318

SERMON XX.

THE PENITENT PARDONED.

LUKE Vii. 50.

"AND HE SAID TO THE WOMAN, THY FAITH HATH SAVED THEE, GO IN PEACE."

WHEN our blessed Saviour condescended to visit the world, he came in a manner calculated, in every possible way, to benefit its inhabitants. His doctrine and his miracles arrested the attention of the rich, while his mean and destitute condition claimed the notice and sympathy of the poor; and thus he touched, as it were, the whole circumference of human society.

And in all this intercourse with mankind, he had one great object in view. The schemes of politicians, and the theories of men of science, never occupied his mind, or guided his conversation. The salvation of immortal souls, was the central point to which all his labours, and all his instructions tended. Yes! he, whose eye could survey, in the same moment, the interests both of this world, and of the next;

and whose hand could weigh, in the scales of unerring truth, the conduct and the thoughts of men; he declared, that to mankind but "one thing was needful;" that the loss of the soul would be poorly counterbalanced by the united possession of all this world's treasures; and that hence the real source of joy and solicitude to benignant minds, will ever be the repentance and salvation of a sinner: "I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth !"

This compassion however was made the frequent occasion of calumny and scorn. "This man receiveth sinners.' "The friend of publicans and sinners." Oh, well was it for a wretched world, that he refused not this appellation! But for this purpose did he become incarnate. "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." "This is a true and faithful saying, and worthy of all men to be received, that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." We have upon record, in the Evangelic history, the account of many in whom this blessed design was actually accomplished; but, perhaps, we have no detail

of

any individual case more affecting, or more illustrative of the doctrine of God's unmerited mercy, than the case detailed in the latter part of this seventh chapter of St. Luke's Gospel. The history is briefly this :

"And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat. And behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him, saw it, he spake with himself, saying, This man if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him; for she is a sinner. And Jesus answering, said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he said, Master, say on. There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty: and when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore which of them will love him most? Simon answered and said, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, thou has rightly judged. And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her

head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my feet. Mine head with oil thou didst not anoint but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore, I say unto thee, her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, thy sins are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with him, began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also? And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee: go in peace."

Omitting to notice many valuable lessons which might be drawn from this short but emphatic account, I shall limit myself, on the present occasion, to the consideration of two points, which though detached from each other, appear to me the most prominent features in the history. I am led by the subject before us, I. TO STATE THE REAL NATURE OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST.

II. TO NOTICE A VERY FALSE ESTIMATE OF VIRTUE AND VICE, WHICH IS PREVALENT IN THE WORLD.

I. The narrative suggests to us, in the first place, THE REAL NATURE OF THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

1. By some men, Christianity is thought to derive its chief excellence, from its having offered

VOL. II.

Y

to us a far purer system of morals than can be derived from any other religion ever known in the world; and likewise, from its having ascertained to us the rewards and punishments of a future world.

When revealed religion is the subject of contemplation with such persons, many great peculiarities of the system are altogether removed from observation; and its moral beauty, and its assurance of immortality, have the exclusive possession of their thoughts. They admit the absurdity of those speculations on the subject of religion, which deform every pagan theory. They admit the deficiency of every code of morals, which the most enlightened philosophy has at any time produced. They confess the uncertainty which attached to the best hopes of an eternal existence which were formerly entertained; and they are grateful for the benefits which in these respects Christianity has conferred upon the world. They value the doctrine of the unity and perfections of God. They admire the adaptation of the christian precepts to the best interests of society; the kindly influence of its humane, and softening, and compassionate sentiments, upon the conflicts of domestic intercourse; and the direct tendency of its patient and forgiving spirit, to melt down the ruggedness of many unkind passions, and "to generate a lasting and productive benevolence."