A66106:192
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.
Let men have never so much of Gods common favours, without saving grace all will come to nothing in the end: Man may make a flourishing show with these things for a while but they will not last: There are things which the Scripture tells us perish with the using; such ⟨p. 79⟩are all the common gifts of God. For clearing this truth, observe.
Let men have never so much of Gods common favours, without saving grace all will come to nothing in the end: Man may make a flourishing shew with these things for a while but they will not last: There are things which the Scripture tells us perish with the using; such ⟨p. 79⟩are all the common gifts of God. For clearing this truth, observe.
1. That is properly said to be spent which is laid out unprofitably. What men lay out for advantage, is not spent but improved; but that which brings in nothing again, is not only expended but mispended: The Scripture expresseth it by labouring for the East-Wind, by laying out money, for that which is not bread, by labouring in vain, &c. For a man to give his Gold or Silver, in exchange for Cockles, Pearls for Pebbles, Substance for Shadows, this is that which is deservedly accounted spending.
1. That is properly said to be spent which is laid out unprofitably. What men lay out for advantage, is not spent but improved; but that which brings in nothing again, is not only expended but mispended: The Scripture expresseth it by labouring for the East-Wind, by laying out mony, for that which is not bread, by labouring in vain, &c. For a man to give his Gold or Silver, in exchange for Cockles, Pearls for Pebbles, Substance for Shadows, this is that which is deservedly accounted spending.
2. Nothing is profitably laid out, but what is expended for Salvation: This is the only saving purchase that any of the Children of men can trade for: A part in Christ is the only Riches, a Crown of Glory is the only honour, a place in the Paradise of God is the only pleasure which is worthy a Man's laying out of cost and care for; and other purchases are empty, and will be found loss, Eccl. 1. 3. What profit hath a man of all the labour which he hath taken under the Sun?
2. Nothing is profitably laid out, but what is expended for Salvation: This is the only saving purchase that any of the Children of men can trade for: A part in Christ is the only Riches, a Crown of Glory is the only honour, a place in the Paradice of God is the only pleasure which is worthy a Man's laying out of cost and care for; and other purchases are empty, and will be found loss, Eccl. 1. 3. What profit hath a man of all the labour which he hath taken under the Sun?
3. Though all mankind are (in some sense) trading for Salvation or Happiness, yet the greatest number are there trading for it where it is not to be found; they are seeking the living among the dead; they are seeking heaven ⟨p. 80⟩in hell, happiness among an heap of miseries: One man's wealth is his God, another's pleasures are his felicity, another climbs the Pinnacles of honour to seek for the seat of happiness: Nature leads men no higher than something under the Sun, and therefore such as see no higher must of necessity spend their time, their wit, their estate, their all.
3. Though all mankind are (in some sense) trading for Salvation or Happiness, yet the greatest number are there trading for it where it is not to be found; they are seeking the living among the dead; they are seeking heaven ⟨p. 80⟩in hell, happiness among an heap of miseries: One man's wealth is his God, anothers pleasures are his felicity, another climbs the Pinacles of honour to seek for the seat of happiness: Nature leads men no higher than something under the Sun, and therefore such as see no higher must of necessity spend their time, their wit, their estate, their all.
4. The best improvement that nature can make of Gods common favours, cannot bring them to find and enjoy blessedness: Let men use them never so frugally, and prudently, according to the measures which they take of prudence, and frugality, yet they will fall short. Nature could never by its own strength arrive at saving grace, nor by the outward help of all the common blessings of God: A man may have health, strength, understanding, ordinances, many advantages, but let him make his best of them, all will fall short: It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, Rom. 9. 16: these all are either but nature which is in a man, or but external things which he enjoyeth, and man cannot climb up to Heaven on the rounds of such a Ladder.
