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coming fo holy a Perfon, as their Mafter pretended to be, to converfe fo freely and familiarly with the worst of Men; if he were the true Meffias, as they thought, he would decline fuch evil Company, and keep at a greater diftance from Sinners. They expected other things from the Meffias, viz. that he fhould maintain the Dignity of his Perfon and Office by a stately Retirement, fequeftring himself from common View, that the World might repair to him as a Divine Oracle, and never approach him without the greatest Reverence and Adoration. So that when they faw him fo freely walk abroad, and to be fo familiar with those who were none of the beft, instead of receiving him as a Saviour, they rejected him as an Impoftor; ftiling him a Glutton, a Winebibber, a Friend of Publicans and Sinners, a Companion and Favourer of loofe and vile Perfons.

Now to remove this Offence, our Saviour lets them know, that the end of his converfing with thefe Men, was not to encourage or harden them in their evil ways, but to reclaim them from them, and at once to convince and convert them from the Error of their ways: He was fo far from approving the Exactions of the Publicáns, that he exacted Repentance and Reformation from them, and convers'd with Sinners, not to countenance, but to reprehend and reform their Vice and Wickedness. By which means fome of the Publicans, from being Exacters of Tribute, became the Teachers of Righteoufnefs, and many of the Sinners were turn'd from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan unto God: which was fo far from being inconfiftent with the Holiness of the Meffiah, that 'twas indeed the main end of his Coming. He told them in St. Matthew's Gospel, that the Whole have no need of the Phyfician, but they that are fick; and that he vouchfafed his Company, not where it might be most defir'd, but where it was most needed, for he came not to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance: meaning, that his main Business was with thofe humble and modeft Offenders, that were fenfible of their Faults, and willing to amend them; these being more likely to be reduc'd to a better Courfe of Life, than fuch as are conceited of their own Holiness, and fcorn others, as unworthy of their Society and Conversation. Moreover, he bids them go and learn the meaning of that Saying of God Almighty, I will have Mercy, and not Sacrifice wherein he prefers the Acts of Mercy and Charity to Mens Souls, before all the ritual Obfervances of the

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Law, and much more before all the nice Formalities of Converfation. For this end it was, that he fo freely ate and drank with Publicans and Sinners, and tho he went up and down to and with all forts of Men, yet it was ftill do. ing good, and healing all kinds of Maladies both of Body and Soul: fo that the Pharifees might as well blame the Phyficians of the Body for vifiting Hofpitals and fick Patients, as the Phyfician of the Soul for applying himself to fuch as labour'd under more fpiritual and dangerous Distempers.

Again, he tells them, that he came to seek and to fave all that were loft, that he was fent first to the loft Sheep of the Houfe of Ifrael, to bring them home to the great Shepherd and Bishop of their Souls, and after that to reduce all that were gone aftray both of Jews and Gentiles, to gather them all into one Flock, and to bring them into one Fold: which things could not be done, without making himself known to and converfing with them; for that alone could give him the Opportunity of teaching and inftructing Mankind, of inftilling his Doctrine into them, and preaching to them the Myfteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. This our Saviour here in St. Luke explains and exemplifies to us in two or three Parables, viz. thofe of the loft Sheep, the Loft Groat, and the loft Son, in all which he infinuates his tender Love and Care of loft Man, and Willingness to fave and reduce the greatest Sinners.

The first of thefe Parables is in the third and following Verfes of this Gofpel: And he spake this Parable unto them, faying, What Man of you having an hundred Sheep, if be lofe one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the Wilderness, and go after that which is loft, until he find it? Where Sinners are fitly refembled to loft Sheep; (1.) Because no Creature is fo apt to wander as the Sheep, which is fo heedless as not to keep right, unless it be ftill under the Shepherd's Eye; and this fhews how eafily we are mif led, how often we fall by Temptation, and feldom continue long in the right way. Again, (2.) No Creature is more helpless and liable to danger than a ftraying Sheep, it hath many Enemies, and no Guard against them; the Dog, the Wolf, the Fox are all ready to devour and make ittheir Prey. This reprefents the forlorn Condition of loft Man, who when out of the care of the good Shepherd, is intangled with the World, enfnar'd by Satan, opprefs'd by wicked Men, and is utterly unable to efcape or defend himfelf

himself against his Ghoftly Enemies. Once more, a wandring Sheep of all Creatures is the moft unlikely of it felf ever to return; for being once bewilder'd, it will ftray for ever, unless the Shepherd find and restore it: So is it with loft Man, who being out of the way would return no more, except he be reduc'd by the Shepherd, which is by hearing his Voice and following him.

Now who is there (faith the Parable) who having loft a Sheep, doth not beftir himself and go after it, till he find it? How much more then are erring and ftraying Sinners to be fought after, who would wander for ever in the Ways of Destruction, if not reftor'd and directed into the Paths of Life? But to go on with the Parable, when the Owner of the loft Sheep had found it, 'tis faid in the next words, He layeth it on his Shoulders rejoicing, he feeleth not the Burden, which is much the lighter by removing the Heavinefs and Trouble he had in the Lofs of it: and when he cometh home, he calleth together his Friends and Neighbours, faying unto them, Rejoice with me, for I have found the Sheep that was loft. He makes merry with them, and doubles his Joys from the Fears he had of losing it, and the Pains he took in finding it. Like wife, I fay unto you (faith our Saviour) Foy fhall be in Hea ven over one Sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine juft Perfons, which need no Repentance: meaning, that God who is reprefented here by the Owner of the loft Sheep, and the holy Angels and glorify'd Spirits above, which are meant by his Friends and Neighbours, conceive no fmall Joy at the Return of a penitent Sinner. As for the Angels, they being the Guardians of God's Children, and miniftring Spirits to the Heirs of Salvation, may be well enough fuppos'd to be affected with the Welfare and Happiness of each. For we find this heavenly Hoft finging at our Saviour's coming into the World for the Redemption of Mankind; and ever fince defire to contemplate and admire this great Mystery. And every Occafion of this kind may minifter to their Gladness, and give a new Acceflion to their Joy.

