eminently warn us of the dan- ger of defpifing the blood of the covenant, and fetting at nought the holy infplrations of that fplrit for which we continually pray in our church : and what can they exped, what can they think of themfelves, who affemble in that church, join, in lip at lead, in its prayers, and are called by the venerable name of ChriftiafiSy perfons anointed by the holy Ghoft : and yet abfolutely deny all the influence and power of the holy Ghoft upon the minds of men, and treat it as downright folly and en- thufiafm ? or what is altogether as bad, fo deny his influence, as conftantly by their lives to grieve and refift him, and never to fhew forth thofe virtues which are the fruits of his dwelling in the foul : who rejecTc that righte- oufnefs of Chrijiy which alone can jafl:ify us, and are bold enough to attempt to juftify themfelves in the fight of God, poor finful worms, mlferable duft and aflies — when with- out his gracious aid they can neither arife from their wounded, dying ftate, move one ftep, in the way of his commandments, or perform one acceptable work before him : but muft, lye and perifli for ever in their blood, and wretched impotency, unlefs the good Sa^ mantafiy come down, look on them with compaljhny and heal them. Gg 3 3- This 454 OnfbePARABLE III. This is the grand and capital figure in thiS exquifite painting: the exceeding great love of Chr^JI our Saviour, who came down from the heaven of his holinefs into our mi- ferable earth, to fave and reftore fallen man, moved folely by his divine companion, which caufed him, at the expence of his own life, to procure for us that only medicine for our ficknefs, his cleanfing, atoning blood, and the undlion of that healing fpirit, the gift and pur- chafe of his mod precious blood. — The gene- rous compaffion of this Samaritan^ coniidered merely as a man, cannot fail to raife in our hearts juft fentiments of efteem and veneration : we admire his univerfal charity, we applaud the opennefs and beneficence of his heart, and are loud in his praifes, who would not faiFer the ftrongeft natiojial prejudices to dived him of that humanity which is due to fellovv^-crea- tures. But how doth the luflre of this cha- rafter fade when oppofed to the glowing excellence and unparalled benignity of our al- mighty and all-merciful redeemer — who tho* he were God from all eternity, God equal with the Father, yet condefcended to come down into the wildernefs of this world, and for our fakes, touched with divine and gene- rous pity, to cloath himfelf with human na- ture, that he might thus pay the ranfom for us, Of the Gocd Samaritan, ,455 lis, tjius redeem us from death and from hell; and at the exceeding price of his own life, re- ftore us to the love and favour of our almighty Father, to the hope and poffcfiion of eternal felicity ! herein is Icve ! how can we enough extol it — how can we enou^^h — drive to imi- tate and copy after it! Beloved, if Godfo loved uSy we ought alfo to love one another. Be it then our labour affified by that grace which he hath procured for all that afk it, *' to follow this example of our Saviour Chrijl^ and to be made like unto him." We have in his love to us, a certain and unerring rule, whereby we are to dired: ourfelves in every ac- tion : We are to go and do iikewife: to love our neighbour as our j elves ', as he harh loved- us, fo are we to love one another. 'We are to pro- pofe him to ourfelves as oar pattern, we are to make him our example, for he hath left us an example that we flmdd 'oilow his fteps -^ and well confidering the amazing height and depth and length and breadth of his love to us, and the numberlefs bleffings thereby derived to us, we muft refled: the generous paffion in all its w^armth upon our. brethren, r.nd rejoice in every opportunity to do them good : convinced that we fhali much fooner apprehend Chrijl by following and imitating him, than by read, ing and fpeculation: and knowing that the fum of the chriftian religion is to imitate him G g 4 whom 456 On the P A R A B L E whom we worfliip : for he that faith he ahidetb in hinjy ought himjelf alfofo to walk even as he . walked. The love of God and of our neighbour is, and ever hath been, the fum of all the commandments : on thefe two hang tho laiv and the prophets: this was Adam\ duty before the fail ; this was the duty of the children of 7/- rael under the law : this is