frequently, if not uniformly, violated the oaths of supremacy to God!

Let us not, in conclusion, place the soothing unction of flattery to our souls-and imagine that heaven can never be offended at the offering up a sacrifice, where the lips only, and not the heart, is exercised. At the last awful day of retributive justice, if our Saviour should demand of us, whether we (who have professed ourselves to be in truth his disciples) have ever through life deserted him, like thousands of our fellow creatures, what, my brethren, should be our answer to such a momentous question ?!

"Lord, to whom, but to THEE could we go for comfort and support, in our troubles and adversities whensoever they oppressed us? THOU only wert the sure hope that animated our souls; and, like the immovable star to the midnight mariner, on the trackless ocean, thou hast guided us in safety through all the tempests of life! Thou wert our rock of defence, and our shield of safety. Thy existence, like thy word, is eternal. Whom in heaven have we but thee, and in the world there was none that we desired in comparison of thee. As we have thus lived, as we have ever clung to THEE in every peril and disaster

and temptation, so, gracious Lord, grant us the enjoyment of thy kingdom, and to sit down at thy right hand where there are pleasures for ever more."

SERMON XV.

LUKE XV. 21.

Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy Son."*

Of all the beautiful and pathetic tales which have been transmitted to us, as descriptive of youthful prodigality and youthful repentance, there is none perhaps that more irresistibly commands our attention, and interests our feelings, than THAT from which my text is taken. It is so well known to you, from the frequency of perusal, and the variety of illustration which it has received from eminent expounders of Holy Writ, that I cannot expect to add any thing of novelty or of force upon the subject. But claiming your earnest attention, I shall proceed to explain a narrative from which so much important instruc

Preached at St. Mary's, June 27, 1824.

tion is to be derived, as affecting the cause both of morality and religion. In the present instance, the subject comes very opportunely under discussion-because, in a late Discourse, I took occasion to dwell on the duties of Parents to Children; I shall now, therefore, make the parable subservient to an illustration of the duties of Children towards Parents.

First, let us repeat the parable in the simple and touching words of the Evangelist, and make our occasional remarks as the events described may suggest. And, Secondly, let us apply the great and general conclusion, to be drawn from the whole narrative to our situation, as it respects the World and the Almighty.

The parable is as follows. " 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." Benevolent, and ready to shew how cheerfully he complied with the wishes of his dear children, the Father does not hesitate; nor does he argue on the precipitancy, nay, indecency of the request: but, as a fond and indulgent parent, he satisfies the young man's desire, and apportions to him his share of parental property.

Elated and intoxicated at the fulfilment of his wishes, "not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there wasted his substance with riotous living." Thoughtless of the future, and unmindful of his distance from his father's roof, he made no provision for the morrow. The riot of to-day-the enjoyment of the present moment-was all he sought and took delight in. But extravagance without foresight, and dissipation void of reflection, afford but momentary and insufficient happiness. "When this young man had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land, and he began to be in want.” And now the bitter moment, which he had ridiculed and set at defiance, arrived. Now was his body pinched by want, and his mind tortured and distracted how he should procure a subsistence. In this extremity," he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." Little did he dream, in his rapturous moments of prosperity-in his licentious revellings with his companions-of such a reverse as this! We may suppose that the citizen, with whom he joined himself, saw, from his emaciated frame, but more, from his