from death to life; he calls upon his whole household to unite with him in demonstrations of rejoicing; to exercise their utmost efforts of hospitality to welcome the wanderer home.

Are there among my hearers, parents, whose feeling hearts have been deeply wounded by the ingratitude of a disobedient child? They will readily sympathise with the delighted father, rejoicing over his returning prodigal; they will remember how deep was the anguish of their hearts, whenever their child's rebellion was uppermost in their thoughts; when they deemed him lost to every rational hope of present and future happiness, "wasting his substance with riotous living," and perhaps denied the common necessaries of existence. But they will also remember, if so happy a consummation has been also theirs, with what devout thanksgiving they listened to his prayer of penitence, with what unusual rejoicing they hailed him again a member of their domestic circle-again a partaker of their domestic joys.

Are there any repentant prodigals around me, who, in an unguarded moment, have renounced a parent's protection, and fled from the innocent joys of home, to riot in a strange country, and instead of treasuring their patrimony against the day of necessity, have idly and wickedly squandered it on lawless indulgences and among intemperate companions? Let them, if such there be, bear witness to what a conflict of opposing passions they were exposed, whenever reflection brought them to themselves,"-how greatly their guilty pleasures were alloyed by the frequently recur

ring thought upon their unnatural and ungrateful conduct: and when driven by extreme necessity to ask forgiveness of the parent they had dishonoured, with what mingled sensations of conscious unworthiness and humbling anticipation they preferred their prayer! with what lively emotions of gratitude and joy they received the unqualified pardon, and beheld the preparations for rejoicing.

To those who have perchance been spared these scenes of trial, let it be a timely and a valuable caution. Let the history of the prodigal inculcate upon every father's breast the duty of so nurturing his family and regulating his household, that his children may own no satisfaction so pure and sufficient as those he enjoys in the heart of his home. Let it guard the youth just entering on the paths of manhood against the dangers he will encounter, the privations to which he must submit, when seeking, with untimely eagerness, to break from a parent's just authority, and escape his healing and affectionate reproof. Let him hence learn the indisputable truth, that his happiness is never so safe, as when in the custody of those who are by nature interested in his well-doing; that the value of their protecting guidance is never duly estimated, till a sad and chastening experience has convinced him of his own imcompetency.

Hitherto we have commented only upon the letter of the parable; let us now look to the spirit of it, let us contemplate the parent as our Heavenly Father; and, in the portrait of the prodigal, acknowledge a striking resemblance to the majority of his creatures. For awhile, we walk

satisfied in the paths of peace and innocence, happy under the restraints of religion and virtue, and scarcely knowing or indulging a wish beyond our home. But with the pleasures of youth come also its temptations; desires, hitherto unfelt, occupy our meditations, meet us in our path, follow us to our retirement, and compose our waking dreams. We are ardently anxious for the new enjoyment, but the Gospel forbids it-pronouncing it not perhaps guilty in itself, but imperceptibly leading on to guilt. We yield to the first temptation; and, not having yet, we will suppose, transgressed a positive command, the compliance is not accompanied with any serious misgiving of the heart. But having once given way, the work of the enemy is become comparatively easy; the prohibitions of the Gospel seem now unnecessarily severe; the control over the thought is pronounced arbitrary; and, with a full and undoubting reliance on our own powers of resistance, we advance one step more towards the snare of temptation. Now the progress becomes rapid-we demand the "portion" of our liberty, to which we think we are entitled; we no longer brook the control of parental authority, of Gospel precepts, of positive commands, but rushing at once upon pursuits, unrestrained by reason or religion, we "waste our substance," enfeeble our powers, both of body and mind, ruin our reputation, and not till every forbidden pleasure has been exhausted, do we perceive the folly and vanity of our What now remains for us, but bitter and unavailing remorse? Can we have recourse, for consolation, to that volume which we know holds out threatenings of pu

course.

nishment to those who disobey its commands? Have we courage to look up to Heaven? may our eye meet there an offended Omnipotent God, who is too "pure to behold iniquity," whose authority we have disputed, whose displeasure we have braved. Yes-in this the moment of our extremest need, the Gospel will afford us consolation, the all-merciful God will compassionate our wants, and listen to our prayer. If, in the language of the parable, we "arise and go to our Father, and say unto him, Father, we have sinned against Heaven, and before thee, and are no more worthy to be called thy sons;" if we sincerely acknowledge our disobedience, our unworthiness, and throw ourselves upon his compassion, God will have mercy. upon us; there will be unusual rejoicing among his angels; they will gladly welcome the recovered prodigal, and his transgressions will be for ever blotted out from the register of Heaven.

We have yet to consider the remonstrances of the elder son, who had never quitted his father's house, on witnessing such unusual rejoicing at the return of his prodigal brother:-"He was angry, and would not go in." And, in answer to the earnest entreaties of his father that he would partake the universal joy, he exclaims, "Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment, and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends; but as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf."

Let it not be imagined from this, the elder son's remonstrances, that repentance, however sincere, following upon a course of disobedience and crime, is of more value in the sight of God than actual innocence. Lively as is the rejoicing in Heaven at the resurrection of the penitent prodigal from the death of sin, we are not warranted in coming to the conclusion that his reward will be commensurate with that of him who has not wilfully swerved from his duty, nor disobeyed the commands of his Maker, and who, consequently, needs less the purification of repentance. In confirmation of this, look to the reply of the father in the parable" Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine."It is true thou hast never rebelled against my authority, nor quitted my protection; thy reward will be proportionate; "all that I have is thine:" but this thy brother, who has long been dead in sin, is risen again to righteousness," It is meet, therefore, that we make merry and be glad ;”- —as our hearts were severely grieved at his loss, so let them revive on his return. Repine not that he is "alive again" to share the comforts of the present and hope the blessings of the future-thy patrimony will not be impaired by his participation in the fruits of my bounty-come, therefore, and unite with us in rejoicing for his recovery, and thanksgiving for his return to liberty and life.

Such, my brethren, will be the disposition of our Heavenly Father towards the reviving sinner-with such encouragement will he meet his earliest efforts after virtue-and such sentiments of joy and gratitude should we indulge

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