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execution; he arose, and with the utmost expedition came to his father.

A scene of tenderness and affection amazingly pathetic, now presents itself to our view! His kind, his affectionate father saw him while he was yet afar off; his bowels yearned towards him, he had compassion on his lost, his ruined child: paternal fondness would not suffer him to forbear, he ran to meet him, he fell on his neck, he kissed him. Encouraged by this kind reception, the son fell down at his father's feet, and began to make confession of his faults, to plead his own unworthiness, to request his father's pardon; "Father, (said he) I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." He was not suffered to proceed any farther, the love of his parent prevented the rest; he commanded his servants to bring the best robe, and put it on him, to put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet; and to kill the fatted calf, that they might eat and be merry.: For this my son (said he) was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found."

During this transaction, the elder brother was in the field, properly employed in his father's business; but returning from thence, and hearing the sound of mirth, music, and dancing, he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant? The servant replied, that his younger brother was returned, and that his father had killed the fatted calf, because he had received him safe and sound. This news greatly displeased the elder son; he was very angry, and refused to go in, upon which his father came out and intreated him; but he replied, “Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf." Luke xv. 29, &c.

His father, with the most amiable condescending tenderness, replied, "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine: it was meet that we should make merry and be glad for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found." Though he hath devoured my living with harlots, yet he is both thy brother and my son; thou shouldst not, therefore, be angry, because he has repented, and is returned, after we thought him irrecoverably lost.

Thus beautifully did our Lord represent the work of grace on the heart of mau, from the first conviction of sin, to the absolute confession of it, shewing at the same time there can be no true confession without a thorough consciousness of guilt, a sense of our lost state, and an entire reliance on the mercy of God through Christ our Lord.

There are three expositions given of his instructive representation, each of which seems to have some place in the original design; for it should be observed, and carefully remembered, that the parables and doctrines of our Saviour are by no means to be confined absolutely to one single point of view, since they frequently have relation to different objects, and consequently prove the riches and depth of the manifold wisdom of Omnipotence. In this parable, for instance, the great and principal doctrine, intended to be particularly inculcated, is, that sinners, upon their repentance, are gladly received into favour; or that there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth. There are, however, two other expositions of this parable; the first is that of the greatest part of the ancients, who expound it of Adam. He was made in the image of God, and endowed with many other excellent gifts, which he might have used happily, had he been content to stay in his father's house; but, like this house; but, like this younger brother, who foolishly desired his portion of goods to himself, that he might be his own master,"

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and-under no coufinement or restriction, he was unwilling to remain under the obedience of the divine precept; he was desirous of having a free use of things in Paradise, and by the devil's instigation affected a wretched independency, which caused him to break the divine command, and eat of the forbidden tree, to obtain the knowledge of good and evil.

Thus he lost for himself, and his posterity, the substance put at first into his possession; but his heavenly Father on his and his posterity's return, hath provided such grace and compassion for them, that they may be re-instated in their former place and favour.. And the same grace not being granted to the higher order of intellectual beings, the fallen spirits, is the cause of their murmuring against God and men, represented by the answer of their elder brother in this parable; for it is conjectured by many, that the grace originally proposed for men through Christ, in case of his fall, was the principal occasion of the rebellion of the apostate angels.

Others, secondly, with a much greater shew of probability, expound this parable of the two people, the Jews and Gentiles, and who have both one Father, even God. And while they both continued in their Father's house, the true church, they wanted for nothing; there was plenty of food for the soul, there was abundance enough for them both. But the latter represented by the younger brother, possessed of his share of knowledge, went into a strange country, left God, and spent his substance, the evidence and knowledge of the Almighty, fell into idolatry, and wasted all he had in riotous living; all his knowledge of God, in the loose and absurd ceremonies of idolatry. Then behold a mighty famine arose in that land, the worship of the true God was banished the country. In this dreadful dearth and hunger, he joined himself to the devil, and worked all uncleanness with greediness. But finding nothing to satisfy his

spiritual hunger, this prodigal, long es tranged from his father, reflecting on his spiritual famine and his own severe wants, humbly confessed his faults, returned to his offended father, was re-admitted into fayour, and blessed with the privileges of the gospel. But the elder brother, the Jewish church, daily employed in the field of legal, ceremonies, and who had long groaned tiles, received into the covenant of the under the yoke of the law, seeing the Gengospel, obtain the remission of sins, and the hopes of everlasting life, murmured against. the benevolent acts of the Almighty.