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But when God is faid to rejoice at the Repentance of a Sinner, it must be understood as fpoken after the manner of Men for God is void of all Paffions and Perturbations, and above the Tranfports of Joy and Sorrow. So that when God is faid to be angry, to be griev'd, or to be provok'd by Sinners, 'tis meant only of the Effects

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of those Paffions that he will deal with them, as if he were affected with them as we are in fuch Cafes, though the Paffions themselves are not compatible to the Divine Nature: In like manner, when God is faid to rejoice at the Repentance of a Sinner, 'tis meant only of its being very agreeable and acceptable to him.

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But why is the Joy greater for the finding of one loft Sheep, or the Return of one penitent Sinner, than of all the ninety and nine, that never went aftray and needed no Repentance? Why, this is here parabolically exprefs'd, to fignify, not that there is more Joy in Heaven for one that was once bad, than for many that had been always good; but 'tis fpoken only to enhance the Joy upon the prefent Occafion: for as the refcuing of one Child from the Pit of Destruction, affects more for the present than the Safety of all the reft, and as the finding of one thing, fuppos'd to be loft, rejoices more than the Poffeffion of all the other; fo the Return of one loft Perfon, occafions more prefent Satisfaction, than many others, though the fame fhould happen to them in the like Circumftance.

This is the firft Parable by which our Saviour fought to convince the Pharisees of the Reafonableness of his converfing with the Publicans and Sinners, in order to their Repentance and Salvation: for if there be Joy in Heaven at the Converfion of a Sinner, there fhould be no Murmuring on Earth, at the Means us'd to reclaim then.

The fecond Parable to the like purpose is in the 8th, and following Verfes: What Woman having ten Pieces of Silver, if the lofe one Piece, doth not light a Candle, and fweep the Houfe, and feek diligently till she find it? Where the loft Sinner is compar'd to a loft Piece of Silver, which being a thing of Value, ftamp'd and made current by the Regal Authori ty, was fearch'd after with great Diligence; the Candle was lighted to look into every Corner, the Houfe was fwept that it might not lie hid or buried in the Duft, and all Means were us'd by a narrow and diligent Search, till the found it. In like manner, the Souls of Men being efteem'd precious, and ftamp'd with the Image of God, are to be carefully look'd after, and not fuffer'd to be loft or calt away by Negligence or Inadvertency; but being of more Value than the whole World, ought to be preferv'd by the utmoft Care and Vigilance, and no Means to be neglected for their Happiness and Salvation.

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It follows in the Parable, that when the Woman had found her loft Piece of Mony, fhe calleth her Friends and Neighbours together, faying, Rejoice with me, for I have found the Piece which I had loft. We are bid in Holy Scripture to rejoice with them that rejoice, as well as weep with them that weep; that is, to bear a part in the Joys and Sorrows of one another, which will be a means of encreafing the one, and leffening the other. The good Woman here having found what fhe fought for with great Care and Pains, is tranfported with a Joy fuitable to the Concern fhe had for its Lofs: of this Joy fhe would have her Neighbours to partake, and therefore calls them together to fhare with her in it; and from thence we are directed to the Delight and Satisfaction which the Saints and Angels have above at the Repentance of a Sinner: Likewife I fay unto you, There is Joy in the Prefence of the Angels of God over one Sinner that repenteth. By which it appears, that Heaven feels, and is full of this Joy; and when we are pleas'd with any wicked Man's turning from the Evil of his Ways, we join in Confort with the Heavenly Hoft, and bear a part of the general Joy with the bleffed Inhabitants of Heaven, who all rejoice at the Converfion of a Sinner: and if there be fo great and general a Satisfaction above in this cafe, fure we ought not to take any Offence at converfing with them here to that end.

The third and laft Parable to this purpofe is that of the Prodigal or loft Son; which tho immediately following this, yet being out of the Gofpel for this Day, fhall be the more lightly touch'd upon. This Son had wickedly left his Father's Houfe, and Spent all his Subftance in riotous living; by which means he was loft to his Father, to himfelf, and to all the Comforts of Life: but when he came to himself, he bewail'd his Mifery and Folly, and return'd to his Father, who receiv'd him as one rais'd from the Dead, and welcom'd him with an extraordinary Joy. At which when the elder Son repin'd, for fhewing more Joy for a riotous profligate Son than was ever fhew'd to him who never offended, the Father mildly reply'd, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine, it was meet we fould make merry and be glad; for this thy Brother was dead, and is alive again; he was loft, and is found: fignifying, that we may and ought to rejoice at the Return of ftraying Sinners. By thefe and the like Parables our Saviour endeavour'd to convince the Scribes

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