5 14 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XV. a sinner.For sinceHe isa kidtothatnationwhichregards Him asa violatorand profaneroftheSabbath,itwasnotmeet thattheyshouldbemade merryatHisbanquet.But hiswords withmy friendsareunderstoodaccordingto therelationof thechiefswiththepeople,orofthepeopleofJerusalemwith Ilier.in theothernationsofJudaea.JEROME. Or he says,Thounever Ep.,21. gavestme a kid,thatis,no bloodof prophetor priesthas masum. deliveredus from theRoman power. AMBROSE. Now theshamelessson isliketo the Pharisee justifyinghimself.Becausehe had keptthelawintheletter, he wickedlyaccusedhisbrotherforhavingwastedhisfather's substancewithharlots.For itfollows,But as soonas this Aug. thy son iscome,who hath devouredthy living,fyc. AUG.ubisup. rphehariotsaretnesuperstitionsof theGentiles,withwhom he wasteshissubstance,who havingleftthe truemarriage of the trueGod, goesa whoringafterevilspiritsfromfoul Hier. desire.JEROME. Now inthatwhichhe says,Thouhastkilledu isup.j.orj£m jfafaf(ecicai^ l1econfessesthatChristhas come, but envy has no wish to be saved. ATJG.But the father does not rebukehim as a liar,but commending hissted- fastnesswithhim,inviteshim to the perfectionof a better and happierrejoicing.Hence itfollows,But he saidtohim, Hier. Son,thouarteverwithme. JEROME. Or afterhavingsaid,ub.sup. „ ThisisCoasting,nottruth,"thefatherdoesnotagreewith him,butrestrainshim inanotherway,saying,Thou artwith me,by thelawunderwhichthou artbound; not as though he had not sinned,but becauseGod continuallydrewhim back by chastening.Nor isitwonderfulthathe liestohis fatherwho hateshisbrother.AMBROSE.But thekindfather was stilldesiroustosavehim,saying,Thou arteverwithme, eitherasa Jew inthelaw,or as the righteousman incom munion withhim. Aug. ATJG.But what means he thathe adds,And allthatIubisup. ^ave^ thine,asiftheywerenothisbrother'salso?But itis thus thatallthingsarelookedat by perfectand immortal children,thateach isthe possessionof all,and allofeach. For asdesireobtainsnothingwithoutwant,socharitynothing withwant. But how allthings? Must thenGod be supposed tohavesubjectedtheangelsalsotothepossessionof sucha son? Ifyou sotakepossessionasthatthepossessorofathing