VER. 11— Ifi. ST. LUKK. 531 thegiftsofGod, but ithasreceivedthem in itsown power byfreewill. Hence itfollows,And he dividedunto them hissubstance.THEOPHYL. The substanceof man is the capacityofreasonwhich isaccompaniedby freewill,and in likemanner whateverGod has givenus shallbe accounted foroursubstance,as the heaven,the earth,and universal nature,theLaw and theProphets. AMBROSE.Now you seethattheDivinepatrimonyisgiven tothemthatseek; nor thinkitwrong in thefatherthathe gaveittotheyounger,forno age isweak inthekingdom of God; faithis not weighed down by years. He at least countedhimselfsufficientwho asked,and I wish he had notdepartedfrom hisfather,nor had had the hindranceof age.Foritfollows,And notmany daysafter,theyoungerson gatheredalltogether,and tookhisjourneyintoa far country. CHRYS.The younger son setoutintoa distantcountry,notChrya,locallydepartingfrom God, who iseverywherepresent,bututsup' inheart.For thesinnerfleesfrom God thathe may stand afaroff.AUG. Whoever wishesto be so liketo God as toAug.in ascribehisstrengthtoHim, lethim not departfrom Him, p8'5g'g butrathercleavetoHim thathe may preservethe likeness and image in which he was made. But ifhe perversely wishesto imitateGod, thatas God has no one by whom He isgoverned,so shouldhe desireto exercisehisown poweras to liveunder no rules,what remainsforhim but thathavinglostallheat he shouldgrow coldand sense less,and,departingfrom truth,vanishaway. AUG. But thatwhichissaidtohavetakenplacenotmany Aug.de daysafter,namely,thatgatheringalltogetherhe setoutE"*8^ abroadintoa farcountry,which is forgetfulnessof God, »•?«•3S- signifiesthatnotlongaftertheinstitutionofthehuman race, thesoulofman choseofitsfreewilltotakewithita certain powerofitsnature,andtodesertHim by whom itwascreated, trustinginitsown strength,whichitwastesthemore rapidly asithasabandonedHim who gaveit.Hence itfollows,And therewastedhissubstancein riotousliving.But He callsa riotousorprodigallifeone thatlovestospendand lavishitself withoutwardshow,whileexhaustingitselfwithin,sinceevery onefollowsthosethingswhich passon to somethingelse, aud forsakesHim who isclosestto himself.As itfollows,