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But did not Christ pay a great price for our

ransom?

Yes. His precious blood. He died, "that He might bring us to God."-1 Pet. iii. 18.

Can you repeat texts where the prospect of our happiness caused our Redeemer to rejoice even in his bitter sufferings?

"He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied."-Isa. liii. 11. 66 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. xii. 2.

And why do the holy angels rejoice more over one returning sinner, than over ninety and nine of their number who never needed repentance?

Because, besides their joy in the salvation of a soul, more honor is brought to their Lord's attributes of love, power, compassion, and mercy, in pardoning a sinner. They sing with a loud voice saying, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." -Rev. v. 12.

Our thoughts have been so long dwelling upon the delightful theme of Christ's love, that we have almost forgotten the murmuring Scribes and Pharisees. I must, however, now draw your attention to our Saviour's pointed though mild rebuke. The Pharisees you know boasted of their great sanctity. But was their conduct like that of the holy angels?

No. For they murmured at the very thing that fills heaven with joy and gratitude.

There is one more reflection that arises from this parable, and which I trust you will each make into a personal prayer that God, by His Spirit, would "turn you that you may be turned," so that you may be a subject for praises and hallelujahs to the Lord God omnipotent, and that you may be used as an instrument to bring some poor wanderer to the same gracious Saviour. The parable of the lost piece of silver teaches the same lesson as the lost sheep-but still I would wish to ask a few questions upon this subject, for there is not one word that fell from the lips of Christ ("who spake as never man spake,”—John vii. 46,) but what deserves our most careful examination. The loser is supposed to be a woman, who has ten pieces of silver (or ten drachmas, a Grecian coin, worth about seven pence three farthings of English money), and out of them loses only one. Do you think it would be very easy to find a small piece of money that had been long lost?

No. Very difficult, as it might not only have lost its colour and thus be not easily observed, but will continue to be more and more covered with dirt.

Will not its value too be lessened by being trampled upon?

Yes. A part of the substance, together with the image and superscription, may be worn off.

Is not the lost drachma a very expressive emblem of a sinner who is estranged from God and enslaved to habits of iniquity?

Yes. The sinner, while in this awful state, sinks deeper and deeper into the impurities of sin, loses his character among men, and gets the image of his Maker defaced from his heart.

You said truly in the former parable, that there are means appointed by God's mercy to recover the sinner. The woman, it is said, lighted a candle and swept the house until she found her lost treasure. Now can you not repeat a few passages, where God's word is described under the emblem of light?

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Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."-Ps. cxix. 105. "I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed."—Ps. cxxxii. 17. And receive that Spirit which is, as it were, a light to his soul "to reprove him of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment."-John xvi. 8. These will make him "sweep the house," put away the evil of his doings, and "seek diligently" every means of grace, making him cry incessantly to God till He "restore unto him the joy of His salvation."-Ps. li. 12.

Had God come to visit man in a state of innocence, we should have deemed it an instance of His love-but that He should leave the bliss of heaven to tabernacle with man-sinful, defiled, rebellious man-is a mystery into "which angels desire to look."-1 Pet. i. 12. Surely we may exclaim, in wonder and devotion,

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Let us again repeat those words of love, "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost."-Luke xix. 10. And does not the word "seek" imply that our dear Redeemer experienced great pain and trouble to accomplish our salvation?

Yes. "He left the glory which He had with the Father before the world was."-John xvii. 5.: "Took upon him the form of a servant."-Phil. ii. 7.: "And was born a helpless infant in a poor manger at Bethlehem."-Luke ii. 7.

But how was Christ's life spent?

He was so poor that He said, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head."Matt. viii. 20. He was frequently indebted, for His support, to the charity of His creatures, and notwithstanding the bitter persecution of His enemies, He ceased not His work of mercy, ministering to their necessities and healing their sicknesses :-teaching and preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God:-bringing men to repentance and warning them of a day "in which every one of us shall give account of himself to God."-Rom. xiv. 12.

Did Christ end here?

No. He resigned Himself into the hands of wicked men to be spit upon, buffetted and scourged, and, at last, to be cruelly put to death.Matt. xxvii.

Oh! how can man's finite understanding estimate "the breadth, and length, and depth, and height, of the love of Christ which passeth knowledge!"-Eph. iii. 18.

It is now time for one of you to repeat a hymn for our improvement.

HYMN 102.

1 SHEPHERD of souls, and God of grace,

Who know'st our feet are prone to stray,
Help us, O Lord, Thy path to trace,
And follow Thee in all Thy way.

2 With grateful, meek, and humble mind,
May we Thy blest example see;
In love be ev'ry wish resign'd;

And hallow'd ev'ry thought to Thee.
3 When trials vex and griefs prevail,
With lamb-like patience fill our breast;
When satan, and the world, assail,
Near Thee in safety may we rest.

4 So when at last, at Thy right hand,
The ransom'd flock their homage bring;
With them on Sion may we stand,
And ever bless our Lord and King.

THE PRODIGAL SON.
LUKE XV. 10.

In the last parable the preventing grace of God was shewn in the recovery of every sinner. In the beautiful one we are, this morning, going to examine, the nature of true repentance is described, which is the effect of that grace. Let us lift up our prayers to heaven that God would, by His spirit, "take the stony heart out of our flesh, and give us hearts of flesh," Ezek. xi. 19, to feel His

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