4. The best improvement that nature can make of Gods common favours, cannot bring them to find and enjoy blessedness: Let men use them never so frugally, and prudently, according to the measures which they take of prudence, and frugallity, yet they will fall short. Nature could never by its own strength arrive at saving grace, nor by the outward help of all the common blessings of God: A man may have health, strength, understanding, ordinances, many advantages, but let him make his best of them, all will fall short: It is not of him that wills, nor of him that runs, Rom. 9. 16: these all are either but nature which is in a man, or but external things which he enjoyeth, and man cannot climb up to Heaven on the rounds of such a Ladder.
5. Hence when the natural man hath done his utmost, and taken the greatest pains in laying out his time, strength and estate, he loseth his soul: Nay, it is very certain, that though a man be never so proud and confident in those ⟨p. 81⟩many blessings God which he hath conferred upon him, yet sooner or later, he shall have a through and sensible conviction of his poverty; that he hath nothing which is saving, that he hath wasted and misimproved that which he had to unprofitable mispense Job. 27. 8.
5. Hence when the natural man hath done his utmost, and taken the greatest pains in laying out his time, strength and estate, he loseth his soul: Nay, it is very certain, that though a man be never so proud and confident in those ⟨p. 81⟩many blessings God which he hath conferred upon him, yet sooner or later, he shall have a through and sensible conviction of his poverty; that he hath nothing which is saving, that he hath wasted and missimproved that which he had to unprofitable mispense Job. 27. 8.
USE, 1. Here we see what a poor Portion unregenerate men have, and therefore what little cause have they of pride, or the people of God of envy. God gives his enemies a great deal, but alas, what is it? Poor perishing stuff, spending, wasting substance, not indeed worthy of that name: Think of this you that are proud of your wits, your wealth, your honour, your privileges; what it is that you pride your selves in? or what will you do when all is spent? and such is the miserable exit of all that you are boasting your selves of: you now flourish and spread your selves, ere it be long all will be gone, and no where to be found, Psal. 37. 37, 38. There are thousands of casualties to which the object of your trust is daily exposed, you are sure of nothing; nay, there needs no more but your selves and your own folly to spend it: You may for a while carry before you a breadth in the world, and bless your selves in what you have, but it will not be long ere your mouths shall put upon you the name and title of fools, Prov. 5. 11, 12, 13. Your wit will not direct you to happiness, your ⟨p. 82⟩wealth will not purchase you honour and glory; if not before, yet certainly in a dying hour they will all leave you, and then your naked soul passeth into eternity with nothing to live upon for ever: But if God intend your souls good, you shall, before that time, have your eyes opened to see that all this is nothing: your dependence upon these things shall be broken, and your hopes vanish: Lift not then up the born on high, nor speak with a stiff neck. And you that are the Saints of God, be not envious; go with the Psalmist into the Temple, see their end, and then shall you find all that, which your mistake hath called happiness and prosperity, to be nothing better than painted misery; yea, woeful infelicity. Little reason hath that man to make his brags, of the love of God, that hath no better an argument to ground his title upon. It had been well for some men if their Portion in this world had been less, some hopes there would then have been, that they would have been persuaded to have sought a durable portion in another.
USE, 1. Here we see what a poor Portion unregenerate men have, and therefore what little cause have they of pride, or the people of God of envy. God gives his enemies a great deal, but alas, what is it? Poor perishing stuff, spending, wasting substance, not indeed worthy of that name: Think of this you that are proud of your wits, your wealth, your honour, your priviledges; what it is that you pride your selves in? or what will you do when all is spent? and such is the miserable exit of all that you are boasting your selves of: you now flourish and spread your selves, ere it be long all will be gone, and no where to be found,
USE, 2. Let it teach us all not to content our selves with any thing but saving Grace. Be not satisfied with no more but a Portion of outward favours; it is a great misery to think we have enough when we have nothing else: Let us not be well pleased to sit down with things that will not last or hold out: Remember ⟨p. 83⟩thou art an everlasting creature, and must endure for ever, and what good can a perishing portion do thee for eternity? Think with your selves, what will all these things avail me, which will not last out those infinite ages in which I must have a being, and without a Portion, must needs be miserable? It is our Saviours advice to think of this when we are about laying up our treasures, Mat. 6. 20, 21. All Gods common gifts and favours are liable to the moth and rust and thief; the present enjoyment of these things is so far from being an happiness, that it will be an aggravating circumstance of our misery when they are gone, that once we had them, when we shall have nothing left of all, but the sorrowful remembrance: Learn therefore Luther's resolute prayer, Lord, I will not be put off with these things. Remember the worlds wise men with their wisdom go to hell, wicked men will ere long be stripped naked; let this put you upon it, to seek for your selves a Portion which endureth for ever.
