A66106:363
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.
7. They mischief themselves and all they come near when let loose, and left to themselves: It is a property of madness to be mischievous: Fools throw fire-brands and say they are in sport: Thus unregenerate men delight in nothing but mischief, undoing their own souls, and the souls of all they have to do with as much as in them lies; they run themselves to everlasting ruin and destruction, and draw as many after them as they can, they will entice, allure, persuade others to be their companions, Pro. 1. 10. Cast in thy lot with us.
7. They mischief themselves and all they come near when let loose, and left to themselves: It is a property of madness to be mischievous: Fools throw fire-brands and say they are in sport: Thus unregenerate men delight in nothing but mischief, undoing their own souls, and the souls of all they have to do with as much as in them lyes; they run themselves to everlasting ruine and destruction, and draw as many after them as they can, they will entise, allure, perswade others to be their companions, Pro. 1. 10. Cast in thy lot with us.
8. They are most angry at those that endeavour to do them the most good: He that binds or stops a mad-man, though he loveth him, yet he vexeth him: he accounts them for his greatest enemies that would give him any hinderance in his mad pranks; it is as safe meeting a Bear robbed of her whelps, as standing in his way: Thus unrenewed men cannot bear to be told of their ways and courses, they will count a Paul their enemy if he tells them the truth; endeavour never so gently and compassionately to persuade them that they are going away from good, and bringing mischief upon their ⟨p. 144⟩own heads, it is the way to be hated, back-bitten, reviled, and spitefully used by them: Ahab hates Micajah, and thinks he never prophesies good to him: And takes Elijah to be the troubler of Israel, because he reproved his wicked courses.
8. They are most angry at those that endeavour to do them the most good: He that binds or stops a mad-man, though he loveth him, yet he vexeth him: he accounts them for his greatest enemies that would give him any hinderance in his mad pranks; it is as safe meeting a Bear robbed of her whelps, as standing in his way: Thus unrenewed men cannot bear to be told of their wayes and courses, they will count a Paul their enemy if he tells them the truth; endeavour never so gently and compassionatly to perswade them that they are going away from good, and bringing mischief upon their ⟨p. 144⟩own heads, it is theway to be hated, back-bitten, reviled, and spitefully used by them: Ahab hates Micajah, and thinks he never prophesies good to him: And takes Elijah to be the troubler of Israel, because he reproved his wicked courses.
9. Correction or punishment will not reclaim them, and bring them to better frame, but rather make them more mad, Pro. 17. 10. A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. An hundred, nay, if it were a thousand, his folly would remain with him; yea, you may separate his soul from his body, but not him from his folly; although you reduce him to atoms, yet his foolishness abides still, Prov. 27. 22. Thus are unregenerate men so riveted to their sin, it is so intrinsically seated in them, and diffused through them, that all the awful judgments of God make no impression upon them to reclaim them; God may smite till he is weary of smiting, but they are as bad as ever and worse, Isa. 1. 5. Why should ye be smitten any more, ye will revolt more and more: Like Ahaz, in their affliction they will sin more than ever.
9. Correction or punishment will not reclaim them, and bring them to better frame, but rather make them more mad, Pro. 17. 10. A reproof enters more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool. An hundred, nay, if it were a thousand, his folly would remain with him; yea, you may separate his soul from his body, but not him from his folly; although you reduce him to atomes, yet his foolishness abides still, Prov. 27. 22. Thus are unregenerate men so rivetted to their sin, it is so intrinsecally seated in them, and diffused through them, that all the awful judgments of God make no impression upon them to reclaim them; God may smite till he is weary of smiting, but they are as bad as ever and worse, Isa. 1. 5. Why should ye be smitten any more, ye will revolt more and more: Like Ahaz, in their affliction they will sin more than ever.
10. Folly and madness discovers it self in all they do: A wise word or action may steal unawares from them, but this is the tract of their life, you may read it in the tenor of their course: so spiritual madness is in all that unconverted men do; what is the life of the proud ⟨p. 145⟩and ambitious, but a pleasing and priding themselves in a gay Coat, an handful of dirt, a cap and a knee, an empty title? which is mere foolery. How looks the covetous man, who like a boy spends his time in rolling up a great snow ball, which melts before the sun? What but madness are all the actions of the voluptuous, who put off man, and put on beast, being brutish in all their prosecutions? what doth the passionate man, but scatter coals, and throw about fire-brands, as if he had nothing else to do, but set the world in a flame?