the chriftian's duty, eftablifhed upon new motives, under the gof- pel ; the love of God fincere and fervent, the love of his neighbour zealous and active- Such as was the love of the Samaritan to the '^ew^ of ^jqiis Chrijl to the fimm\ fuch muft be our love one to another ; and indeed, un- lefs our love be exerted in fad, we have lit- tle reafon to fuppofe it real, cr to hope any advantages from the love of Chrijl \o\x%\ If a brother or ffer be naked ^ and defitute oj daily food: and oneofyoufay unto thern^ depart in peace ^ be you warmed and filled : notwithftanding ye give them not ttcfe jhings which are needful to the body^ what doth it profit'^ — Whofo hath this world's goody and feeth his brother have ?2eed^ and fiuttetb up his bowels of cQmpa[jionjrom hlm^ how dwelleth the love of God ift him ? Chrijl hith fiievvn us, under the veil of this beautiful parable, what he hath done for us, and what v/e for his fake, and after his exaniple are boun^ Of the Gocd Samaritan. 457 bound to do for one another : here we have the moft amiable and aftedting pidure of be- nevolence and charity : yet not more amiable than was his whole life, where every aftion conflantly inflruds us in that which is excel- lent and profitable: and more efpecially in the great duty of love. To (hew us the import- ance whereof, and the impofTibility of any regard from God, if we live in hatred and ma- lice, he makes in the prayer which himfelf taught us, our acceptance with and forgive- nefs from God depend upon our own forgive- nefs of and kindnefs to our brethren— /irg-Z't;^ us as we forgive them : if therefore, we pray to be forgiven, AS we ourfelves forgive, in exaclly the fame manner and degree 3 the re- flecflion hereon muft fully convince us how little a cold, dead, and inadive forgivenefs will avail us ; how little any other forgive- nefs than that which manifefts itfelf in rea- dy and real adts of love and friendfliip. — Indeed as the foul is the principal part, a chriftian's love fliould principally be exerted on behalf thereof: for as the happinefs of the {o\A is the material concern, we fliould be ever ready and ever defirous to promote and forward its eternal welfare, knowing that this is the one thing needful. And it is not eafy to fay, how great influence, and how advan- 3 tageous 458 0« //&^ P A R A B L E tageous opportunities of fpiritual good a wife, and prudent adniiniftration of temporal com- fort and relief, may afford the chriftian really defirous of promoting his brethren's everlaft- ing felicity. To promote this is more peculiarly incum- bent on the minljlers of the gofpel, the hojis appointed to provide for the wounded tra- vellers in the fpiritual inn^ the church oiChriJl : it behoves them much to be zealous and care- ful in this charge, fince a dreadful woe threatens them, if they omit duly to perform their high office, as on the other hand a bleffed recorn- ence awaits the fincere and faithful difcharge of it! — But difficult is their flation, important their care, requiring more than ordinary watchfulnefs and application : for they have received a rev^ard already to preach the gofpel : and fearful muft: be their future cafe who have accepted the price, entered into the fervice, and received the wages, and yet are not able to give a jufh account of their ftewardfhip, who have neg- lected to improve the facred depofit committed to their trufl, and fo far from taking care of the v/ounded travellers recommended to their charge, by their divine mailer, have left the flock to hirelings, and regarded not when the thief and wolf cometh. Alas for fuch fliep- herds ! — Pity and pray for them, my brethren, and Vf the Good Samaritan, 459 and for all the minifters of the Lord ; and do you yourfelves, by a ready compliance with our precepts, blefs us in the final day, and render us acceptable to our good S>amaritan^ at his fecond coming ; jor what is our hope, or joy ^ or crown of rejoicing ? Are not even ye in the pre^ fence of our Lord fefiis^ at his coming? For ye are our glory and joy ! But, on the other hand, confider I befeech you, how horrible your own cafe will be, if hearing thefe things ye omit to do them : if after having been again and again invited, urged and intreated to an examination of your own hearts, to a truft in the merits of your Redeemer, and to a life of love and obedience, through the Spirit, you ftill difregard the coun- felof