A66106:874
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.
2: To honour his servants: it is an honour to any creature to be used by God in any service of his; but to be used in the greatest work, that is so much more; this is it which so elevates Paul, Eph: 3: 8: To me, who am less than the least of all Saints, is this grace given, &c.
USE, 1: For Information,
1: See their folly who, contemning the servants of Christ, expect all their comforts and benefits to come from himself immediately: They scorn to receive the best robe, &c. at the hands of Christ's Servants, but must have it from him without means, though (should God grant us our desire) it is most suitable that his Servants should be helpful in it; yet it ⟨p. 346⟩is a strange frame in a Prodigal, that he will be limiting his Father, and telling him how he shall relieve him, or not at all? What? Can we not see the father's love in the gift, because it is sent by the hand of a Messenger? Well; if God's own way cannot content men, they are like to go without his blessing.
1: See their folly who, contemning the servants of Christ, expect all their comforts and benefits to come from himself immediatly: They scorn to receive the best robe, &c. at the hands of Christ's Servants, but must have it from him without means, though (should God grant us our desire) it is most suitable that his Servants should be helpful in it; yet it ⟨p. 346⟩is a strange frame in a Prodigal, that he will be limiting his Father, and telling him how he shall relieve him, or not at all? What? Can we not see the father's love in the gift, because it is sent by the hand of a Messenger? Well; if God's own way cannot content men, they are like to go without his blessing.
2. That those are likely to receive the greatest manifestations of Gods love to their soul, that are most careful and diligent in giving attendance to the Ordinances. In heaven indeed, we shall derive all immediately from Christ, but upon earth it is otherwise: Hence that promise, Prov. 8. 35, 36. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my Gates, &c. It is vain for men to depend upon immediate revelations; Moses and the Prophets they have, let them use them. Gods way is in his Temple. David desires to dwell in Gods house, there to behold his beauty, Psal. 27. 4. and declares such as do so, to be blessed, because they will still be praising him, Psal. 84. 4. i. e. they will be always finding matter of praise.
2. That those are likely to receive the greatest manifestations of Gods love to their soul, that are most careful and diligent in giving attendance to the Ordinances. In heaven indeed, we shall derive all immediatly from Christ, but upon earth it is otherwise: Hence that promise, Prov. 8. 35, 36. Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my Gates, &c. It is vain for men to depend upon immediate revelations; Moses and the Prophets they have, let them use them. Gods way is in his Temple. David desires to dwell in Gods house, there to behold his beauty, Psal. 27. 4. and declares such as do so, to be blessed, because they will still be praising him, Psal. 84. 4. i. e. they will be alwayes finding matter of praise.
USE, For Exhortation: It may advise all such as would receive the spiritual blessings of the Gospel, to make use of the help of Christ's Servants, his Ministers. Do you want help, relief, comfort? repair to them. Though it be true that God only can give it, and all means avail not without his blessing, yet is ⟨p. 347⟩also true, that by them he dispenseth it ordinarily: Now, as the means are appointed by God, so he honours them with the presence and efficacy of his spirit, which else is not to be expected, where there are such advantages. Truth may be the same, spoken by a Minister and another, and yet it may come with more efficacy from such an one, than from another; not from any virtue in him, but from the grace of God, who will thus own his own appointments. Are you in trouble and want help? May you not blame your selves? You say, Alas! What can such an one stead me? I answer, not at all of himself, but God comes where he will, and may justly leave you without the blessing, if you despise his way: Let then the messages of peace be welcome to you; if God sends you comfort by his Servants, do not refuse, but receive it.
USE, For Exhortation: It may advise all such as would receive the spiritual blessings of the Gospel, to make use of the help of Christ's Servants, his Ministers. Do you want help, relief, comfort? repair to them. Though it be true that God only can give it, and all means avail not without his blessing, yet is ⟨p. 347⟩also true, that by them he dispenseth it ordinarily: Now, as the means are appointed by God, so he honours them with the presence and efficacy of his spirit, which else is not to be expected, where there are such advantages. Truth may be the same, spoken by a Minister and another, and yet it may come with more efficacy from such an one, than from another; not from any vertue in him, but from the grace of God, who will thus own his own appointments. Are you in trouble and want help? May you not blame your selves? You say, Alas! What can such an one stead me? I answer, not at all of himself, but God comes where he will, and may justly leave you without the blessing, if you dispise his way: Let then the messages of peace be welcome to you; if God sends you comfort by his Servants, do not refuse, but receive it.
We do not here observe that the Father is mentioned to say any thing, to his humble son, weeping out his confessions to him in his arms; but he calls for his servants, and commands them presently to do for him, that which shall ⟨p. 348⟩be a real testimony of his entire love: What is done for him shall speak his affection better than ten thousand complemental professions.
USE, This may show us the difference between God and men: These make many proffers and protestations: say be fed, be clothed; but mean while the needy creature may perish for all them: But now God seeing a miserable soul in distress, he takes it up into his arms, gives him what he wants, cloths his nakedness, feeds his hunger, takes away his disgrace. It may also direct us in clearing up our evidences; you are ready to say, could I but hear or understand him to speak to me in this or that promise, it would greatly satisfy my doubts; but I reply, is there not a convincing language in deeds? and do you find that to be wrought in you which the promise speaks of? is there suitable spiritual supply brought into your souls? Do you find that there which answers your wants? and shall not this satisfy and certify you of your fathers love, and your interest in the Promise: Nay, you may safely thus argue the case, could he do this for me if he loved me not? Am I not dealt with as a son, and shall I any longer doubt of my sonship.
