They have in the heart somewhat of the same which our Saviour mentions in another parable, wherein some, who laboured through the heat and burden of the day murmured against the good man of the house, because he had given others, who had only been called into the vineyard in the last hour of the day, the same with them, and had even paid the last first; but our Saviour makes his dealings just, by saying, "Cannot I do what I will with my own?" And in this same parable he makes the father reason with the other brother, till his self-righteousness dies away, and he is convinced of the meetness and justice of his father's dealings with his younger sou, and then he comes in. Thus our Saviour would have his self-righteous children learn, that he is a Sovereign, and can do what he will with his mercy and grace, and that there is often more trouble to get one of these into the house, than the publicans and sinners. It was this spirit that ruined the Jews: it made those offended to whom Jesus addresses the latter part of this parable; it hinders many to be saved who stand cavilling and quarrelling with free grace, till they blaspheme and stumble at the stumbling-stone. It makes it difficult to bring home even an awakened soul who unhappily is fallen into this spirit. It is hard for such to go to heaven. But one thing I must observe, the father entreated even his offended and murmuring son to come in; may he do so with all of his mind! may he convince them of his just and true ways, and make them glad to be saved freely themselves, and glad that their dear Saviour will receive sinners! All our own righteousness is caused by ignorance of our state and nature. When Jesus opens the eyes of the most innocent, he is thoroughly convinced he has no real good in him, and is humbly thankful" that this man receiveth sinners." He is not stumbled at the

many

many places where the scripture preaches the justification of the ungodly, of being saved freely, or by faith alone, but he thinks and sings,

How glad am I that thou so loving art,

That thou canst bless my base and worthless heart,
And canst freely bear with my whole behaviour,
O wert thou not exactly such a Saviour,

What should I do!

May we all experience the care of our Good Shepherd, the faithfulness of the Holy Ghost, and the tender love of the Father to our own eternal welfare, and to the honour of the Lamb; to whom ́ with his Father, and the Holy Ghost, be praise for evermore. Amen.

-1.

I,

AN HYMN.

LORD, the prodigal have been,
My substance I have spent in sin;

I now my youthful follies see,
And, naked, mourn my misery.

2. My innocence, my spotless dress,
I've lost, and all my righteousness;
Reduc'd and made a stranger here,
Nothing but filthy rags I wear.

3. With men I oft have sought to join,
Would fain have eaten husks with swine;
But O! their joys wont do for me,

1

'Tis empty all, and vanity.

4. For heavenly bread I pant, I pant!
I know I now begin to want:
None gives my hungry soul to eat,
None pities my forlorn estate.

5. My Father's servants happy are,
While I the sinner perish here:

They have enough, nor scarceness know,
Nor guess what sorrow I go through.

6. I'll rise, and, wretched as I am,
I'll cry to him for whom I came ;
Longer my Father shall not be
A stranger to my misery.

7. Behold a sinner, Lord! I'll say, Thy son, who lately went astray; Mis'ry and sin is all I plead,

And want of grace and heav'nly bread.

8. See me, though far from thee, and run
To meet thy poor returning son:
And while I tell my wretched case,
Fall on my neck, and me embrace.

9. Bring the best robe, thy righteousness,
And let my feet be shod with peace:
Seal with a ring my trembling hand,
And bring me to my native land.

10. Let all thy children now above,
Rejoice at thy redeeming love;
O tell them, This my son's forgiv'n,
And ransom'd to inherit heav'n.

11. Grant

11. Grant this, my Father, and my tongue
Shall mingle with the blessed throng
With theirs my harp shall sweetly sound,
I once was lost, but now am found!

12. I dead in sin remain'd, till God
Redeem'd my soul from death by blood,
When he for all my guilt was slain;
And now I am alive again,

DISCOURSE

DISCOURSE XVIII.

THE SYROPHOENICIAN: OR, A PATTERN OF INVINCIBLE FAITH.

MATT. XV. 28.

O woman! great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou will.

THESE gracious words of our Saviour were spoken to a poor woman, a gentile of Canaan, who having found him preaching near Tyre and Sidon, desired him to heal her daughter, who was possessed of an evil spirit; and after some time, when she had met with several repulses from the disciples, and some trials from our Saviour himself, and yet continued her intreaties, Jesus answered her in these words, and sent her away rejoicing.

I look upon the whole history as a most instructing and profitable part of the scripture, and as a pattern of invincible faith; and I think all relations and accounts of this sort are delivered down to us with this view and intent, that we may be stirred up and encouraged thereby to inherit by faith the promises of God, after their example who are gone before, and through their mercy obtain mercy. O may that God, whose mercies endure for ever, make it a blessing to us this day, when it becomes the matter of our consideration, and teach us so to believe in him, that he may also once say to