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ed, and apply them to our own Cafe, confidering that they are not defigned merely to amuse and entertain us, but to direct and influence us to a proper Temper and Conduct. Let the amiable Representations, that our Saviour hath made to us of God's marvellous Loving-Kindness towards penitent returning Sinners, engage those of us that have gone on in a Courfe of Sin and Difobedience to forfake our evil Ways and to return to God with all our Hearts, cafting ourselves wholly on his infinite Grace and fovereign Mercy: And, the more is forgiven us, we should love him the more.

Let all be

careful to maintain that humble Frame of Spirit which our Lord recommendeth, and be far from a vain-glorious Boafting and Confidence in our own Righteoufnefs and Merits; and at the fame Time we should be thoroughly fenfible of, what he fo ftrongly inculcateth, the abfolute Neceffity of real Holinefs of Heart and Life; and that without this no mere external Profesfions, how fpecious foever, will be of any Avail to our Acceptance with God, and to our eternal Salvation. Since our Saviour hath faid fo much to encourage us to a perfevering Earneftness and Importunity in Prayer, let us be fervent and affiduous in that facred Exercife: And, finally, let us, according to the Inftructions he hath given S 3

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us, add to our Prayers a conftant Watchfulness, as becometh thoje that wait for the Coming of our Lord, that we may not be surprised unprepared, but may he admitted to our Mafter's Joy. Happy fhall we be, if these excellent Leffons of our heavenly Teacher be thus reduced by us into Practice; which will mightily tend to his Honour, and to our own unspeakable Comfort and Adyantage, both here and hereafter.

On

On the Parables of our Saviour.

DISCOURSE XIV.

MATTHEW xiii. 3.

And he spake many Things unto them in Parables.

T

HE Parables of our Lord Jefus Christ afford a useful and noble Subject for our Thoughts: They are generally defigned to convey excellent religious and moral Inftructions, and, with Regard to most of them, it may be observed, that each Parable hath fome one principal Point of Inftruction in View, which it is the fpecial Design of that Parable to recommend and inforce: Inftances of which have been already confidered.

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But it may also be obferved, that there are others of our Saviour's Parables which take a larger Compafs, and which feem intended to inculcate feveral important Leffons, or Points of Inftruction, in Doctrine and Practice.

Some of the Parables that were mentioned before, concerning the Nature of Chrift's Kingdom, feem to be of this Kind; as particularly that excellent Parable of the Sower, and that of the Tares, both which abound with a Variety of Inftructions. But, not to infift further upon these which have been already taken Notice of, that remarkable Paffage of the rich Man and Lazarus, Luke xvi. 19-31, deferves to be diftinctly confidered, for the many excellent Inftructions it contains. The first Part of that Parable prefenteth us with a lively Image of a rich Man living in great Splendor, and flowing with Wealth and Luxury; and of a poor but good Man, reduced to the greatest Want and Penury: There was a certain Man which was clothed in Purple and fine Linen, and fared fumptuously every Day; and there was a certain Beggar (a poor Man, as the Word there ufed might better be rendered, and as our Tranflators have conftantly rendered it in other Places) named Lazarus, which was laid at his Gate, full of Sores; and defiring

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to be fed with the Crumbs that fell from the rich Man's Table; moreover the Dogs came and licked his Sores. Ver. 19, 20, 21. It is observable, that the rich Man here is not charged with enormous Vices, with Fraud, Injustice, and open Acts of Oppreffion and Violence; or with fordid Avarice and Niggardliness, which would not suffer him to enjoy what he poffeffed: But his Fault lay in this, that the Use he made of his Wealth was only to pamper the Flesh, and make Provifion for a Life of Luxury and Eafe, to which he wholly gave up himfelf; whilst he took no Care to do Good with his Riches, and was infensible to the Wants and Miseries of others: Which conveyeth to us this important Inftruction, that not only an openly vicious and profligate Life, but the being immersed in the Love of the World, and it's Enjoyments and Pleasures, together with a Neglect of doing Good, where there is an Ability for it, conftituteth an immoral Character in the Sight of God, and will expose Persons to just Punishment, in a future State of Retribution: And that there is no greater Enemy to true Piety and Virtue, nor a more dangerous Snare, than a sensual voluptuous Frame and Course, which is generally attended with haughty Pride, and a Contempt

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