had heard only, that he who persecuted us in times past now preacheth the faith which once he destroyed: and they glorified God in me."* The letter which Paul wrote to Philemon, when he sent back to him his run-away servant Onesimus, converted, contains the following beautiful passage: "Perhaps he departed for a season, that thou shouldest receive him for ever; not now as a servant, but above a servant, a brother beloved." Nay, our divine Redeemer himself says, and therefore it is no great condescension in the highest of his followers to say after him, “Whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”

In union with all this, we remark, Lastly, on this branch of the subject, though it is mentioned earlier in the narrative, the elder brother's refusal to go in to share in the feast. This was the natural result of the dissatisfaction, pride, ingratitude, and malice, which he was cherishing, and which he had even expressed. The feast was not in honour of him, and therefore, he would have none of it: the rejoicing was not on his account, and, therefore, it was no joy—it was an offence to him. Here was not only malevolence, in grudging the attention which was shown to his returned brother, but folly in shutting himself out from the enjoyment of which he might have been an abundant partaker. So, however, do all Pharisees, all self-righteous persons, still refuse at once to manifest any pleasure in the conversion of others, and to come to the gospel feast themselves. The feast is not in honour of them, and therefore they have no relish for it. They value not, and will not attend, nay, they greatly dislike the spiritual feast, at which all praise is given to the Lamb, and free grace is exalted in the salvation of the chief of sinners. So ignorant are they of their own wants, that they reject the gospel because penitents, whom they despise, are admitted to all its blessings. The true Christian acts very differently. He joins in the rejoicing occasioned by the return of a sinner to God; and, in doing so, he not only follows the impulse of spiritual benevolence, but becomes happier and better himself, while the glorious grace, which at first pacified and captivated his soul, is again unfolded to him in its primitive freshness and power.

But this fourth part of the parable, as already stated, includes, not only what is said strictly of the elder brother *Acts ix. 17; Gal. i. 22.

himself, but also that part of his father's conduct to which his unworthy demeanour gave rise. And what a beautiful contrast is here presented to our consideration! How great his father's condescension and kindness!

Observe, first, his condescension. Learning that his elder son had arrived, but was angry, and would not come in, "he went out and entreated him." He did not send a servant, but he went himself. He entreated him to lay aside his displeasure, and to come in to welcome home his brother, and partake of the feast. And notwithstanding his son's boasting, and rude attack, he continued composed and condescending, and replied meekly, "Son" (for so he still called him, far from filial though his behaviour now was), "Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” In whatever case these words are really applicable in their full spiritual sense, they describe a believer, one who is an adopted and regenerated child of God. Hence arises, to some, the chief difficulty in the way of giving a consistent interpretation of this parable. We have seen enough to convince us, that, however the delineation of the character of the elder brother may be useful in furnishing caution to believers by inference, it is intended not to represent a truly righteous person, but to expose the pride and uncharitableness of the scribes and Pharisees. This general principle, then, furnishes a key to this particular difficulty. In the spiritual interpretation of this clause, we are to consider the Lord as reasoning with an objecting and proud Pharisee on his own principles. Granting, for the sake of argument, that he was really the righteous man who had never transgressed; still, his dissatisfaction, on this occasion, was very unreasonable. God judges him out of his own mouth. The Jewish Pharisee was ever with God, in the sense of having free access to him at all times, if it was not his own fault; and all that the Lord had was his, in respect of outward religious privileges. If these Pharisees, and the Jews in general, had been God's children, and heirs in the saving sense, their privileges would have been continued with them, notwithstanding the calling of the Gentiles. Still, whatever was their character, and, especially, if they were holy, as they pretended, it became all of them to rejoice at the con version and gracious acceptance of others, which could not injure them. Our Lord might have carried the argument further against them; but though, on other occasions, be freely exposed the iniquity of the Pharisees, he here goes no further than was required for establishing the point in hand,

which he does most satisfactorily. He proved, in few words, that the elder son had no reason to be displeased, but that the best reasons existed for all that was done. So, God often condescends to reason with the prejudiced, and to prove that there is no improper partiality in his ways. The case of Cain and Abel is not unlike the one here supposed. "The Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering; but unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door." So also, the Lord reasoned with Jonah, saying, "Doest thou well to be angry?" and again, "Doest thou well to be angry for the gourd?"—and, "Should not I spare Nineveh, that great city?" God might always rest the propriety of what he does on his mere authority; but he often condescends to reason it with his creatures. "The ways of the Lord are right;" and he proves them to be right, that he may be justified when he speaks, and be clear when he judges. He argues with sinners, to overcome their obstinacy, and to bring them to submit to his will, and rejoice in the happiness of his people. And, surely, the reason here assigned for joy, as already explained, is unanswerably strong. "It was meet that we should make merry and be glad: for this thy brother" (so he teaches the elder son to consider him)" this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found."