thofe, who watch over you, and advife you for your good : and whofe view in ear- neilly preffing you to ferious thoughts can onlv be an anxious and fincere defire for your ever- lafting welfare. Had we no wiflies, no fearch- ings of heart, no longing for your falvation, it would be eafy to hold our peace, and fufFer you to reft quietly in your fins ; it would be eafy to lull you afleep in gentle fecurity, and to deliver from the pulpit luch things, as might play around your fancies, and pleafe ; not awaken your fears and hopes, nor alarm your confciences with falutary dread and need- ful 46o Ontbe? ARABLE ful expeaation- Join therefore with us in the good work of your ownfalvation : receive and blefs our labours for your eternal felicity : Be zealous, and repent: place before your eyes the unbounded compaflion of your Re- deemer, as exemplified in this divine parable, and hafte, oh make hade to accept, embrace, and imitate his love ! Set not at nought the exceeding mercies of your God : depend not upon any weak, fallible and human means for falvation : but fee your danger, and fly to him for fuccour, who only can deliver you. You havefeen in the firft Part of the para- ble, your utter impotency to all good by na- ture, your naked, wounded, helplefs, dead and miferable eftate — you have (ecn in the fe- cond the abfolute inability of pn'tft or leviUy of law or works, of fervices and ceremonies, of any thing man can do or propofe to recover and reftore you. Be wife therefore to accept the only remedy — let not JefusCbrill bleed in vain ; let not the holy Spirit ftrive with you, and offer, unavailing, his gracious comfort : the blood of Chrift alone can cleanfe you from all fin : the divine Spirit only can heal your infirmities, and enable you to v^^alk before God in holinefs unblameable : it was pure compajfion only, which led the Son of God to pour forth his precious blood for you, pitying your Of the Good Samaritan, 461 your hopelefs fad eftate — it was pure com- paffion only which moved him to die, to rife again, and fend the gift of the bleffed com- forter to illumine, fandify, preferve and blefs you. And can you rejecft fuch compaffion, can you fet at nought fuch love ? Had the wounded traveller refufed the kind Samari^ tan's relief, nor fuffered him to bind up his wounds, and pour in his lenient medicines-— furely none would have pitied him in his diftrefs, had he there lain in mifery, and ob- ftinately periflied in his blood ! And now when peace, and life, and glory are freely of- fered by Jejus Chri/i to all who will come to him, acknowledging their fins, burdened and heavy laden, and defirous to be free — who will pity their fate, who rejefting this free love^ thefe gracious offers, moft perverfely re- folve to perifh in their fins, defpife the Sa- viour, and refift the Spirit ! He that defpifed Mofes's law^ died without mercy ^ under two or three witneffs : of how ?nuch forer pimifimenf fiijpofe yey Jhallhe be thought worthy, who hath trodden under joot the Jon of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant^ wherewith he was JanBfied an unholy thing, and hath done defpite unto the fpirit of grace ? For we knew bim that hath faid, 've?igea?ice belongeth unto me^ I will repay, faith the Lord, And again, the Lord 462 0?2tbe? A R A B L E Lord fiall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God ! So great is the love of Chrift, fo unbounded his mercy ; fo fufficient the ranfom he hath paid, fo certain the cure he hath provided, fo great his power, fo prevalent his interceflioni that it muft needs be the fault of ourfelves only, if we become objeds of divine venge- ance, and fall into the hands of the living God. The humble, lowly, felf-abafed Tinner, who convinced of his own mifery and worth- leffnefs, comes to Chrift, and pleads his blood, fhed for the fins of the world, can never be rejedled, (hall 72ever, from our Lord's own promife, be caft out. Thou therefore, oh finner, whoever thou art, that perceived thy wretched ftate by nature, that perceiveft thy- felf in the lively reprefentation of him who fell among thievef^j in a vale of blood and mifery, was ftripped, and wounded, and left half deadi fear not, nor be difmayed : for the God of thy help, moved by thy earneft de- fires, will fpeedily come to thee : thy good Samaritan, will at thy requeft, quickly come to the place where thou art: bind up thy