of crimes which would admit of no excufe, and therefore he does not pretend to make any; he had nothing to offer but promifes, which he could not fuppofe would be believed.

His reception, however, was extremely dif ferent from what he had expected: the kind and tender parent receives him with joy and tranfport; the pleafure which he feels at his return obliterates the memory of his past failings; he forgets the prodigal, and only remembers the child; he even prevents his wifhes, and makes himself that reconcilement which the offender had not dared to hope for. When he was yet a great way off, fays the parable, his father faw him, and had compaffion on him, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiffed him.

Such an inftance of paternal tenderness and affection muft doubtlefs have filled the heart of the penitent with as much pleasure as furprize, muft have contributed in a great mea fure to ftrengthen him in his pious refolution of humbling himself before his father, and acknowledging his faults, of going to him and faying, Father, I have finned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy fon

Here we see the chief end and scope of this divine parable. By the father is reprefented to us the Supreme Being, the great Lord and Father of us all; whom we, like prodigals, have most ungratefully forfaken, and moft grievoufly offended; who yet graciously offers to re-admit us to his favour on our fincere and unfeigned

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unfeigned repentance. Though we have rebelled against him, and are no more worthy to be called his fons, yet he will take us once more to his bofom with all the kindness of a tender parent; even when he sees us afar off on our return to him, he readily meets us, and extends the arms of his mercy to embrace the penitent.

What follows in the parable is pregnant with joy and comfort, a delightful scene of mutual endearments, and all the transports of restored felicity. Bring forth the best robe and put it on him, put a ring on his hand, and Shoes on his feet; kill the fatted calf, let us eat and be merry, for this my fon was dead, and is alive again, he was loft, and is found.

What then is the conclufion to be drawn from this parable? Nothing lefs than the comfortable and delightful affurance that God will receive the repenting finner with mercy and pardon, doubtless on this indifpenfible condi tion, that we return to the paths of righteoufnefs. If we expect to receive the prodigal's inheritance, we must be careful to imitate the prodigal's most fincere and unfeigned repen

tance.

Repentance is the only method of reparation the finner is capable of. If we defraud our neighbour of his right, we can reftore him fourfold; if we offend him in one point, we may recompence him in another: but when, by a wicked and licentious life, we have affront. ed the great Lord and Giver of it; when, by immorality and profanenefs, by a total neglect

of

of his word and commandments, we have incurred his displeasure, how fhall we reconcile ourfelves to his divine favour and protection? He has no wants for us to relieve, no paffions for us to gratify. Omnifcience cannot be inftructed, nor Omnipotence obliged. He is a judge whom partiality can never bias, nor hypocrify deceive. We can but confefs our crimes therefore, and throw ourfelves on his mercy; we can but go to our Father, and fay unto him, Father, we have finned against heaven, and before thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy fons.

I cannot dismiss this fubject without a few reflections on the behaviour of the prodigal's brother, as recounted at the conclufion of the parable.

It seems to me extremely probable (though I do not remember it has been obferved by any) that by the prodigal's brother our Saviour meant to characterise the proud Pharifees, who were fo extremely incenfed at his converfe and communication with publicans and finners: and indeed his conduct refembled theirs in the moft ftriking features, as it was doubtlefs a compofition of pride, envy, and ingratitude. He was proud, we may observe, of his virtue, envious of his brother's happiness, and ungrateful to his father. When he hears the occafion of their mirth and feftivity, instead of that joy which a kind and affectionate brother would naturally have expreffed, we fee nothing in him but fullennefs and difcontent. He was angry, fays the parable, and would not go in. And is it not juft in this mauner men generally

act

act towards each other? The father, indeed, throughout the whole beautiful allegory, reprefents to us the exact image of God, and the brother that of man. One is grievoufly offended, and generoufly pardons; the other receives no injury, yet never forgives. If the prodigal's happiness had depended on his brother, not all his humility and repentance would ever have gained his re-admittance. If God should act towards us as we too often do towards each other, how dreadful would be our condition!

Thousands there are whom human frailty hath mifled into the paths of folly, who, like the prodigal, would gladly return to the road of virtue, but that these men place themselves at the door, deny them re-admiffion, and drive them back once more to the regions of vice and mifery.

To conclude: What remains but that we bid adieu to our fins, that we break their bonds in funder, and caft away their cords from us? Now that we have health, vigour, and activity, before thofe days come, when we shall feel we have no power, when we muft fay we have no pleasure in them. Let us not then delay the great and important work. God hath promised pardon to our repentance, but he hath not alfo promifed life till we repent. If the prodigal had miffed the opportunity of returning to his father, which he happily made ufe of, he might perhaps never have met with another, and of course (furrounded as he was with calamities) perifhed unavoidably. As we are all of us great and miserable finners, let us acknowledge our

felves to be fo; let us proftrate ourselves in all humility before the throne of grace, and implore the divine mercy; the facrifice of God is a troubled Spirit, a broken and contrite heart he will not defpife: if then we fall down at his feet, and in humble repentance fay unto him, Father, we have finned against heaven, and before thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy Sons, he will yet receive the prodigal to his mercy, he will gracioufly condefcend to meet us on our return with a fmile of tender complacency and forgiveness; he will bless us with peace and tranquillity here, he will reward us with everlafting joy and happiness hereafter.

ON THE PARABLE OF THE MARRIAGE SUPPER.

SERMON XXI.

MATTHEW XXII. 2.

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his fon.

UR bleffed Saviour, who, during his short ftay on earth, fuffered all the evil and diftrefs their malice and hatred could inflict, had, whilst he fojourned among the Jews, fufficiently experienced their invincible hatred and contempt of him; he knew that he should be defpifed and rejected, and that his ministers

and