18 — [Against heaven and thee, rfc] This is a confession of sin against God and man. It is one of the places in Scripture where " heaven," the place where God dwells, is used for God Himself. See Daniel iv. 26 ; and Matt. xxi. 25.
20. — [He arose and went.] The remark is sometimes made that the prodigal son's holdness in returning to his father's house, arose from the fact that, fallen as he was, he was yet " a son." An argument has heen extracted from this circumstance in de- fence of baptismal regeneration. Alford remarks, "he nowhere gives up his sonship," and then gives the following quotation from Trench, "What is it that gives the sinner now a sure ground of confidence, that, returning to God, he shall not be repelled, nor cast out ? — The adoption of sonship which he re- newed in Christ Jesus at his baptism, and his faith that the gifts and calling of God are without recall."
I believe the above argument to be erroneous. I cannot admit that the parable before us gives any aid to the doc- trine of baptismal regeneration. Parabolic expressions must never be strained into proof of doctrines. Those who see baptismal regeneration in the prodigal son's expression, " Father, I have sinned," and tell us to remark that, bad as he was, the young man did not forget his sonship, would do well to re- member a twice-repeated expression in the parable. Twice over we are told that before the younger son came back he was " dead." Now to be dead is to be without life, and to be with- out life is to need being " bom again." This is precisely what the younger son went through, — he was dead, but he "lived again." If those who hold baptismal regeneration will only concede that all unconverted sinners, whether baptized or un- baptized, are "dead," we ask no more. But will they do this?
The plain truth is, that parables are not those portions of Scripture to which we must turn for accurately-defined state- ments of doctrine. To find baptismal regeneration in this parable, is to turn entirely away from our Lord's intention in speaking it
[A great way off. . . ran . . . kissed.] These three expressions are deeply touching. They bring out in strong relief the difficulty with which a sinner turns to Christ, and the readiness an^ willingness of Christ to receive him.
21. — [To be called thy son.] Let it be noted that the prodigal does not finish the sentence which he had intended to address to his father. The meaning of the omission probably is, that our Lord desired to impress on us the father's readiness to receive bim. He did not allow him to finish his words, but interrupted him by expressions of kindness.
22. — [Tlie father said.] Let it be noted that the father does not