amazing love in receiving returning prodigals to His favour, and blessing them with the riches of His mercy in Christ Jesus. A " certain man" is said to have a family of two sons, who may be supposed to mean the Jews and the Gentiles, but as we (with the whole human race) have departed from God, our attention is principally directed to the history of the younger son. Will you tell me what was the first step in sin this young man took? He was dissatisfied with his home, and wished to shake off his father's authority, and be his own master. We may compare sin to a stone rolling down a mountain, so certainly does one step in wickedness lead onward to another. And was it not thus in this instance? Yes. He then claimed, as his own, what really belonged to his father, and when he had received it, he removed himself as far as possible from his sight, that he might spend his fortune upon himself in folly and sin. When it was all spent what became of him? had he made friends who could assist him? No. As there was a "mighty famine in that land," there was no person who could help him. Then what became of him? "He went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine." The basest and vilest of all employments; and, to a Jew, peculiarly degrading. Shame, contempt, and distress are wedded to sin, and never can be divorced. No character could be meaner in the sight of a Jew than that of a swine-herd: and we are informed* that in Egypt they were not permitted to mingle in civil society, nor to appear in the worship of the gods, nor would the very dregs of the people have any matrimonial connexion with them. Did you not say that the prodigal (spendthrift, a waster,) was starving with hunger? Yes. He would have been thankful for some of the swines' food; "and no man gave unto him." The word "husks" in the language in which the Bible was first written, means the fruit of the Ceratonia or Cherub Tree, which grows plentifully in Syria. This kind of pulse was made use of to feed swine, and sometimes eaten by the poorer classes. In his prosperous days we do not find he ever thought of his kind father, but now what were his reflections? He began by contrasting his own wretched state with the happy lives of his father's servants, and determined to return to his long neglected home with prayers for forgiveness, begging to be a hired servant, as his conduct had made him unworthy of being considered a son. Did he keep the resolution of making so humble an acknowledgment of his sin? He immediately "arose, and came to his father." The distance was great-all the time he was travelling, should you not think he must have often feared his father might most probably not receive him? *Herodotus. Very likely. But his compassionate and forgiving father went to meet him, while he was yet at a great distance, and even ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him." 66 Did this unlooked-for kindness make the son think less severely of his late conduct? Oh no! it only seemed to make him feel it as more ungrateful, for he presently asked to be admitted as a servant into his father's household, having so grievously offended against heaven and his parent. "Heaven" here means God. The Jews often used this expression in order to avoid mentioning the name of God, which they have ever treated with the utmost reverence. Was his wish complied with? Far beyond his expectation :-for he was not received as a servant but as a son. Remember his late employment (feeding swine). Would he be in a fit condition to appear as a king's son ? No. His father however called for the best robe and shoes, and for a ring, as a token of favour, and told the servants to prepare a feast to celebrate this happy event. In ancient times rich persons generally had a great number of garments, many of them very fine and handsome. A great man among the Romans is said to have had five thousand suits of clothes. The best garments were laid by in chests, with perfumes, to be used only on birthdays or festival occasions. Can you recollect any texts where reference is made to this custom? Yes. Isaiah describes a person declining the office of a ruler, alleging he had no bread or clothing in his house.-Isa. iii. 7. Christ said to his disciples, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal;" Matt. vi. 19: and St. Paul declares, "I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel.”—Acts xx. 33. If you will read Isaiah xx. first and second verses, you will find that a captive had his shoes taken off, and when they were restored to liberty their shoes were given to them again.-2 Chron. xxviii. 15. In Bengal and China, shoes of a superior quality make one of the distinguishing parts of a person's dress. Some of them cost as much as a hundred rupees a pair: £10 or £12. Reference is perhaps made in the parable to some such costly shoes. Where was the elder son? "In the field," attending the concerns of the farm, but when he approached and heard the rejoicings "he was angry," and would not go in, even when entreated by his father. Did he say what was true in declaring he had never been disobedient? No. His present conduct in refusing his father's request, almost proved it to be false. This kind parent bore with this way-ward, murmuring, and ungrateful behaviour, and urged the reasonableness of the joy by reminding him it was his brother who had returned. In every point of view the anger of the older son was improper, for had he not already received his part of the inheritance? Yes. In the twelfth verse, it says the father "divided to them his living." Besides, what the father had acquired since that division, he had a right to dispose of as he pleased; even to give it all to one son: nor did the ancient custom of the Asiatic countries permit the other children to claim any share in such property disposed of. Perhaps you would like to hear the Gentoo (the first inhabitants of Hindoostan) law on this subject. "If a father gives, by his own choice, land, houses, orchards, and the earning of his own industry, to one of his sons, the other sons shall not receive any share of it." In what language did the father express the prodigal's former and present condition? "This my son was dead, and is alive again, he was lost, and is found." Will you recite a few passages where God calls himself by the endearing title of a Father? "I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn."-Jer. xxxi. 9. Hath not one "I ascend unand to my God, "I will receive you, and ye shall "Have we not all one Father? God created us?"-Mal. ii. 10. to my Father, and your Father; and your God."-John xx. 17. you, and will be a Father unto be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."-2 Cor. vi. 17. And in the Lord's Prayer we are taught to address God as, When do we depart from God? " Our When we leave the ways and laws of holiness to go into the "far country" of sin. The wicked Ε |