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him for Mercy! And at the fame Time. Nothing can poffibly place the great Guilt and Unreasonableness of an hard uncompaffionate Temper towards our offending Fellow-Creatures in a ftronger Light; nor could any Thing more convincingly fhew the Neceffity of our forgiving the Injuries done to us by others, in order to our obtaining the Forgiveness of our own Sins from God; or imprefs our Hearts with a more lively Senfe of the juft Condemnation and Punishment we fhall draw upon ourfelves from an holy and righteous God by a contrary Conduct.

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The Lord grant that the excellent Inftructions, contained in the Parables that have been mentioned, may fink deep into our Hearts: That, according to the Intention of them, we may guard against an inordinate Love to this vain World, and make a right Use of it's Poffeffions and Enjoyments; that we may have our Hearts filled with an univerfal Benevolence towards Mankind, fo as to be ready to do Good to all Men, as far as we have Ability and Opportunity; and that we may exercise an amiable forgiving Difpofition towards our offending Fellow-Creatures. By fuch a Conduct we fhall approve ourselves Chrift's faithful Difciples, and fhall fhew that his VOL. IV. R admirable

admirable Inftructions have had their proper Effect upon us: And then fhall we be able to lift up our Heads with Joy in the great Day of his final Appearance, when he shall come in Glory to judge the World, and to complete the Salvation of thofe that believe and obey him.

On

On the Parables of our Saviour.

DISCOURSE XIII.

MATTHEW xiii. 3.

And be Spake many Things unto them in Parables.

N my last Difcourfe I entered upon the

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Confideration of those of our Saviour's Parables that are of a religious and moral Nature: And it was obferved, that, for the most Part, each of thefe Parables appears to have one principal Point of Inftruction in View, which it is the fpecial Design of that Parable to recommend and inforce. I have already confidered those Parables that feem to be efpecially defigned to guard us against an incrdinate Love to this prefent World, and to engage us to make a R 2 right

right Ufe of worldly Riches; as also those that are intended to recommend an univerfal Benevolence, or a Readiness to do Good to all Men, as far as we have Opportunity; and to engage us to exercife a forgiving Difpofition towards thofe that have offended and injured us. I now proceed to observe,

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Thirdly, That others of Christ's Parables are particularly defigned to engage and encourage Sinners to Repentance, by reprefenting the Mercies of God towards fincere Penitents, and the Complacency he takes in them. It was one principal Defign of our Saviour's Coming, as he himfelf declareth, to call Sinners to Repentance. Matt. ix. 13. And Nothing could poffibly have a happier Tendency this Way, than to make them fenfible that, though their Sins might have been many and aggravated, yet, if they really repented and were converted, God would be ready to receive them to Favour, and even delight in them, notwithstanding their past Offences. This therefore is the Defign of feveral of his Parables, especially of the three that are recorded by St. Luke, Chap. xv. are told, in the Beginning of that Chapter, That then drew near unto him all the Publicans and Sinners for to bear him. And the Pharifees and Scribes murmured, faying, This Man receiveth Sinners, and eateth with

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them. On this Occafion therefore he propofed fome familiar Parables, excellently fitted both to encourage Sinners to Repentance, and at the fame Time to reprefs the Murmurings of the Scribes and Pharifees, who blamed him for Converfing with Sinners, though it was in order to the inftructing and reclaiming them.

The Images, made Ufe of in the two firft of thefe Parables, are very plain and familiar, accommodated to the meaneft Capacities. The one is of a Man, who, baving an hundred Sheep, if he happens to lofe one of them, leaves the other ninetynine, and goes after that which was loft, and, having found it, expreffeth a more fenfible Joy upon the Recovery of that one, than over the reft of the Flock that had not gone aftray. The other is of a Woman, that, having ten Pieces of Silver, and lofing one of them, fearcheth diligently till he hath found it, and then calleth her Friends and Neighbours to rejoice with her. Our Saviour applieth the first of these Parables thus: I fay unto you, that likewife Joy fhall be in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just Perfons, that need no Repentance. Ver. 7. This is not to be taken in the utmost Strictness and Rigour, as if, abfolutely fpeaking, one that had finned and repented R 3

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