But, not less remarkable, secondly, was the kindness of his father. It was kind in him to bear with his elder son at all. He might justly have caused him to feel the weight of his displeasure. It was still more kind in him, instead of letting him alone in his obstinate mood, to use means to bring him to a better mind. As he kindly bore with his younger son in the days of his folly, and forgave him on his return; so he now kindly bears with his elder son in the day of his pride, and goes to him with words of entreaty. In short, he wishes to make both his sons happy. Now, thus it is that the Lord God, not only receives those who have notoriously offended against him when they turn, but also, graciously bears with the comparatively decent, but proud and unbelieving, and uses means to remove their prejudices, and reconcile them to himself. He repeats his calls of mercy: he invites, he entreats them to come in and partake of the blessings of his house, of the privileges and

joys of his children. Happy every one with whom his entreaties prevail!

The parable does not say whether the elder brother was won by these entreaties or not. If any one, in such circumstances, is won by such means, it is well; but, if he is not won, he is altogether inexcusable. Nor does Luke tell us what effect this and the two preceding parables had on the murmuring Pharisees and scribes. Some of them may have been convinced: but, it is probable that most of them continued obstinate and unbelieving. However this may have been, they ought all to have been not only silenced, but satisfied, and gained over to the truth.

Having thus treated the parable, in its four parts, at considerable length, both as to its literal meaning, and as to its spiritual application, I shall now, in concluding, only briefly point out some of the instructions which it affords regarding a class of duties to which we have scarcely adverted, and then beseech you to improve this delightful parable in its great outline and general bearing.

This parable, then, ought to be considered as furnishing, by just inference, much instruction regarding some of the relative duties of children, parents, and brethren. This parable contains much instruction to grown up children. It should remind them how much the happiness of their parents depends on their good conduct-how their dutifulness will delight, and their waywardness grieve them. It should teach them, if they have pious parents who watch over them with care, not to grow weary of the salutary restraint, but to value their faithful and affectionate superintendence as it deserves. It should show them that, whatever they may pretend, they are not their friends who would lead them to be dissatisfied with their parents' society, and entice them away from them, in search of forbidden pleasure. It should teach them, when they go abroad, to act as they should act at home under their parents' eye; and not to forget them, nor give them any occasion to suspect that they have forgotten them, or become indifferent about them, but to keep up a regular correspondence with them, and also to take care that others may have reason to report favourably of them, so that their parents may "rejoice greatly," as they can "have no greater joy than to hear that their children walk in truth.” If children have any substance at their own command, this parable teaches them not to waste it wickedly, or foolishly, but to manage it wisely, and use it properly and piously. If they have been, on the whole,

dutiful to their parents, this parable, while it encourages such dutifulness, teaches them not to be proud of it, but to be mindful of their shortcomings, and to become more and more conscientious in this respect. If any children are conscious of having behaved unkindly and disobediently to their parents, or of having grieved them by misconduct, in any way, they are here called on to do so no more, but to change their life, and to begin to please them, and make them happy.

There is much instruction here also to parents. This parable teaches them how to treat undutiful, grown up children, whether their conduct be more or less reprehensible. Though they ought to restrain them from evil, as much as in their power, they are to give them a reason for what they do, in most instances, and are to trust more to the effect of persuasion, than of stern authority. They should be mild and condescending to them, though they be in fault. And if any of them desert their houses, or become very profligate, or offend them grievously, they are not to be inexorable, they are not to refuse to receive them back into favour; but they are to remember that they are still their children, and to welcome them to their forgiveness, and to their aid. Indeed, it is difficult to conceive any circumstances which could justify a parent in entirely casting off his own son, or daughter. Is any parent ready to say, "Gladly would I receive back my undutiful and prodigal son, would he only bethink himself, and return; but, alas! there is no hope of that?" Do not despair: continue to use the means of entreaties, good example, and prayer, for his conversion; and God may be expected to bless them. "Thus saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall come again from the land of the enemy. And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children shall come again to their own border."

There is some instruction here, too, as to the duties which children of the same family owe to each other. This parable teaches them not to seek to monopolize their parents' kindness to themselves, not to grudge any favour shown to any other member of the family, and not to be too severe, not to be unforgiving, to an offending brother or sister. It calls on them to seek each other's salvation, to rejoice in each other's good, and to live in love and peace. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren" thus “to dwell together in unity!"

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