fomuch, that He made, while living, this public Declaration; and left it, when He died, upon everlasting Record-Thy Words are fweeter to my Mouth, than Honey*.-Thy Law is my Meditation all the Day.-I will speak of thy Teftimonies, even before Kings‡.—If David tasted so much Sweetness in a small, and that the least valuable, Part of the divine Word; how much richer is the Feaft to Us! Since the Gospel is added to the Law, and the Canon of Scripture completed! Since (to borrow the Words of a Prophet) the LORD GOD has fealed up the Sum; has put the last Hand to his Work; and rendered it full of Wisdom, and perfect in Beauty ||. Ther. Another very diftinguishing Peculiarity of the facred Writings, just occurs to my Mind-The Method, of communicating Advice, or adminiftering Reproof, by Parables. A Method, which levels itself to the lowest Apprehenfion, without giving Offence to the moft fupercilious Temper. Yet, is as much fuperior, to plain unornamented Precept; as the enlivened Scenes of a well-wrought Tra This Obfervation was expunged. Thoughts, it is offered to the Public. a polite Reader, That the Love of the Exercise of Devotion, are by no Means ties of a vulgar Mind. gedy, But, upon maturer *Pfal. cxix. 103. ↑ Pfal. cxix. 97. ↑ Pfal. cxix. 46. Ezek. xxviii. 12. gedy, are more impreffive and affecting, than a fimple Narration of the Plot. Our LORD was afked, by a Student of the Jewish Law, Who is my Neighbour? Which implied another Queftion, How is he to be loved? The Inquirer was conceited of Himfelf; yet, ignorant of the Truth, and deficient in his Duty. Had the wife Instructor of Mankind abruptly declared, You neither know the former, nor fulfil the latter. Probably, the Querift would have reddened with Indignation, and departed in a Rage.-Therefore, to teach, and not difguft; to convince the Man of his Error, and not exasperate his Mind; the bleffed JESUS frames a Reply, as amiable in the Manner, as it was pertinent to the Purpose. A certain Perfon, going down from Jerufalem to Jericho, fell among Thieves *. Not content to rob Him of his Treafure, they strip Him of his Garments; wound Him with great Barbarity; and leave Him half dead.-Soon after this calamitous Accident, a Traveler happens to come along that very Road. And, what renders Him more likely to adminifter Relief, He is one of the facred Order. One, who taught others the lovely Leffons of Humanity and Charity; and was, therefore, under the strongest Obligations, to exemplify them in in his own Practice. He juft glances an Eye upon the deplorable Object: fees Him ftretched on the cold Ground, and weltering in his Blood. But, takes no farther Notice. Nay, to avoid the Trouble of an Inquiry, paffes by on the other Side.-Scarce was He departed, when a Levite approaches. This Man comes nearer, and looks on the miferable Spectacle. Takes a leisurely and attentive Survey * of the Cafe. And, though every Gash in the bleeding Flesh, cried and pleaded for Compaffion; this Minister of the Sanctuary, neither speaks a Word to comfort, nor moves a Hand to help.-Last comes a Samaritan †; one of the abhorred * This seems to be the Import of exowu na dwv. Luke x. 32. This diverfifies the Idea, and heightens the Defcription of Jewish Inhumanity. + If this was a Parable, We cannot but admire the Accuracy of our LORD, both in laying the Scene, and felecting the Circumstances.-It is the Maxim of a great Critic, Fieta Voluptatis Caufâ fint proxima veris. And how very apparent is the Air of Probability, in this facred Apologue! The Way from Jerufalem to Jericho, lying through a Defart, was much infefted by Thieves, and too commodious for their Purposes of Violence.-What could be more likely to happen, than the Paffage of a Prieft and Levite along that Road? Since Jericho was a City, appropriated to the Levitical Order; and contained no less than twelve thousand Attendants, on the Service of the Temple. How judiciously is the principal Figure circumftanced!Had the Calamity befallen a Samaritan, it would have made but feeble Impreffions of Pity; and thofe, perhaps, immediately effaced by ftronger Emotions of Hate. But, when it was a Jew, that lay bleeding to Death; the Representation was fure to intereft the Hearer in the Diftrefs, and awaken abhorred Nation; whom the few hated with the most implacable Malignity. Though the Levite had neglected an expiring Brother: though the Priest had with-held his Pity, from one of the LORD's peculiar People: the very Moment this Samaritan fees the unhappy Sufferer, He melts into Commiferation. He forgets the imbittered Foe, and confiders only the diftreffed Fellow-creature. He fprings from his Horse, and refolves to intermit his Journey. The Oil and Wine, intended for his own Refreshment, He freely converts into healing Unguents. He binds up the Wounds; fets a tender Concern.-Had the Relief been adminiftred by a Jew, the Benevolence would have fhone, but in a much fainter Light. Whereas, when it came from the Hands of a Samaritan, whom all the Jews had agreed to abjure, to execrate, and rank with the very Fiends of Hell, how bright -how charmingly and irresistibly bright-was the Luftre of fuch Charity Let the Reader confider the Temper, expreffed in that rancorous Reflection; Thou art a Samaritan, and haft a Devil, John viii. 48-Let Him compare that inveterate Malevolence, with the benign and compaffionate Spirit of our amiable Traveler.-Then, let Him fay; Whether he ever beheld a finer or a bolder Contrast? Whether, upon the Whole, He ever faw the Ordonnance of defcriptive Painting, more justly defigned, or more happily executed? I would beg Leave to obferve farther, That the virulent Animofity of the Jew discovers itself, even in the Lawyer's Reply; He that fhewed Mercy on Him. He will not fo much as name the Samaritan. Especially in a Cafe, where He could not be named without an honourable Diftinction.-Softrongly marked, and fo exactly preferved, are the ra n. the Manners or diftinguifhing Qualities of each Perfon, in the facred Narrations! fets the disabled Stranger, upon his own Beast; and, with all the Affiduity of a Servant, with all the Tenderness of a Brother, conducts Him to an Inn. There, He depofits Money, for his present Use: charges the Host to omit nothing, that might conduce to the Comfort of his Guest and promises, to defray the whole Expence of his Lodging, his Maintenance, and his Cure. What a lively Picture this, of the most difinterested and active Benevolence! A Benevolence, which excludes no Perfons, not even Strangers or Enemies, from its tender Regards. Which difdains no Condefcenfion, grudges no Coft, in its Labours of Love.Could any Method of Conviction have been more forcible, and at the fame Time more pleafing, than the Interrogatory, proposed by our LORD, and deduced from the Story? Which now of thefe Three, thinkeft Thou, was Neighbour unto Him, that fell among the Thieves? -Or, can there be an Advice, more fuitable to the Occafion; more important in its Nature; or expreffed with a more fententious Energy; than Go Thou, and do likewife?—In this Cafe, the Learner inftructs, the Delinquent condemns, Himself. Bigotry hears away its Prejudice; and Pride (when the Moral so sweetly, fo imperceptibly infinuates) even Pride itself lends a willing Ear to Admonition. Afp. |