1. Touching the person that makes this demand, he is called the younger Son; whether the Opinion of some will hold, that would have him called the younger, to note his folly and childishness, I cannot well see; though it be a proverbial speech in some Nations, to call a giddy shallow witted person a younger Brother, yet that it was so used among the Jews, I find not: the scope of it may rather seem to be, that our Saviour would here (to make way for the illustration of Grace) represent this Son at all disadvantages, whereof this is one. If a Father had no Son but one, he might have greater seeming reason to bear more with him, and pass by many and great offences, as having no other to confer his love upon; and if he have more than one, the elder Son might promise himself most of his Fathers patience and connivance, as looked upon under greater advantages, and often carrying away the best portion, not of Goods only, but of Affections also: but for a younger Son thus to abuse his Father, this aggravates his fault; and for him after this to find favour, and obtain acceptance when there was an elder Brother, this enhanceth the kindness: and may teach us thus much;
1. Touching the person that makes this demand, he is called the younger Son; whether the Opinion of some will hold, that would have him called the younger, to note his folly and childishness, I cannot well see; though it be a proverbial speech in some Nations, to call a giddy shallow witted person a younger Brother, yet that it was so used among the Jews, I find not: the scope of it may rather seem to be, that our Saviour would here (to make way for the illustration of Grace) represent this Son at all disadvantages, whereof this is one. If a Father had no Son but one, he might have greater seeming reason to bear more with him, and pass by many and great offences, as having no other to confer his love upon; and if he have more than one, the elder Son might promise himself most of his Fathers patience and connivance, as looked upon under greater advantages, and often carrying away the best portion, not of Goods only, but of Affections also: but for a younger Son thus to abuse his Father, this aggravates his fault; and for him after this to find favour, and obtain acceptance when there was an elder Brother, this enhauncheth the kindness: and may teach us thus much;