wounds, pour in oil and vv^ine : take the guilt of thy fins away, pity, pardon, cleanfe and fandtify thee. But accept not, hope not, ex- ped not any relief from law or morals, from prieft Of {he Good Samaritan, 463 prieft or levite, from any works, endeavours, or righteoufnefs of thy own : count thefe all hut as dung and drofs, that thou ?nayeft win Chrift and be found in him ; for he alone can cleanfe and heal, he alone can reftore and fave : neither is there falvation in any other : For all have finned^ faith St. Fatil^ in words that well ferve to fliew and confirm the great truths, inculcated in thefe difcourfes — For all have finned and come fljort of the glory oj God — are in the flate of the wounded traveller ; and by the deeds oj the law fljall no fefi be juftifiedin the fight oj God^ for by the law is the knowledge cf fin : the prieft and Levite pafs him by un- able to affift : the good Samaritan only with his wi?ie and oil and tender compafion can heal and reftore the wounded traveller^ fallen man ; and all are fallen, all the world is become guilty before God, being now juft fed freely by his grace ^ through the redemption^ that is in Jefus Chrift ; whom God hath fet jorth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his reghte- oufnefs J or the remtjjion of fins that are paft^ through the jorbearance of God : to declare, Ij<^yy his righteoufnefs: that he might be jUST, and the yUSTIFlER of him that BELIEVETH in Jefus. * When therefore we are fo happy as to be made xhiofaith, partakers of this grace, to be * Rom. 'in, 19 — 26. thus 464 On tbe P A R A B L E thus freely juftified thro* the redemption that Is in Cbri/i jefus ; let it be the moft exadl and un- wearied care of us all to (hew ourfelves fenfi- bleof this mercy, and thankful for this grace, by the utmoft diligence in the fervice of our redeeming God, the m.oft uniform obedience to his commands, and the moft careful imita- tion of his divine example. More efpecially *' by our love to all mankind, for the fake of Chrifty' ^' by our doing to all as vvx v^^ould they fhould do unto us,'' by our confcientioufly performing our duty in that ftate of life, in which it hath pleafed God to place us,'* — the beft proof of our loving our neighbour as our- felves,—let us demonflrate the reality of our faith, and fhew, that we are, as we profefs, followers of the example of our Saviour Chrift : and thus convince mankind that the morality of the gofpel doth indeed very far exceed all the morality of the lieathen fchools, and of that fo much boafted natural religion. — If thou ^n^ father, fiiew thyfelf a father in Chrift, by bringing up thy children in the fear and nurture of the Lord 5 if thou art a child, fliew by the readinefs and exadlnefs of thy obedience in all things, how well pleafing thou efteemeft fuch duty to thy heavenly Fa- ther. If thou art an hvfjjand, fliew by thy love to thy wife, how Chrift hath loved his fpoufe Of the Good Samaritanl 465 fpoufe the church, and as you expefl: to par- take of that love, fo nourilli and cherifh her as your own flefh, with godly love and hea- ven direded afFedion : if thou art a wife fub- niit thyfelf to thy hufband, as is fit in the Lord, and reverence him, that fg ye may dwell together according to knowledge, and as being heirs together of the grace of God, that your prayers be not hindered : if thou art a majter be J///?, be equals be tender to thyfervants: forbearing threatning, knowing that thou alfo haft a mafter in heaven : and that with him there is no refpedt to perfons : and if thou art called 2ifervant be obedient to him that is thy mafter according to the flefh with fear and trembling, in finglenefs of heart as unto C6r//? ; not with eye-fervice as men-pleafers, but as the fervants of Chrft^ doing the will of God from the heart, with good will doing fervice as to the Lord, and not to men : know- ing that whatever good things any man doth, the fame fhall he receive of the Lord, whe- ther he be bond or free* And finally la whatever ftation we are, whether of paftor or people, magiftrate, fovereign or fubjed, friend or neighbour, let us endeavour to fulfil the duties of thofe ftations with the utmoft rea- * See the epiilles to the Epheftans and CohJJians at the tnd^ &c. N^zi.Vol.IV. H h dinefs 66 On the? A R A B L E dinefs and care ; let us endeavour to Hiew fcy out confcientious and moft exad difcharge of our office, that