will give us now pardon and peace, and in the end he will give us a home with him for ever.

It is not too late for those who have turned away from Christ, after once beginning to serve him, to turn to him again. Even the backslider he graciously invites. But let them come to him now, not hastily and inconsiderately as they once did, but humbly, thoughtfully, prayerfully. Unlike the builder of the tower, they have no resources whatever of their cwn, nothing even to begin with; they must owe all to grace. Let them form no rash and hasty purposes, and make no loud professions. Let them seek the Holy Spirit. Let them ask for grace according to their need; grace to choose Christ, grace to cleave to him, grace to follow him; daily grace for daily need. Then they will not be surprised when they meet with difficulties, and will be enabled to face them in a strength not their own. Then, with a truer knowledge of what the Christian course is, they will recognise in trial and temptation, in hindrances and difficulties, the very marks that they are following Jesus. And perhaps others, who used to mock, will learn to respect the consistency of their Christian conduct, and thus will their light shine before men and bring glory to God.

XXIX.

THE LOST SHEEP, AND THE LOST PIECE OF SILVER.

"And he spake this parable unto them, saying, What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. 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. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for 1 have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth."

LUKE XV. 3-10.

HIS parable was spoken by our Lord in reply to the Pharisees and scribes. All the publicans and sinners had drawn near to hear him, and the Pharisees and scribes murmured against him because he let them do so. "This man," said they, "receiveth sinners, and eateth with them." The parable was his answer. It is a double one, setting forth the same truth under two different figures. The first is that of a man losing one out of his hundred sheep; the second represents a woman losing one of her ten pieces of silver. The man in the one case, and the woman in the other, mean our Lord

himself. The lost sheep, and the lost piece of money, mean a sinner.

The general lesson to be drawn from the two figures is the same; yet the difference in the things lost is not without meaning.

A lost or wandering sheep is used in other places to represent a sinner. "All we like sheep have gone astray." "For ye were as sheep going astray." The sheep wanders from the fold and the shepherd, the sinner wanders from God and his ways. The sheep is in great danger, and will be lost if not brought back, yet it probably wanders heedlessly farther and farther. The sinner too is in danger-awful dangerand will be lost for ever, if he do not come back to God. He does not feel his danger. The path he has chosen for himself pleases him more than the way of God. He does not see—at least, he does not trouble himself to think-whither it leads. Enough for him, that it is, as he thinks, a pleasant path. So he too wanders heedlessly on, and gets farther and farther from God. He has no wish to return; nay, he cannot return of himself. He must be sought, if ever he is to be saved.

The sheep was lost by its own wilful wandering; the piece of silver by accident, as we should say. It dropped from the woman's hand perhaps, and fell into some crack or corner, where it was overlooked at the time. Now it is possible that our Lord meant to show us here two distinct cases: the one, that of a wilful sinner, the other that of one who has fallena sinner, it is true, but one who has been betrayed into sin, rather than rushed headlong into it. The sheep went astray, the money was simply lost.

But there is another point to be noticed with regard to the piece of silver. It was a thing of value, for what it would buy. While in the woman's possession, it might procure for her food or clothing, or anything she stood in need of; but once lost, it was of no use to her. Somewhere it must be, but it could do her no good till she found it again. So the sinner might be of use in the service of God; but while he is lost, he is of no use whatever. As the piece of money was made of a precious metal, so God has given to him talents, valuable qualities, powers for good, means of usefulness; but at present these are of no avail. For any good that he does, he might as well not be. He is like the lost piece, of no use till he is found. Nay, far from doing good, he is doing harm. Every sinner does harm.

The man in the parable went in search of the lost sheep; the woman lighted a candle, and swept the house, and sought diligently for her piece of money. This represents the Lord Jesus Christ seeking lost sinners. He came on earth to do so. He said himself, "The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." In all his going about from place to place, preaching and teaching, he was seeking the lost. He was doing so when he let publicans and sinners draw near to him to hear him. The Pharisees were angry that he did so, but it was the very purpose for which he came. There were among them some at least, who were like the lost sheep and the lost piece of silver. He was graciously searching for them, when he let them come near and hear his words.

Our blessed Lord, who thus sought out the lost when he was on earth, has long been gone; yet he

still carries on the same work. By his word, in which the message of salvation is written; by his ministers, who preach the Word; by his Spirit, convincing men of sin, and working in the heart, he still goes after that which is lost. Nay more, we are taught that it is for this that he delays his coming. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to usward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." Because there are yet wanderers to be brought home, therefore the Lord has not yet come.

In the parable, the man did not leave off his search for the sheep till he found it, the woman also went on sweeping the house till the piece of money appeared. No pains or trouble was spared. Both persevered till that which was lost was found. In like manner has the Lord dealt with those who are now brought home to God, but who were once wanderers in the paths of sin. It was not once only that he sent them a message of love and mercy. Long were they sought, many and various were the means used. Many a time did he call, and they refused. It was only perhaps after years of gracious waiting, and repeated invitations, that the wanderers were brought home, and the lost found.

But, after all, it was but one sheep that the man in the parable had lost, and but one piece of money that was missing: yet for but one all this trouble was taken. This shows us the preciousness of one soul in the Saviour's sight. People sometimes talk slightingly of missionary work, and of other efforts to do good to souls, because, say they, the success is so small.