II. A RESOLVE TO RETURN To Goo. This return on the part of the prodi"'al: 1, Aroee from a sense of the greatness of bis need. Z. Was based on a sound ion- fidence, viz. that the father, whose disposition be knew so well, would not reject but receive him. 3. Included a wise and right determination, viz. to make a frank confession of his sin and to accept the hum bleat position in the old home which the father might allot him. (1) Out of the greatness and soreness of our need we come to the conclusion that we will return unto God. Our state of guilt and shame is no longer tolerable; we muet turn our back on the guilty past and the evil present; there is no refuge for our soul but in God-"in God, who is our home." (2) We may bold fast the firm conviction that we shall be graciously received. Of this we have the strongest assurance we could have in the character and the promises of God, and in the experience of our brethren. (3) Our resolution to return should include the wise and right determination: (a) To make the fullest confession of our sin; meaning by that not the use of the strongest words we can employ against ourselves, but the full out- pouring of all that is in our heart; for, above all things, God " desires truth in the inward parts." (b) To accept whatever position in God's service be may appoint us. Not that we are expecting that he will make us "as a hired servant; " we may be sure (see next homily) that he will place us and count us among bis own chilrlren; but so humble should our spirit be, such should be our sense of undeservedness, that we should be ready to be anything and to do anything, of however lowly a character it may be, which the Divine Father may assign us in his household.-C. Vers. 20-24.-The welcome hom,e. Having seen the younger son of this parable dissatisfied with his estate, having followed him into the far country of sin, having seen how there he frittered or flung everything away in his guilty folly and was reduced to utmost want and degradation, and having been with him in the hour of self-return and wise resolve, we now attend him on his way home to his father. We look at- I. THE WISDOM OF IMMEDIATE ACTION. "He said, I will arise . . . and he arose." "Most blessed said and done," as has been well remarked. What if he had lingered and given room for vain imaginations of things that would "turn up" on his behalf where he was, or for needless fears as to the reception he would have at home! How many more sons and daughters would there be now in the Father's home if all who said, "I will arise," bad at once arisen, without parleying, without giving space for temptation and change of mind I Let there be no interval between saying and doing; let the hour of resolution to return be the hour of returning. II. THE ABOUNDING GRACE OF HIS FATHER'S WELCOME. 1. He eagerly desired his son's return; he was looking out for it; when he was yet a great way off be saw him, and recognized him in all his rags and in all his shame. 2. He went forth to meeL him; did not let his dignity stand in the way of his giving bis son the very earliest as8urance of his welcome home; he "put himself out," he "ran" to receive him back. 3. He welcomed him with every possible demonstration of parental love. He tenderly embraced him; he had him at once divested of his livery of shame and clad with the garments of self-respect and even honour; he ordered festivities to celebrate his return. .As if he would say, "Take from him every sign and token of misery and want; remove every barlge of servitude and disgrace; clothe him with all honour; enrich him with all gifts; ring the bells; spread the table; wreathe the garlands; make every possible demonstration of joy; we will have music in our hall to utter the melody in our hearts, 'for this my son,' etc." It all means one thing; every stroke in the picture is intended to bring out this most precious truth-the warm and joyous welcome which every penitent spirit receives from the heavenly Father. (1) We do not wonder at the misgivings of the guilty heart. It is natural enough that those who have long dwelt at a great distance from God should fear lest they should fail to find in God all the mercy and grace they need for full restoration. (2) Therefore we bless God for the fulness of the promises made to us in his Word-promises made by the lips of the psalmist, of the prophet, and of his Son our Saviour. (3) .And therefore we thankfully accept this picture of the prodigal's return; for as we look at it and dwell upon ii we gain a sense and a conviction, deeper than any verbal assurances can couvey, of the readiness, the eagerness, the cordiality, the fulness, of the welcome with which the Father of our spirits takes back his erring but returning child. If 8JlJ 56 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. [on. xv, 1-32,
wan,lrring one comes to us and says," Will God receive me if I ask his mercy?" we reply, "Look at that picture, and decide; it is a picture drawn by the eternal Son to indicate what the eternal Father will do when any one of his sons comes back to him trom the far country of sin. Look there, and you will see that it is not enoucrh to say, in reply to your question, ' He will not refuse yon; ' that is immeasurably short of the truth. It is not enough to say, 'He will forgive you ; ' that also is far short of the whole truth. That picture says, 'O children of men, who are seekincr a place in ~he hea.:t and the hoJ?e of the hea.venl.v Father, know this, that your F:tber's heart 1s yearnmg over you with a boundless and unquenchable affection, that he is far more anxious to enfold you in the arms of bis mercy than you are to be thus em braced; he is not only willing, but waiting, ay, longing, to receive you to his side, to give you back all that you have lost, to reinstate you at once into hie fatherly favour, to confer upon yon all the dignity of sonship, to admit you to the full fellowship of his own family, to bestow upon you the pure and abiding joy of his own happy home.' "--C.