we do indeed follow Chrljiy and with a fmgle eye to his glory and honour, fulfil thofe focial relations which will end here, and be fwallowed up in the perfedl fruition of that love which 7iever faileth. To grow and increafe in that divine love — which hath the love oi Chrift for its pattern and motive, and without which we fhall be found as nothing, lefs than nothing, founding brafs and a tink- ling cymbal,^'^ — to grow and increafe in this love fhould be our unwearied care, and will be- our confummate happinefs : for this love con- fifls In the removal of every evil pafTion from our breafl, and in the implantation of every virtue there — It fufFereth long and is kind r it envieth not, it vaunteth not itfelf, is not puffed up, doth not behave itfelf unfeemly : feeketh not its own : is not eafily provoked, thinketh no evil : rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth : covereth all thingSj-f- bclicveth all things, hopeth all things, en- dureth all things.' Love never faileth ! and of this love Chrifl hath fet us the mofl complete and perfefl: pattern : our duty our w^ifdom, our happinefs is to follow * See I Cor. xiii. per tot. t- See vol. III. p. 25.3. nJ^ Of the Cd'od SamTritan: 467 his advice, to love as he hath loved, to go and do likiT.vifi, Which rrjay he of his intflimable mercy enable us all to do, through the graci- ous aififtance of the ever-b!effcd Spirit ! — And what more proper words can we find where- with to implore jointly this grace, and to con- clude our imperfed fervices, than thofe of bur excellent church in the following col- kds ? Almighty God, who hafi: given thine only" Son to be unto us, both 2. jacrifice for Jin^ and alfo an enfaniple of godly life: give us grace that we may always moft thankfully receive that his ineftimable benefit, and alfo endea- vour ourfclves to follow the bleffed fleps of his moft holy life^ through the fame Jefm Chrijiom' Lord ! Ame'ii. "^ O God, the ftrength of all that put their truft in thee, mercifully accept our prayers : and becaufe through the iDeaknefs of our mor- tal nature, we can do no good thing without thee : grant us the help of thy grace^ that in keeping thy commandments we may pleafe thee both in will and deed, through "Jejui Chrifl our Lord. Amen.-f- O Lord, who haft taught us, that all our doings without love are nothing worth : fend *■ Second Sunday after Eafter* -f Fiift Sunday after Trinity, H h 2 thy 468 On the? AR A B LU thy holy Ghoft and pour into our hearts that moft excellent gift of love, the very bond of peace and of all virtues : v^ithout which who- foever liveth is counted dead before thee. Grant this for thine only Son Jefus Cbn/t's fake ! * To v^hom, with the Father, and the holy Spirit, three Perfons, but one God, ever bleffed and glorious Trinity, be all honour, power, praife and love, for ever and ever, jimefi and jimen. f The Sunday before Lent* The END, Glory be to Thee, O G 0 D Most High. A N Alphabetical INDEX V O F THE Chief Matters contained in thefc Four Volumes of DISCOURSES O N T H E MIRACLES and PARABLES. ' The Numerical Letters i, ii, b"^. denote the Vo- lumes, the Figures the Pages, and n. for Note. A ABRAHAM, the rich man cries to himy iv. 1 1 6. the an* fwer gi'ven by Abraham, iv. 117 Adam, created in God's image ^ iv. 350. fell from that holy Jiate, ibid, his children in a fate of fin and mifery, ibid, his rtf- demption and falvation made knonvn in the gofpely iv. 3 5 1 Adultery, the hanioufnefs of that fin, ii. 33 AfRiftion, its ad^vantage, i. 2. God's kindnefs in it, i. 2. n Afflictions, the lot of thefolloivers of Chrift, i. 274. for nvhat ends andpurpofesy i. 280. leffons under them, i. 224. refignation and dependence neceffary, i. 225. often great hlejjings, ii. 202. the fin of not applying to God for help under them, ii. 218. hoRXJ to ^ieio and profit by the afflidions of others, ii. 394. the way to the cronvn, ii.'470 AWin'vited, an argument thence againft predefiination/l, ij , 2Zf and Yi. Altamont, an account of his deaths iii. 46?, n, H h 3 Ambrofe, INDEX. Ambrod', St. his remark ahout the nridovj of Nain and her Jon, i'. 226. fpiritualifes the miracles of curing the ^Mithcred hand^ i. 463 A fa, king, an itifance offuccefs in depending upon God, ii. 2 1 o AfTurance, remarks about ft, ii. i 24 , &c. Aullin, Si, and other fathers^ their ffiritual expcftion of the Para- lytic''s cure, i. 20 f;, n. AtilHnV interpretation of the pool of Ber thefda. ii. 76, n. his remark on the fniracle of the halves and fjhcs, ii. 285, n. Authority, ChriH' J y^-^/v;;;^, i. 6, n. B BAPTISM and the Lord's Supper, the t^j^o gofpclfacraments, ii. 165 EaiT.ard, St. r tin ark i?