Mercy magnified on a penitent prodigal, or, A brief discourse

2. The bounty of God added to his sufficiency gives further strength to hope, in that it discovereth more than a possibility, viz. some probability: The Fathers bounty to hired servants, made the son think, he not only hath enough, but is very free of it, why then may not I, who am a son, though a Prodigal, make proof of it? Beggars go more cheerfully to, and knock more liberally at a bountiful man's ⟨p. 193⟩door, because they are ready to promise themselves relief; not that they deserve more of him than of another, but because he is more ready to communicate his favour than a churl is: When a poor sinner considers how kind God is, how full of mercy, how liberally he distributes his favours, how he deals his kindnesses undeserved; and scatters them, not with a sparing but bountiful hand, now, thinks he, why may I not speed? why may not I come as well as another, and hope to find him kind to me, as well as others have done? Hence God puts this argument into their mouths, Hos. 14. 3. With thee the fatherless findeth mercy. You find David makes a plea of this, Psal. 86. 5. Thou, O Lord, art good, and ready to forgive. Now, though the soul have never a promise to rely on (for that is received in believing) yet he hath a support against despair, and argument to drive him to go to God for his mercy.

2. The bounty of God added to his sufficiency gives further strength to hope, in that it discovereth more than a possibility, viz. some probability: The Fathers bounty to hired servants, made the son think, he not only hath enough, but is very free of it, why then may not I, who am a son, though a Prodigal, make proof of it? Beggars go more chearfully to, and knock more liberally at a bountiful man's ⟨p. 193⟩door, because they are ready to promise themselves relief; not that they deserve more of him than of another, but because he is more ready to communicate his favour than a churle is: When a poor sinner considers how kind God is, how full of mercy, how liberally he distributes his favours, how he deals his kindnesses undeserved; and scatters them, not with a sparing but bountiful hand, now, thinks he, why may I not speed? why may not I come as well as another, and hope to find him kind to me, as well as others have done? Hence God puts this argument into their mouths,