and we are called with them: we must not account life or any of its enjoyments dear, if they withstand our progress to the holy mountain, where, after the likeness and by the power of our Lord, we hope to be transfigured also. It is our wisdom to seize the glorious prize at all hazards and at any expense. For, as our our Lord argues on this very occasion, "What shall it profit a man, if he whole world and lose his own soul?

a man give in exchange for his soul?"

shall gain the

Or what shall

"And the Lord commended the unjust steward, because he had done wisely; for the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light. And I say unto you, Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness, that when ye fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations."

IN reviewing our Saviour's discourses, we must be struck with the manner in which he generally communicated his instructions. Instead of teaching us our duty by dry, uninteresting precepts, he preferred the use of parables. In adopting this method he manifested a just view of human nature. An apt, short and striking tale, exemplifying some great truth, will be remembered for ever, while the naked truth itself will soon be forgotten: the imagination will never recur to it with pleasure, and therefore it

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cannot, without effort, obtain root in the memory. Who that has heard the exquisite parable of the prodigal son, or the equally impressive parable of the rich man and Lazarus-which follows my text, and shows that worldly wealth, if not used as we are here counselled to use it, is a curse instead of a blessing to the temporary possessor of it-who that has read these parables, can ever forget them? and who can recur to them in his solitary meditations, without being moved with the encouraging picture of God's unbounded mercy, and the awful display of his slow, but certain justice, which they respectively unfold? You must excite the affections of a man, before you can persuade him to act with energy and perseverance. He will not do, what he does not love to do. He will not avoid, what he does not fear. But his love and his fear are not roused by a simple explanation of the truth to his understanding; his imagination must be awakened ; strong and lively pictures must be presented to it; and then the whole man, in all his powers and faculties, is called forth. There is also a farther excellence in the parabolic style; it is equally understood by the learned and the unlearned, the wise and the simple they can see the truth it paints, who cannot nicely weigh an argument. And as the souls of plain unlettered men are of equal value with the souls of their more exalted fellow-creatures, I need not occupy your time in enlarging on the justice and

the goodness which, out of regard to them, prompted our Lord to adopt this method.

It is however obvious that one defect attaches itself to this system. To render a parable interesting, little circumstances, bearing no relation to the truths which it veils, must often be introduced by way of ornaAnd in consequence difficulties will occasionally occur in determining what circumstances are introduced merely to excite and employ the imagination, and what circumstances have a further object, and are intended also to instruct the reason. This difficulty is more formidable in appearance than in reality. There are few cases in which plain common sense will not determine it, provided common sense be informed and guided by a competent knowledge of Scripture. We must make it an inviolable rule never to interpret any of the figurative or more obscure parts of the Bible, so as to build doctrines on them, which are not perfectly agreeable to what is taught in clear, express words by other parts of the sacred writings. While we keep within this limit, we are in no danger of falling into serious error. We may perhaps, in the judgment of some, be fanciful in our interpretations. They may think that we build "wood, hay, stubble" instead of "gold, silver, precious stones;" but still they must acknowledge that we build on the only "foundation." And therefore the foundation will stand fast, even though the superstructure prove but the work of man, and be swept away. Let us recollect also, that they are

not competent judges of Scripture truth, who are not well versed in the Scriptures. The Bible is the work of the Spirit of God, and is one stupendous whole. He who would form a judgment of the parts of this wonderful edifice, must first acquire a correct idea of the entire building. That will often appear useless or unsightly to a contracted view, which by a more comprehensive eye is found necessary to the harmony of the temple of God. The peculiar doctrines of Christianity, as distinguished from mere systems of morals, are very open to carping and narrow objections; objections which are so far from evidencing superior depth of understanding, that they present themselves at the very outset of our inquiries into religious truth; and they appear more and more empty and inconsequent, in proportion as the glorious light of the Gospel, which is the wisdom of God and not of man, shines upon our souls'.

I have been led into this train of thought by a consideration of the Gospel for the day. Its subject is a parable fraught with important instruction; but yet on a superficial view liable to cavil and misconception, as if fraud and injustice had been commended by our Saviour; as if he could be inconsistent with himself, and reverse the woe pronounced on those who omit "the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith 2," that is, justice, benevolence, and faithfulness; as if it were possible that

1 1 Cor. i.

2 Matt. xxiii. 23.