[They alone who possess this gift can profit from the Gospel. With such a disposition men will overlook the little peculiarities which there may be in those who minister the word, and will endeavour to derive benefit from the word they hear. They will consider that every minister has his proper gift ; and that the method which they disapprove, may be well suited to others. They will be thankful that the glad tidings are sent to them ; and will receive the word with the affections suited to itd. They will either "dance or weep" according as the subject calls for humiliation or joy. Thus, instead of rejecting the counsel of God against themselves, they will "jus- tify Gode"by an unfeigned acknowledgment of his truth, and a ready compliance with his will.
Let us then cultivate this disposition ; so shall that which is to many " a savour of death unto death, be to us a savour of life unto lifef."]
d Acts xvii. 11. e ver. 29, 30. f 2 Cor. ii. 15, 16.
Luke vii. 40 — 42. And Jesus ansivering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee, and he saith, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor, tvhich had two debtors : the one owed jive hundred pence, and the other fifty. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both.
PARABLES are well calculated to convey reproof in the most convincing, and at the same time in the least offensive, manner. Nothing could exceed the beauty and efficacy of Nathan's parable to David : that also in the text was admirably adapted to the occasion3.
I. The parable itself —
It presents to our view three important truths : 1. We all, though in different degrees, are debtors unto God —
[There is not a man on earth who has not violated the law of God: but, though all are guilty in his sight, some are far more so than others b. The profane and profligate sinner is doubtless worse than the more decent moralist. We must not,
a Here the occasion should be briefly stated. b See the text.