he sees afar off the happiness enjoyed by him whom he lately despised, and in vain beseeches Abraham that he would send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool his tongue. Here the parable assumes a dramatic form; and it closes with an admonition and prophecy to which, in the opinion of the hearers, the greatest weight is given, as they are uttered by Abraham himself. "If they 'hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead."

The state of extreme wretchedness to which the Prodigal Son had reduced himself is painted with great expression in the parable so called. "When TM he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want; and he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country: and he sent him into his fields to feed " swine. And he desired to fill his belly with the husks which the swine did eat; and no man gave unto him." In his hour of reflection and remorse, which his distress naturally awakened, he says; "I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants." Accordingly when he comes to his father, he addresses him in these very words:

Luke xv. 14, 15.

I Luke xvi. 31. A most hateful employment to a Jew, whose law pronounced those animals unclean. • Kegáry, siliqua, i. e. leguminis folliculus, a corniculi similitudine, ut putatur. Quid vetet Luc. xv. accipere pro leguminum folliculis, hoc est, siliquis, quas Plinius quoque pecorum pabulo gratissimas esse scribit, non video. Hen. Steph. thes. Pv. 18, 19.

"Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son :" The compassion of the father, and the strength of natural affection, which is weak in comparison of God's goodness, are thus beautifully represented: "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." He seems also to interrupt his son in his act of confession and self abasement, by the command," 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; and let us eat and be merry:" for it remained that the son should add, "Make me as one of thy hired servants." The jealousy and indignation of the Jews at the admission of the Gentiles into God's favour, their rejection of the gospel on that account, and God's benevolent endeavours to overcome their prejudices, are set forth with equal excellence in the remaining part of the parable. When the elder son knew the cause of the rejoicing, "he" was angry,

:

and would not go in therefore came his father out, and entreated him." " And he answered and said to his father, Behold, 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

v. 22, 23.

10. 21. I have shewn, p. 80, note [] that this repetition is agreea. ble to the manner of Moses, and of the most admired ancient writers. Tv. 20. Comp. v. 18, 19. with v. 21. There is an unnecessary refinement in this observation as the authorities for adding these words are sufficient. See note [] p. 80.

w v. 29, 30.

. 28,

this THY SON was come, who hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf." Here is ostentation of his own obedience; a charge of unkindness against his father; aggravation of the younger son's conduct, for he does not vouchsafe him the endearing appellation of BROTHER; and expostulation with his father for an act of the greatest placability and goodness. The father replies with the most perfect mildness. The claim of uninterrupted obedience is not denied; and thus the case is put as favourably as possible for the Jews; and they are left, with much delicacy, to collect their guilt from their former history and present conduct. And whereas the angry language of THIS THY SON had been used, the father endeavours to raise the most tender sensations by changing it into THIS THY BROTHER. "Son thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. 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."

We shall in vain search the treasures of ancient and modern learning for apologues equal in beauty to our Lord's parables in general, and particularly to the three last; which I have therefore somewhat largely illustrated.

In some of our Lord's discourses the sedate and composed affections prevail, displaying the humane

a

a

* It is not said his living, but thy living: a circumstance of aggravation. › See Doddridge on v. 32. 2 v. 31, 32. « Ήθος quod intelligimus, quodque a docentibus desideramus, id erit quod

and attractive virtues of the speaker, penetrating and possessing the heart of the hearers, and clearly reflecting back the mild lustre of an amiable character: than which natural species of eloquence none is more persuasive or delightful. The best illustrations of this may be taken from our Lord's addresses to the companions of his ministry, and the future preachers of his gospel, on the night before his crucifixion.

He thus comforts them on his departure: "Let not your heart be troubled: believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions if it were not so, I would have told you: I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am there ye may be also." "I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, that he may abide with you d for ever. I will not leave you in an orphan state: I will come unto you." "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth,

ante omnia bonitate commendabitur : non solum mite ac placidum, sed plerumque blandum et humanum, et audientibus amabile atque jucundum in quo exprimendo summa virtus ea est, ut fluere omnia ex natura rerum hominumque videantur, quo mores dicentis ex oratione pelluceant, & quodammodo agnoscantur. Quod est proculdubio inter conjunctas maxime personas, quoties perferimus, ignoscimus, satisfacimus, monemus, procul ab ira, procul ab odio. Quinct. vi. 2. b John xiv. 1, 2, 3, 16, 18, 27. Hence Christ himself was also Tagaos: and he is called so 1 John ii 1. Пagaxaxy signifies to comfort and to exhort. Wetstein's note is "Glossarium, advocatus, Tagdatos:" and he quotes Asconius in Cic. in Q. Cæc. advocatus, si aut jus suggerit, aut præsentiam suam commodat amico. See also Bishop Pearce, a Quamdiu vivitis. Wetstein. Bishop Pearce. Phi

lem. 15.

give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

He thus arms them against the persecutions which they were to undergo. "If the world hate you, ye CS know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. All these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.” "They will put you out of the synagogues: yea the time cometh that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. But these things have I told you, that, when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them."

f

He thus exhorts them to the discharge of their duty as his disciples. "If ye love me, keep my commandments. He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father; and I will love him, and will manifest myself unto him.” "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit: so shall ye be my disciples. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love: even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. This is my commandment; that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Ye are my friends. if ye do whatsoever I command you."

And he thus supports and animates them, in the prayer with which he concludes these affectionate

* c. xv. 18, 19, 21. xvi. 2, 4. 8, 10, 12, 14.

fc. xiv. 15, 21.

C. XV.