heart, its reasonableness is further exhibited by a parable.

23. Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him which owed him ten thousand talents.

25. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee

all.

27. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt.

This example represents the case of all men, when their accounts with God come to be examined. Think of their youth, which is spent, too often, in disobedience to parents and disobedience to superiors; in perverseness and selfishness; in contempt of God's holy name; in vanity and falsehood. Think of their manhood, which instead of being devoted to the service, and employed in the glory of God, is too commonly given up to pleasure, or directed by ambition or sensual gratification. Or, even supposing that through divine grace, neither youth nor manhood have been wasted in forgetting God, or disobeying him; still, who can bear the exact scrutiny which his omniscient eye has been carrying on throughout all their lives? "There is not a word in my tongue," nor a thought in my heart, "but thou, O God, knowest it altogether." Can any one reflect on this, and not feel the burthen of his debt? He may indeed refuse to look into it,

he may close his eyes against it: but this does not diminish the weight of what he owes, any more than it diminishes the debt of any inconsiderate spendthrift, that he refuses to examine the accounts of his creditor against him. There must be a day of settlement, if no means are used to cancel what is due; there will be a time when the king will come to take account of his servants: and when he begins to reckon, those will be found who owe unto him ten thousand talents.

And as all are alike in this, that they cannot say they have no sin; so all are alike in this also, that they have not to pay. For what can they do? Repent of having sinned? That they may well do but will this make void what is past? It does not discharge a debt, to lament that we incurred it. Or shall they sin no more? That too must be their endeavour: but suppose they could accomplish it, does it discharge a debt now existing, that you do not make that debt larger? Will not the debt still remain that was originally contracted? So that, do all we can, we are like the servant in the parable, and have not to pay.

What then have we to allege in our own behalf, why judgment should be stayed? that God may not deal with us after our sins, nor reward us according to our iniquities? We can indeed do nothing, but fall down and worship God, and beseech him to have patience with us: we can but implore the Redeemer, that as we on our parts have nothing wherewith to pay, he will he will pay all for us; will discharge our debt, will let his life be our ransom.

If

we do this, with hearty repentance and true faith, God has abundantly testified that he will be moved with compassion and forgive us the debt. He will resist obstinacy; he will resist pride; he will resist the self-righteous Pharisee and the hardened sinner; but he will not resist humiliation, and penitence, and prayer: still less will he resist that Saviour who is set down at his right-hand, and has made a full, perfect, and sufficient satisfaction for the sins of all that turn to him.

Let none put off the time of looking into their accounts with God, till the king actually comes to reckon with his servants. Let none go blindly on, without reflecting upon the infinite amount of their debt; but rather, solemnly acknowledge their inability to pay, and humbly beseech the Father to have patience with them, and the Redeemer to pay all for them. To him they must look from first to last. He alone can satisfy God's justice, and give peace with Him; and at the appointed time he alone can present his ransomed people pure and faultless before the throne of God:1 not as they are in themselves, full of error and infirmity, even at the best; but in the "white garments of salvation," their sins being "washed in the blood of the Lamb."

out.

And now consider what may reasonably be expected of those who have been thus forgiven. They had nothing at all to pay, and their debt is blotted And would it not be shocking for one who pretended to have "this hope in him," to entertain malice or resentment against a fellow-creature, on 1 See Jude, 24.

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account of some real or supposed injury? We are taught, by the conclusion of the parable, in what light such conduct would appear in the eyes of God.

28. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest.

29. And his fellow-servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

30. And he would not but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt.

Two things are here to be observed. First, that the fellow-servant really owed the other something: he owed him an hundred pence. This supposes that we may indeed receive an injury from a neighbour; may be seriously hurt in our reputation or our fortune. It is not asserted that these things are nothing; that we can avoid feeling them as injuries; that we have not a right to complain of those who commit them intentionally. Neither is it asserted in the parable, that the hundred pence may not represent a sum of money which it is inconvenient for the creditor to lose.

But what the parable does imply the second thing to be remarked-is, that the greatest injury which a fellow-creature can do to us, is no more in comparison with our offences against God, than a hundred pence are to ten thousand talents: which is about as four millions of our money to three pounds. And, therefore, God may justly require of us, if we hope for forgiveness from him, that we forgive our brother his trespasses.

That he does require it, is plain from the sequel.

31. So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.

32. Then his lord, after he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me:

33. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?

34. And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him.

35. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

Thus it appears that a charitable, forgiving spirit in ourselves, and God's mercy towards us, are closely connected together: and that "he shall have judgment without mercy who has shown no mercy." Not that our forgiveness of an offender can merit or procure God's pardon: we cannot come before him as if we expected or claimed forgiveness, because we have forgiven our enemies. In the parable, the lord began by showing compassion on his debtor, and loosed him, and forgave him the whole. And then, when he had forgiven him, he expected to see a forgiving spirit in return. He expected that a sense of mercy received should produce in him a merciful disposition. Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow-servant, even as I had pity on thee?

The exercise of this duty is in many cases hard to flesh and blood. The spirit which practises it can only be produced by the gospel of Christ Jesus.