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His joy when a lost sinner is saved. The shepherd rejoiced when the lost sheep was found; the woman called her neighbours to rejoice with her when the lost piece of money was recovered; and the father rejoiced when the prodigal returned, saying, "Let us eat and be merry: for this my son was dead and is alive again, he was lost and is found." Even thus, says Christ, there is joy among the angels in heaven over one sinner who repenteth. But if there is joy among the angels, much more is there joy in the heart of Christ; for He is "better than the angels." Their joy is in sympathy with his. Men also are more precious to Him than they can be to the angels; for men are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh. Angels are but the ministers to his brethren, who are the heirs of salvation.

"There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth!" The conversion of a sinner might possibly give little joy to his nearest friends on earth; while to some, alas! it might give positive annoyance and excite feelings only of dislike or contempt. In no case would it be of any general interest beyond the

small circle of a few true Christians.

To any one

of them, however, to the Christian parent, for example, of the sinner thus restored to himself and to his God,-no event in life could happen which would be a source of deeper gratitude and joy. But when we turn from this ignorant, selfish world, with its false views of what is man's true greatness and gain, to heaven and its inhabitants, we learn from Christ that "there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth!" Only think of it! Think of the value of repentance in the estimation of the mighty angels, so great in head, in heart, and in possession of an experience gathered from human history, and from all they have seen, known, and acquired, during long ages, from the vast kingdom of God. What undying love must they possess when the salvation of one of the worst sinners on earth wakens up their joy to new bursts of heavenly song-even as the breaking forth of a beam of light from the margin of a midnight cloud fills the woods of the warm South with the songs of nightingales; or as the first rays of the morning sun call forth the larks from every meadow in our Northern land to their early hymns of praise. And it may be that the repentance of any sinner (however common, by

the grace of God) is yet a constant wonder to angels, who know his former ignorance, pride, lusts, or mysterious indifference to the things of God, and the long time in which he refused to repent, and the gracious divine influences which he so wilfully resisted. Does not the deliverance of a sailor from the sea excite gratitude among the members of his family; but should there arrive, from the snows and icebergs of the frozen North, one old sailor who had accompanied Franklin on his last voyage, would not the news spread over the whole world; men crowd around him to gaze on his weatherbeaten countenance; thousands grasp his hand and bid him welcome; and would there not be more joy than over ninety and nine seamen who had escaped the perils of the deep? Joy would spread everywhere, like an aurora, for this son who was dead and is alive, who was lost and is found!

Let all of us give joy to Christ, and to the angels, by holding fast our confidence in Jesus.

"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth in him.”

"And we have seen and do testify that the

Herein is

Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us."

THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL

SON.

PART I.

I

"A certain man had two sons: and the

younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided

unto them his living," &c. &c.-ST. LUKE XV. 11-32.

HAVE already addressed you on the first por

tion of the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of St. Luke, and explained the peculiar circumstances which led our Lord to utter those parables contained in the chapter, of which that of the Prodigal Son is the last.

I shall now give you an exposition of this most touching and glorious portion of our Lord's teaching.

LOST CONFIDENCE.

"A certain man had two sons: and the younger

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