was more acceptable to God than those that had never finned at all. But the Intention. is to fignify, in a ftrong Manner, that it is as certain that God is greatly pleased with the Repentance of Sinners, and their Return to their Duty; as it is that we ufually find a fenfible Joy upon the Recovery of any Thing that is loft, and even are apt to be more pleafed with it, than if we had never loft it at all: To which it may be added, that, as feveral of the Divine Perfections are most illustriously difplayed in the Recovery of loft Sinners and as in fome Refpects this maketh at more amiable Discovery of his Glory than if they had not fallen, he may be juftly reprefented as taking a peculiar Compla→ cency in the Methods and Exercises of his Wisdom and Grace, in bringing them to Salvation.

The Conclufion our Lord draws from the fecond Parable is to the fame Purpose, Ver. 10. Likewife I fay unto you, There is Joy in the Prefence of the Angels of God: over one Sinner that repenteth.

4

The third Parable in this Chapter, from Ver. 11. to the End, and which was fpoken on the fame Occafion, is that excellent one of the Prodigal Son, which is the longeft of all our Saviour's Parables that are recorded by the Evangelifts, and ex

ceedingly

ceedingly beautiful and inftructive. In the firft Part of this Parable, the great Guilt and Folly of Sinners, in their indulging their corrupt Lufts, and their Abuse of the Divine Benefits, is fet forth under the Emblem of a young Man, who, having received from his Father the Portion of Goods that fell to him, took his Journey into a far Country, and there wafted his Subftance with riotous Living. The ill Confequences of a vicious and finful Course are farther represented, in a moft lively Manner, in what follows, Ver. 14, 15, 16. When he had Spent all, there arofe 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 be fent him into his Field to feed Swine. And he would fain have filled his Belly with the Hufks which the Swine did eat; and no Man gave unto him. Could any Thing be more expreffive of the Miferies Sinners bring upon themselves, and the bafe Drudgery they submit to, after having refufed the mild and equal Government of their heavenly Father; and their Readiness to take up with the vaineft, the emptieft Things, which are incapable of yielding true Satisfaction and Happiness?

In the next Part of the Parable, the Repentance and Converfion of a Sinner is

R 4

most

most beautifully figured: His ferious Reflection on his evil Ways, and on the Miferies to which he was thereby expofed, together with the Senfe he had of the Happiness that would attend a contrary Course; his deep Sorrow and Remorfe for his past Conduct, expreffing itself in humble and penitent Acknowledgments of his great Guilt and Folly; and his hearty Refolution of entering upon a new Course of Life, followed by an actual Amendment and Reformation; all this is admirably illuftrated in Ver. 17, 18, 19, 20. And, when he came to himself, he faid, How many hired Servants of my Father's have Bread enough and to spare, and I perish with Hunger! I will arife and go to my Father, and will Jay unto him, Father, I have finned against Heaven and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son: Make me as one of thy hired Servants. And be arofe and came to his Father.

But the most affecting Part of the Parable, and which feems to be the principal Thing intended, is the Account that is given of the kind Reception his Father gave him, and the Satisfaction and Joy he expreffed upon the Return of his Prodigal; which is thus moft fignificantly reprefented: But, when he was yet a great Way off, his Father faw him, and had Compaffion, and

ran,

ran, and fell on his Neck, and kiffed him. And the Son faid unto him, Father, I have finned against Heaven and in thy Sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son. And the Father faid 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; and 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 loft, and is found. Ver. 20, 21, 22, 23, 24. What an amiable and moving Representation is this! Nothing can poffibly set forth to us, in a more lively Manner, the exceeding Riches of the Divine Grace as manifested in the Gospel, and the marvellous Kindness and Compaffion of God our heavenly Father towards even the greatest of Sinners that return to him by a fincere Repentance, and caft themfelves with a humble Faith upon his infinite Grace and boundless Mercy. It is fignified that, in that Cafe, he will remember their Iniquities against them no more: He will treat them as his Children, and will inveft them with the most glorious Privileges and Benefits. What Grace and Love, what Pity and Condefcenfion towards Sinners, breathe in this Reprefenfation! And how hard muft our Hearts be,

if

if all this Goodness doth not lead us to Repentance!

}

As to the laft Part of this Parable, which reprefents the eldest Son as murmuring at the kind Reception the returning Prodigal had met with, it seems to be partly added for Ornament, as Circumftances in Parables often are, which are not to be pushed too far, and partly to reprove the proud and envious Temper of the Pharifees, who, as is obferved in the Beginning of this Chapter, when the Publicans and Sinners drew near unto him for to hear him, murmured, faying, This Man receiveth Sinners, and eateth with them. Now, fuppofing they were as righteous, as they would be thought to be, like the elder Brother in this Parable, who is reprefented as having never offended his Father; and that those whom they called Sinners were like the Prodigal here; yet they ought not to murmur, or repine, at the Kindnefs fhewn them upon their Return, but rather to rejoice at their Converfion; fince this was in itself defirable, and would by no Means diminish their own Acceptance or Reward, as the Father's Joy at the Return of his fpendthrift Son did not hinder the Elder's obtaining the Portion defigned him: They fhould rejoice that thofe who feemed loft to God, and dead in Trefpaffes and Sins, were now re

covered