hope, encouragement, and strength. It is the fulfilment of his promise to send the Comforter, which makes and keeps the soul faithful, in the sought and obtained sympathy of the head with the members, of the glorified Master with his waiting and praying servants. Do we know by sweet experience the privilege and happiness of this interchange of soul with soul? Are we cheering on each other in the journey of life with words of wisdom, and of gospel consolation and love? or is our conversation, our taste, our interest, our enjoyment of a worldly, profitless, dissipating character? Do we forget that the Lord hearkens and hears us all? If our conscience condemn us in this matter, if it tell us that we do not fear the Lord or think upon his name, are we so lost in folly as to suppose that of us the words have been spoken "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels;" or are we so hardened by the evil one, as to feel indifferent to the promise annexed"I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him?"

Iniquity, folly, and indifference prevail around us. May we, my brethren, speak often one to another kindly for preserving and promoting mutual love; but, oh! may we speak faithfully too, for preserving and promoting mutual vigilance ! If we indeed fear the Lord, if we profitably think upon his name, we are seriously

considering and frequently meditating upon the discoveries he has made of himself in his word, and by his providences; and our meditation is sweet and influential within us, for frequent thoughts of the name of God contribute much to create within really devout affections. May he, by making us his true children, and by alike inclining and qualifying us for the conversation and intercourse of godly souls, preserve us safe to that hour when all speech shall end in praise, and all friendships be perfected in Christ!

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SERMON XVII.

THE GOOD SAMARITAN.

LUKE X. 36, 37.

Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour unto him that fell among thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go and do thou likewise.

In the eastern countries there has always been, more or less, a custom of conveying instruction by familiar stories and parables. According to that custom the Rabbis of the Jews used to set forth spiritual things under certain representations or similitudes, taken from ordinary affairs, habits, or objects; and, as some of their records still left fully show, their practice displayed considerable genius and skill. With the most kind condescension our blessed Lord himself adopted this their favourite mode, the more effectually to gain their attention to the heavenly truths he in

troduced. Under an image or picture, as in the instance of David's rebuke by Nathan, reproof was found to gain an easier entrance into their hearts than by any direct condemnatory statement. Though not always, yet in general, the parables our Divine Teacher employed had reference, in the first instance, not so much to the condition of particular believers as to the great questions of the calling of the Gentiles and the rejection of the Jews. Thus, that of the householder, who went out at the ninth and eleventh hours (or the latter end of the day) to hire labourers into his vineyard, seems chiefly to signify the calling of the Gentiles in the latter end of the world, while the complaint of those first hired for being made merely equal to those called afterwards, seems to point out the offence taken by the Jews at the parity of the Gentiles with themselves in the gospel dispensation. So also the parable of the two brothers may denote the state of Jews and Gentiles, the latter of whom, although like the prodigal son, they had before cast off the true religion and run into wickedness, were now, on repentance and faith in Jesus, to be mercifully received into the church with the Jews, their elder brethren. Again, by a description of unthankful husbandmen, to whom a vineyard was let out, and who, for the murder, first of the householder's servants, and then of his son, were themselves eventually destroyed, another parable

sets forth God's judgments on the Jews, who, having resisted and persecuted the old prophets, and crucified the Son of God himself, were now about to be cast off themselves, and to have their kingdom given to another nation, that is, the Gentiles. And, once more, the parable of the persons who, having been invited to the marriage feast, would not come, signified, doubtless, the refusal by the Jews of the terms and offer of the gospel, with their subsequent overthrow, while the inviting those on the highways, imparted clearly the calling of the Gentiles, with its important and extended consequences. In a secondary sense, however, most, or all of these parables may be applied to particular cases and persons, as (to name for the present but one instance of such individual application) the reward allowed to that man who came into the vineyard late, may comfort those to whom the gospel has been savingly revealed only in their old age, but who, as soon as they are hired, or admitted into the covenant of peace, labour in the gospel vineyard their one hour, by discharging to the close of their lives their different Christian duties, with a holy zeal, fidelity, and perseverance.

In harmony with this general view, the parable now to be discoursed on, known by the name of the good Samaritan, has, in the first place, an obvious reference to that narrow and unscriptural boundary within which the Jewish people con