of great price, which ought to be the great object of the Christian's anxiety and care'. Again, in how impressive a manner, in the Parable of the man, to whom, after he had built his barns, and enlarged his stores, and, as he believed, had provided himself enjoyment for many years, it was said, This night shall thy soul be required of thee, did he describe the awful condition of those, who lay up treasure for themselves and are not rich towards God. Again, how solemn is the lesson, which we derive from the simple narrative of the wise and foolish virgins and of the lord returning from the weddings:-Watch, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. Lastly, what can be more awful than the representation, which is contained in the Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus, of the dreadful condition of those persons in the next world, who, amidst the riches, and pleasures, and gratifications of this life, have not made preparation for a better".

2. There are other Parables, again, which describe the state of mind, which is necessary to fit us for the reception of the Gospel mercies. The Parable of the Pharisee and the Publican has been already alluded to, as descriptive of that humility of heart, which can alone enable us to embrace with thankfulness the offers of mercy,

1 Matth. 44-46.

3 Matth. xxv. 1—13.

Luke xii. 35-40.

2 Luke xii. 16-21.

4 Matth. xxv. 13. Compare ch. xxiv. 42. 44. Luke xii. 40, &c.

5 Luke xvi. 19-31.

which God makes, for the sake of the Redeemer, to every humble believer, to every contrite and penitent offender! What can be more striking, than the beauty and simplicity of the Parable of The unforgiving Servant; in which our Lord has taught us, what we must expect at the hands of our heavenly Father, unless we from our hearts forgive every man his brother their trespasses' ; a duty, which is enforced by our Lord in so impressive a manner, when he teaches us to pray, that God would forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that trespass against us; and which St Paul has urged by a motive, which must be irresistible to him, who considers for whose sake we hope to receive forgiveness of our great and manifold offences against our heavenly Father,when he exhorts us to be "kind, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God, for Christ's sake, hath forgiven us." How eminently was the Parable of The good Samaritans calculated not only to reprove the particular prejudices, against which it was directed by our Saviour; but also to instruct Christians of every age, that no difference of rank or station, no distinctions of nation or religion, ought to restrain that charitable and affectionate feeling towards all, by which we most of all resemble our heavenly Father, who maketh his sun to shine on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust; and who, above all, commended his love

6 Matth. xviii. 23-35.

8 Luke x. 30-37.

7 Ephes. iv. 32.

9 Matth. v. 45.

towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us'. And if we fear, that our sinfulness in the sight of God will cause him to withold his mercies from us, he has instructed us in the Parable of the Two Debtors, and in the whole of the interesting scene with which it is connected, that he will not despise a broken and contrite heart3, and that whosoever cometh to him in such a spirit, he will in no wise cast him out*.

3. There are also other Parables, which are of an eminently practical character: for instance, The parable of the talents, and that of The nobleman, who went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. These Parables represents to us with a plainness, which it is impossible to mistake, and with a power which it is impossible to evade, the nature of the talents which are entrusted to us all, and of the account which we are to give of the use which we have made of them ;-though the last Parable appears also to have especial reference to the Jews, and to the punishment with which God would visit them for rejecting their Redeemer. Of the same plain and obvious character also is the instruction contained in the Parables of The salt of the earth, of The city set on an hill, and of The light put under a bushel;-interpreted as they are by our Saviour, who has not only enforced upon us, from the consideration of these Parables, the duty of

1 Rom. v. 8.

4 John vi. 37.

2 Luke vii. 36-50.

5 Matth. xxv. 14―30.

3 Psalm Li: 17.

6 Luke xix. 11-27.

7 Luke v. 27; and see Macknight Harm. Part. 11. Sect. 109.

8 Matth. v. 13-16.

Christian exertion, but has also instructed us in the object to which it should be directed: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

4. There are again other Parables, which are prophetical for instance, that in which our Lord,-under the similitude of "a grain of mustard-seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof," foretold the universal extension of his religion. In another Parable,-under the similitude of "leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened," he describes the manner in which his religion would make its way, till it gradually extended its blessed influence through every portion of the world. "Peculiar as this comparison is, none could be found which should more justly characterize the nature of the progress of the Gospel. Not compelling proselytes by force of arms, as the religion of Mohammed afterwards: but so hidden at first, that we are obliged to seek carefully for traces of its growth in the history of nations; yet maintaining its place and effecting its purpose; gradually ameliorating the laws, and changing the moral aspect of the countries where it was received: and insinuating its renovating views of God and man into the hearts of those

with whom it came in contact'." And experience will prove, that this is the general method of God's working, in the religious advancement both of individuals and of great communities. "The

kingdom of God," as our divine Master has said, "cometh not with observation;" and though we are assured of the blessing of heaven on every well-directed effort for the advancement of religion, yet it is evident, that the greatest moral and religious changes are generally brought about in such a manner, as to demonstrate the hand of Providence in their success3.

Another Parable of a prophetical character is the Parable of the Marriage Supper, which is recorded by St Luke; in which our Lord represented the rejection of the Jews and the calling of the Gentiles to be the peculiar people of God.

But perhaps one of the most striking, of the prophetical Parables of our Saviour, is that of the householder and the husbandmen, to whom the lord of the vineyard, having at different times sent his servants, at length sent to them his son; whom, however, "they caught, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him." Of the plainness, with which our Lord pointed out that, which was his great object in this impressive Parable, the guilt of the Jewish people, in the first instance, in rejecting the prophets, and last of all in crucifying himself, their Redeemer and

1 Bp. Sumner, Evidences, p. 171.

2 Luke xvii. 20.

3 Compare with this the Parable of the seed which sprang up imperceptibly, Mark iv. 26-29.

4 Ibid. xiv. 16-24.

5 Matth. xxi. 33-46.