/\ i. 7, n. Baxter, Mr. his aphorif?ns on jujlification, i. 41 7, n. " Believeft thou tiiis ?" that quefiion explained, ii. 50S, 5 i 3 Believeth, " whofbever liveth and believetii in me lliall nevei d.\Q,''' thefe^words explained^ ii. 49^ Bethany, a 'village near Jeruralem, ii. 492 Beveridge, B'.fiipp, a fnc remark of, \. 22, n. his rules for the go - 'verrjneiit of the tC7igue,\. '^^(j,Yi, Blafphemy, of three forts, i. 190, 191 Blind, men hy nature blind as to fpiritual things, i, 9. blind Earti- meus cries to Chrifty^r mercy, i. 104 . his prayer or confejfon of faith, ibid, his coining to Chriit impro-oed Jpiritually , i. 408. re- f or e(^to his fight, 1,413. his hiftory allegorized, \. 418, the mi- racle on the man born blind an e^jidence cf our Lord''s di'viniiy, ii. 384. the great defigncfit, ii. 388. the introduftion to it, ibid, the qnefiioni *' ^jhethsr this man frnned or his parents,^' corfidcred, ii, 391, 431. his fight given him, an image of fpiritual light, ii. 41 1 . the object of the miracle confide red, ii. 412. the Tnanner of the blind man s cure, ii. 416, &c. his eyes anointed 'with clay, ii. 417. his 'ifjafijing in the pool of Siloam, ii. 419. the confequences ef this miracle, 11. 4.3 J. Blind, the cafe of the 7iaturally and fpiritually blind compared, i.czby hz. I;lindnef^, mans natural mifery often reprefented in fcripture by blindnefs, i, 40 1, 417. a fenfe of fpiritual blindnefs neceffary, i. 420. thoje deli'vered from this blindnefs ha-ve ne^J 'vietvs of God^ a77d of thenfelvesyi. 43 1, 4^.8, &c. Bloody ifiue, the nvoman cured by Chrift, if. 135. an emblem of the Jevvifh church, ii. 17:;, 174 Bridegroom, Chrift the celefiial bridegroom, iv. 224, 228 Buyers and Sellers drz'ven ovt of the temple ^^ that miracle reckoned by fome one of the great efi, ii. 317, 31^^. the literal hifiory of the miracle, ii. 319, &C. the rife of the prof ane cufiom of Jelling in the temple, ii. 320, ccc. remarks upon this miracle, ii. 324, the fpi- ritual fenfs and defign of it y\i. 330 t:ALLS INDEX. CALLS of God s fivord, the da7iger of neglc^big them, ii. 379, ^ &c. Calvin, his difinBion about rcpe7itance, iii. 391 Canaanite. See Faithful Canaanire, Cares, riches aJid pleafures, three dangerous enemies to holinefs, lii, 42. dljlrufiful^ to he guarded againft^ iii. ^2-. Centurion, comes to Chritl to cure his fern-ant of the palfy, i. 112. his humility f\ 1 1 3, his faith pre^vails, i. Il:^, 126, 128, 138. his faith 7.narveUeus, i. 138. his charailer an example to thofe in the mill iary ffitiony i, 145,146 '** Cha'"ity co've^-eth a inultiti^ds of flmi^'' the meaning of that ex- prejj.onfm, Yy,, n. Chemnitz, his harmony recsmmended, \. I3,n. his remark about three things that oljlruSl fal^jatior/j iv,332, n. •*' Chili jen of this ijjorld <^mfer than the children of light,'''' that exprejfon explained, iv, 63, 78, Childye.-^ of God exercifed nx)ith ajfiiSio7is in this nxorld,\. 254 Chrift, his call to hea^jy laden jmners to come to him, 1.7. the heaolder, iii. 248. fends labourers into his ould be ivholly zealous and aSii'-ve, iv. 187. njenality and corruption to be lanmited, iv. 188. the bad effcds of thefe' e^jils, iv. 188, 191 Come to me, ChriftV in^vitation, 1,13. the great bleffednefs ofthofe that come to Chrift, i. 21, 27. «« exhortation to come to Chrift, Commg to ChnU e^ui'va/ent to belienjing, i. 14,11. iv. 323. the necejfity of coming, i. 15 Covetoufnefs, its e'vil and tendency, iv. 7. a caution againjl it, ibid, the root of all e'vil, ibid, examples of its fad effeBs, ibid. exclu'i'es from the kingdom of hea^ven^ iv. 9, an a^uoakening para* hie againji this eQh.oxs,finners fo called, ui. 206. Jhould apply to him I43> '44j the dreadful iffue of fin a7td e'vily iii. 148 Example, good, of great infiuetice, and bad mofi contagious, ii. 528 Extremity, generally our Lord's tiine of mercy, ii. 262 "^A-ITVl, founded in humility, i. 128, n. built upon the ^vord ; and promife of God, i. 135, to be earneji for an i?2creafe of it, i. 138, ahvays attended njjith real holinefs, i. 1 39, and nvorks i?tfcparable, i. 4 1 1, iv. 366, great of the centurion, i. 137, 138, rooted in the heart, \. /[i 