What  is  the  reason  that  the  sinner  is  treated  with  so  much  honor
and  so  much  love,  when  he  falls  at  the  footstool  of  divine  mercy  ?  Is
he  not  received  in  his  Saviour's  name,  with  all  the  honor  that  Saviour
won  by  trampling  upon  Satan,  and  with  all  the  love  that  Saviour  de-
served for  dying  upon  the  cross  ?

Great  must  have  been  the  humiliation  of  the  prodigal,  as  he  ap-
proached the  parental  roof.  How  it  must  have  wounded  the  natural
pride  of  his  heart  to  return  in  tatters,  with  an  emaciated  countenance


JULY  20.]       ENVY  OF  THE  PRODIGAL'S  BROTHER.  317

and  a  haggard  eye  !  But  when  true  penitence  is  felt,  natural  pride  is
in  great  measure  subdued.  Those  who  only  feel  a  slight  regret  for
past  transgressions,  are  often  prevented  by  pride  from  asking  forgive-
ness. No  doubt  the  prodigal  had  wished  to  return  as  soon  as  he  be-
came a  swineherd  ;  but  it  was  not  till  "  he  came  to  himself,"  that  his
penitence  was  deep  enough  to  enable  him  to  face  all  the  humiliation
connected  with  the  step.  Then  he  felt  he  could  bear  the  taunts  of  un-
feeling spectators  better  than  the  reproaches  of  his  own  conscience —
better  than  the  remembrance  of  his  despised  home,  and  of  his  injured
father.  But  he  was  spared  the  most  painful  part  of  the  expected  trial
by  the  tender  affection  of  that  father,  who  "  saw  him  when  he  was  a
great  way  off,  and  had  compassion,  and  ran  and  fell  on  his  neck,  and
kissed  him."  Did  the  prodigal  repress  his  humble  confession  because
he  saw  he  was  already  forgiven  ?  No,  he  said  all  that  he  had  pur-
posed to  say,  excepting,  **  Make  me  as  one  of  thy  hired  servants."
When  he  saw  that  he  was  received  as  a  son,  he  could  not  ask  to  be-
come a  servant.  The  best  robe  was  then  put  on  him,  a  ring  on  his
hand,  and  shoes  on  his  feet ;  a  feast  was  made,  and  rejoicing  was
heard  on  every  side.