USE, This may shew us the difference between God and men: These make many proffers and protestations: say be fed, be clothed; but mean while the needy creature may perish for all them: But now God seeing a miserable soul in distress, he takes it up into his arms, gives him what he wants, cloths his nakedness, feeds his hunger, takes away his disgrace. It may also direct us in clearing up our evidences; you are ready to say, could I but hear or understand him to speak to me in this or that promise, it would greatly satisfie my doubts; but I reply, is there not a convincing language in deeds? and do you find that to be wrought in you which the promise speaks of? is there suitable spiritual supply brought into your souls? Do you find that there which answers your wants? and shall not this satisfie and certifie you of your fathers love, and your interest in the Promise: Nay, you may safely thus argue the case, could he do this for me if he loved me not? Am I not dealt with as a son, and shall I any longer doubt of my sonship.
This is expressed, vers. 24. under two resemblances, wherein the state of man before and after conversion is opposed;
1. Of one that was dead, and is now alive: the natural man is spiritually dead, Eph. 2. 1. This part of the curse actually fell upon Adam, as soon as he fell, and falls on his posterity as soon as they are born, or have a being. They are every way like one that is dead, have no principle of spiritual life, being wholly without Sanctification, which was the informing principle of their Theological life: he can do nothing that is good, can neither stir hand or foot to the service of God; he stinks in the nostrils of God, all that comes from him is rotten and noisome, he sees, hears, understands nothing spiritually. But the convert is alive, Gal. 2. 20. I live; the Image of God is restored, his eyes are opened, ears bored, and he is made capable of doing God service, and glorifying of him in his life; he can now savour the things of God, and walk in his ways.
1. Of one that was dead, and is now alive: the natural man is spiritually dead, Eph. 2. 1. This part of the curse actually fell upon Adam, as soon as he fell, and falls on his posterity as soon as they are born, or have a being. They are every way like one that is dead, have no principle of spiritual life, being wholly without Sanctification, which was the informing principle of their Theological life: he can do nothing that is good, can neither stir hand or foot to the service of God; he stinks in the nostrils of God, all that comes from him is rotten and noisom, he sees, hears, understands nothing spiritually. But the convert is alive, Gal. 2. 20. I live; the Image of God is restored, his eyes are opened, ears bored, and he is made capable of doing God service, and glorifying of him in his life; he can now savour the things of God, and walk in his wayes.
2. Of one that was lost, and is found: Every Son and Daughter of Adam is lost, gone astray, knows not the way of peace; is in a wilderness and cannot find the way out of it; ⟨p. 350⟩cannot tell where he is, nor what he is doing, nor whither he is going, and will certainly be lost for ever, if grace follow him not into the Wilderness: seek him out, take him up into arms of mercy and bring him home: But the Convert is found; grace hath sought and found him in the mountains, set him in his right way, and becomes his conductor; and now he is going to eternal happiness, and shall arrive at glory.
2. Of one that was lost, and is found: Every Son and Daughter of Adam is lost, gone astray, knows not the way of peace; is in a wilderness and cannot find the way out of it; ⟨p. 350⟩cannot tell where he is, nor what he is doing, nor whither he is going, and will certainly be lost for ever, if grace follow him not into the Wilderness: seek him out, take him up into arms of mercy and bring him home: But the Convert is found; grace hath sought and found him in the mountains, set him in his right way, and becomes his conducter; and now he is going to eternal happiness, and shall arrive at glory.
USE, 1. To teach us how unjustly they boast of their conversion, who are still the same that they were; no changelings; whose lives and conversations are as dead and sapless and unfavoury as ever; who are wandering from God and from his ways: Let us assure our selves, that where grace hath been at work it will not be so, if men have received spiritual life, they will live; if they are found, they will seek and endeavour to keep in the way of peace, in Tit. 1. 16. See a vast difference between some that say they are converted, and such as are so indeed.
USE, 1. To teach us how unjustly they boast of their conversion, who are still the same that they were; no changlings; whose lives and conversations are as dead and sapless and unfavoury as ever; who are wandring from God and from his wayes: Let us assure our selves, that where grace hath been at work it will not be so, if men have received spiritual life, they will live; if they are found, they will seek and endeavour to keep in the way of peace, in Tit. 1. 16. See a vast difference between some that say they are converted, and such as are so indeed.
USE, 2. For comfort to those that find this change wrought in them: these are the beginnings of eternal life: This the father gives as the reason of the joyful feast; can you say you were dead and are alive? you have the ground of all consolation in you, and may rejoice in the midst of all other sorrows and troubles. ⟨p. 351⟩He that lives spiritually, shall live eternally, and him whom Christ hath found, he will save, and he shall be lost no more: He may have his wanderings, but he shall never wholly swerve.
USE, 2. For comfort to those that find this change wrought in them: these are the beginnings of eternal life: This the father gives as the reason of the joyful feast; can you say you were dead and are alive? you have the ground of all consolation in you, and may rejoyce in the midst of all other sorrows and troubles. ⟨p. 351⟩He that lives spiritually, shall live eternally, and him whom Christ hath found, he will save, and he shall be lost no more: He may have his wandrings, but he shall never wholly swerve.
They began to be merry. They are but the sips and foretastes, inchoations of joy which they partake in in this world: The Saints have joy here transcending all the worlds pleasures and delights, such as indeed they cannot so much as apprehend, 1 Cor. 2. 9. but compared with those that are to come, they are but drops, essays, inchoations.
They began to be merry. They are but the sips and foretastes, inchoations of joy which they partake in in this world: The Saints have joy here transcending all the worlds pleasures and delights, such as indeed they cannot so much as apprehend, 1 Cor. 2. 9. but compared with those that are to come, they are but drops, essayes, inchoations.
