by others the truth itself is questioned, because they cannot discern the particular marks of his interposition. It is not easy to determine, either in the doctrine of providence or grace, which is the more arrogant or more dangerous folly; to pretend to discover God's secret counsels, or to deny their efficacy. This breaks off some of the strongest bonds of religion : that fastens imaginary bonds, which often prove destructive to morality. Unless men believe, that the Supreme Governor of the world directs all events, that he teaches his servants true wisdom, and conducts them to virtue and happiness, they will offer him neither prayers nor thanks for these important benefits; they will not entertain a just sense either of their dependence on him, or his goodness towards them: if, on the contrary, they imagine, that they can penetrate the designs of God's providence, or that they feel his Spirit sensibly conducting them, at particular seasons, to particular purposes; these notices will be thought to release them from all other obligations: and the experience of many ages has shown, that none deviate so openly and boldly from the plain high road of moral virtue, as those who blasphemously pretend to follow the immediate guidance of the Holy Spirit. He, who is really filled with spiritual wisdom, avoids both these errors: he acknowleges, that every good and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Light; that the support of true religion, both in knowlege and practice, is to be ascribed to his influence, as much as the preservation of order and beauty in the natural world to his continual providence; but as we are ignorant how the instincts of animals, the powers of vegetation, and even the forces of brute matter are communicated, so must we be content to be ignorant of the nature and particular effects of the divine illuminations. It is sufficient for us to understand the means of obtaining them: these are humble prayers to God, serious attention to the importance of the blessings we ask, and earnest endeavors to prepare both our souls and bodies for their reception. Some necessary parts of this preparation, as we have seen, the apostle had in view, when he required temperance, and care to improve their understandings, of those who would be filled with the Spirit. If this Divine Being comes to make his abode with us, he will expect to find his

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habitations, according to the description in our Saviour's parable, empty, swept, and garnished; that is, free from any vicious inmates which may disturb, from any pollutions which may offend him; and adorned, as far as our natural faculties are able to adorn them, with wisdom and virtue. Thus may our bodies become the temples of the Holy Ghost. But whether they shall be consecrated to him, or remain the sinks of vice and corruption, is the subject of our free choice. If there any difficulty in the determination, we may submit it to the judgment of a sensible heathen. In the reign of Alexander Severus, a dispute arose at Rome, between some Christians and a company of vintners, about a piece of waste ground, on which the Christians wanted to build a church, and the others a tavern. The title was doubtful, the parties obstinate: the cause came on at last before the emperor, who, when the grounds of justice could not be ascertained, decided it on a religious consideration. Though little acquainted with Christianity, he judged in favor of the Christians: "It is better," said he, "that the ground be employed for the worship of God, in any manner, than for luxury and excess." So did a heathen determine, even of an unhallowed place; and surely a Christian will think it an impious profanation to make that body a receptacle for wine, which was chosen for a temple by the living God.

SUMMARY OF DISCOURSE XIV.

LUKE, CHAP. XV.-VERSES 11, 12.

No method of instruction could promise greater success among the Jews, so little used to reason on religious subjects, and so prejudiced against our Saviour's doctrines, than a frequent use of parables: this fully shown. In the discourse from which the text is taken, our Saviour's principal design, as appears from the connexion of the several parts, was to teach the doctrine of universal redemption: but the calling of the Gentiles, and their admission into the Messiah's kingdom, were so opposed to the prejudices, and so offensive to the pride of the Israelites, that they never would have listened to a person, who, assuming the character of a divine messenger, had represented these as the leading points in his commission: their prejudices were therefore to be first removed, before the doctrine could be proposed openly: excellency of the parable in this point of view considered: like many others in the gospel, it not only enabled men to comprehend the important doctrines which it was intended to convey, but afforded also considerable evidence of their truth: this enlarged on.

But the advantages of this method of teaching could not all be received by the same persons, or in the same age. To the first hearers the letter of parables was familiar, the spirit impenetrable: this enlarged on: by us, on the contrary, the allusions, in a parable, to God's spiritual kingdom, &c. are often better understood and observed than the circumstances of the parable itself, or its moral instruction and admonition: this point enlarged on. The mysterious sense of the present parable

being dropped, the observations on it will be confined to three points; namely, the behavior of the prodigal; the wretched condition to which vice had reduced him; and the relief he obtained from his father's kindness.

I. 1. On the first, it may be observed, that the young man's extravagance was not of the most criminal kind: this shown. 2. Another alleviation of the prodigal's fault shown, by the situation in which he committed it.

3. And if his behavior thus far admits of some apology, all that follows deserves praise: this fully shown.

II. Reflections on the wretched state to which his vices had reduced him: circumstances of this touched on in the parable. 1. When, from a life of luxury and riot, he had been forced down to the meanest servitude, there arises an extraordinary famine in the country: this enlarged on. 2. The obvious consequences of an expensive course are sufficiently grievous. The same vice, which ruins a man's fortunes, makes him unable to repair them this dilated on. 3. If in this wretched state he met with no pity; if, when he is compelled to feed with swine, no one relieves him; this neglect has in it nothing to surprise us: it is fully justified by the common behavior of mankind.

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III. But there remains one gleam of hope for the prodigal : his father is tender and benevolent, and might perhaps assuage his sorrows, if he durst discover them to him. Necessity gives him confidence; he makes the trial, and succeeds. beyond his utmost wishes: conduct of both parties dilated on: state in which the prodigal is content to remain, and in which the parable leaves him intimation of what is thereby designed for our instruction. Concluding view of the principal circumstances of the parable, and of the moral instructions which were meant to be conveyed to us.

DISCOURSE XIV.

THE PRODIGAL SON.

LUKE, CHAP. XV.-VERSES 11, 12.

And he said, A certain man had two sons: and the younger of them said unto his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

AMONG men, so little accustomed to reason on religious subjects, and so much prejudiced against many of the doctrines revealed by our Saviour, as his countrymen, the Jews, were, no method of instruction could seem to promise greater success than the frequent use of parables. These short stories would be soon conceived and long remembered; and in most of them some moral and religious truths are so plainly contained, that they could scarce be overlooked, even by an ignorant and inattentive people: but such obvious truths are far from being the whole instruction contained in them. These are often no more than preludes to the main designs; intended only to open the minds of the hearers, and to lead them gradually to those important Christian doctrines, which they were not at first able to receive. Matters too high for their mean conceptions were introduced to them in a humble dress; but one, which would certainly fall off as the knowlege of religion advanced, and would then suffer the truths to appear in their genuine forms. When therefore our Saviour is said by the evangelist to have spoken to the Jews in parables, 'that seeing they might not perceive, and hearing they might not understand,' it was not from a disposition to dispense his instructions penuriously: this would have ill suited with his repeated declarations, that he came to