concludes with that remarkable Maxim, which I had Occafion to take Notice of before, Unto every one that hath fhall be given, and he shall have Abundance; but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Another Inftance of a Parable, abounding with various and admirable Instructions, is that of the Marriage-Feaft. We have the Subftance of it in Luke xiv. 16-24: And afterwards, when he came to Jerufalem, a little before his laft Sufferings, he delivered it more fully, and with fome Variations and Enlargements. Matt. xxii. 2-14. This Parable is fo contrived, that, befides the clear Intimation that is given in it, as I had Occafion to observe before, of the Rejection of the Jews, and of the Calling of the Gentiles, it contains feveral excellent Points of Inftruction of great Ufe in all Ages, fuch as the Freedom and Univerfality of the Gofpel Offers, and the marvellous Grace and condescending Goodnefs of God in inviting Sinners, even those of them that feemed to be most unworthy, to a Participation of the most glorious Benefits; the ungrateful Reception and Entertainment thefe kind Offers would meet with among the Generality of thofe to whom the Gospel should be published; the true Caufe of Mens' rejecting or making Light

of

of the gracious Invitation, viz. their hav ing their Hearts poffeffed with an inordinate Love to this prefent World, and being immerfed in it's Pleafures, Interefts, or Cares; and, laftly, the utter Infufficiency of a mere outward Profeffion of Religion without real Holinefs and a Converfation becoming the Gospel of Chrift, which is fignified by the Exclufion and Punishment of that Man that is represented as fitting down to the Feast without a Wedding-Garment. All these Things are beautifully figured in this Parable, in a Manner that is very fit to make an Impreffion, and the Design of which is fufficiently plain to an attentive Mind.

The like Obfervation may be made, with Regard to the Parable of the ten Virgins, Matt. xxv. 1-13. It exhibiteth a just Reprefentation of the State of the Church, in which there is a Mixture of fincere and unfound Profeffors. They all pretend to have a great Regard for their Lord, and to wait for his Coming: But fome of them content themfelves with mere external Profeffions, without the inward abiding Principles of Grace in their Hearts, or the Virtues of an holy Life: Others of them act a more wife and confiftent Part, and take Care to get their Souls furnished with those excellent Habits, those holy and vir

tuous

、

tuous Principles and Difpofitions, which fhine forth in a well ordered Life and Converfation. All this is fignified here in Allufion to the Custom that then obtained among the Jews in celebrating Marriages: When we are told, that the Kingdom of Heaven (i. e. the Gospel Difpenfation, or State of the Chriftian Church) fhall be likened unto ten Virgins, which took their Lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom. And five of them were wife, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their Lamps, and took no Oil with them: But the Wife took Oil in their Veffels with their Lamps. Ver. 1, 2, 3, 4. The feeming Delay of our Lord's Coming, and the Suddennefs of it at laft, at a Time when he is not expected, with the Surprise which this shall occafion, is reprefented in a moft lively Manner, Ver. 5, 6, 7. While the Bridegroom tarried, they all flumbered and slept. And at Midnight there was a Cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all thofe Virgins arofe, and trimmed their Lamps. The following Words fet before us the Confternation that shall then feize the formal hypocritical Profeffors, and their ineffectual Endeavours to prepare themselves, when it is too late. Ver. 8, 9, 10. And the Foolish faid unto the Wife, Give us of your Oil; for our Lamps are VOL. IV. gone

T

gone out. But the Wife anfwered, faying, Not fo; left there be not enough for us and you; but go ye rather to them that fell, and buy for your felves. And, while they went to buy, the Bridegroom came. The laft Part of the Parable reprefenteth the happy Reception thofe fhall meet with who were prepared for their Lord's Coming, not merely by an outward Profeffion, but by real Holiness and perfevering Obedience; whilft the others fhall be irremediably excluded from the Joys of his beatific Prefence. Ver. 10, 11, 12. And they that were ready went in with him to the Marriage, and the Door was fout. Afterwards came alfo the other Virgins, faying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But be answered and faid, Verily 1 fay unto you, I know you not. Our Lord concludes this Parable with this important Exhortation: Watch therefore, for ye know neither the Day nor the Hour, wherein the Son of Man cometh. Ver. 13.

And now, having gone through all that we proposed to confider, with Relation to our Saviour's Parables, as recorded in the Writings of the Evangelifts, it appeareth, upon this brief View of them, that they contain an admirable Variety of excellent Leffons, delivered in the moft agreeable and affecting Manner, relating to Things of the highest Importance to our Duty and

our

our Happiness. One would therefore be apt to wonder, that there fhould have been Perfons that have made our Saviour's making fo much Ufe of Parables an Objection against his Way of Teaching, when it is no fmall Proof of the Excellency of it. There is no Man of Tafte that would wish thefe Parables out of the Gospel, which are far better fitted to ftrike the Mind, to affect the Heart, and fix upon the Memory, than if the fame Things had been expreffed in the common Way without any Figure at all. Whofoever impartially confidereth them will find Reafon to admire their Beauty and Variety, their Propriety and Juftness, the useful Inftructions they yield, and the eafy and familiar Way in which they convey those Inftructions: They are, for the most Part, plain and accommodated to common Capacities, and yet capable of inftructing and delighting the most Judicious. They are not like the allegorical Fables of Plato, and fome others of the Ancients, fine indeed, but, for the most Part, too abftracted and philosophical for the common People: Nor is there any Thing of that monftrous Extravagance which is to be found in many of the Jewish Fables, as delivered in their Talmuds. Inftead therefore of cavilling at this Way of Inftruction, we should admire the Goodness

T 2