God, however, out of bis great compassion, pleaded pathetically the cause with the elder brother, offered him all things, upon supposition of his continuing in his obedience, and declared that he had delivered the nations from the heavy yoke of the ceremonial law. Thus the parable has a very clear and elegant exposition; the murmuring of the elder brother is explained to us without the least difficulty; and as the offence of receiving the Gentiles to pardon and peace through Jesus Christ, was so great a stumbling-block to the Jews, it is natural to imagine, that our Saviour intended to obviate and remove it by this excellent parable.

It is, however, evident, both from the context and the occasion of delivering it, that the third interpretation is the first in design and importance. The publicans and siuners drew near to hear Jesus.

This gave occasion to a murmuring among he pharisees; and upon their murmuring, ur Saviour delivered this and two other parables, to shew, that if they would resemble God, and the celestial host, they should, instead of murmuring, rejoice at seeing sinners willing to embrace the doctrines of the gospel; because there is joy in the presence. of God and his angels over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that "need no repentance.”

The obstinacy and malicious temper of the pharisees, who opposed every good doctrine, made a deep impression on the spirit of the blessed Jesus: he did not, therefore, content himself barely with justifying his receiving ́sinners, in order to their being justified and saved through him, but in presence of the scribes and pharisees, turned himself to hisdisciples, and delivered the parable of the artful steward, as an instance of the improvements made by the children of this world, in embracing every opportunity and advantage for improving their interests.

"There

was, (said he) a certain rich man, which had a steward, and the same was accused unto him, that he had wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, how is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship: for thou mayest be no longer steward." Luke xvi. 1, 2.

This reprimand of his Lord, and the inward conviction of his own conscience, that the accusation was just, induced him to reflect on his own ill-management of his Lord's affairs, and in what manner he should support himself when he should be discharged from his service. "What shall I do? (said he) for my lord taketh away from me the stewardship; 1 cannot dig, to beg I am ashamed." Luke xvi. 3. In this manner he deliberated with himself, and at last resolved on the following expedient, in order to make himself friends, who would succour him in hisdistress. "I am resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses; so he called every one of his lord's debtors unto him, and said unto the first, how much owest thou unto my lord? and he said an hundred measures of oil. And he said unto him, take thy bill, and sit down quickly, and write fifty. Then said he to another, And. how much owest thou ? And he said an hundred measures of wheat. And he said: unto him, take thy bill, and write fourscore." Luke xvi. 4, &c.

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* To illustrate this parable, we beg leave to observe, that the riches and trade of the Jews originally consisted principally in the pro

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ducts of the earth; they were if we may be allowed the expression, a nation of farmers and shepherds; so that all their wealth arose from the produce of their flocks and herds, and the fruits of the earth; their corn, their wine, and their oil.

Thus the steward, to secure the friendship of his lord's tenants, bound them to him, under a lasting obligation: and his master, when he heard of the proceedings of his steward, commended him, not because he had acted honestly, but because he had act ed wisely he commended the art and address he had shewn in procuring a future substance; he commended the prudence and ingenuity he had used with regard to his own private interest, and to deliver him from future poverty and distress. "For the children of this world (added our Saviour) are in their generation wiser than the children of light." They are more prudent and careful, more anxious and circumspect to secure their possessions in this world, than the children of light are to secure in the next an eternal inheritance." And I say unto you, make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness: that when ye fail they may receive you into everlasting habitations," Luke xvi. 9.

This advice of our Saviour is worthy our most serious attention; the best use we can make of our riches being to employ them in promoting the salvation of others. For if we use our abilities and interests in turning sinners from the evil of their ways; if we spend our wealth in this excellent service, we shall conciliate the goodwill of our heavenly Father, who will greatly rejoice at the conversion of sinners, and with open arms receive us into the mansions of felicity.

But this is not the whole application our Saviour made of this parable. He added, that if we made use of our riches in the man ner he recommended, we should be received into those everlasting habitations, where all the friends of virtue and religion reside;

because of our fidelity in managing the small, trust of temporal advantages committed to our care, we shew ourselves worthy and capable of a much greater trust in heavenly employments. But if, on the contrary, we do not apply our riches to the glory of God and the good of mankind, we shall be for ever banished from the abode of the blessed; because, in behaving unfaithfully in the small trust committed to us here, we render ourselves both unworthy and incapable of a share in this everlasting inheritance." He that is faithful in that which is least, is faithful also in much : and he that is unjust in the least, is unjust also in much. If, therefore, ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own ?" Luke xvi. 10, &c.

