For proof of the point. This is the reason why the Scripture doth not content it self to show the marvellous delight that God hath in such a spirit. See how plenteous the Scripture is to show how ready the Lord is to call in at the heart of the humbled soul, and to rise, and lie, and rest, to eat, and drink, and sleep with the humble heart: nay when he is come, he will not away again, as we may see in that example of the lost son, Luke 15.20. He said, I will arise and go to my father, and say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants. As soon as ever he resolved of the work, mark how the father behaves himself towards him, though he were base and beggarly in his condition. He might have said, Let thy Harlots and thy Queans help thee: But he saw him a far off, and ran ⟨p. 107⟩to meet him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him. Though he were a wretched creature yet now he because the father saw him humble, he remembers not that he had been with Harlots, all was forgotten; the father saw him afar off, before the child could spy him; he pitied him before he could confess his sin: he was more ready to meet him than he was to come, and he kissed him before he could receive any acknowledgement from him. This is the marvellous enlargement of the Lord to receive an humble broken heart And when he had kissed him,1 the lost child said, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. But the father said to his servants Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring upon his hand, and so forth: as if he had said, It is no matter what thou hast bin now thou art come home, and hast humbled thy self, I am glad of it: Thus he passeth by all the former misdemeanours. And so it is in the same Chapter, ver, 4.5.6. If a man have an hundred sheep, and lose one, will he not leave the ninety nine, and seek that which was lost? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calleth together his friends, and saith, Rejoice with me, for I have found my lost sheep.
For proofe of the point. This is the reason why the Scripture doth not content it selfe to shew the marvellous delight that God hath in such a spirit. See how plenteous the Scripture is to shew how ready the Lord is to call in at the heart of the humbled soule, and to rise, and lie, and rest, to eat, and drink, and sleep with the humble heart: nay when he is come, he wil not away againe, as wee may see in that example of the lost son, Luke 15.20. Hee said, I will arise and goe to my father, and say, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee, and am not worthy to bee called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants. As soone as ever he resolved of the worke, marke how the father behaues himselfe towards him, though he were base and beggarly in his condition. He might have said, Let thy Harlots and thy Queanes helpe thee: But he saw him a far off, and ran ⟨p. 107⟩to meet him, and fell upon his neck, and kissed him. Though he were a wretched creature yet now he because the father saw him humble, he remembers not that he had been with Harlots, all was forgotten; the father saw him afarre off, before the child could spie him; he pittied him before he could confesse his sin: he was more ready to meet him than he was to come, and he kissed him before he could receiue any acknowledgement from him. This is the marvellous enlargement of the Lord to receive an humble broken heart And when he had kissed him,1 the lost child said, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, and am no more worthy to bee called thy son. But the father said to his servants Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring upon his hand, and so forth: as if he had said, It is no matter what thou hast bin now thou art come home, and hast humbled thy selfe, I am glad of it: Thus he passeth by all the former misdemenours. And so it is in the same Chapter, ver, 4.5.6. If a man have an hundred sheep, and lose one, will he not leaue the ninety nine, and seek that which was lost? And when hee hath found it, hee layeth it on his shoulders rejoycing. And when he comes home, he calleth together his friends, and saith, Rejoyce with me, for I have found my lost sheep.
- 1Luk 15.21, 22
