We have lately considered the scriptural view of repentance unto life: and the majesty and glory of that God against whom we have sinned, with our relations and obligations to him, as aggravating the criminality of our conduct; and have shewn, that we are all thus brought in guilty before GoD, of numberless and heinous transgressions, whatever be our character among men. These considerations are suited to shew us our need of repentance, of mercy, of the Saviour's atoning blood, and of sanctification by the Holy Spirit. If then our minds be prepared by a genuine conviction, that this is really our state, and these our urgent wants, to welcome the message of the gospel; the present subject, which leads us to consider the love of CHRIST, to lost sinners in general, and to penitents in particular, cannot but be seasonable.

"What man of you," says the condescending Saviour even to his murmuring opposers, "having an "hundred sheep; if he lose one of them, will not "leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go "after that which is lost, until he find it ?" The hundred sheep are his valued property: one of them is lost; the rest are safe in the pasture. And his principal care and pains are not employed about the ninety and nine, but about the single sheep that is missing. He leaves the rest as not equally needing his presence, and goes from place to place, with labour and fatigue, to seek after that which is lost: nor does he remit his assiduity, or cease from his anxious search, till at length he finds it. Then he thinks himself well recompensed for his past labour; and

"laying it on his shoulders, rejoicing," he carries it to the fold and going home, "he calleth together "his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which

was lost."-What then are, we to learn from this parable? Our LORD himself answers the enquiry; when he adds, "I say unto you, that likewise joy "shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, "more than over ninety and nine just persons, which "need no repentance.”

But who are these "just persons, that need no repentance?" Certainly none on earth have a right to consider themselves as such; but it is equally certain, that numbers do not perceive or feel their need of repentance. The murmurs of the Pharisees, whom our LORD addressed, shewed this to be their proud sentiment: and he often spoke to men, according to their judgment of themselves, and not according to their real character. The chapter before us contains a remarkable instance of this: for in the parable of the prodigal son, the elder brother is introduced, when in a very proud and disobedient spirit, saying, "Lo, "these many years do I serve thee; neither trans"gressed I at any time thy commandment;" and his father is afterwards represented as saying, "Son, "thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine :"> though it is evident that the parable was intended to rebuke the vain confidence of the proud Pharisees, as well as to encourage humble penitents.

But should any person doubt respecting this interpretation; we may remember that angels in heaven need no repentance: yet the Saviour's care, and la

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bour, and sufferings, were not employed about them; but in behalf of poor lost sinners on earth nor does he rejoice over angels, as he does over every sinner that repents. Even those who have been brought home to his fold, and are walking in his ordinances and commandments, need not that kind and degree of repentance, which they do, who are yet wandering in the broad way and every new instance of one brought to repentance excites fresh joy in heaven; because the good Shepherd "rejoices that he has "found his sheep that was lost;" and calls on all his friends to rejoice with him.

There are publick successes, which make whole nations resound with joyful acclamations: yet we are not taught by the sacred oracles, to think that the angels of GOD generally unite in rejoicings of this kind. But had we been previously informed, that one event, and but one, frequently occurs on earth, which fills all heaven with joy and praise, our curio. sity would have been excited, our imagination would have been earnestly employed, our expectations would have been raised; and probably we should have felt some disappointment, as well as surprise, when we found it was merely, because some poor criminal, perhaps scandalous for his crimes, perhaps neglected because of his low condition or mean abilities, in a cottage, an almshouse, or a prison, was weeping for sin, crying for mercy, and almost overwhelmed with a sense of guilt, and merited dread of condemnation! Yet "there is joy in the presence of "the angels of GOD, over one sinner that repenteth." Without entering into a minute interpretation of

"the end of the world:" He, who could promise to give his disciples "a mouth and wisdom, which no

enemy could gainsay or resist :" He, whom "all "angels worship," came into the world, was made in the likeness of men, became flesh, and tabernacled among us. But what brought him down from the realms of light? Love! not to our character or conduct, but love to us as lost sinners!-He pitied our wretchedness, while he abhorred our crimes! He anticipated even our desires, and our consciousness of misery and danger! "It is a faithful saying, and "worthy of all acceptation, that CHRIST JESUS Came "into the world to save sinners: even the chief of "sinners."-" Ye know the grace of our LORD "JESUS CHRIST; how that though he was rich, yet "for your sakes he became poor; that ye, through "his poverty, might be made rich."

When he thus assumed "the form of a servant, from compassion to the lost and wretched; he did not appear in a state of outward splendour, but in the deepest poverty; and while he refused to act as a Judge, and shunned those who would have made him a King; yet, as the tender Shepherd seeking his lost sheep, he performed, and so dignified, the office of a preacher, by making that his peculiar constant employment.

With weary, toilsome steps, he traversed the whole land of Israel; (a stranger to those accommodations with which the most of us are indulged ;) and made it the business of his life to seek out and save the lost. He pitied the ignorant and neglected, "be"cause they were as sheep not having a shepherd;"

and allowed himself no space for rest or refreshment, (often reserving only the nocturnal hours for secret devotion,) that he might lose no opportunity of bringing lost sheep to the fold of GOD. This was his meat, his pleasure, and his joy and here, especially, he hath left his ministers "an example that they "should follow his steps." This was the business of his life still more, this was the end of his agony and death. "All we, like sheep," (says the prophet, above seven hundred years before the Saviour's birth,)"All we, like sheep, have gone astray; we "have turned every one to his own way; and the "LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.”— "He was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a 'sheep before her shearer is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." In like manner another prophet, in the name of GOD says, "Awake, O sword, against "the Shepherd, against the man that is my fellow, "saith the LORD of Hosts; smite the Shepherd." And thus CHRIST, taking these prophecies as be- ' longing to him, says, "I am the good Shepherd; "the good Shepherd layeth down his life for the sheep." View then, the incarnate Word and Son of GOD, IMMANUEL, agonizing in the garden, and expiring on the cross; not for sinners as already repenting, but to make way for their repentance and salvation! Oh, the depth of his condescension and compassion! the riches of his liberality! the greatness of his self-denying love!-words fail, and even imagination is lost on such a subject.-But can we suppose, that he stooped so low, and laboured and suffered so much, for sinners, while impenitently reVOL. II. Cc