USE, 2. Let it teach us all not to content our selves with any thing but saving Grace. Be not satisfied with no more but a Portion of outward favours; it is a great misery to think we have enough when we have nothing else: Let us not be well pleased to sit down with things that will not last or hold out: Remember ⟨p. 83⟩thou art an everlasting creature, and must endure for ever, and what good can a perishing portion do thee for eternity? Think with your selves, what will all these things avail me, which will not last out those infinite ages in which I must have a being, and without a Portion, must needs be miserable? It is our Saviours advice to think of this when we are about laying up our treasures, Mat. 6. 20, 21. All Gods common gifts and favours are lyable to the moth and rust and thief; the present enjoyment of these things is so far from being an happiness, that it will be an aggravating circumstance of our misery when they are gone, that once we had them, when we shal have nothing left of all, but the sorrowful remembrance: Learn therefore Luther's resolute prayer, Lord, I will not be put off with these things. Remember the worlds wise men with their wisdom go to hell, wicked men will ere long be stript naked; let this put you upon it, to seek for your selves a Portion which endureth for ever.
USE, 3. For encouragement and comfort to the People of God; I mean such as have gotten a part in saving Grace, you may want, or be scanted in all outward blessings, you may have but a little of worldly wisdom, a little Estate here, little favour among men, but be not discouraged with these things; have you ⟨p. 84⟩saving Grace? you have the better Portion, and therefore better, because it shall never be taken away; this is durable riches; the hypocrites shall perish, but yours shall endure: All the wit, good nature, moral righteousness, specious profession, vain hopes and confidences of ungodly men shall all perish; they live now jovially upon them, but all will shortly be spent, and then where are they? or what shall they do? but your Grace, though little, shall not wast but increase, your hope, though languid, shall endure; saving Grace shall never go to decay; you shall live by your faith here in this world in despite of all adversity and temptations, and this faith shall never leave you, till having accompanied you in death, and waited upon you to eternity, it hath brought you to the possession of the Kingdom of Glory. That man is a rich man indeed, that hath believed in Christ; he is rich in possession, he shall never want; and he is infinitely rich in reversion, for Jehovah is his portion, and all the glories of Heaven are his heritage: bless God then for his grace; if wicked men owe God thanks for a spending portion, how much more do you owe him of gratitude for that which endures unto eternal life?
USE, 3. For encouragement and comfort to the People of God; I mean such as have gotten a part in saving Grace, you may want, or be scanted in all outward blessings, you may have but a little of worldly wisdom, a little Estate here, little favour among men, but be not discouraged with these things; have you ⟨p. 84⟩saving Grace? you have the better Portion, and therefore better, because it shall never be taken away; this is durable riches; the hypocrites shall perish, but yours shall endure: All the wit, good nature, moral righteousness, specious profession, vain hopes and confidences of ungodly men shal all perish; they live now jovially upon them, but all will shortly be spent, and then where are they? or what shal they do? but your Grace, though little, shal not wast but increase, your hope, though languid, shal endure; saving Grace shal never go to decay; you shal live by your faith here in this world in despite of all adversity and temptations, and this faith shal never leave you, till having accompanied you in death, and waited upon you to eternity, it hath brought you to the possesion of the Kingdom of Glory. That man is a rich man indeed, that hath believed in Christ; he is rich in possession, he shal never want; and he is infinitely rich in reversion, for Jehovah is his portion, and all the glories of Heaven are his heritage: bless God then for his grace; if wicked men owe God thanks for a spending portion, how much more do you owe him of gratitude for that which endures unto eternal life?
