him. The remembrance of criminal pleasures stings like an adder, and preys on the very vitals of the soul.

The character of the prodigal, delineated in this parable, is, alas, but too common in the world. The pernicious influence of youthful passions to lead men astray from the path of duty and happiness, when unrestrained by reason and conscience, is here represented in the most lively colours. In that early season of life, those habits of virtue or vice are usually formed which mark the future character. In the unrenewed and carnal mind, the tide of sensual excess bears down all opposition; depraved appetite is increased by indulgence; the restraints of reason and religion become every day more feeble; till at last the dominion of vice prevails, and the sinner's chief study is to "make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof." An inordinate love of pleasure is the fatal rock on which the young and thoughtless are too apt to make shipwreck-first, of their faith; then, of their souls. Alas! what numbers of infatuated prodigals may be seen acting the same ruinous part, afflicting their friends, and reducing themselves to misery, resembling that so finely described in the parable :-wasting the portion of good things they have received from God, in riot and licentiousness! Happy they who, from a sense of danger and distress, are at length, by

the mysterious working of the Holy Spirit in their hearts, like this thoughtless youth, penetrated with shame and remorse,-convinced of their folly and guilt,-and, ere it be too late, like him, resolve to return to God and a religious life-that God of mercy, who is represented in the parable, as delighting to reclaim sinners from their vicious courses, and save them from everlasting misery.

The Almighty is compared, in a preceding parable, to a faithful shepherd, so watchful for the safety of his flock, that when one of them strays from the fold, he goes in search of the thoughtless wanderer, and having found it, joyfully restores it to its former pasture and companions. This is a figure of speech frequently used in Scripture, to express the tender pity and concern of the Father of Mercies for his frail and erring creatures. "The Lord is my shepherd," says the Psalmist, "therefore can I lack nothing." "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd," writes Isaiah, prophesying of the Messiah, "He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Agreeably to which prediction our blessed Saviour is called "the Good Shepherd who giveth his life for the flock;" and he says of himself, that he is "come to seek and to save that which is lost." The same comfortable truth is taught in another

parable, by the solicitude of the woman who carefully sought and recovered the piece of money that was lost. The two cases are quite similar, and were designed to enforce this important instruction: that God is not only willing, but affectionately desirous "that all men should be saved, and come to the knowledge of divine truth."

In the parable of the prodigal son, the same consoling doctrine is placed in a still more conspicuous and affecting light. The benevolent Father of Mankind is here represented as possessing all the feelings of a tender-hearted parent, rejoicing in the unexpected return of an undutiful son from a life of prodigal extravagance, which had reduced him to extreme want and misery.

The first news of the repentant youth's return, filled him with an ecstacy of joy; for, “while he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him." Instead of severe reproaches for his past improper conduct, he gives him the most affectionate welcome, celebrates his return to his late forsaken home, with all the generous liberality which suited his affluence, amidst the joyful congratulations of his happy family. Surely no scene can be imagined more delightful, or in which the feelings of nature in the breast of a parent are depicted with finer

strokes of genuine expression ;-reminding us of what the evangelical Prophet thus says, in describing the tender mercies of the Parent of universal nature: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon."

The "joy" that is said to be "in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons that need no repentance,” like other figurative passages, must not be taken in a strict, but qualified sense. Our divine Redeemer obviously here alluding to the common experience of mankind, and the usual feelings of the human heart. There is nothing more frequent, or more natural, than to find ourselves extremely affected when we obtain what we did not hope for, or recover the possession of what we considered as irretrievably lost. Joy on such occasions rises into transport, and often far exceeds the intrinsic value of the object gained. In order, therefore, to afford us a just idea of the satisfaction of a gracious God in the conversion of sinners, our heavenly Father is here represented after the manner of men, as deriving more sensible pleasure from the sincere repentance of one sinner, than from the continued obedience, imperfect as it must ever be, of ninety and nine comparatively righteous persons, who having never

gone astray into glaringly wicked courses, might perhaps be considered in less danger of finally perishing. As health is more enjoyed after sickness, and life more prized after a narrow escape from death, so, in like manner, we estimate the value of other objects with which our interest is tenderly connected, by circumstances no less casual and unexpected. And besides this,although general habits of rectitude and obedience, "springing from a true and lively faith,” as being the fruits and evidences of that faith, are unquestionably "pleasing and acceptable to God;"-whilst, on the other hand, the scripture declares, that "all wickedness is an abomination in his sight," who is "of purer eyes than to behold iniquity;"-yet, of the awakened sinner, converted through grace from the error of his ways, after perhaps, a long and flagrant deviation from the path of duty, and returning in the humble spirit of the prodigal, to seek reconciliation with his offended God-of him, I say, it may truly be affirmed, that since he cannot but feel the sincerest sorrow and contrition for the wickedness of his past life, the deepest conviction of his lost and ruined state, and the greatest abhorrence of all manner of sin: since his love will be proportioned to the greatness of the debt forgiven him, and his faith in Christ increased, by the grateful yet humiliating recollection, that when he had nothing to pay," his heavenly

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