32 Ir was meet that we ſhould make merry, and be glad : for this thy brother was dead, and is alive acain : and was loſt, and is found. eds
This laſt part of the Parable, is not ſo exaUtly applicable to that which it is brought to repreſent, as the former parts are. But it {-rveth excellently to ſhew us that Envy, which is found in our Hearts by Nature, to the Spiritual Good and Advartage of others. [wo things are obſervable 1f it. 1. Mans Peetihne and Envy 2. Gods Mzelneſs towards us under our Frowardneſs, By the eldef? Son ſome think, the Jews are repreſented, whoſe pecviſhnefs tc. the Gentiles, and the offer of the Grace of the Golpel to them, is made appear to us from many places of Holy Writ. Others think that by the Elde$ $1n are repreſented Aypacrites, who ſwelling in an opinion of themſelves, and their own Righteouſneſs, have no paticnce to heart tat any others ſhould be preferred in the favour of God before then. Why may not we far, that Ai are underſtood by it, even the beir of Gods people, who (if they narrowly fearch their own Kearts ) will tind ſomething of Pride and Envy remaining in the b{t of them : And as the former prompts them to judge theinſelves as much deſerving the Favour of God, even in ſpecial particular Diipentat! ons, as any others, ſo the latter inclineth them to repine at ſuch Dis. penſations of Divine Grace, as others receive, and they want two Corruptions which we are as much concerned to keep a Watch uy. on, or againſt, as any other, ſpeaking both a peeviſhnefs to the Ho- nour and Glory of God, a diflatisfaction in his Diſpenſ:tions, and an ofter at the Controulment of his Wiſdom and Juſtice, and 2:\o a great degree of uncharitablencſs ; our Eye being Evil becauſe the Lord 1s Good. Beſides, that it ſeemeth to put in a cla'mof Merit and the Soul that indulgeth it ſelf in ſuch thoughts, ſcems to ſay that he hath deferved more than it doth receive ; for without ſuch 2 ſuppoſition, it is the moſt unreaſonable thing imaginable, that any pcrton ſhould be diſpleaſed that another ſhould have a greater ſhare 1n the Favour of God than he, whites himſelf. receives more than he can lay a claim unto, and God may do with his own what he p!ca- feth, The Meckneſs of God in dealing with us under our Froward-
2 and yet thou never g4. thar I might make merry wit!
nefs, is as much remarkable. | Sin (faith this Father in the Parable D, thou art ever with me, and all that T have is thine. It was mect that we ſhould make merry, and be glad, for this thy Brother was dead and is alive again, was bſt, and is found. ] This muſt be under- tiood of God, eripurmans as ſpoken after the manner of Men, who ſhew greater Paſſions upon the receiving of 2 go2d that is new to them, and poſſibly ſurprizing, than they ordinarily ſhew upon the view of a good of which they have had longer Fruition ; fo it confirms what was before laid in v. 7, 10. We muſt take heed of thinking tnat any thing can make a change or alteration in God, but muſt look upon 1t only as an expreffion of Gods high ſatisfation
and well-pleaſedneſs in a Sinners Converſion, and turning unto him, fo as if it were poffible any good ſhould more-than other affe& the Divine Being, it would be this 3 fo as this whole Parable is of ex- ceilent uſe, not only to inſtrutt Sinners in their miſerable ſtate till they be reconciled to God, but to deliver them from all Temptations to Fear, that heartily returning they ſhall not be accepted.
CHAP. XVL.
By the ſimilitude of an unjuſt Steward, Chriſt exhorteth them to make Friends of the Mammon of unizghteouſneſs, 1-—t2. Sheweth that nz Man can ſerve two MaSters, 13. Reproveth the Covetous Phuriſee, 14, 15. Teacheth, that the Law muſt be fulfilled to a Title, 15, 17. The parable of the rich Man and por Lazarus, 12 31.
[ ND he ſaid alſo unto his diſciples, There was a certain rich man which had a ſteward ; and the ſame was accuſed unto him that he had waſted Eis goods. = 2 And he called him, and ſaid unto him, How is ir chat I hear this of thee ? give an account of thy ſteward- ſhip: for thou mayeſt be no longer ſteward. 3 Then the ſteward faid within himſelf, What ſhall I.
2
[ cannor dig, to beg I am aſhamed.
houſes.
to my lord ? ©
6 And he faid, An hundred + meaſures of oyl.. he ſaid unto him, Take thy bill, ard fir down quickly, and write fifty.
And he faid unto him, Take thy bill,
{core. 9” | : ES $ And the lord commended the unjuſt ſteward, be-/
are in their generation wiſer then
liehe,
do ? for my lord taketh away from me the ſteward(Fip, Je DD The word I am reſolved what to do, that when I am put out tranſlated of the ſtewardſhip, they may receive me into their 7%«/ures, ' ſignifies © AY meajure 5 So he called every one of his lords debters unto po ini him, and faid unto the firſt, How much owelſt thou un- ;jns pa;n w- andt And quarts. EtER. 45» "i Mm | tGr.Corus- 7 Then {aid he to another, And how much owelt Heb. Cor: thou? And he faid, An hundred meaſures of wheat. 2b » and write four-/12ri19th 4
iM eaſure contagn'ns
| j l ourteen cauſe he had done wiſely, for the children of this world b,/els and X. the children of potrle, : "EI ” Eph. geT, Fiiergra * Thell. 5.6.
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Chap. XVI S. LUKE. Chap. Xy