1 ver. 2.
m Not because they take pleasure in sin, but because they regard us as brands plucked out of the fire.
Luke xv. 8 — 10. 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 twighbours together,
saying, Rejoice with me ; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likeioise, I say unto you, there is joy in the pre- sence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.
THERE is nothing in which we are so deeply interested as the extent and riches of the Redeemer's grace. His familiar converse with publicans and sinners affords the richest encouragement to us, when we are bowed down under a sense of guilt. His condescension towards them indeed excited only disgust in the proud Pharisees ; but Jesus was the more careful to vindicate the conduct which they condemned, and in repeated parables assured them, that it was the joy of his heart to save even the vilest of mankind. The parable of the lost piece of money very nearly resembles that which precedes it : never- theless it suggests many useful thoughts which are appropriate to itself. Its import may be unfolded under the following observations :
I. There are none so worthless but the Lord is deeply concerned about them —
The woman expressed very great anxiety about the piece of silver she had lost —
[The piece of silver was but of very trifling value in itself3: yet she felt much solicitude about it in her mind ; nor was she content to lose it, notwithstanding she had several others left.]
Thus is our blessed Lord concerned about the souls of men —
[In some points of view the soul is undoubtedly of great value, nor can the whole world itself be put in competition with it : but to Jesus the souls of men are not of the smallest importance. If they were righteous, their goodness could not extend to himb: they could never profit him, nor add to his happiness0. If all that ever existed were annihilated, he would suffer no loss : if men were necessary to his honour or hap- piness, he could create millions in an instant. But the souls of men are inexpressibly vile and guilty in his sight: till they have been washed in his blood, they are exposed to his wrath and indignation ; nor is it any thing but his marvellous com- passion that preserves them from everlasting destruction'1.
a About sevenpence halfpenny. b Ps. xvi. 2.
c Job xxii. 2, 3. ll Lam. iii. 22.