then, to reflect, that the mercy of God is "greater "than the heavens," is more extensive than the dimensions of the sky. Transporting reflection! let me indulge thee once more. Let me think over the delightful displays of this lovely attribute; and, while I admire the trophies of forgiving goodness, add one to the number. With what amiable and affecting colours is this represented in the parable of the prodigal! What could in duce that foolish youth to forsake his father's house? Had he not been tenderly cherished by the good parent, and loaded with benefits from his indulgent hand? Were not the restraints 'of parental government an easy yoke? or, rather, a preservative from ruin? Notwithstanding every endearing obligation, he revolts from his duty, and launches into such scandalous irregularities as were dishonourable to his family and destructive to himself. When necessity, not choice, but sharp necessity, drove him to a submissive return; does the injured father stand aloof, or shut his doors? Quite the reverse. He espies him, while he is yet a great way off; and the moment he beholds the profligate youth he has compassion on him. His bowels yearn; they "sound like an harp," touched with notes divinely soft. He never once thinks of his ungracious departure and infamous de baucheries. Pity, parental pity, passes an act of oblivion, and in one instance cancels a series of long continued provocations.-So strong are the

Once more refers to page 77 of Reflections on a Flower Garden. The following pages, to the 129th, exhibit a digressive view of the Divine Mercy. I thought it proper to apprise my reader of this excursion; though, I hope, it will be needless to offer an apology for enlarging upon a theme incomparably joyous. Who can complain of tediousness, while I speak consolation to distressed, and recovery to ruined creatures? The Divine Mercy is the sole fountain of all our present and future blessings. In conformity to this benigu attribute, human hopes arise, and human felicity flows. Who, therefore, can be weary of viewing and reviewing; when the lengths and breadth of forgiving grace are the ravishing prospect?

workings of fatherly affection, that he is almost impatient to embrace the naked and destitute wretch. The son's pace is slow; he arose and came the father's is swift; he sprung forth (aged as he was) and ran. And is there a single frown in his brow, or one upbraiding word on his tongue-Instead of loathing the sordid creature, or reproaching him for his odious excesses, he falls on his neck, clasps him in his arms, and hugs him to his bosom. Instead of disowning the riotous spendthrift, or rejecting him for his undutiful behaviour, he receives and welcomes him with kisses of delight; he rejoices at his return from extravagance and vice as he formerly rejoiced on the day of his nativity.-When this companion of harlots opens his mouth, before he speaks the father hears he interrupts him in the midst of his intended speech. The overflowings of his compassionate heart can brook no delay. He seems to be uneasy himself, till he has made the afflicted penitent glad, with the assurance of his acceptance, and the choicest of his favours. While the poor abashed offender seeks nothing more than not to be abhorred; he is thoroughly reconciled and honoured before the whole family: while he requests no other indulgence, than only to be treated as the meanest servant; he is clothed with the best robe; he is feasted with the fatted calf; he is caressed as the dearest of children.-Was there ever so bright and winning a picture of the tenderest mercy, most freely vouchsafed, even to the most unworthy of creatures? Yet thus, my soul, and thus, my fellow sinner, will the Lord God of everlasting compassions receive us; if, sensible of our misery, and thirsting for salvation, we turn to him through Jesus Christ.

Where sin has abounded, says the proclamation from the court of Heaven, grace doth much more abound.-Manasseh was a monster of barbarity, for he caused his own children to pass through the

fire, and filled Jerusalem with innocent blood, Manasseh was an adept in iniquity; for he not only multiplied, and to an extravagant degree, his own sacrilegious impieties; but he poisoned the principles, and perverted the manners of his subjects, making them to do worse than the most detestable of the heathen idolaters. Yet, through this superabundant grace, he is humbled, he is reformed, and becomes a child of forgiving love, an heir of immortal glory.-Behold that bitter and bloody persecutor Saul; when, breathing out threatenings †, and bent upon slaughter, he wor ried the lambs, and put to death the disciples of Jesus. Who, upon the principles of human judg ment, would not have pronounced him a vessel of wrath, destined to unavoidable damnation? nay, would not have been ready to conclude; that, if there were heavier chains, and a deeper dungeon in the world of woe, they must surely be reserved for such an implacable enemy of true godliness? Yet (admire and adore the inexhaustible treasures of grace!) this Saul is admitted into the goodly

