guage of the Enemy of Souls. And wherefore? Becaufe procrastination is the most fuccefsful device he employs. Because if he can keep you from religion TODAY, he knows, either that you will not live till to-morrow, or that the delay will leave you more difinclined to duty, and will obftruct your way with fresh impedi"Now is the accepted time, now is the day of falvation." Such is the command of God. Let us fee,

ments.

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PART II. THE MANNER IN WHICH IT IS REGARDED. This is exemplified in the behaviour of these two fons. There is a remarkable difference between them. One proves better than he promises. The other promifes better than he proves. Of the one it may be faid that his words were evil and his actions good; of the other, that his words were good and his actions evil.

Behold the firft. No fooner does he hear the command of his father, than he answers "I WILL "NOT;" and walks off rebellious and infulting. Tỏ fuch a length of rudenefs, infolence, and prefumption does fin fometimes carry men; fo that they do not make excufes, or plead only for delays, but pofitively and daringly refufe. "They fay unto God, "depart from us, for we defire not the knowledge "of thy ways." "Who have faid, with our tongue "will we prevail, our lips are our own: who is Lord

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over us?" "But his citizens hated him, and fent a "meffage after him, faying, We will not have this man to reign over us." Who SAYS this? Yonder Swearer, who never opens his mouth but to express the abomination of his heart. That Drunkard, whofe

infatiable appetite, like the horfeleech, cries Give, give; and never faith, it is enough. The Fornicator, who lives in chambering and wantonnefs. The man who neglects all the ordinances of religion, who never calls upon his name, never hears his word, never honours his fabbaths. Thefe make no pretences to godliness; embarrass themselves with no formality; wear no difguife; ufe no hesitation. They openly fhew the image of their master impreffed upon their forehead. They explicitly avow their determination. Actions fpeak louder than words; and nothing lefs than this is the dreadful language of their lives; "I am for hell: I will "run the downward road: I am refolved to perifh.”

And is it poflible, that characters like thefe fhould. ever be heard "afking the way to Zion," or feen walking before God "in newness of life?" "Such "were fome of you: but ye are washed, but ye are "fanctified, but ye are juftified in the name of the "Lord Jefus, and by the Spirit of our God." Yes, even this fon, "AFTERWARD REPENTED AND WENT." He came to himself; reflection returned; looking back, he faw the old man lifting up his hands to Heaven, and then wiping his eyes from tears; and he cried; "What have I done? Is he not my father? Has he "fuffered me to want any proof of tendernefs which "he could fhew me? Do I thus requite his kindness "and his love? What was there unreasonable in the "command I rejected? He that will not work fhould What is it for a son to work in a father's vineyard? Is it not labouring for himfelf? Mine is "the expectation; I will go." fooner was this undutiful child

not eat.

For, my Brethren, no reclaimed than he was

employed. He did not fatisfy himself with returning and confeffing and bewailing his offence. He acted repentance. He knew the will of his father which he had tranfgreffed, and he repented and WENT.. The one was the consequence and the evidence of the other. Who could have, believed the reality of his remorse and the fincerity of his acknowledgement, unaccompanied with reformation and obedience?

Are there no individuals in this affembly whose history I have recalled to mind? Do you not remember your alienation from the life of God? But in your departure from him your minds were far from being at reft. Sometimes you thought of home; a Father ftruck you; your rebellion appeared unreasonable; you condemned yourselves. Thefe recollections at first visited you occafionally like unwelcome guests, and you got you got rid of them. rid of them. At length you found them quartered upon you, like fo many foldiers; refiftance was useless. Alone, in bufinefs, furrounded with company, these convictions followed you. You begun to pray; to read the Scripture; to affociate with his people. You brought forth fruits meet for repentance. The change in your difpofition was dif covered in your converfation; and this became the language of your actions, as well as of your lips, "I "have finned; what fhall be done unto thee, O thou 66 preferver of men. What I know not teach thou "me: if I have done iniquity, I will do fo no more. "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? Speak, Lord, "for thy fervant heareth."

Let us confider the fecond fon. On hearing the command of his father, "he faid, I go, Sir; and went

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"not." His language was refpectful, his promise was fair, and he walked forth towards the vineyard, till he apprehended himself out of fight; then he turned afide, loitered away his time, joined evit company, fet off to a revel, in a little time "fpent all his fub"stance in riotous living," died in wretchedness, and as he expired was heard to groan, "O that I had "hearkened to a father's counfel!"

Ah! how many in a few years have we seen, whose pretenfions were equally ftrong, whofe promifes were equally flattering, whofe declenfions have been equally grievous, whofe end has been equally fatal !

We have feen children trained up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, to whofe tender minds religion was presented by maternal care in all its loveli nefs; who lifped the language of prayer and of praise as foon as they began to fpeak. They promifed well.

We have seen young men ingenuous, teachable, defpifing the bondage of corruption, hating even the garment fpotted with the flesh. They promised well.

We have seen hearers under the preaching of the Word alarmed, melted, almost perfuaded to be chriftians. They promifed fair.

We have seen men reclaimed from various vices becoming regular in their lives, and attentive to moral and relative duties. They promifed fair.

We have seen characters coming forward eager to join in Christian communion, and laying themfelves under an obligation to walk in all the command"ments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." These promised fair. And nothing would have been

more uncandid and fufpicious, than to have questioned their present fincerity, or their future perfeverance, And where are they now? See the tears of their connections; hear the fighs of their minifters; liften to the triumph of the enemy. They are turned afide to vain jangling; they are fo bewitched that they cannot obey the truth; they are walking in the council of the ungodly, standing in the way of finners, and fitting in the feat of the fcornful ; "for it has "happened unto them according to the true prov❝erb; the dog is turned to his own vomit again, "and the fow that was washed to her wallowing in "the mire."

Let us conclude by deriving an inference from the fubject, and by addreffing ourselves to persons of two claffes. The Parable fully authorizes us to obferve, that religious effects are often very unanfwerable to expectation; and that the moft fpecious characters. are not always the moft likely to enter into the kingdom of Heaven. The subject is delicate. We know we tread on dangerous ground, nor would we advance without caution. God forbid that we should ever plead for wickednefs, or intimate that immorality is preferable to morality. Our Lord intended to establish no fuch principle by these examples. He does not view these things as they are in their own nature, but as they are frequently found in their accidental relations and confequences. And is it not undeniable that perfons poffeffed of diftinguishing privileges and moral endowments are too often filled with pride, wrapped up in felf-righteoufnefs, lulled to deep by carnal fecurity, deeming themselves fafe