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

5. Carry it humbly towards God though he doth not bestow so much grace upon you as on others: We are sometimes ready to say, though I deserve nothing at God's hands, yet I am as deserving as another; God can afford such an one so much wisdom, faith, patience, comfort &c. and why may not I have it as well? This spirit of envy and emulation is contrary to Humility: and this very argument, rightly improved ⟨p. 267⟩might make thee silent: Is God a free disposer? is it his own that he gives? and may he not deal it out at his liberty? is thy eye evil, because his is good? doth not poor man challenge as great a liberty as this is, and will you deny it God? nay, because thou art unworthy, thou hast cause to be thankful that thou hast any at all, when there are so many millions that have none, and who hath made thee to differ from them? yea, call thy self to an account, how hast thou husbanded thy little? if ill, that should humble and silence thee; if well, then comfort thy self, that he who improved his two talents well, had his master's Euge, and entered into the Lord's joy. yea, how knowest thou, but that their work and temptation is greater than thine, and therefore stand in need of more?

5. Carry it humbly towards God though he doth not bestow so much grace upon you as on others: We are sometimes ready to say, though I deserve nothing at God's hands, yet I am as deserving as another; God can afford such an one so much wisdom, faith, patience, comfort &c. and why may not I have it as well? This spirit of envy and emulation is contrary to Humility: and this very argument, rightly improved ⟨p. 267⟩might make thee silent: Is God a free disposer? is it his own that he gives? and may he not deal it out at his liberty? is thy eye evil, because his is good? doth not poor man challenge as great a liberty as this is, and will you deny it God? nay, because thou art unworthy, thou hast cause to be thankful that thou hast any at all, when there are so many millions that have none, and who hath made thee to differ from them? yea, call thy self to an account, how hast thou husbanded thy little? if ill, that should humble and silence thee; if well, then comfort thy self, that he who improved his two talents well, had his master's Euge, and entred into the Lord's joy. yea, how knowest thou, but that their work and temptation is greater than thine, and therefore stand in need of more?