THE PRODIGAL SON.

Yet he the darling, which too well he knew,
And only did his sports and mirth pursue,
But tired at last with home, he longs for change,
His follies now must have a larger range.

"A CERTAIN man had two sons: and the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living. And not many days after, the younger son took his journey into a far country, and wasted his substance with riotous living." (Luke xv. 11, 12, 13.)

This parable represents God as the common Father of all mankind. God is the God not of the Jews only, but of the Gentiles (Rom. iii. 29); the same Lord over all, who is rich in mercy to all that call upon him. It represents the children of men as of different characters, though all

related to God, as their common Father. The younger son is the prodigal, whose character and case are here designed to represent that of a sinner; that of every one of us in our natural state, but of some more especially. Without any cause, he ungratefully and improperly demanded of his father the goods that fell to his share. Why did he desire to have his portion? He was weary of the good order and discipline of his father's family. Alas! such is the folly of many young men, who are religiously educated, and never think themselves their own masters, till they have broken God's bands in sunder, and, instead of them, have bound themselves with the cords of their own evil inclinations. This is the origin of the apostasy of sinners from God; they will not be bound by the rules of God's government, they will know no other good

and evil than what they themselves please. A shyness of God, and a willingness to disbelieve that he knows all things, are the ground of the wickedness of the wicked. This youth was proud of himself, and had a great conceit of his own sufficiency. More young people are ruined by pride than by any other evil propensity.

The father computed what he had to dispose of between his sons, and gave the younger son his share. The Almighty is a kind Father to all his children, and gives to them life and breath, and all things, even to the evil and unthankful. The condition of the prodigal represents to us a sinful state, that miserable state into which man is fallen.

A sinful state is a state of departure and distance from the living God. He took his journey from his father's house. Sinners

have fled from God.

This world is the far

country in which they take up their residence, and in the service and enjoyment of it they spend their all.

There he wasted his substance with riotous living. As to this world, they that live riotously, and waste what they have, will have a great deal to answer for. But this is to be applied spiritually; wilful sinners misemploy their thoughts and all the powers of their souls, mis-spend their time and all their opportunities; and the gifts of providence, which were to enable them to serve God, and to do good, are too often made the food and fuel to their own wickedness.