2,, attended &C. in- • firuBions from this miracle, ii. 367 ?irft, " 'J he laft fhall be firji, and the fi>-Ji laft^' thefe ^Jords ex- plained, iii. 228, 229 Flelli, "what is meant by the ih'rdgs of the fl'fb, iv. 249, 250, marh of them that li-js after the fiefh, ibid. jForgivenefs, our obligations toforginjc others, iii. 20i, the nature and extent of this duty, iii. 2og, this taken from that of God's forgi'venefs, iii. 211, 214, the necejfiiy of forgi'ving one another,, iii. 214, &c. mofi'ves to forgi conjidercd in a fpiritual J'sn/ey iv. 420, 423, nxshat tp.eant by the njoine and oil, iv. 429, tl^e parable impro^jed fpii-itually, iv. 448, 460 Gofpel, hindrances from embracing it, i;i. 20, the blrjjings of if, come by faith, ili. 2^, the hearing it of great i?nportanre, \\\^ 26, the good feed of it fonvn by Chriil, iii. i [ 5, corrupted by the enmity of the de^vil^ ibid, its fcheme to hide pride from man, iii. 255, 25.1, and to debafe him fro7n the fight of God, ibid. represented by a marriage fcaf , iv. 32 z, intuit afion to this feaji, iv. 323, its great defign, iv. 153 Grace, the great change it makes in afw/icr^ ii. 437, its -jjork gra- dually carried on, iii. 87, does not exclude man s endea-jours, iii. c; O , unassailable nvithout grace, ibid. Graces, militant, to be exercifed in this nvorld, iii. 144 Gregory, his expofulation on the parable cf the talents, ii. 265,11. H. HALES, judge his ivife faying about things allc^ived, iv. ^328,329 ^iall, Bilhop, his remark about the impiety of th- army, i. 147, 14?, n. his ohfer^vation about the de^oi Is praying to Chrill, i. 333, /^/x paraphrafe of the barren fig-tree, ii. 358, 3:^9 Hardnefs of heart, our Lord grienjedfor the Fharifees on that ac- count, i. 458 Hearers by the way fide, dcfcribed, iii. 1 2, &c. their danger and duty, iii. 16, their inattention and careleffnef^ iii. 36, foJiy- grouftd, defcribed, iii. 17, their danger and duty, iii. 20, 22,. thorny, choked nxiith cares and riches, d.\(cr?hed, iii. 40, their danger and duty, iii. 40, &c. receiving the feed on good ground, dejcribed, iii. 51, &c. their under ftajidings cpened to difcern fpiri- tual things, iii. ^^, bring forth friat, iu. 52 Hearing the word, a delight in it a 7nark of grace, i. 391 Heart, fra^ned and changed by God as he pleafes, iii. 29 Heaven, its happinefs e^verlafirg, iv- 126 Heavy-laden {infers, imnt^.l io co7ne toQ\\x\^, defribed, i. 6, 17, 19, none but fuch cofne to Chriil, i. 40 Hell, its torments enjerlading, iv. 26, hoix: anvful and dreadful, iv. 129, 130 Keielies aud feels, yfi'O'/ <3r//^ in the church, iii. 116, many foixm in this day, iii. 117, ivhy fuffe^ed fo be in the church, iii. 142 Heminge.s, his remark on Chs\^\ miracles, i. 369, n. Heiychius, his obfer--jation on the defiling nature of fin, i. 73? n. Horace, a remark of his, i. 10 Human INDEX. Human nature, nx^holly corrupt fince thefall^ iii, 123, its fpiritual incapacity y i. 388, n. its blindnefs, ii. 380, Chrift the refiorer of Jight to it, ibid. Humility, therein it conftfis, i. 123, 124, the hejl chriflians emer moji humble, i. 12^, feujible of its onvn unnjoorthinefs, i. 126, a difpojition of mind for recei^oing the blefftngs of the go/pel, ibid. its a-miablenefs and irnportance^ iv. 384, ^85, ?nQti'ves to humi" iity-, iv. 409, 410. J- JACOB, his nvrejiling njoith God in prayer, iii, 314. Jairus, his fuppliaJion to Chrill for his daughter, ii. 1 34, an emble?n of the fe-ivif? church, ii. 173 Idle, *' Why ft and ye all the day idle f n.^h at meant by that ex^ prefton, iii. 237, 239 Jerufalem, the famine and great calamities there 6^^WSamaritan, iv. 414. an engaging 1^:^%. an applica- tion to thofe that go net fo far as the Pharifee, iii. 365. and to thofe nvho go no farther, iii. 369, and to thofe Hfjho are truly humbled as the Publican^ iii. 374 5* Pleafures of this life ^ ivhat meant by that exprefion, iii. 4^, u. Prayer, INDEX. Prayer, affliaion and danger a time of praying, i. 257. nvhat dif poJitionofmindneceJ[ary,\\\. 284. ^vh at meant by '' Praying al - w^j7,"iii. 292, &c. theneceljttyofcovjlant prayer, \\\. 