Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/476



I. "  A  certain  man  had  two  sons,  and  the  younger  of them  said  to  his  father,  give  me  the  portion  of  substance that  falleth  to  me." (Luke xv.  11.)  God  has  two  sons, the just  and  the  wicked;  the  just  are  the  elder,  for  "God made  man  right"  (Eccles.  vii.  30)  in  the  beginning. The just always  remain  in  God's  house,  and  never  wish  to leave  it,  but  the  wicked  estrange  themselves  from  God, abuse the  gifts  both  of  nature  and  grace,  and  live  riotously and perversely. Whoever leaves  God,  travels  into  a foreign  land;  he  leaves  "the  way,  the  truth,  and  the life,"  and  becomes  a  sinner. Of these  David  says,  "Salvation is  far  from  sinners." (Ps. cxviii.  155.)

II. As soon  as  this  young  prodigal  had  left  his  father's house  he  fell  into  misfortunes. " He  began  to  be  in want." Thus sinners  who  estrange  themselves  from the sacraments,  from  exhortation,  and  the  company  of the  virtuous,  soon  begin  to  be  in  want  of  spiritual  subsistence. " He  joined  himself  to  one  of  the  citizens of  that  country,"  as  a  servant. Every sinner  is  a  slave to the  Devil;  and  as  the  citizen  employed  the  prodigal youth in  feeding  swine,  so  the  Devil  employs  his  followers in  gratifying  their  own  sensual  appetites,  which  brutalize human  nature. The prodigal  attempted  to  satisfy his hunger,  by  feeding  on  the  husks  of  swine,  but  he  did not succeed:  neither  can  the  sinner  succeed  in  filling  the capacity of  his  immortal  soul  by  earthly  gratifications.

III. " And  returning  to  himself." When pressed  by famine, he  begins  to  recollect  himself. "Vexation alone," says  the  Prophet  to  sinners,  "  shall  make  you  un-