See a Chron. xxxiii,

+ Acts ix. 1. Σαυλος ετι εμπνέων απειλής και φορά, Saul yet breathing out threatening and slaughter.-What a representation is here of a mind, mad with rage, and abandoned to the fiercest extremes of barbarity! I scarce know, whether I am more shocked at the persecutor's savage disposition, or charmed with the Evangelist's lively de scription. The adverb seems preferable to chap. viii. yer. 2, and has, in this connexion, a peculiar force, The havock he had committed, the inoffensive families he had already ruined, were not sufficient to assuage his vengeful spirit: they were only a taste; which, instead of gletting the blood-hound, made him more closely pursue the track, and more eagerly pant for destruction. He is still athirst for violence and murder. So eager and insatiable is his thirst, that he even breathes out threatening and slaughter, His words are spears and arrows; and his tongue a sharp sword. Tis as natural for him to menace the Christians, as to breathe the air.-Nay, they bleed every hour, every hioment, in the purposes of his rancorous heart. It is only owing to want of power, that every syllable he utter every breath he draws, does not deal about deaths, and cause some of the innocent disciples to fall.

fellowship of the prophets, is numbered with the noble army of martyrs, and makes a distinguished figure among the glorious company of the apostles. -The Corinthians were flagitious even to a proverb; some of them wallowed in such abominable vices, and habituated themselves to such outrageous acts of injustice, as were a reproach to human nature: yet, even these sons of violence. and slaves of sensuality were washed, were sanctified, were justified:" Washed in the precious blood of a dying Redeemer, sanctified by the powerful operations of his blessed Spirit, justified through the infinitely tender mercies of a gracious God: those, who were once the burden of the earth, are now the joy of Heaven and the delight of angels.

There is another instance in Scriptare, which most loudly publishes that sweetest of the divine names: The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sint. An instance this which exceeds all the former, which exceeds whatever can be imagined; which if I was to forget, the very stones might cry out and sound it in my ears. I mean the case of those sinners who murdered the Prince of Peace and Lord of Glory.-These men could scarce have the shadow of an excuse for their crime, hardly a circumstance to extenuate their guilt. They were well acquainted with his exemplary conversation; they had often heard his. heavenly doctrines; they were almost daily spectators of his unequalled miracles: they therefore had all possible reason to honour him as the most illustrious of beings, and to receive his gospel as the most inestimable of blessings: yet notwithstanding all these engaging motives to love him, even above their own lives, they seize his person, + Exod. xxxiv, 6, 7.

1 Cor, vi. 9, 10, 11.

asperse his character, drag him before a heathen aribunal, and extort a sentence of death against innocence and holiness itself! Never was the vilest slave so contumeliously abused, nor the most execrable malefactor so barbarously executed. The sun was confounded at the shocking scene, and one cannot but wonder how the aveng ing lightnings could with-hold their flashes. The earth trembled at the horrid deed; and why, why did it not cleave asunder, and open a passage for such bloodthirsty miscreants into the nethermost hell? Shall these ever hope to obtain forgiveness from the righteous Judge? Shall not these be consigned over to inexorable wrath, and the severest torments?-O the miraculous effects of divine grace! O the triumphant goodness of God our Saviour! Many, even of these impious wretches, at the descent of the Holy Ghost, were convinced of their miserable state; were wounded with penitential remorse; fled to the sanctuary of the cross; had their pardon ratified by the baptismal seal; and, continuing in the apostles' doctrine, were made partakers of the kingdom of Heaven; where they now shine as so many everlasting monuments of most distinguished mercy; and receive beatitude past utterance from that very Redeemer, whom " once, with wicked hands, they crucified "and slew."

Well might the Prophet cry out, with a pleas ing amazement, "Who is a God like unto thee, "that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by trans"gression *!"-Let all flesh know assuredly, let all flesh rejoice greatly, that with the Lord there is such mercy, and with his Christ such plentiful redemption.-And O! for the voice of an archangel, to circulate the glad tidings through the universe! that the American savage, as well as the European sage, may learn the exceeding riches of grace in

Mic. vii. 18,