tence could not but give the fervant the utmoft concern; and he fell down at his master's feet, faying, Lord have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. He did not request that his lord would forgive him the debt, but only defired that the forementioned fentence might be revoked; that his lord would give him longer time, and then he would pay all that was due. And tho' this propofal was such as there was no profpect it could ever be made good, yet as it was the best, and moft, and all that he could offer or propose, under his circumftances; as it fhewed an honefty of mind, and a willingness, and a resolution to pay the debt to the full, if ever it fhould be fo in his power; fo this honeft humble application to his master had its proper effect; his lord was moved with compaffion, and not only revoked the aforefaid fentence, but also frankly and generously forgave him all that was due unto him. Here is fuch an inftance of kindness and difinterefted benevolence as rendered the actor, not only truly amiable and lovely to all others, but alfo worthy of their regard, worthy that his kindness should be recompenced to him, worthy, that is to fay, fit and reasonable, that every other intelligent being fhould, when power and opportunity ferv'd, as generously contribute to the increase of his felicity. Again,

It is farther related in the aforefaid parable, that this very fervant, who with his fa

mily, were just then rescued from flavery, by the very great bounty and kindness of his lord, went out, and found one of his fellowfervants, which owed him an hundred pence. This was a debt which bore a very small proportion to ten thousand talents that the other had then been generously discharged from, by a mafter common to them both. And tho' debtor and creditor, in the prefent cafe, ftood to each other in the relation of fellow-fervants, and as fuch, the former had reafonable ground to expect favourable usage from the latter; yet the latter, as if he had loft all fenfe of the great kindness which had then been fhewn him by his lord, and as void even of common humanity; took his fellow-fervant by the throat, faying, Pay me that thou oweft. This demand, though juft in itself, as it was no other than claiming a juft debt, yet when done in fo barbarous, and in fo inhospitable a manner, could not but raife indignation in every good and tender mind. He took his fellow-fervant by the throat, faying, Pay me that thou oweft. The debtor though accofted in fo rude a manner, yet made the most humble fubmiffion, and the most reasonable propofal to his fellowfervant: He fell down at his feet, faying, Have patience with me and I will pay thee all. For though what was demanded did not exceed his ability to pay, yet it was what, in an inftant, he could not raife, and therefore he requested not for any abate

ment,

ment, but only for a little longer time, and then he was willing and ready, and should be able to pay the other all that was due unto him. This application for a favour fo reasonable in itfelf, and done in fo very humble and fubmiffive a manner, one would have thought, fhould not have failed of fuccefs; and yet fuch was the cruelty and hardheartedness of this man, that nothing could work upon him to fhew any mercy or pity. And though he had at that very time been heard in a like cafe, and had been generously discharged from a much greater debt, by his lord, yet he would not grant this most reafonable request of his fellow-fervant, but went and caft him into prifon till he fhould pay the debt. This was introducing of mifery against the most humble application, and the strongest reasons to the contrary. This was an action fo cruel and barbarous in itself, and performed under fuch aggravating circumstances, as rendered the actor, not only justly odious and defpifeable to every by-ftander, who were no way interested in it, but alfo worthy of their difpleafure, worthy that his evil deed fhould be recompenced upon his own head, worthy to feel the weight of that burthen which he fo unmercifully and cruelly had laid upon another; worthy, that is to fay, fit and reafonable, that every other intelligent being should contribute to his mifery, as far as the demerit of his vile actions deferved. Again,

It is farther related in the parable, that when his fellow-fervants faw what was done, they were very forry, and went and told their lord all that was done. This was an action fo fingularly vile, and fo far exceeding the ordinary bounds of inhumanity, as made a very deep and fenfible impreffion on the minds of all who beheld it. To fee a man who upon his humble application for mercy to his lord, had been already discharged from a debt of ten thousand talents, a fum which was greatly above his ability to pay, and thereby he and his family had been faved from ruin; to fee this man, at the fame time, go out from his mafter, (with his own difcharge as it were wrote upon his forehead) and rudely lay hold of one of his fellow-fervants, who owed him fo fmall a fum as a hundred pence, and take him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou oweft; and when the debtor upon this, made the most humble application to his fellow-fervant, and intreated for a favour, the most reasonable in itself, the leaft that he could ask, or that the other could grant, viz, only for a little time till he could pay the debt; he fell down at his feet, and befought him, faying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all; the other being void of all mercy and pity, fhut up his bowels of compaflion from him, stopt his ears against all intreaty, and refufed to

grant

grant the smallest and most reasonable request the other could ask, and caft him into prifon till he should pay the debt. I fay, to behold fuch a complicated piece of vileness, could not but excite two oppofite paffions in every beholder, viz. that of pity to the diftreffed, and that of resentment against him that would fhew no mercy. And this was the case of the reft of their fellow-fervants; they were very forry when they faw what was done: and as they knew the good difpofition of their mafter, which had been greatly exemplified in his discharging a debt of ten thoufand talents but just before; and as they likewife knew that he had power, and reafon, and spirit to resent the unmerciful ufage which had been given to their fellow-fervant; fo they went and told their lord all that was done. Then their lord called the unmerciful fervant to him, and reafoned the cafe, and fhewed him the great ingratitude, and the monstrous cruelty and hard-heartedness of his prefent behaviour; he faid unto him O thou wicked fervant, I forgave thee all that debt because thou defiredft me (or rather in fo doing, I very much exceeded thy request) Shouldeft not thou also have had compaffion on thy fellow-fervant, even as I had pity on thee? This was a question which the fervant could not answer without pronouncing judgment against himself. I forgave thee all that debt because thou defiredft me, was a truth which