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This young man would have it so, and was left to his own foolish choice. He wanted to be manager for himself. This was Adam's sin, and we have all more of this independent spirit than we imagine. But woe be to us, when we take ourselves out of God's hands. The father had a portion for him, as God has for us all. See what it will come to when it is in his own keeping.

13. And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance in riotous living.

Let us keep our thoughts close to the hidden meaning of the parable, all the way, as we proceed. He departed from God, and quickly wasted his stock. His soul was soon in a starving condition.

14. And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

This pictures forth a man who is pinched with spiritual poverty, but does not yet turn his eyes to his Father's house; and who tries all ways to relieve himself, in some other method.

15. And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

And what could he do for him in his need? Nothing, but send him to feed swine. The meaning is, we do so by ourselves. When once we are fallen from God, as we all are by nature, we make any shift rather than return to him.

16. And he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat and no man gave unto him.

These husks are the world, our lusts, our own wills, called our reason; and with this trash we would fain fill ourselves. "And no man gave unto him." Still there was no food for the poor soul: its hunger was unsatisfied; and now behold it at the last gasp.

17. And when he came to himself, he said, How

many hired

servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

Mark how a man finds his lost state, and that no sinner ever comes to himself till he does find it. If we would know whether we have come to ourselves, let us observe what follows, and what workings we must have had. Hear his reasonings in this verse. What plenty have I left! What a wretched condition have I brought myself into! How much better is that of the meanest person in my father's house! So the awakened sinner says, I perish. This, therefore, is the first step in our repentance, namely, self-knowledge, conviction of sin, and a deep sense of our misery.

18. I will arise and go to my father, and say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,

A purpose in the heart to return to God, is the second step in our repentance: "I will arise and go to my father." Confession of our guilt and miserable blindness, is the third step in repentance: "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee."

19. And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

This is another qualification of a true penitent. He thinks that he has no right to be treated as a child, in God's family. O that he might be admitted to the meanest place in it!

20. 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.

This was the last step, and the completion of all that went before. No knowledge, convictions, or purposes, will avail us without this arising, and coming to God, through Jesus Christ. Now see what his father did, and what God will do for all who are come thus far on their way.

When we are resolved to come to God, it is no matter how far off, we are seen and pitied by him. The face of

this man was turned the right way. His father, who only wanted this happy change, saw it, and ran to meet and welcome him, with all possible demonstrations of kindness.

21. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

No work of grace begins till this confession comes from the heart, and from a lively conviction of our miserable estate in sin. It is easy saying, as we are taught, that all are sinners, and so thinking no more of it. But the prodigal son was pinched with a sense of his miserable condition. And so must all be inwardly, before they take up a resolution of coming to Christ, and by him to their heavenly Father.

22. But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

What can the best robe be, but Christ's perfect righte ousness?" And put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet." He is again a child in my family, he shall be owned by me as such, and entitled to all the plenty of it. O our good heavenly Father! Here is not a word of upbraiding for what was past. All is forgotten when the sinner comes to himself, and returns to God the Father, through Jesus Christ, who is the only way to God.

23. And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat, and be merry:

Who was sacrificed for us? And what cause have we to rejoice!

24. For this my son was dead, and is alive again: he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

We are all dead in trespasses and sins, till Christ lives in us; and we are lost to all good, to ourselves, to God, to heaven, and to happiness, till we are found of him.

SECTION LIII.

Chap. xv. ver. 25-32.

PARABLE OF THE PRODIGAL SON.

In order to understand what remains of this parable, we must call to mind that one great design of it was to show the calling and receiving the Gentiles into covenant with God. The Jews, who were once his only people, had persuaded themselves, by a strange mistake, that they were always to be so, and they could not bear to think that the rest of the world should have this honour with them. We may now see who the elder son is, and what was the ground of their murmuring.

25. Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing.

26. And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27. And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28. And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out,and entreated him.

He did not know himself. We can hardly think that any one but such self-righteous people, can be displeased with God's superabundant kindness to the worst of sinners.

29. And he answering said to his father, 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;

See here the heart! Let us know our deceitfulness. In the very act of transgressing, he says he never transgressed.

30. But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

In his pet he had forgotten that he was his brother.

31. And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.

Though the elder son was greatly to blame, and betrayed a very bad disposition, his father was not less concerned for him than the other; but speaks to him with great tenderness, to bring him to a better mind.

32. It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

The elder had said in scorn, "This thy son," v. 30. The father throws the ill-natured expression back to him, with a gentle rebuke, and says, "This thy brother." If you are an elder brother in the faith of the gospel, despise none. Call to mind your own wanderings, and the bowels of your heavenly Father towards you. Remember that you are saved, as a sinner, who is, as yet, only in the way, and may both be tempted and be drawn aside.

This is an instructive, awakening, and most comfortable portion of holy writ. Man needs mercy, and God has all mercy in store for him which he wants. He is ready to be reconciled to us; we need not perish, we may live. But this is only a cold expression of the love and compassion of God. It is far short of the lively representations which we behold in this chapter, which may be well entitled, "God unveiled to mortal eyes." He is here represented as seeking after us with bowels of melting pity. We see him, in this chapter, longing for the hour of our return, and receiving us with transport into his arms, as much as if his own happiness depended upon it, and every lost soul was the loss of a child to him.

This is knocking hard at the door of our hearts; this is stooping low, and bringing the matter home to our senses indeed and could our extreme danger, in sin, be more feelingly described, than by showing us that all heaven is interested in our recovery, and how great an accession of joy every penitent,—each single penitent,-is to the blessed inhabitants in heaven. O! why then do any perish? If

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