Page images
PDF
EPUB

There is no penitence in this, though it bespeaks an altered purpose: it is a change of life, but not a change of heart, which may be just as little humbled before God as ever. The prodigal perceives that he has been offending one whom he ought to have loved and reverenced, and that his first care must be to seek forgiveness. He has been living at enmity with his father: he must openly, solemnly, submissively sue for reconciliation: in a deliberate, penitent manner, he must cast his transgressions on the head of Him who died to make atonement for them, who "bore our sins in his own body, that he might bring us to God." The language of the contrite heart is recorded in Scripture: "I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." "O remember not the sins

[ocr errors]

and offences of my youth.' "Wash me throughly from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin. Make me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from Thy presence. Give me the comfort of Thy help again, and stablish me with Thy free spirit." Such was David's repentance. Such was the repentance of the prodigal. Such is true repentance.

And for those who do thus arise, and go to their father, what an encouragement is proposed! How beautifully, in the next verse, is the mercy described with which God regards and receives the penitent!

1 See Psalm li.

20. "And he arose, and came to his father.

But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion and ran, and fell on his neck and kissed him,

21. "And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in Thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.

22.

"But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

23. "And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry.

24. "For this my son was dead, and is alive again: he was lost and is found. And they began to be merry."

Thus mercifully does God regard the heart, which is turned from Satan unto Him. When the penitent is yet a great way off, He meets him with compassion and with pardon. He is yet a great way off: far from standing complete and perfect in the will of God. Much labour, continued watchfulness, habitual prayer, will be long needed, before he can reach the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. But from the moment that one who has gone wilfully, or gone ignorantly, astray, determines in earnest to give up his life to God, he is seen from afar and favoured. The Holy Spirit, who has insensibly moved him with fear, and led him to repent, now brings him on his way: reveals to him more and more the extent of the Redeemer's will and power to save: encourages him with a prospect of happiness which, as an alien from God, he never could have enjoyed: adds strength to

his weakness, and gives him " grace for grace." Instead of the nakedness of the corrupt heart, degraded by trespasses and sins, the best robe is put upon him, the robe of righteousness, the garments of salvation. And there is joy in heaven, that one who was dead, is alive again; one who was lost, is found. These words give an awful view of the end and consequence of a sinful state. It is compared to utter destitution; this my son was lost: it is compared to the horror and loathsomeness of death: this my son was dead. And thence comes the exceeding joy when one who was dead, is alive again: "dead indeed unto sin" but alive to the purposes for which life is given him: "alive unto God through Jesus Christ:" and awakened to all the hopes which the gospel sets before the righteous.

Here, then, we leave the prodigal. No longer in a land of famine, perishing with hunger; but safe in his father's house, and in his father's hands. "The lions do lack and suffer hunger: but they that fear the Lord, shall want no manner of thing that is good." Happy are the people that are in such a case: yea, blessed are they that have the Lord for their God."

66

LECTURE LVI.

THE ELDER BROTHER'S JEALOUSY OF THE PRODIGAL'S RECEPTION.

LUKE XV. 25-32.

WE read in the description of the prodigal, the description of one who, in despite of the many advantages of his father's house, had left it, and preferred a strange country and the ways of sin. He repents, however, and returns, and is received once more; nay, he is cordially welcomed, and his transgressions are not remembered against him.

The sequel of the parable introduces a different character: one who had remained at home with his father, had acted conformably to his will, and rendered him service. And he is jealous of the welcome given to his unworthy brother.

25. "Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26. "And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

27. "And he said unto him, Thy brother is come: and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

28. "And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and entreated him.

29. "And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee; neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment; and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

30. "But as soon as this thy Son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf."

It was a complaint of this kind, which furnished the occasion of these parables of mercy. "The Pharisees and Scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." And afterwards, when the proclamation of the gospel was widely sounded, and recalled all prodigals back to their father's house, the Jewish people could not brook the thought that "God had granted to the Gentiles also repentance unto life." The elder brethren would have closed the door against the younger.

The elder son here, however, is not a Pharisee, nor a Jewish blasphemer. The father does not treat him as a hypocrite, as one who had the form of godliness without the power, but answers him with favour and commendation. How is it that such an one should complain of God's mercy shown towards the prodigal? Why is his eye evil, because God is good?

Human nature is very various and very inconsistent; and Scripture wonderfully meets it at every turn. Here is something of the same leaven which is corrected in the parable of the labourers: where those who had borne the burthen and heat of the day are indignant against the Lord of the vineyard because he rewarded the last and the first alike. And it is not unusual in life to find a somewhat similar feeling in correct and devout persons,

« PreviousContinue »