hath not seen, ear heard, nor man conceived. Think it not doubtful, or the gift one uncertain from its greatness. Enjoy it in anticipation, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give it. What an expression of good-will, mercy, and firm intention! "This is my beloved Son," said a voice from the excellent glory, of Christ, "in whom I am well pleased." The same word is used here:eudokesen. The Saviour caught from his Father's lips the word intended to honour himself, and applies it to his disciples, his brethren, his friends, that they may share the glory. He is well pleased to give you the kingdom. Look at this, and go forward!

"And doubt we yet thro' dangers to pursue

The paths of honor, and a crown in view?"

No. Saints rejoice! And those who have not, come now, be sharers of this joy. The sacrifice is little-the reward immense !

108

PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.-Luke xv. 20.

CHRISTIANITY in the Bible comes addressed indiscriminately to all, it pays no court to the higher orders of society, but speaks to them in the same way that it does to the mechanic, the ploughman, the beggar; and under the one general appellation of fallen creatures, it invites the lofty, and the dregs of the people, the moral man, in the world's account, and the openly profane, to receive its blessings. The worldly, wise, and great, have generally opposed a system which thus reduces all to the same level; they pride themselves in temporal affairs upon their distinction from the commonality, and here there is no sin; but they desire also in spiritual things to be judged above the vulgar, and to receive the proofs and effects of divine grace through a distinct channel, and of the want of any thing suitable to such a prejudice and desire in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, provokes their hostility; we have an illustration of this in the circumstances which gave rise to the parable of the pro

digal son. The Scribes and Pharisees, who stood aloof from the Jews in a fancied superiority of intellectual and moral acquirements, finding that our Lord, who laid claim to the Messiahship, contrary to their expectations, did nothing to support their honor, and refused to acknowledge their ideal eminence, and went about preaching the kingdom of God in the highways, and in all places of concourse, inviting every sinner, Jew and Gentile, Scribe and Publican, to enter in and be saved, they took umbrage, felt their consequence wounded, and styled him the friend and companion of the vile; and when he called harlots, and the depraved, and the poor, preached in their hearing, that he came to seek and to save that which was lost, not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance, and would cast out none who came unto him; and when, upon the belief of these people knowing not the law, he forgave their sins, the indignation and fury of the chief priests and elders broke out,-here they rose in murmurs,-here their malicious criticism exclaimed, He utters blasphemy,—and here they deduced what they conceived an unanswerable conclusion against the divine origin of the Saviour's mission; running to the law which promised acceptance in the sight of God only to them who obeyed the commandments; they reasoned among themselves probably on the holiness of Jehovah; they inferred the impossibility of his receiving such wicked persons as they were known to have been whom Jesus was enriching with his grace; they saw him giving the title of sons of God to Gentiles

who had not conformed to the Mosaic ritual; they felt no difficulty in pronouncing him a deceiver. Benighted individuals! it was not the law which Jesus preached, but a new dispensation of mercy proceeding on the fact that all had broken that law, and had become children of wrath, both Jew and Gentile, Pharisee and Sinner, without exception, and therefore he was free to bestow its saving health on all. The Saviour might have shown these boasters of their sanctity how little they themselves had proceeded towards that height of spiritual obedience necessary for man's righteousness under the covenant of works; by laying bare their hearts, he might have demonstrated from the want of any real principle of love to God, from the selfishness that reigned there, from the universality of corrupt motives which inspired their outward and ostentatious display of holy worship, that they were but whited sepulchres, fair without but rottenness within, and instead of cavilling at his overflowing pity, that they ought rather to have knelt in company with the publican, and craved the droppings of his grace, or as viler of the two have asked for the crumbs which should fall from his table. However, he had often urged this with them before; they were steeled against conviction, and he adopts another mode of reply. He confines himself to the objection in their minds, that God would not receive, regard, or bless, any but the just, or show himself kind to the rebellious and the vile. He opens to them a different view of Jehovah's character, and fuller of mercy, than they suspected.

Behold, says he, the portraiture of daring vice, of infamy and wretchedness-there were two sons, belonging to a man, who had all the requisites of a good father, whose constant care was the welfare of his children, in easy circumstances, possessing lands, and cattle, flocks of sheep, and servants, with every domestic comfort, his sons had no means to be discontented. To overlook the agriculture of the labourers, and take some little share of the employ, was, no doubt, all their occupation, and when the beasts had retired from the plough, and the implements of husbandry were laid aside for the day, they retired to enjoy the blessings of a father's instructions, upon the business of life giving them the lessons of experience; explaining to them the sacred law, and pointing them to its wondrous records of God's mercy to his ancient people, his friendship with the patriarchs, and all who served him in sincerity, simplicity, and truth;, pointing them to the glowing pages of inspiration, and the joys of the coming advent of Messiah. At the family altar petitioning heaven's best gifts upon his children, and having no other wish but that his sons should cheer his few remaining years with their presence, receive his parting blessing, close his eyes, and then succeed to the patrimonial inheritance. Yet one of them, ungrateful, dead to this kindness, and tired of restraint, determines to be independent, demands his share of the estate, obtains it from his parent's indulgence, gets it altogether, and sets off into a far country. Might not the venerable man cry, witness heaven!