[It is by the gospel that Jesus comes to search for lost

sinners

If indeed it be delivered only in a general way it will scarcely ever prove effectual for men's salvation

It is only the close application of the word, that will ever reach the conscience

But, when faithfully preached, and accompanied with God's Spirit, it will find out men in their darkest recesses—

O that God may now make use of it to sweep away the rubbish under which we have lien!—

And that we may be found of him, before he " away with the besom of destruction!"]

sweep us

3. What reason have we to adore the condescension and grace of Christ!

[If he did not seek for us we should lie in our sins to all eternity

And when found at the last day, that word would be verified in us'

What kindness then is it in him to use such means for our recovery!

Let us never forget what obligations we owe to him

Let us acknowledge ourselves his, that he may do with us as he will

He will then keep us that we may not fall from him any

morem

And will lodge us safely in his coffers amidst the treasures he has been collecting from the foundation of the world"-]

I Jer. vi. 30.

n

Eph. i. 10, 14. Mal. iii. 17.

m John x. 28. 1 Pet. i. 5.

CCLVII. THE PRODIGAL SON.

Luke xv. 23, 24.-Bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry. For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.

THE willingness of God to receive sinners is abundantly declared in scripture

But in no place is it so amply, or so beautifully described as in the parable before us

The reference which the parable has to the Jews and Gentiles will be more properly noticed, when we come to consider the conduct of the elder brother

At present we may view it as a lively representation of a sinner's return to God

The text leads our attention to three points (which are also the three distinguishing parts of the parable) namely, the prodigal's departure from his father, his return to him, and his reception with him—

I. His departure

He went from his father's house, little thinking of the ruin he should bring upon himself

[The occasion of his departure was, that he hated the restraint of his father's presence

And longed for independence, that he might gratify his own inclinations

Hence he desired his father to divide him his portionBut little did he think to what extent his passions would carry him

Scarcely had he received his portion before he left his father And departed to a distant country, where his actions would pass unnoticed

Having thus thrown the reins upon the neck of his appetites, he was carried on with irresistible impetuosity

From one degree of sin to another he rushed forward without restraint

Nor stopped till he had wasted his substance in riotous. living

At last he began to feel the consequences of his folly

He was reduced to a state of extreme wretchedness

Yet he determined to do any thing rather than return to his father

Though a Jew, he submitted for hire to the ignominious employment of feeding swine

His wages however, there being a grievous famine in the land, would not procure him even necessary subsistenceIn vain did he attempt to fill his belly with the husks intended for the swine

In vain did he solicit assistance from those who had known him in his more prosperous days

"No man," either from gratitude or compassion, “gave him" any relief-]

Such is the departure of sinners from the presence of their God

[They have experienced the restraints of education-But have sighed for liberty and independence

With their growing years, they increasingly abuse the mercies which God has bestowed upon them

Their reason, their time, and other talents they employ in the service of sin

Though they do not all run to the same excess of riot, they live equally at a distance from God

At last perhaps they begin to feel the misery which their neglect of him has brought upon them

His providence too concurs with his grace to make a deeper wound in their conscience

But they try any carnal expedients rather than return to God

Nor can ever be prevailed on to turn unto him, till they have fully proved the insufficiency of the creature to afford them help

Whatever they may think of themselves in such a state, they are really "dead," and "lost"-]

But the prodigal was not gone beyond recovery, as is evident from

II. His return

During his departure he had been as a person destitute of reason

At last however, "coming to himself," he thought of his father's house

The various steps of his return are worthy of notice [He first reflected on the folly and madness of his former

ways

And on the incomparably happier state of those who lived under his father's roof, and whom perhaps he once despised for submitting to such restraints

He then resolved that he would return to his father, and implore his forgiveness

Having formed the purpose, he instantly arose to carry it

into execution

And set off, destitute as he was, to obtain, if possible, the lowest office among his father's domestics-]

These exactly describe the steps of a sinner's return to God

[He first begins to see how madly and wickedly he has acted

He feels that he has reduced himself to a wretched and perishing condition

He considers how happy are those once despised people, who enjoy the favour of his heavenly father

And how happy he himself should be, if he might but obtain, the meanest place in his family

With these views he determines to abase himself as a vile, self-ruined creature

There are no terms so humiliating, but he finds them suited to his case

He is rather fearful of not humbling himself sufficiently than of aggravating his sin too much

He resolves that he will go to a throne of grace and ask for mercy

Nor will he wait for any more convenient season, lest he should perish before the hoped-for season arrive-

He is ashamed indeed to go in so mean and destitute a condition

But he despairs of ever going in any other way

He therefore breaks through, all the engagements he has made with sin and Satan

And goes, with all his guilt upon him, to his God and Saviour

He now perhaps may be deemed mad by his former companions

But he should rather be considered as now "coming to himself"-]

The effect of the prodigal's repentance appears in III. His reception

His father, it seems, was wishfully looking out for him

And, on his first appearance, ran to testify his good will towards him

[The sight of the returning child caused the father's bowels to yearn over him

Nor would he suffer an upbraiding word to escape his lips

When the prodigal began his confession, the father interrupted him with kisses

And not only would not hear the whole of his confession, but would not even hurt his feelings by saying that he pardoned him

He ordered the best robe, with shoes and a ring, to be instantly put upon him

And killed the fatted calf in order to celebrate the joyful occasion-]

What a delightful representation does this give us of the reception which penitents find with God!

[God longs for their salvation even while they are at a distance from him

He notices with joy the first approaches of their souls towards him

Instead of frowning on the prodigal he receives him with joy

Instead of upbraiding him with his folly, he seals upon his soul a sense of pardon

He arrays him in robes of righteousness and garments of salvation

He adorns him in a manner suited to the relation into which he is brought

He provides for his future comfortable and upright conversation

He rejoices over him as recovered from the dead

And makes it an occasion of festivity to all the angels in heaven

Thus do even the vilest sinners find their hopes, not only realised, but far exceeded

They come for pardon, and obtain joy; for deliverance from hell, and get a title to heaven

Their utmost ambition is to be regarded as the meanest of God's servants; and they are exalted to all the honours and happiness of his beloved children-]

APPLICATION

[Who would not wish to resemble this prodigal in his reception with his father

But, in order to it, we must resemble him in his penitence and contrition

Let none think that, because they have been more moral than the prodigal, they do not need to repent like him—

All of us without exception have walked after the imagination of our own hearts, without any love to his presence or regard for his authority

Let all of us then cry for mercy, as miserable sinnersThe more vile we are in our own eyes, the more acceptable shall we be to God

Some perhaps may fear to return, because they have been so exceeding vile

But let none imagine that they have gone beyond the reach of mercy

The promise of acceptance extends to all without exceptiona.

-

"There is bread enough and to spare" for all that will go to God

Let all then accept the Saviour's invitation"

Let us this day afford an occasion of joy to all the hosts of heaven

Then shall we ourselves be soon made partakers of their joy

And dwell, as dear children, in our Father's house for ever and ever-]

a John vii. 37.

b Matt. xi. 28.