SERM. He endeavours, therefore, to free them

XX. from fuch falfe opinions, to enlarge their

narrow minds, and informs them, that he was not come to call the righteous, but finners to repentance; and that God, fo far from refufing, would moft willingly admit all to his divine favour, who with a true penitent heart, and lively faith, would turn unto him. That this was not only his moft gracious offer and defign, but that it was even pleafing and delightful to him, and that there was more joy in heaven over one finner that repenteth, than over ninety-and-nine just perfons who need no repentance..

He then proceeds, in the beautiful parable before us, to illuftrate and explain to them the goodnefs of God, and to propofe thofe terms of mercy and falvation, by which all men may attain what all men have, or ought to have, in view, their final and everlafting happiness.

But

XX.

But as these things were written not SERM. only for their learning to whom they were delivered, but for ours alfo, it will not certainly be an unpleafing, nor perhaps a useless or unimproving task, to run over, as briefly as poffible, the principal circumstances and occurrences, as recounted in the parable, and to confider as we pafs along, what leffons of inftruction may be drawn from them.

A certain man, fays the parable, bad two fons of the nature and difpofition of the elder we have no particular account, though from what is related of his conduct and behaviour, we may fuppofe him to have been a man whose paffions were easily fubdued by resistance, or artfully concealed by hypocrify; one, in fhort, whofe beft of virtues were probably no more than what is generally termed common prudence and difcretion.

SERM. The temper of the younger was moft efXX. fentially different: eager in his pursuit

after pleasure, and refolved to facrifice every thing to it, he said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods which falleth to me. Hurried on by an impetuofity which too frequently attends this period of life, he defires his father to give up to him immediately, the fortune which he had most probably defigned to referve for him to a future day. Against his better judgment, the father is prevailed upon by his importunities, yields to his request, and divides the living. The young man, whose paffions were vehement, grows impatient to launch out into the world, refolves no longer to be under restraint, but gets as far as poffible out of the reach of parental authority, where he might indulge his licentious appetites without the least rebuke or controul. He took his journey, fays the pa-rable, into a far country.

And

XX.

And here I cannot help stopping short, SERM. to observe, that the first false step which the prodigal took, was most probably the fource of all his crimes, and the cause of all his calamities-he left his father. At the time when he ftood most in need of advice, he left that friend who was best able, and doubtless most willing to give it him; and, what was ftill worse, he left him, we fhall find, for misery and deftruction; he left that which alone could fave and protect, for that which was most likely to ruin and betray him; he left, in short, fafety for danger, freedom for flavery, and innocence for guilt.

The moral from this portion of the parable is extremely obvious. In the days of our youth we should remember our Creator.

As foon as we leave our heavenly guide, we quickly deviate into the paths of

error;

SERM, error; from a difregard of God, and a

XX.

contempt of his laws, arifes in a great measure the licentioufnefs and depravity of the times we live in. Vice and irreligion go hand in hand, and never fail to aid and fupport each other: when the laws of God are broken in upon and defpifed, the laws of man are feldom much regarded. Befides, that though men are fo ready to imitate the prodigal, by leaving their Almighty Father in their youth, they too feldom copy his example, by returning to him in their more advanced age.

It is highly incumbent, therefore, on every good and pious parent (and it is a duty of late very hamefully neglected) to instil into the minds of their children, as early as poffible, the principles of religion and morality. The knowledge of languages, of arts and fciences, is univerfally