render it just that he should be punished eternally, while there is no danger of the believer in this respect, though he commit much greater crimes than the unbeliever. On the one hand we have the wisdom of God, and on the other hand, we have the wisdom, I was just going to say, of man; but the text says, "To whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more." As I cannot say, the wisdom of man, I will leave the reader to say, so as not to give offence! See Titus ii. 11, 12. "For the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men, hath appeared, teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously and godly in this present world." Now if the grace of God teach thus, is it not supposable that we do not have this teaching unless we are taught it by this grace? And if so, then by this teaching more duty is made known, more is required, and greater is the punishment in case of disobedience.

Perhaps some enquiring mind may wish to ask, in this place, whether the grace of God, in extending our knowledge, by its teaching, and consequently our duty, is a blessing on the whole? To this it may be proper to reply, that as all rational happiness consists with a proper and just exercise of those abilities and graces which our heavenly Father has mercifully bestowed on us, the higher we rise, and the broader we extend in the knowledge of moral holiness, righteousness and truth, the more happy we are capable of being, while disposed to do our master's will.

That man who, while he professes to glory in the goodness of God to him, and to rejoice that he has obtained a pardon of his sins for Christ's sake

and at the same time condemns, his neighbor, espe cially if he condemn him to endless misery, is the character to which the above parable justly applies. In such an one where is that meek and quiet spirit which, in the sight of God, is an ornament of great price? Where is that divine charity which never faileth? Where is that faith which works by love and purifies the heart? Where is that hope which maketh not ashamed, because the love of God is shed abroad in the heart?

Christian reader, our blessed Redeemer has manifested in his life, delineated in his preaching, and required in his commands, that duty which comports with his doctrine of divine mercy. He came into the world to seek and to save that which was lost: God sent not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. God commended his love towards us, in that, while we were sinners Christ died for us. God required no condition of the creature, in relation to the above grace; man did not even ask God to make the promise of the Saviour, nor did God promise this gift on conditions. This gift is the foundation of our salvation, and this foundation is universal. There is no exception; the Jew and the Gentile are here alike embraced. The one mediator gave himself a ranson for all; he tasted death for every man; he was delivered for our offences, and rose again for our justification. Thus God has manifested pardon, forgiveness, and justification of all men, to those who know the truth as it is in Jesus. Here then is the proper ground on which the believer ought to forgive his fellow-servant, as his lord has forgiven him. If, contrary to the above argument,

God had revealed, through Christ, that but a small part of the human race were embraced in the dispensation of mercy, and that but a few were justified in Christ, through the redemption of his blood, then that the character of the believer might be like that of his master, he must extend forgiveness in the same limited circle. And though he obtain forgiveness of his many sins, even of ten thousand talents, yet if he find one of his fellowservants who owes him but an hundred pence, why should he forgive him, if he does not believe him to be a subject of divine pardon? If he believe this his fellow-servant to be an object of eternal vengeance, and doomed to endless torments, would it not be a light thing if he should take him by the throat, saying, pay me that thou owest? Surely God does not require us to be more merciful than himself; and as a general thing, it may be remarked, that religious people copy the character which they attribute to God. The Popish inquisition was significant of their views of divinity; and every order of professing christians have something by which it is easy to determine the character of their deity. That unforgiving spirit which people attribute to the divine being, they will, generally, more or less, justify in themselves. But the consequences they cannot avoid to the tormentors they must be delivered, until they are willing to forgive their fellow-servants. Just as much unforgiveness as any soul possesses, just so much torment it must feel, and must continue to feel the same, until it ceases to possess this unforgiving spirit.

K2

PARABLE XX.

"For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire laborers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the laborers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place, and said unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise, And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, call the laborers, and give them their hire, beginning with the last. unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the good man of the house, saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day. But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last

but few chosen."

for many be called MAT. XX. 1-16.

THIS parable contains the meaning of the words of Christ in the close of the former chapter,

where he saith, "But many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first."

1st. The pharisees are represented by the laborers who were first hired, who bore the burden and heat of the day.

2d. The disciples of Christ, whom he called by his grace from among the publicans and sinners, are intended by those who were sent, or invited, into the vineyard at the eleventh hour.

3d. God's divine purpose in making mankind equal, is intended by the householder's paying the laborers all alike the same sum.

4th. The great objection which the pharisees held against Christ and his doctrine being this, he preached the same favor, life and salvation, to those whom they despised for their wickedness, and for their vileness looked on them with utter contempt, as to themselves who were so holy in their own esteem, as to thank God that they were not like other men, is meant by the laborers murmuring at the good man of the house, saying, "These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, who have borne the burden and heat of the day.

5th. That publicans and harlots should enter the kingdom of heaven before the scribes and pharisees, is shown by their receiving their money first who were hired last; which answers to the saying alluded to, "the last shall be first."

6th. That the pharisees would finally be accepted, is seen in that those also who were first hired received their penny last; which answers to the saying alluded to, "the first shall be last."

7th. That the pharisees had no reason to find fault at the salvation of those whom they called