536 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XV. inallidolaters,unlessitwas the reflectionofone returning to hisrightunderstanding,when the Gospelwas preached. Alreadymight sucha soulseethatmany preachthe truth, among whom therewere some not led by the loveof the truthitself,but the desireof gettingworldlyprofit,who yet do not preachanotherGospellikethe heretics.Therefore aretheyrightlycalledmercenaries.For in thesame house therearemen who handlethe same breadoftheword,yet arenotcalledtoan eternalinheritance,but hirethemselves fora temporalreward. Chrys. CHRYS. Afterthathe had sufferedin a foreignlandall Fatreet such things as the wicked deserve,constrainedby the necessityofhismisfortunes,thatisby hunger and want,he becomes sensibleof what had been hisruin,who through faultofhisown willhad thrown himselffrom hisfatherto strangers,from home to exile,from richesto want, from abundance and luxury to famine; and he significantly adds,But I am hereperishingwithhunger. As though he said;I am nota stranger,but the son ofa good father,and thebrotherofan obedientson; I who am freeand nobleam become more wretchedthan the hiredservants,sunk from thehighesteminenceof exaltedrank,to the lowestdegra- Greg. dation.GREG. NYSS.But he returnednottohisformerhap-suP- pinessbeforethatcomingtohimselfhe had experiencedthe presenceofoverpoweringbitterness,and resolvedthewords Aug. of repentance,which are added,/ willarise.AUG. For he111sup' was lyingdown. And I willgo,forhe was a long way off. To my father,becausehe was under a master of swine. But theotherwordsarethoseofone meditatingrepentance inconfessionofsin,but notyetworkingit.Forhe doesnot now speak to his father,but promisesthathe will-speak when he shallcome. You must understandthen thatthis " comingtothe father" must now be takenforbeingesta blishedin the Church by faith,where theremay yetbe a lawfuland effectualconfessionof sins. He saysthen that he willsaytohisfather,Father. AMBROSE. How merciful! He, though offended,disdaiusnot to hear the name of Father. / havesinned;thisis the firstconfessionof sin to the Author of nature,the Ruler of mercy,the Judge of faith.But though God knows allthings,He yetwaits