298, "^ the pool of Be- thefda^ii. 82, n. the faith of the nuoman cnredofthe bloody ijue,n, i6y,n. the loaj /o Abraham in his t9rmentsy iv. 116, concerned about the fouls of his relations , iv. I 3 1 Ring, vohat meant by the ring put on the returning prodigal's hand, ijj. 484 Robe, INDEX. Robe, ivhat meant hy the lejl rohe, iii. 482 Romances, taking delight infuch books a Jtgn of not being a child of God, i. 393 S. SAbbath, the^on of manLord of thefahbath,\. \^^, an emblem and pledge of an e'verlaJHng reji in heaven, ibid, the happi- tiefs ofthofe that keep it, ibid. Sailors, an exhortation to Britiih/ailorsy i. 267, n. Salvation, formal prof fors, their hopes ^without foundation ^ ii, i 54. the order arj fpps of it pointed out, ii. 458. of grace y not of nx)orks,\\\ 232. iv. 39^,399. yet good wcorks necejfary, '\h\d, Sandlification, the Holy Spirit the onlyfandifer, iv. 244 S^ - '^ ." G tod Samaritan. ' '^ . '21. called an enefny and '■•'r, iii. 122. does not moltj. vpeny-^ ^ - -*j to cppofe the fujork of God in toej ' ^ ^^^„ Jleepjii']. 124. his tyranny L Seed, the reafon nnhy the 'vjord is fo cau ' ', ..^ rjohence it hath this increafeng nature, iii. 80. /y& . maturity, iii. 8^. the cojfequence of its being fruitfu., this applied to the eafe and comfort of 'weak belie-vers, iii. 94 Seeking ^»^llriving, necejfary to fakoation, iii. 33 Self- Examination «/z^ Prayer, necefary duties, iii. 376 SenfibcObjedts, their hindrance to fpirltual fight, \. g Senfual Pleafiires, jiing as aferpent and bite as an adder, ii. 43 Sepulchres, Jewilh, without the city, i. 213 Servant, the marks of a faithful o-ne , iv. I'l. hjs ackno-xvledgmeni of God'' s propriety in him, IV. 2 J '!^. his impro^vej.ientofhis ialentj, iv. 275. his readimfs to ginje up his account, iv. 278 his perfe've- rance, w, 2^^. the happinefs of the faithful Jernja}if,'w. lo^-. a Jlothful fernjant,vf. 2'ii^. negkils to improHje his talents f\w. 289. his hard thou^rhts of the jnajier of the talents, iv. 293, ^ herd, iii, 414. his offedionfor thefioeep, iii. 41 ^ Shepherd, Chrift the great Shepherd, iij. 393. his great lo=t)e to his fj^eep, iii. 397. laid do -jjn his life for them, iii. 3^9. by his poiver prefer zes and protefts them, iii. 400. their many pritd- leges,\\S. /^OT,. no door to fal'vationbut by this good Shepherd, ni, 4 1 4. his affeftionfor thejhtep, iii. 4 ; 5 1 i 2 Shepherd?, INDEX. Sfiepherds, the marks of good Ji^epherds or pajiors, iii. 41 1, n. are to learn their duty from Chrill's exampky iii. 417 Sicknefs, " This ficknefs is -i ot unto death, but for the glory oj" '* God," that exprejjion explained, ii. 479 jSin, the greatef e-vil, !• 23, 24, 65, iv..i56, if not fanned from fpiriiual death here^ cav::r.t he fwved from eternal death hereafter, i. 23, 24, 231, /'^z, original^ tna'ny e-vidences of it, i. 61, &c. its flthy and defiling nature, i. 67, 68, 69, 80, its enjil and dreadful co^fcqucnces, i. 23, 441, the leprcfy of the foul, i, ?>!^^ of a 'very contagious ?7aturef i. 68, continued in, excludes front hea-veny i. 71, its iniicing nature, ii. 42, its hitter confeque7ices^ ii. 42, 43, the neceffity of grace to 376, mul} for fake all their fins and lujls, i v . 378. 'SAumh^Y, fpiritualy the efvils of it , iii. 126, to be guarded againfi, iii. 127 Smallbrook, Bp. his rmark about the de-vils entring into th& fnvine, i. 343, n. Soidiey, in this if and, once efeemed a facred thingy i, iJ^y fuccefs net te he ejcpeiled fram txickid foldiir;, i. 147 Son," INDEX, ** Son, be of good cheer, thy Sins *ire forgiven thee,'* mjhai mca7it hy that exprcjjion^ i. 171 Sov\, its coficerns of the grcatpft if/ipcrtance, i. 244. it falvation i9 be earnejlly fought after^ ibid. Sower, an alarming parahley iii. 34. the njarious parts of if covji- deredy iii, 12, 17, 40. 51 Spirit, to pray much for the gift of the fpirity iii. 1 00. iv. 245, 246., the only 2. to n-vait yi?;* Chrill /« his ordinances to cure them, ii. 92. dftafes, chiefy came to cure thefe, i. 216. blefjings, to apply to Chrift for them, u 184 StSLtes, three frts of, njoherein men forget God, iv. 333, 334 Steward, unjuft, that par able explained, iv. 58, &c. the defign of if, iv. 64, 65. this parable mifunderfood, iv. 66, his proceedings a7id care for this lifey iv. 62, 66. Stewards, all are flenx^ards of the talenis inir?^ 3. r. 215. 238 19 />r fend r. find. 334. 26 for not n no 2146 5 for thefe r. thofe (t^nce) 343 13 /o^fuch r. fure, 247 26 /or peace r. fenfe. 353 14 «^ the, 248 7 /or their r. your. 38610 for our r. their ^57 14- /^ ^^^s lay up, r. do thus^ 401 5 /)r ears r. eyes, provide. 402 4 r. of which z«/r/2r/?, 1 fhall *6i 26 /or fort the time, &c. r, fefr. «Kf^ it w/// be, &c. ^o"t> refpefting the time and 460 ly for 'S7Q(To