of God, and that none could poffibly entertain hopes of falvation but themselves. He endeavours, therefore, to free them from fuch falfe opinions, to enlarge their narrow minds, and informs them, that he was not come to call the righteous, but finners to repentance; and that God, fo far from refufing, would moft willingly admit all to his divine favour, who with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, would turn unto him. That this was not only his moft gracious offer and defign, but that it was even pleasing and delightful to him, and that there was more joy in heaven over one finner that repenteth, then over ninetyand-nine juft perfons who need no repentance He then proceeds, in the beautiful parable before us, to illuftrate and explain to them the goodness of God, and to propofe those terms of mercy and falvation, by which all men may attain what all men have, or ought to have, in view, their final and everlasting happiness. But as these things were written not only for their learning to whom they were delivered, but for ours alfo, it will not certainly be an unpleafing, nor perhaps a useless or unimproving task, to run over, as briefly as poflible, the principal circumftances and occurrences, as recounted in the parable, and to confider as we pafs along, what leffons of inftruction may be drawn from them. A certain man, fays the parable, had two fons: of the nature and difpofition of the elder we have no particular account, though from what is related of his conduct and behaviour, we may may fuppofe him to have been a man whose paffions were easily fubdued by refiftance, or artfully concealed by hypocrify; one, in short, whofe beft of virtues were probably no more than what is generally termed common prudence and difcretion. The temper of the younger was most effentially different: eager in his purfuit after pleasure, and refolved to facrifice every thing to it, he faid to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods which falleth to me. Hurried on by an impetuofity which too frequently attends this period of life, he defires his father to give up to him immediately, the fortune which he had moft probably defigned to reserve for him to a future day. Against his better judgment, the father is prevailed upon by his importunities, yields to his requeft, and divides the living. The young man, whofe paffions were vehement, 'grows impatient to launch out into the world, refolves no longer to be under restraint, but gets as far as poffible out of the reach of parental authority, where he might indulge his licentious appetites without the leaft rebuke or controul. He took his journey, fays the parable, into a far country. And here I cannot help ftopping fhort, to obferve, that the firft falfe ftep which the prodigal took, was moft probably the fource of all his crimes, and the cause of all his calamities-he left his father. At the time when he stood moft in need of advice, he left that friend who was beft able, and doubtlefs moft willing to give it him; and, what was ftill worse, he left left him, we shall find, for mifery and deftruction; he left that which alone could fave` and protect, for that which was most likely to ruin and betray him; he left, in short, fafety for danger, freedom for flavery, and innocence for guilt. The moral from this portion of the parable is extremely obvious. In the days of our youth we fhould remember our Creator. As foon as we leave our heavenly guide, we quickly deviate into the paths of error; from a difregard of God, and a contempt of his laws, arifes in a great measure the licentioufnefs and depravity of the times we live in. Vice and irreligion go hand in hand, and never fail to aid and fupport each other: when the laws of God are broken in upon and defpifed, the laws of man are feldom much regarded. Befides, that though men are fo ready to imitate the prodigal, by leaving their Almighty Father in their youth, they too feldom copy his example, by returning to him in their more advanced age. It is highly incumbent, therefore, on every good and pious parent (and it is a duty of late very fhamefully neglected) to inftil into the minds of their children, as early as poffible, the principles of religion and morality. The knowledge of languages, of arts and sciences, is univerfally taught, and inculcated with the utmost care and affiduity, whilft the nobleft fcience of all, that of morality, the beft and moft ufeful knowledge, the knowledge of ourfelves, is feldom enquired into. Care is taken to to fill the garden with every flower that may beautify and adorn it, but not one ufeful fruit, or falutary herb, is planted in it. When the prodigal was no longer under the eye of his father, he gave a loose to his paffions, and without the leaft care for the event, indulged himself in every vice and extravagance which his conftitution inclined him to, his fortune impowered him to commit, or his inclination prompted him to enjoy. But let us carefully obferve the fatal and deftructive confequences. He quickly spent all his fubtance, fays the parable, in riotous living. The effect was what might naturally be expected, fhame, poverty, and ruin! In a very fhort fpace of time, we fee him reduced from a ftate of affluence and profperity, to the lowest and most abject condition: left in a strange place, far from his father and friends, without the leaft hope of fupport or redress. To add to his misfortunes (a circumftance beautifully inferted in the parable) we are told there was famine in the land; fo that thofe who might have taken pity on him, were deprived of the means by this national calamity, which left no room for private benevolence. And no man, fays the parable, gave unto him. Some there were, doubtlefs, who had the power, but they probably wanted the inclination. Men are too often glad of an opportunity of condemning, or an excufe for neglecting their fellowcreatures; and what better excufe can they have, than that his own crimes have brought on him their deferved punishment? It is then they they look on him as an outcaft and an alien, one whom the finger of God hath pointed out as an object of his divine vengeance; and why fhould they heal whom God hath wounded, or why should they feek whom God hath forfaken? He is a ftricken deer, the arrow is in his fide, and who will herd with, who will affociate or commune with him? Thus miferable was the unhappy prodigal's condition, with no acquaintance but his own forrows, no companion but his own thoughts, which were continually reproaching him for his past conduct. Thofe, probably, who had been partakers of his follies, did not think themfelves obliged to partake of his misfortunes alfo. So foon are the bonds of guilty pleasures loofed and unwove! while thofe of virtue (and thofe only) are lafting and indiffoluble. When at last he awakes from his dream of pleasure, when the bitter medicine of affliction has recovered him from his delirium, how melancholy, and at the fame time how pathetic are his reflections! How many of my father's hired fervants have bread to eat and to spare, and I perifh with hungar! He looks back with an eye of defpair on thofe feats of eafe and plenty which he has forfaken, and on that hofpitable door which was now shut against him. His father's fervants! even their state is to be envied in comparison with his own. They have bread to fpare, fays he, and I perish with hunger. He had, indeed, no reafon to fuppofe himself entitled to forgiveness, much lefs could he expect favour: he had been guilty of |