wants and woes, his broken heart and his contrite spirit. He has no works of righteousness to recount, no merit to present, and no claims to allege for acceptance. His hope, therefore, instead of being placed on himself, rests wholly on his father's sovereign and undeserved goodness. "By grace are ye saved 18 "through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of "God." This humiliating truth he not only acknowledges, but acknowledges cheerfully, with ardent gratitude, with high exultation.

His sense of total want and extreme guilt is the very cause which prompts him to return; and his only address to his Maker is, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before “thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son!" A broken heart is the sacrifice which God accepts through the Redeemer ; but he will accept no other sacrifice. To this man will he look, even to him who is of a humble and contrite spirit; but he will look to no other. The hope of obtaining forgiveness by means of our own righteousness is a direct contradiction to the repentance of the Gospel, and is entirely opposed to the scriptural scheme of coming to God. The prodigal thought it a very great favour to be made as one of his father's hired servants; a favour to which he makes not the least claim, but humbly hopes that he may derive it from the bounty of his parent.

VII. A true penitent executes his resolutions of obedience. "And he arose, and came to his father."

The prodigal not only resolved that he would go, and confess his sins, but he actually arose, and went, and confessed.

Sinners who enjoy the light of the Gospel usually, perhaps universally, with more or less strength, and more or less frequently, resolve that they will amend their ways and their doings, and obey the voice of the Lord their God. In most cases, however, their resolutions die as an untimely birth.

Look back at the past state of your own lives. When solemn occasions have occurred; when you have heard discourses from the desk of a tenor peculiarly affecting; when you have been brought by disease near to the grave; when your compan

ions have fallen suddenly around you, have not you yourselves been alarmed on account of your sins, trembled under a sense of your danger, and formed serious resolutions to repent and turn to God? But what has been the effect of these resolutions? Have they not been mere blossoms, which, though fair indeed to the eye, and promising good fruit, have fallen prematurely, and perished for ever?

Such is not the conduct of a penitent. He resolves as you have done, but never rests till the object of his resolutions is accomplished. The purpose of returning to God is the favourite concern of his heart, and becomes therefore the prime business of his life. Without it he considers himself as undone. His present condition is full of alarm and distress, and his destiny is absolute ruin. Whatever, therefore, can consist with his continuance in sin he regards as vain, useless, dangerous, and dreadful; and however soothing, quieting, and comforting, as an opiate which will bring on the sleep of death.

At the same time he considers a reconciliation to God, the forgiveness of his sins, his justification, adoption, and sanctification as the best of all blessings, as the sources of all real worth, and the basis of all well-founded hope. Without them he can neither be approved by himself nor loved by God; neither comfortable here, nor happy hereafter. With these views it cannot be wondered at, that he should never rest, until he has renounced his sins, confessed them to his Maker, and commenced a life of new and faithful obedience.

VIII. God is entirely disposed to receive the sincere peni

tent.

"But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, "and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kiss"ed him."

Never was a spirit of tenderness and reconciliation exhibited with equal force and beauty. The moment he saw him, his compassion was kindled. Instead of waiting to permit the ungrateful wretch to come and propose terms of reconciliation, he ran immediately to him. Instead of reproaching, or even reproving him for his filial impiety; instead of upbraiding him

for his profligacy; instead of reminding him of his folly and of
its miserable consequences; instead of delaying, to hear his ex-
cuses for the transgressions of his past life, or his promises of
amendment for the future, he fell upon his neck and kissed
him. Nor was even this all. He interrupted the very con-
fession which his miserable son had begun to make. And how
did he interrupt it? Not with reproofs, not even with a wel-
come. The deplorable condition, the famished frame, the
meagre countenance, the haggard eyes, the quivering voice of
the perishing suppliant would not admit, in the mind of such
a parent, of a protracting thought, which might prevent the ne-
cessary relief from being immediate. He, therefore, ordered
his servants to furnish in an instant, the means of comfort, which
he felt to be so affectingly demanded; and these were such, as
to place his father's willingness to receive him beyond the e
doubts even of scepticism itself.

