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it seemed a speck in the distant horizon; gradually it assumed the aspect and shape of a man. The father at last was convinced that it was his own prodigal son, for whom he had looked at morning dawn and at evening twilight, beginning to find his way home. In contrast to the son who " came," the father "ran." "When he was a great way off, he had compassion, and ran, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him." The son said to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son." But he recognized in the paternal heart so deep compassion, and in his father's reception he saw so many tokens of love, that he stopped short in his resolution. His original resolution "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants." But when he found in his father a love he did not anticipate, he left out the last clause, as if there were no necessity for it; and says, "I am not worthy to be called thy son." The father also seems to have interrupted his confession; too thankful that the prodigal son had come back; as he turned and said to the servants,

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Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: and bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry for this my son "-the language of adoption—" was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And," very properly, "they began to be merry."

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God is far more interested in the prodigal's return than any language can express. God is looking out for him to arise, and come to his father's house. For the worst and vilest there is all the shelter and reception of a father's bosom, all the sympathy of a father's heart, and forgiveness of sin so complete that it will be mentioned no more against him.

The Scribes and Pharisees were represented by the elder son in the field; "who, as he came and drew nigh to the house, heard music and dancing." These were ancient expressions of joy.

When he heard it, "he called one of the servants," and asked what it meant. The servant said, "Thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound." One would have thought the elder brother would have gone in, and congratulated his father; but instead of that he was filled with envy, and hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness, and would not go in. The spirit that prompted the taunt, "This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them," is thus illustrated in the person of the elder brother.

The prodigal was lost, he is now found; he was dead, he is now alive. God so loved that creature in his ruin, so pitied that poor prodigal in his apostacy, that He resolved to do whatever justice, love, mercy, omnipotence, could do in order to restore and recover him, in spite of his sins, so loved him that He sent his only-begotten Son to ransom him by his blood. He so loves him still that He sends to him apostles, evangelists, missionaries, all constituting God's embassy, in pursuit of the lost-pointing to the Saviour that will kindle again the extinct embers of life in the bosom of the dead in trespasses and sins. And wherever there is the least response, wherever there is the least pulse of life, that is evidence of an influence first from above. The first movement is from heaven. The poor prodigal would probably have never reached his father's house if the father had not run out, while he was yet a great way off, and embraced him, and bade him welcome home. The least pulse at the wrist is the evidence of a heart in the background; the least proof of love, of light, of life in the soul, is the evidence of its connexion and communion with the fountain of life, and light, and power-that is, God. Who could have inspired and drawn up these exquisite tales? No passage in ancient or modern writings comes near these simple, magnificent, and instructive parables. Visibly they bear the impress of their Author. Luke was inspired to record only, not compose the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son.

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