And if, while ye are God's stewards and servants, ye desert your trust, and become slaves to the desire of riches, you can expect no other than to be called to a strict account of your stewardship; covetousness being as absolutely inconsistent with a true concern for the cause of Christ, as it is for a man to undertake at one and at the same time, to serve two masters of contrary dispositions, and opposite interests. "No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Luke xvi. 13.

Such is the parable, and such is our Lord's application of it from whence the main intention and design of it is very evident. It was intended to incite us to a zealous concern for our future and eternal state, by making a due use of the means of grace, and working out our own salvation with fear and trembling, yet remembering that it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure. And if we thus employ our spiritual talents, No. 10.

we shall joyfully stand at the right hand of the great Judge of all the earth,, and receive from him a public testimony of our faith and love: "Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you, from the beginning of the world for I was an hungry, and ye gave me meat.: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: naked, and ye clothed me I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me." And thus shall we have made ourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, and be received into everlasting habitations.

CHAP. XXIV.

Jesus rebukes the insolent Derision of the Pharisees. Describes, by a Parable, the Nature of future Rewards and Punishments; and enforces the Doctrine of - mutual Forbearance.

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THE doctrines lately delivered by our Lord, being so repugnant to the avaricious principles of the pharisees, they attended, to the doctrine of our Saviour with regard to the true use of riches, and the impossibility of men serving God and mammon, but at the same time they derided him as a visionary speculist, who despised the pleasures of this world, for no other reason, than because he was not able to procure them, It is therefore, no wonder that men, who had shewn such a complication of the very worst dispositions, should receive a sharp rebuke from the meek and humble Jesus: accordingly he told them that they made, indeed, specious pretences to extraordinary sanctity, by outwardly shunning the company of sinners, while in private they made no scruple of having society with them, or even of joining with them in their wickedness, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men, but God knoweth your hearts."-Ye may, indeed, cover the foulness of your

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crimes with the painted cloak of hypocrisy, and in this disguise deceive those who look no farther than the outside, but ye cannot screen your wickedness from the penetrating eye of Omnipotence, to whom all things are naked and exposed, and who judges of things, not by their appearances, but according to truth; it is, therefore, no wonder that he often abhors both persons and things that are held by men in the highest estimation for that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God."

This affected sanctity, while the mind is unrenewed, is an abomination to the God of purity and truth. I reject hypocrisy, and frequent the company of publicans and sinners, to bring about their conversion; the Mosaic dispensation, which made a difference between men, ceasing when John the Baptist first preached the doctrine of repentance; and the gospel dispensation, which admits all repenting sinners, without distinction, then commenced. "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it." Luke xvi. 16.

Think not I mean to destroy, but to fulfil the law, which is of essential and eternal obligation; for till the law is abrogated, the least of its precepts cannot be neglected. "It is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail." Luke xvi. 17.

After treating of these particulars, he proceeded to consider the love of pleasure, so highly valued by the pharisees, whose lust discovered itself by their frequent divorces, a practice which our blessed Saviour justly condemned." Whosoever putteth away his wife, and marrieth another, committeth adultery and whosoever marrieth her that is put away from her husband, committeth adultery." Luke xvi. 18.

These reasons were clear and unanswer

able; but the pharisees stupified and intoxicated with sensual pleasures, were deaf to every argument, how powerful soever, provided it was levelled against their lusts. In order to illustrate this truth, confirm his as sertion, and rouse these hypocritical rulers from their lethargy, he spoke the awakening parable of the rich man and the beggar.

"There was a certain rich man which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate full of sores, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table: moreover (so great was his misery, so exquisite his distress) the dogs came and licked his sores." Thus wretched in life, the Almighty, at last released him, last released him, "the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom." bosom." Nor could the rich man's wealth rescue him from the same fate, "the rich mau also died, and was buried." But behold now the great, the awful change! "In hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and (the late despised and afflicted) Lazarus, in his bosom." In this agony of pain and distress, he cried to Abraham, his earthly father, begging that he would take pity on him, and send Lazarus to give him even the least degree of relief, that of dipping the tip of his finger in water to cool his tongue, for his torment was intolerable. Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted and thou art tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulph fixed; so that they which would pass from hence to you'i cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence. Luke xvi. 24, &c.

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