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covered and restored to a spiritual and Divine Life.

There are others of our Saviour's Parables that bear a near Affinity to thefe laft mentioned, and have the fame general Defign: Such is that which he propofeth. to the Pharisee who was fecretly offended at him for suffering a Woman that was a Sinner, and who stood weeping behind him; as he fat at Meat, to wash his Feet with her Tears, and anoint them with Ointment, which he had brought in an Alabaster-Box for that Purpose: There was, faith he, a certain Creditor, which had two Debtors; the one owed him five hundred Pence, and the other fifty. And, when they had Nothing to pay, be frankly forgave them both. Tell me, therefore, which of these will love him moft? Luke vii. 40, 41, 42, 43. And upon the Pharifee's Anfwering, I fuppofe. that he to whom moft is forgiven, he applies this to the Cafe of that Woman, and declares, Ver. 47, Her Sins, which are many, are forgiven her; for fhe loved much. But to whom little is forgiven, the fame loveth little. The Parable is well chofen to fignify the free Grace and Mercy of God towards those that had been great Offenders, and who return to him by a true Repentance; and that fuch Perfons, when really converted, often have a more strong and lively

lively Senfe of their Obligations to the Divine Goodness, than thofe that think they have only few, or fmall, Sins to be forgiven.

To this may be added the remarkable Parable of the Pharifee and Publican, Luke xviii. 9-14, which the Evangelift introduceth with obferving, that Jefus Spake this Parable unto certain which trufted in themfelves, that they were righteous, and defpifed others: Two Men went up into the Temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, the other a Publican. The Pharifee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other Men are, Extortioners, Unjuft, Adulterers, or even as this Publican. I faft twice in the Week, I give Tithes of all that I poffefs. And the Publican, ftanding afar off, would not lift up fo much as his Eyes unto Heaven, but fmote upon his Breaft, faying, God be merciful to me a Sinner. I tell you, This Man went down to his Houfe juftified rather than the other; for every one that exalteth himself shall be abafed, and he that bumbleth himself fhall be exalted. Nothing could more aptly fhew the Mercy of God to the humble and fincere Penitent, and how much better he is pleafed with one of this Character, than with the proud Self-Jufticiary, puffed up with

a vain

a vain Conceit of his own Righteousness and Merits.

But, though our Saviour maketh the most encouraging Declarations of the Divine Grace and Mercy towards true Penitents, yet he takes Care to guard Men against an Abuse of the Divine Mercy, by representing to them that they could not hope for the Favour of God, if they continued to allow themfelves in a Course of prefumptuous Sin and Difobedience.

This leads me to obferve, Fourthly, That fome of his Parables are particularly defigned to fhew the Infufficiency of bare external Profeffions or Privileges, when not accompanied with the Fruits of Piety and Righteousness, and the Obedience of an holy Life. This is fignified by that parabolical Representation, Luke xiii. 25, 26, 27. When once the Mafter of the Houfe is rifen up, and bath fut too the Door, and ye begin to ftand without, and ta knock at the Door, faying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall anfwer and fay unto you, I know you not whence you are. you are. Then Shall ye begin to Jay, We have eaten and drank in thy Prefence, and thou haft taught in our Streets. But he shall fay, I tell you I know you not whence you are; depart from me, ye Workers of Iniquity. This is one Thing alfo fignified in the Parable of the ten Virgins, as I may have Occafion

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to obferve afterwards. The Parable of the Fig-tree, Luke xiii. 6, 7, 8, 9, is applicable to the Cafe of particular Profeffors of Religion, as well as to that of the Jewish Nation in general; and reprefenteth, in a very lively Manner, the Punishment that shall be inflicted upon thofe who continue unfruitful under great Advantages and Means of Grace and Improvement: A certain Man had a Fig-Tree in his Vineyard; and he came and fought Fruit thereon, and found none. Then faid he unto the Dreffer of his Vineyard, Behold, these three Years I came feeking Fruit on this Fig-Tree, and find none: Cut it down, why cumbereth it the Ground? And he, anfwering, faid unto him, Lord, let it alone this Year alfo, till Ifball dig about it, and dung it; and, if it bear Fruit, well; and, if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down. And the fame feems to have been the principal Design of that symbolical Action of his, the Curfing the Fig-Tree that had Leaves and no Fruit: It was not for it's own Sake, but to convey an useful Instruction (as the Prophets were fometimes wont to inftruct by Actions as well as Words) to make Men fenfible, that mere outward Profeffions, how fpecious foever, like the Leaves upon that Tree, which made a very fair and promifing Appearance, if not accompanied with fuitable

Fruits,

Fruits, would be of no Avail to their Acceptance with God, but rather expofe them to his juft Difpleasure.

Fifthly, Others of our Saviour's Parables feem particularly defigned to engage us to a perfevering Affiduity and Earneftness in Prayer, Prayer is a neceffary and important Part of Divine Worship; the due Exercife of which is greatly conducive to the keeping up a Senfe of Religion in the World, and of our continual Dependence upon God, for all the Bleflings we stand in Need of; and, when rightly performed, it hath a manifeft Tendency to exercise and improve holy and devout Affections in our Hearts: But Men are very apt to degenerate into a cold Formality in Prayer, and to content themfelves with fome lifeless fpiritlefs Petitions offered up in a careless negligent Way; and to faint and grow weary, if they think their Petitions are not immediately answered. Our blessed Saviour therefore, who took great Care to urge and inforce this Duty of Prayer upon us, both by his Precept, and by his own Example, hath recommended it to us to be earnest and importunate in this facred Exercife. This Importunity doth not confift in our ufing many Words, and vain Repetitions, as if we were to be beard for our much Speaking, which is what he exprefly warneth us against ;

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