538 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XV. Chrys ought to deplore the sinsof our soul. CHRYS. Who after Horn.14.^l,a(.he SK\ft,I willgo to my father,(which brought allgood Rom. things,)tarriednot, but took the whole journey; foritfol lows,And he arose,and came to hisfather. Let us do like wise,and not be wearied with the length of the way, forif we are willing,the returnwillbecome swiftand easy,pro videdthatwe desertsin,which led us out from our Father's house. But the fatherpitieththosewho return. For itis Ang. added,And when he was yet afaroff. AUG. For beforethatu isup. he perceivedQO(J afaroff^wnen he was yet piouslyseeking him, his fathersaw him. For the ungodly and proud,God iswell saidnot to see,as not having them before His eyes. For men are not commonly saidto be beforethe eyes of any one exceptthosewho are beloved. Chrys. CHRYS. Now the fatherperceivinghis penitencedid not in°Ep ' wa^ to receivethe words of his confession,but anticipates Rom. his supplication,and had compassionon him, as it is added, Greg. and was moved with pity. GREG. NYSS. His meditatingsup. confess;onso won I,|sfatherto him, thathe went out to meet him, and kissedhis neck ; for it follows,and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. This signifiesthe yoke of reason imposed on the mouth of man by Evangelicaltra- Clirys.dition,which annulled the observanceof the law. CHRYS. St'reet' ^or wnat elsemeans ittnatne ran, Dut thatwe through the duob.Fil.hindrance of our sins cannot by our own virtuereach to God. But becauseGod is ableto come to the weak, he fell on his neck. The mouth is kissed,as that from which has proceededthe confessionof the penitent,springingfrom the heart,which the fathergladlyreceived. AMBROSE. He runs then to meet thee,because He hears thee within meditatingthe secretsof thy heart,and when thou wert yet afaroff,He runs lestany one should stop Him. He embraces also,(forin the running there isfore knowledge, in the embrace mercy,) and as if by a certain impulse of paternalaffection,fallsupon thy neck, that He may raiseup him that is cast down, and bring back again to heaven him that was loaded with sins and bent down to the earth. I had rather then be a son than a sheep. For the sheep isfound by the shepherd,the son ishonoured by the father.