retain a drop. Before God and
under the Gospel, the turning-point of each man's destiny is not the
number or the aggravation of his sins, but the discovery of his own
guilt, and the consequent cry out of the depths for mercy. That which
really in the last resort hinders a man's salvation and secures his
doom is not his sin, but his refusal to know and own that he is a
sinner. All the excesses of the prodigal will not shut him out of
heaven, for he came repenting to the father; but all the virtues of the
elder brother will not let him into heaven, for he cherished pride in
his heart, and taunted his father for overlooking his worth. The ground
on which the Laodiceans were condemned was not the sinfulness of their
state, but their stolid satisfaction with the state they were in.
"Because thou sayest, I am rich and increased with goods, and have need
of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable, and
poor, and blind, and naked" (Rev. iii. 17). What although they were not
rich;--if they had known their poverty, all the treasures of the Godhead
were at their disposal: what although they were wretched;--all the
blessings that are at God's right hand were theirs for the asking. What
although this son was prodigal;--there is a place for him in God's
favour,--a place for him in the mansions of the Father's house for ever
when he comes back repenting, confiding; but what although he never
strayed--never missed a diet of worship or a deed of alms, the elder
brother by holding to his own righteousness, rejects the righteousness
which is of God by faith, and shuts himself out of the kingdom. Him who
thought he was poor and miserable, and wretched, and blind, and naked,
the father runs to meet with kisses of love and tears of joy: but him
who thought himself rich and increased with goods, and in need of
nothing, the father puts away, with the most piercing expressions of
loathing which the whole Scriptures contain, "I will spue thee out of my
mouth."

XXV.

THE PRUDENT STEWARD.

"And he said also unto his disciples, There was a certain rich man,
which had a steward; and the same was accused unto him that he had
wasted his goods. And he called him, and said unto him, How is it
that I hear this of thee? give an account of thy stewardship; for
thou mayest be no longer steward. Then the steward said within
himself, What shall I do? for my lord taketh away from me the
stewardship: I