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den of guilt and sin. But, miserable and deluded men that we were! notwithstanding we thus afflicted our bodies, and performed such rigorous penances, we still remained in doubt as before; so that we knew not how we stood before God. Or if our consciences were lulled into security, we were still in a worse condition; as it was a false security, derived from a belief that God would have respect to our works.

Let us now observe how it was with the servant in the parable. When his lord saw him thus sorrowful, and imploring his clemency, he, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. He did not give him a certain time wherein he should pay the debt, neither did he compound with him for a certain part thereof: but he forgave him the whole sum. Thus also it is with us; when we find ourselves overwhelmed with sin, when we have endeavoured in vain to release ourselves therefrom, and when we have despaired of being saved by our own works; then are we willing to accept of salvation through the merits of Christ alone, as a gracious and merciful gift. When the Lord seeth us thus contrite and humble, he taketh the burden of sin from us, and freely forgiveth us all we owe.

Let it be remembered, however, that God doth not forgive us on account of any merit which he findeth in us, but because he hath respect to an humble and contrite heart; as David saith, Psalm li. "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise." He therefore that is truly humble and penitent, who is sensible that he is not able to help himself, but desireth help of the Lord, is in the right way to heaven. But he that trusteth either wholly or in part to his own works, is not in the right way: for the gospel plainly declareth that we must be saved by grace alone.

Thus much may suffice concerning the first part of the text, which treats of the dealings of the lord with his servant: we will now attend to the second part, which relates to the conduct of the servant toward his fellow-servant.

We are told in the parable, that the servant, after his lord had forgiven him the debt, went out, and finding one of his fellow-servants who owed him a small sum, he laid hands on him, dealt rigorously with him, and demanded payment of his debt; and though his fellow-servant fell at his feet, and implored his forbearance, yet he showed him no mercy, but cast him into prison.

I have elsewhere said, that although God needeth not our good works, yet he requireth them of us, in order that our faith may be made manifest thereby. And surely, if we love God, we shall also love our neighbour; and if our hearts be filled with gratitude to him who hath been so merciful to us, that he hath forgiven us all our transgressions, we shall certainly show mercy to our fellow-creatures. But many who profess to have received faith, do even as this servant did. They are haughty and imperious, tyrannical and oppressive, exacting of others whatever the law requireth, even to the last farthing. They think they have a right to do what they please with their own, provided they do not transgress the laws of justice. They do not consider, that if God had exacted justice of them, they would have been delivered to Satan, and cast down to hell forever.

Such persons can indeed talk and dispute much about the gospel; they have perhaps laid aside, in some degree, their vicious habits; they may have been so far enlightened that they can discern what they ought to do, and what they ought not to do; but they have not the love of God abiding in their hearts, for if they had, we should see it manifested by their

works.

The condition of such persons is worse than it would have been, if they had never heard the gospel; because they sin against great light. Peter, speaking of those who had escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Saviour Jesus Christ, but had become again entangled therein, declareth, that "the latter end is worse with them than the beginning ;" and that "it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them." Christ also saith, Mat. xii. "When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry paces, seeking rest, and finding none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept and garnishen. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first." Thus we see that although God needeth not our good works, yet he requireth them to be directed toward our neighbour; and that when he hath enlightened our minds by the preaching of his word, and shown us the way wherein we should walk, if we depart therefrom, he will visit us with heavy and severe chastise

ments.

In the same manner God dealeth with cities and with kingdoms. When he hath given them great light and understanding of his ways, if they still continue in wickedness, he sendeth terrible judgments upon them. Before the Jews were carried captive to Babylon, God warned them by his holy prophets, and also sent the good king Josiah to reign over them; but when they continued in wickedness, he punished them according to their deserts. Before he destroyed the Egyptians, he preached to them by Moses and Aaron. Likewise, before the deluge, he

sent the patriarch Noah, a preacher of righteousness; but as men did not repent, but increased in wickedness, God determined to destroy the whole world, save righteous Noah and his family. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were likewise destroyed, because they would not hearken to Lot, a righteous man, and one that feared God.

Thus we see, that although God is very merciful and long-suffering toward those that offend him, yet, when they resist all his gracious methods to recover them from their sins, and bring them back to their duty, he executeth terrible vengeance upon them, as happened in the case of these cities and nations. Let us therefore take heed to ourselves, that we obey the gospel which we have received, and live according to its precepts for if we do not, God will execute his vengeance against us, and deal with us even as the lord did with the servant in the parable; he will deliver us to Satan to be tormented forever.

SERMON XIII

LUKE, Chap. i. From the 68th to the 79th verses, inclusive.

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the house of his servant David:

70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

72 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

74 That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our ife.

And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest, for hou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways:

77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins,

78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

THESE are the words of that godly man Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist. In the preceding part of this chapter, the evangelist informs us, that as Zacharias was executing the priest's office in the temple, being then advanced in years, and as yet without issue, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and announced to him that his wife Elisabeth should conceive and bear a son, and that he should call his name John. That he should be great in the sight of the Lord, and filled with the Holy Ghost from his mother's womb; and that he should go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

But Zacharias, doubting of what the angel had informed him, because both he and his wife were well stricken in years, required a sign by which he should know that these things should come to pass; whereupon the angel said unto him, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to show thee these glad tidings: And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." Accordingly, Zacharias was dumb until his son was born; and when they made signs to him to know how he should be called, he asked for a writing table, and wrote according to the words of the angel, that his name should be John. Immediately after this, the tongue of Zacharias was loosed, and being filled with the Holy Ghost, he prophesied in the words of the text.

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