Ho. 69. PRODIGAL SONS, BY KEV. DANIEL A. Vfc'-NICK, SR., Rorhjj Rirr/', X. C. Surely there are many^prodigal sons in the arm}". They are the loved ones of praying christian parents, wives and sisters. They have been trained up and educated for God. Having created them and preserved them, given his Son to redeem them and his Spirit to quicken and sanctify them ; lie is emphatically their Father, and justly claims their confidence and affection — their obedience and devotmn.as his children. But they have ignored God as their Father, have departed from Hiin, and fehosetf to have their own way. Ail this have they dune -by neglecting his word, following their own devices, profaning his name, desecra- ting the Sabbath day. restraining prayer, rejecting his Son as a Saviour, resisting the iloiy -Spirit, standing ai< >of ■from his el:";;u-u. and joining themselves, in fbeiT pvefer- effees and a isolations. wittt.Ms enemies, The prodigality here charged, is not the wasting <4' the goods of ionr tavtirly i e • ■ ' perverting aiwJ wasting — f fie time, totenta and c ur unities wfcfech your heuVeinly i'uiher has given you. Young men, however brave you may be as- soldiers, are you not prodigals in the sense of the piarable. 2 Z -:'.'■. f see Luke, 15 chapter, ) and in the sight of &od your Make*? These prodigal soldiers too are rapidly approaching a state of want, when come to themselves, they will deeply feel that they have no spiritual nourishment, that their souls are perishing with hunger, and that they are now pa-ting the husks oT sin, and of this wicked woild. Al- ready are they assured that God is angry with them, their own hearts also condemning them. They are afraid to die, and yet they may fall in the next battle, or by disease, aj any moment. Soldiers that are impenitent and unbe- lieving ; is not the case of the prodigal son emphatically your case ? Should disease or a mortal wound 'suddenly place you upon the bed of death j have you any scriptural hope of eternal life ? Have you not, on the contrary, a foreboding and dread of eternal death ? Then, imitate the example of the scriptural prodigal in* the following particulars, viz ; 1. Remember your heavenly Father, and that in his % — , house there is enough and to spare. In his house are JJ3 *% many mansions, and He is plenteous in mercy. He hath jZ. 53 u no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and .-live." He has sent his only begotten- Son to prepare the way and call them back to Him; and the Holy Spirit to draw, quicken and sanc- tify them. In Jesus Christ, under the influences of the Spirit, there is wisdom, strength, righteousness, sanctifi- cation and complete redemption. He has food for the hungry, clothing for the naked, cleansing for the polluted, and li.o fjjjr dead souls. And He has made the way plain .'uul-eosy to ail penitent believer?. 2. As dia the prodigal, form the purpose and be fully persuaded and determined to return to .your heavenly Father. Say, in your heart and by your course of conduct, % I will arise and- go to my father, confess to him my sins, and beg for his mercy. " Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee ,and am no more worthy to be called thy son : make nffe as one of thy hired servants." If you remain where, and as you are, your soul will be assuredly and eternally lost. If you continue unwilling and undetermined to return to God, there is no hope or possibility of your salvation. God has placed life and death before you iii the gospel. You must choose between them. No one else can choose or determine in your stead. Then, form the purpose. "1 will rise and go to my Father. " Had not the prodigal resolved, he would not have returned. 3. But be sure to act as well as resolve, and act prompt- ly. To delay action is a choice of continuance in sin, and of death. It is evidence that your great adversary, the Devil, has gained his point over you. Then, arise at once, have your wicked associates, and the husks of sinful pleasures and indulgences. Cease your neglect of the Bible, and of prayer, your profanity and desecration of the holy Sabbath. Call often and earnestly upon God in prayer, confess^your sins and unworthiness to Him. Ask him importunately for his mercy and grace. Take no de- nial, but persevere in prayer, as a helpless, starving beg- gar. Without a de^p sense of your need, a willingness to give up all your sifts, a desire to be made holy a3 God is holy, and a controlling spirit of earnest prayer to God, you have no right to expect that your heavenly Father will ever receive you. Forget not, however, that it is not' your resolves, or prayers, or tears, or reformation that can save: BuMhat it i.v Hu; i'Yee and sovereign mercy and grace of G-od alone that can save ; but that He requires repentance, faith and obedience as indispensible terms of salvation. 4. Be encouraged, nevertheless, to resolve, arise and go to your heaven ly Father, confess and repent of your sins before Him, ami ask him for -his mercy and grace, even the salvation of your sotils ; by the results in the case of the prodigal son. How promptly and cheerfully did the father receive and reinstate his returning son ! He did not even wait for his son t ) get through his confession and requests. But the Father paid. to his servants, bring- forth the best, robe and put it on him; and put a ring- on his hand and shoes on his feet ; And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it: and let us eat and be merry; For this my son was dead ilive again ; lie was lost and is found. And they began to be merry.'' See Luke 15, 11—23. Soldiers, are you pj ligal ions of our great and good Father in heaven ': ' : rise and retiitti to him. Make confession and oii'er prayer to Him. AsmredtyyMG will meet and embrace you ; put the robe of Christ's right- eousness upon you ; and give you a title to a place in his house and at his table; and there shall be joy in the presence of God. as well as in your heart. How can you stay away from such a ffather. 1 Come, trembling sinner, in \v!;o e breast A thousand tl i evolve : Come, with your guilt and fear oppre^s'cl, And make ft i : ;•' reaoWf: 2 r - I'll go to testis thoi gh m\ sin fiat}] like a ' m - rose] T kao% fcl*&» irk ft] enter h Whatever ..... • (Sfe. > (i i: .i can but perish il'I\go, ♦ *1 am resolved to try ; For if I stay away, I k now 1 must forever die."