10. Folly and madness discovers it self in all they do: A wise word or action may steal unawares from them, but this is the tract of their life, you may read it in the tenor of their course: so spiritual madness is in all that unconverted men do; what is the life of the proud ⟨p. 145⟩and ambitious, but a pleasing and priding themselves in a gay Coat, an handful of dirt, a cap and a knee, an empty title? which is meer foolery. How looks the covetous man, who like a boy spends his time in rolling up a great snow ball, which melts before the sun? What but madness are all the actions of the voluptuous, who put off man, and put on beast, being brutish in all their prosecutions? what doth the passionate man, but scatter coals, and throw about fire-brands, as if he had nothing else to do, but set the world in a flame?
USE, 1. It may teach us not to wonder at all the exorbitancies and confusions which we see acted in the world: when fools and madmen have gotten the reins in their necks, and act all their own pleasure without any control, what better can be expected? The workers of iniquity all of them have no knowledge, no marvel then that they act so foolishly: Nay, much rather have we cause to wonder at the power and wisdom of God, that so wisely orders, and powerfully manageth this great Bedlam, as to carry on his own ends and designs in it without control or let, causing even the folly of men to pay tribute to his wisdom.
USE, 2. Here we see a reason why the means of Grace, where they are never so powerfully dispensed, are yet so ineffectual to the conversion of sinners: why convictions fasten ⟨p. 146⟩not, threatenings take not place, promises allure not the Children of men, but they continue senseless under all: the wise man gives the reason of it, Prov. 24. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool. The saving knowledge and spiritual improvement of these things is out of their reach: It is labour lost to go about to instruct a man that is beside himself: hence it is not in the power of means to work it; none but God, who can restore lost man to his wits again, and bring him to himself, is able to give efficacy to any endeavours of this nature, and till then, line upon line, and precept upon precept, are but as so much water spilt upon a rock.
USE, 2. Here we see a reason why the means of Grace, where they are never so powerfully dispensed, are yet so ineffectual to the conversion of sinners: why convictions fasten ⟨p. 146⟩not, threatnings take not place, promises allure not the Children of men, but they continue sensless under all: the wise man gives the reason of it, Prov. 24. 7. Wisdom is too high for a fool. The saving knowledge and spiritual improvment of these things is out of their reach: It is labour lost to go about to instruct a man that is beside himself: hence it is not in the power of means to work it; none but God, who can restore lost man to his wits again, and bring him to himself, is able to give efficacy to any endeavours of this nature, and till then, line upon line, and precept upon precept, are but as so much water spilt upon a rock.
USE, 3. It may also teach us how to carry it towards unregenerate sinners in their unregeneracy, viz. as we would do to a man that is beside himself: i. e. First, pity and pray for them; we are not wont to be enraged at a frantic, though he play mad tricks, because we know it comes from his distemper: Thus our Saviour, Luk. 23. 34. Father forgive them, they know not what they do: And so Stephen, Act 7. 60. Lay not this sin to their charge. They need your pity and prayers who can do nothing for themselves. 2. Be not afraid to anger them, so you may but do them good: Think it not hard to be scorned, reviled, when you rebuke and entreat them: Alas, if we should say or do nothing to them but what they ⟨p. 147⟩like, we should let them undo and destroy themselves, and become guilty of their blood. 3. Choose them not for your counsellors and companions: Who would account it his commendation or profit, to associate with a fool, or make himself the intimate of one that is out of his wits? None but fools delight in fools.