2. The other cause of his misery, was from the place that he was in; there arose a mighty famine in that land. Here are three circumstances, ⟨p. 85⟩observable which made his misery exceeding great. 1. The time when the famine came, it was in conjunction with his poverty, when he had spent all. 2. The measure of the famine; a mighty famine. The word signifies strong, powerful, prevailing: It was far greater than ordinary. 3. The place where it was, in that land: which was in a far Country, where he was a stranger, at a great distance from his Father and Friends. Hence,
2. The other cause of his misery, was from the place that he was in; there arose a mighty famine in that land. Here are three circumstances, ⟨p. 85⟩observable which made his misery exceeding great. 1. The time when the famine came, it was in conjuction with his poverty, when he had spent all. 2. The measure of the famine; a mighty famine. The word signifies strong, powerful, prevailing: It was far greater than ordinary. 3. The place where it was, in that land: which was in a far Country, where he was a stranger, at a great distance from his Father and Friends. Hence,
If the young man had now had a good Estate in his hands, as he sometimes had, he would not have been so pinched with the famine: Rich men usually rub through, it is the poor that are most oppressed in times of scarcity: or if the famine had been more moderate, he might with more ease have scrambled for some supply, but when all fails, who should relieve him? or if he had been among his friends and rich kindred, they would have so far pitied him, as not to have suffered him to starve: but he is poor, and in a far Country, and a famine raging, and now what shall become of him?
If the young man had now had a good Estate in his hands, as he sometimes had, he would not have been so pincht with the famine: Rich men usually rub through, it is the poor that are most opprest in times of scarcity: or if the famine had been more moderate, he might with more ease have scrambled for some supply, but when all fails, who should relieve him? or if he had been among his friends and rich kindred, they would have so far pittied him, as not to have suffered him to starve: but he is poor, and in a far Country, and a famine raging, and now what shal become of him?
The famine deciphers to us the deficiency or ⟨p. 86⟩of spiritual supplies, or of Soul-food: Whereas it is said, that then it arose, we must take notice that things are many times described according to appearance, and not reality: This spiritual famine was there before, but the young man, as long as he had something of his own, minded it not, but now when all was spent he began to feel it: The substance of this Allegory is, that a distressed sinner shall find that the world hath no relief for his soul; if a man feel anguish and misery coming upon him and go to the world for help, he shall find nothing there but want and distress; all the world cannot ease an oppressed soul. For further Explication, Consider.
The famine deciphers to us the deficiency or ⟨p. 86⟩of spiritual supplyes, or of Soul-food: Whereas it is said, that then it arose, vve must take notice that things are many times described according to appearance, and not reality: This spiritual famine was there before, but the young man, as long as he had something of his own, minded it not, but now when all was spent he began to feel it: The substance of this Allegory is, that a distressed sinner shal find that the world hath no relief for his soul; if a man feel anguish and misery coming upon him and go to the world for help, he shal find nothing there but want and distress; all the world cannot ease an oppressed soul. For further Explication, Consider.
1. The natural man, standing at a great distance from God hath no other hope or help to take to in his distress but the world: This far Country is the place which this sinner dwells in, and therefore here he must look for his succour; he hath by his own grievous folly, put himself under the necessity, either to find relief from the world, or else to perish; i. e. he knows no other way.
1. The natural man, standing at a great distance from God hath no other hope or help to take to in his distress but the world: This far Country is the place which this sinner dwels in, and therefore here he must look for his succour; he hath by his own grievous folly, put himself under the necessity, either to find relief from the world, or else to perish; i. e. he knows no other way.
