A66106:823
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.
4. How obstinately thou didst oppose thine own Conversion: Thou wert horribly averse to it, and didst long withstand the strivings of the holy spirit.
5. What love God hath expressed to thee in thy Conversion: Words fall short, and similitudes are too strait to demonstrate or give colour to it. Set the love of God before thee as a glass in which to see and hate thy Sin, and love thy God: Let this make thee worthless in thine own eyes and account. What expressions doth this love draw out from Paul? 1 Tim. 1. 13, 14. Act therefore these thoughts upon thy heart, and get thy soul warmed with this sense: And more especially,
1. Art thou a young Convert, newly of a Prodigal made, and entertained as a Son? This great change now requires an humble heart, now thou art in the arms of mercy, pour out thy confessions, and bemoan thy self.
2. Hast thou at any time more than ordinary discoveries of God's love to thee? Now be improving this as an argument to abase thee: Ask thy heart, who hath done this? and then, who am I that he should do thus for me?
3. Especially if these applications are after some fall or relapse into such Sins as have wounded thy peace, and hidden his face for a season from thee. Doth he after this notwithstanding come again? Wonder, and be ashamed of thy self, when thou feelest his kisses and embraces again, empty thy soul in confessions, and self-judging acknowledgements into his bosom; so shalt thou be led on to more and more experiences of his wonderful loving kindness.
3. Especially if these applications are after some fall or relapse into such Sins as have wounded thy peace, and hidden his face for a season from thee. Doth he after this notwithstanding come again? Wonder, and be ashamed of thy self, when thou feelest his kisses and embraces again, empty thy soul in confessions, and self-judging acknowledgments into his bosom; so shalt thou be led on to more and more experiences of his wonderful loveing kindness.
Vers. 22. But the Father said to his Servants, bring forth the best robe, and put it on him, and put a Ring on his hand, and Shoes on his feet. Vers. 23. And bring hither the fatted Calf, and kill it; and let us eat and be merry. Vers. 24. For this my Son was dead, and i• alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.
The next thing to be considered is the Provision which the Father made for, and the entertainment which he gave to his returned Son, described in these Verses. I shall briefly insist on these things. Here we may observe an Allegorical description of the great benefits which God bestows upon a sinner on believing, or the wonderful change of his condition on Conversion. Whiles the Son is ⟨p. 332⟩complaining of his unworthiness, and accusing his own prodigality, his father, not so much by words, but by real acts gives him to find what favour he is received into. In the words observe, 1. The things that were done for him, vers. 22, 23. in which are, 1. The instruments used in doing them; his servants. 2. What they were to do; bring forth, &c. What these things allude to will be considered of in their place. 3. To what end; let us eat, and be merry. 2. The reason given to it, vers. 24. for this my son, &c. 3. The fruit consequent upon it. vers. 24. and they began to be merry. Christ under the welcome given by a tender father to his returning son, would shadow to us the welcome that a penitent finds with God, expressed with the greatest signs and tokens of a perfect reconciliation, and deepest affection, not only of love, but of joy too at his return: hence the servants are set to work; the best robe is brought forth to cover his nakedness, the fatted Calf killed, not only to feed, but feast him; a Ring is put on his hand, Shoes on his feet, and the whole house is filled with songs and mirth, and the very fields made to ring with acclamations of joy. In general observe this.
THe next thing to be considered is the Provision which the Father made for, and the entertainment which he gave to his returned Son, described in these Verses. I shall briefly insist on these things. Here we may observe an Allegorical description of the great benefits which God bestows upon a sinner on believing, or the wonderful change of his condition on Conversion. Whiles the Son is ⟨p. 332⟩complaining of his unworthiness, and accusing his own prodigality, his father, not so much by words, but by real acts gives him to find what favour he is received into. In the words observe, 1. The things that were done for him, vers. 22, 23. in which are, 1. The instruments used in doing them; his servants. 2. What they were to do; bring forth, &c. What these things allude to will be considered of in their place. 3. To what end; let us eat, and be merry. 2. The reason given to it, vers. 24. for this my son, &c. 3. The fruit consequent upon it. vers. 24. and they began to be merry. Christ under the welcome given by a tender father to his returning son, would shadow to us the welcome that a penitent finds with God, expressed with the greatest signs and tokens of a perfect reconciliation, and deepet affection, not only of love, but of joy too at his return: hence the servants are set to work; the best robe is brought forth tocover his nakedness, the fatted Calf killed, not only to feed, but feast him; a Ring is put on his hand, Shoes on his feet, and the whole house is filled with songs and mirth, and the very fields made to ring with acclamations of joy. In general observe this.
When God comes to receive a penitent Prodigal into favour again, it is a time of singing and mirth. It is a day of joy.
1. To God himself the father testified his joy for his Son's recovery, by his entertainment; so doth God by his of a sinner: though God properly have no affections, which are passions, and tokens of imperfection, yet he assumes such things to himself for our instruction: and not only so, but providentially in the application of himself to the soul, he doth such things, as are witnesses of such affections in men: Where men love much, they will do much: Feasts are tokens of joy, great feasts of great joy.
Reas. 1. From his relation; he is a son, though he hath been a Prodigal; he was chosen from Eternity; and this relation blots out all. Alexander told Antipater, accusing his mother of vile actions, one tear of a mother will obliterate all anger: God useth this argument for Paul, when Ananias speak hard of him, Act. 9. 15. He is a chosen vessel.
Reas. 2. From the great change wrought: His son was dead and is alive, was lost and is ⟨p. 334⟩found. With what joy did those women whose sons Elisha and Christ raised, entertain them: How glad is a tender Parent to find a Child that hath been lost? here is matter of much joy: Thus it is with a sinner: he is raised from a grave of sin, and found in the wilderness of his wandering.
Reas. 2. From the great change wrought: His son was dead and is alive, was lost and is ⟨p. 334⟩found. With what joy did those women whose sons Elisha and Christ raised, entertain them: How glad is a tender Parent to find a Child that hath been lost? here is matter of much joy: Thus it is with a sinner: he is raised from a grave of sin, and found in the wilderness of his wandring.
Reas. 3. Because now God's great design of glorifying his grace in this sinners recovery is brought about, the foundation of that work is laid in his heart; now all men are glad when their main designs are accomplished.
2. To the blessed Angels: These may in part be looked upon as the servants here employed, who attended cheerfully in this service; for they are ministering spirits for the heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 14. And that Angels are glad at a sinners Conversion is asserted, context, vers. 10.
2. To the blessed Angels: These may in part be looked upon as the servants here employed, who attended cheerfully in this fervice; for they are ministring spirits for the heirs of Salvation, Heb. 1. 14. And that Angels are glad at a sinners Conversion is asserted, context, vers. 10.
Reas. 1. From their relation to Believers, they are their brethren, fellow Servants, fellow Citizens, and such for whose salvation they do minister.