USE, 3. It may also teach us how to carry it towards unregenerate sinners in their unregeneracy, viz. as we would do to a man that is beside himself: i. e. First, pity and pray for them; we are not wont to be enraged at a frantick, though he play mad tricks, because we know it comes from his distemper: Thus our Saviour, Luk. 23. 34. Father forgive them, they know not what they do: And so Stephen, Act 7. 60. Lay not this sin to their charge. They need your pity and prayers who can do nothing for themselves. 2. Be not afraid to anger them, so you may but do them good: Think it not hard to be scorned, reviled, when you rebuke and entreat them: Alas, if we should say or do nothing to them but what they ⟨p. 147⟩like, we should let them undo and destroy themselves, and become guilty of their blood. 3. Chuse them not for your counsellors and companions: Who would account it his commendation or profit, to associate with a fool, or make himself the intimate of one that is out of his wits? None but fools delight in fools.
USE. 4. It may exhort the people of God, (true Believers) to great thankfulness to God for his wonderful love to you, that you are by his grace restored to a sound mind: as, when we look upon one that is distracted, and see what strange, imprudent, misguided, foolish actions he performs, it is a lesson to all that look on, showing them how deeply they are bound to thank God, and how much they owe him for their wits and understandings: so when we see what mad courses prodigal sinners drive, how they are carried head-long after their own lusts; go from God, spend all in riot, enslave themselves to Satan, and wast away their time in the midst of restless and unsatisfying vanities, neither knowing nor regarding an higher happiness; labouring for husks, and not filling of themselves, and yet presuming that they are in a way to do well; Oh, how should you acknowledge that Grace, from whence you have received more noble principles, and are disposed to higher employments? ⟨p. 148⟩That he hath given you a judgment and spirit of discerning between good and evil; especially remembering that you had been once of that society, and had lived in their Bedlam still, if he who alone is the great Physician of souls, had not applied his grace, and so cured you of this distemper.
USE. 4. It may exhort the people of God, (true Believers) to great thankfulness to God for his wonderful love to you, that you are by his grace restored to a sound mind: as, when we look upon one that is distracted, and see what strange, imprudent, misguided, foolish actions he performs, it is a lesson to all that look on, shewing them how deeply they are bound to thank God, and how much they ow him for their wits and understandings: so when we see what mad courses prodigal sinners drive, how they are carried head-long after their own lusts; go from God, spend all in riot, enslave themselves to Satan, and wast away their time in the midst of restless and unsatisfying vanities, neither knowing nor regarding an higher happiness; labouring for husks, and not filling of themselves, and yet presuming that they are in a way to do well; Oh, how should you acknowledge that Grace, from whence you have received more noble principles, and are disposed to higher imployments? ⟨p. 148⟩That he hath given you a judgment and spirit of discerning between good and evil; especially remembring that you had been once of that society, and had lived in their Bedlam still, if he who alone is the great Physitian of souls, had not applyed his grace, and so cured you of this distemper.
USE, 5. It may also serve for a word of conviction to such as are in their natural estate, let such be persuaded that they are beside themselves. Were you but willing to consider of it, there is enough to make it evident: 1. In your departing from God, and bidding him to go away from you, who only can make you happy, and who can make you miserable: You forsake the fountain of living water. 2. In your resolutely continuing in a course of sin; which is nothing less than running upon a swords point, and exposing of your selves to fearful plagues. 3. In placing your hope and confidence in the creature, which is empty and deceitful, a broken cistern in which is no water, Jer. 2. 13. 4. In laying all out upon your lusts, which fight against your souls, and are but fed and nourished to your utter undoing. But I pass.
USE, 5. It may also serve for a word of conviction to such as are in their natural estate, let such be perswaded that they are beside themselves. Were you but willing to consider of it, there is enough to make it evident: 1. In your departing from God, and bidding him to go away from you, who only can make you happy, and who can make you miserable: You forsake the fountain of living water. 2. In your resolutely continuing in a course of sin; which is nothing less than running upon a swords point, and exposing of your selves to fearful plagues. 3. In placing your hope and confidence in the creature, which is empty and deceitful, a broken cistern in which is no water, Jer. 2. 13. 4. In laying all out upon your lusts, which fight against your souls, and are but sed and nourished to your utter undoing. But I pass.
The first step to true conversion is Divine Illumination. The Prodigal, before he thinks of returning to his Father, first comes to himself: The ground of this is in three things.
1. Man is a reasonable Creature, and a cause by counsel of his own actions: The understanding in man is the light in him, by which he regulates all his ways, and as he seeth so he practiseth. The reason why sinful men place their hopes in perishing things, is because they call evil good: This therefore is a main part of man's misery, that his understanding is perverted, Psal. 53. 2, 4.
