A66106:104
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse
Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse wherein Christs parable of the lost son found is opened and applied as it was delivered in sundry sermons / by Samuel Willard ...
printed by Samuel Green for Samuel Philips, 1684
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. That God will be no loser of his Glory by any of his Creatures, in any of his works which he doth to or for them, is a truth not to be questioned; but the ways in which he will be a saver, and no loser, are to be commended to the management of his own infinite wisdom, which doubtless will not fail in the execution, and though he may for a while seem to be on the losing hand, whiles men are running on the score with him, and meditating nothing of payment; yet if we can let God alone till his day and time of reckoning with men, he will then make it to appear that he will be glorified in all the Pharaoh's and wicked men of this world, whom he hath raised ⟨p. 36⟩up, and suffered at present to abuse his manifold mercies to their own ruin; and were it not that God knows how to get his penny worths out of them, he would never credit them so far as he doth: God will be glorified in Zidon, as well as in Zion.
Ans. That God will be no loser of his Glory by any of his Creatures, in any of his works which he doth to or for them, is a truth not to be questioned; but the wayes in which he will be a saver, and no loser, are to be commended to the management of his own infinite wisdom, which doubtless will not fail in the execution, and though he may for a while seem to be on the losing hand, whiles men are running on the score with him, and meditating nothing of payment; yet if we can let God alone till his day and time of reckoning with men, he will then make it to appear that he will be glorified in all the Pharaoh's and wicked men of this world, whom he hath raised ⟨p. 36⟩up, and suffered at present to abuse his manifold mercies to their own ruine; and were it not that God knows how to get his penny worths out of them, he would never credit them so far as he doth: God will be glorified in Zidon, as well as in Zion.
2. But God seems by this to be an encourager of wickedness, and promoter of mans vile designs: Is not this to put a Sword in a madman's hand, that he may destroy himself therewithal? And if God hateth sin, why would he thus give men advantage to sin against him?