SERMON XX. THE PRODÍGAL SON. LUKE XV. 13. And not many days after, the younger fon gathered all he had together, and took his journey into a far country. I KNOW not whether the remark is to our honour or otherwife, that leffons of wifdom have never such power over us as when they are wrought into the heart through the ground-work of a story which engages the paffions. Is it that we are like iron, and muft firft be heated before we can be wrought upon? or, Is the heart fo in love with deceit, that, where a true report will not reach it, we muft cheat it with a fable, in order to come at truth? Whether this parable of the Prodigal (for fo it is ufually called) is really fuch, or built upon fome ftory known at that time in Jerufalem, is not much to the purpose; it is given us to enlarge upon, and turn to the beft moral account we can. "A certain man," fays our Saviour, "had "two fons, and the younger of them faid to "his father, Give me the portion of goods "which falls to me: and he divided unto "them his fubftance. And not many days "after, the younger fon gathered all together, "and VOL. III. S "and took his journey into a far country, and "there wafted his fubftance with riotous living." 66 The account is fhort: the interefting and pathetic paffages with which fuch a tranfaction would be neceffarily connected, are left to be fupplied by the heart:-the story is filent, but Nature is not :-much kind advice, and many a tender expoftulation, would fall from the father's lips, no doubt, upon this occafion. He would diffuade his fon from the folly of fo rafh an enterprize, by fhewing him the dangers of the journey, the inexperience of his age, the hazards his life, his fortune, his virtue, would run, without a guide, without a friend he would tell him of the many fnares and temptations which he had to avoid or encounter at every fiep,-the pleasures which would folicit him in every luxurious court,the little knowledge he could gain,-except that of evil he would fpeak of the feductions of women,-their charms, their poifons; what haplefs indulgences he might give way to when far from reftraint, and the check of giving his father pain. The diffuafive would but inflame his defire. -He gathers all together. I fee the picture of his departure;— the camels and affes loaden with his fubftance, detached on one fide of the piece, and already on their way the prodigal fon ftanding on the fore-ground, with a forced fedatenefs, ftruggling against the fluttering movement of joy, |