1. Man is a reasonable Creature, and a cause by counsel of his own actions: The understanding in man is the light in him, by which he regulates all his wayes, and as he seeth so he practiseth. The reason why sinful men place their hopes in perishing things, is because they call evil good: This therefore is a main part of man's misery, that his understanding is perverted, Psal. 53. 2, 4.
2. Faith, which is wrought in conversion, is grounded upon knowledge, Psal. 9. 10. God dealeth with his creatures according to the manner of their being and acting: Faith is a choosing, and so a closing with God; but every choice ariseth from a rational and convincing discovery of the suitableness of the object chosen, and preference which it is conceived to deserve above others: now this discovery is made to the understanding, which is the eye of the mind whereby it seeth and judgeth of things. Hence,
2. Faith, which is wrought in conversion, is grounded upon knowledge, Psal. 9. 10. God dealeth with his creatures according to the manner of their being and acting: Faith is a chusing, and so a closing with God; but every choise ariseth from a rational and convincing discovery of the sutablenese of the object chosen, and preference which it is conceived to deserve above others: now this discovery is made to the understanding, which is the eye of the mind whereby it seeth and judgeth of things. Hence,
3. It is impossible that the heart of man, which is naturally glued to the vanities of the world, and hath been deeply settled in his high opinion of it, should ever be made to renounce, cast off, and utterly to refuse to have any ⟨p. 150⟩thing more to do with them, or to place any more confidence in them, and make choice of God in Christ, and prefer him above all, till he be throughly enlightened in, and fully persuaded of his own misery, the creatures emptiness, and the glorious fullness that there is in God: The things which he hath so loved must appear to be evil, and the God. whom he hath forsaken must appear to be good: an unknown evil is not forsaken; an unknown good is not chosen: Hence the absence of saving knowledge is the ground of destruction. Hos. 4. 6. Hence conversion it self is often Synecdochically, called knowledge, and understanding, because that is a main ingredient in it: And then a man begins to come to himself, when he becomes to have a discerning of the truth of things.
3. It is impossible that the heart of man, which is naturally glewed to the vanities of the world, and hath been deeply setled in his high opinion of it, should ever be made to renounce, cast off, and utterly to refuse to have any ⟨p. 150⟩thing more to do with them, or to place any more confidence in them, and make choice of God in Christ, and preferr him above all, till he be throughly enlightned in, and fully perswaded of his own misery, the creatures emptiness, and the glorious fulness that there is in God: The things which he hath so loved must appear to be evil, and the God. whom he hath forsaken must appear to be good: an unknown evil is not forsaken; an unknown good is not chosen: Hence the absence of saving knowledge is the ground of destruction. Hos. 4. 6. Hence conversion it self is often Synechdochically, called knowledge, and understanding, because that is a main ingredient in it: And then a man begins to come to himself, when he becomes to have a discerning of the truth of things.
USE, 1. Here we have a rule directing us what course to take for the conversion of sinners; we must imitate God in this, if ever we would do sinners any good; we must endeavour their conviction; we must first deal with their understandings; to raise the affections, without informing the mind, is a fruitless unprofitable labour, and serves but to make zeal without knowledge: Man must firs see before he will repent of his evil; he must first know if ever he will love God, Psal. 9. 10.
USE, 1. Here we have a rule directing us what course to take for the conversion of sinners; we must imitate God in this, if ever we would do sinners any good; we must endeavour their conviction; we must first deal with their understandings; to raise the affections, without informing the mind, is a fruitlesse unprofitable labour, and serves but to make zeal without knowledge: Man must firs see before he will repent of his evil; he must first know if ever he will love God, Psal. 9. 10.
USE, 2. It tells us that there are great hopes ⟨p. 151⟩of men when they begin to come to themselves: If God begins once to cure men of their frenzy, to take them off their wild opinions, and vain conceits of happiness, in the profits, pleasures, and honours of this world, to make them see the emptiness of these things, and their own misery for want of a better stay to trust to, these are in an hopeful way to conversion. hence,