All these, it is to be remembered, are the language of Christ himself, who certainly knew the real disposition of God towards returning sinners; and surely he who laid down his life that sinners might return, cannot be supposed to have deceived them, of design. God is, therefore, just as kindly disposed as in this parable he is represented to be. The calls, invitations, and promises which he has given us in the Gospel, mean the utmost of what they express; and God is as earnestly desirous that sinners should return to him, and as much pleased when they actually return, as the strongest language of the Gospel declares.

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"He is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that TRB any should perish, but that they should come to repentance." "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die," saith the Lord God," and not that he should return from his ways "and live ?" "Therefore, O Son of Man, speak unto the House "of Israel. Thus ye speak, If our transgressions and our sins “be upon us, and we pine away in them, how shall we then live?" Say unto them, "As I live, saith the Lord God, I "have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the "wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from "your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel ?”

But the proof, which is better fitted to affect the mind than any other with strong conviction of this great truth, is found in the wonderful things which have been done for the salvation of sinners. If God was reluctant to save sinners, if he was indifferent concerning their salvation, if he was not earnestly desirous that they should be saved, why did he send his Son to die for them, and his Spirit to sanctify them? Why did Christ live a life of poverty, persecution, and sorrow? Why did he agonize in the garden, ascend the cross, and go down into the grave? Why was the word of God published to mankind? Why was the Sabbath sequestered, but that mankind might enjoy a peaceful, happy, heavenly season for the attainment of endless life? Why were the doors of the sanctuary opened, but that we might enter in and be saved? Why were these solemn ordinances established, and ministers commissioned to teach all nations the Gospel of grace, and to baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost? Why are you, week by week, summoned on this so✓ lemn day, and in this holy place, to repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus? Certainly, if God had been pleased that sinners should perish, they might have perished without these wonderful efforts for their salvation. Nay, they would have perished of course; and you would have perished among them. Not an effort would you have made for your salvation, not a hope would you have entertained, but for this compassionate interference of your Maker.

The very threatenings of the Gospel are a proof of his earnest desire that you should obtain eternal life. They compel, as the promises allure you to the divine attainment, and laying hold on the strongest principles of action, rouse your fears, where your attachments and your hopes would have slept over the burnings of devouring fire. Remember that all the evils which these threatenings denounce, might with perfect ease, have been executed to the full, without a single warning given to you that you were even in danger. Why, then, were you warned to flee from the wrath to come, but that you might lay hold on eternal life?

These tidings are the best which were ever published in this melancholy world. They have astonished heaven, and ought is 12 to awaken an universal transport upon earth. They are tidings cordially announced. The good which they convey is real, and may be yours. Renounce your unbelief; it is your ruin. Remember, and believe while you remember, that at the first indication of your willingness to return, God is ready to meet you while a great way off, and will freely pardon, justify, and accept you, will receive you to himself, and give you the blessings of a glorious immortality.

IX. The richest provision is made for the enjoyment of the sincere penitent.

"But the father said to the servants, Bring forth the best "robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and "shoes on his feet, and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill " it."

All these are the entertainment of him whose utmost hope was to have been made as one of his father's hired servants, and who doubted whether even this boon might be granted. What a contrast is here presented to the rags, hunger, and shame of the miserable beggar upon whom they were bestowed?

All these are the strongest proofs of kindness in earthly parents, and are of course the most proper symbols of the kindness with which our Father who is in Heaven receives his penitent children. At the same time they are forcible proofs that they are in want of all necessary good. The robe, the ring, the shoes, and the fatted calf are gifts to him, who has neither ornaments nor necessaries, who is hungry, naked, and in want of all things.

The very best gifts in the divine kingdom will be bestowed on the returning sinner-the forgiveness of his sins, the justification and adoption of his person, the sanctification of his soul; direction, support, and comfort in his way to endless life; admission into heaven, the sight of God, the supreme love of his character, the knowledge of his dispensations, the enjoyment of his favour, and the friendship of his glorious family. These are blessings for which the universe would be a cheap