A66106:884
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.
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.
Reas. 1. From the different manner of their fruition of the object of their joy: Their joy here, is for the most part a joy of hope, but afterwards it shall be a joy of possession, Rom. 8. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by faith, not by fight. They are now heirs, and their inheritance is glorious, and the fore-thought of it affords them great joy, but they are under Tutors, and Guardians the while; but then they shall take possession of all the Glories of Heaven, and fullness of Christ: they now rejoice that their names are written in Heaven; then they ⟨p. 352⟩shall themselves be there placed upon thrones, and wear Crowns.
Reas. 1. From the different manner of their fruition of the object of their joy: Their joy here, is for the most part a joy of hope, but afterwards it shall be a joy of possession, Rom. 8. 24. 2 Cor. 5. 7. For we walk by faith, not by fight. They are now heirs, and their inheritance is glorious, and the fore-thought of it affords them great joy, but they are under Tutors, and Guardians the while; but then they shall take possession of all the Glories of Heaven, and fulness of Christ: they now rejoyce that their names are written in Heaven; then they ⟨p. 352⟩shall themselves be there placed upon thrones, and wear Crowns.
Reas. 2. From the different degrees of their fruition: They have something now to live upon by Faith, there is something of heaven that doth come down into the souls of Believers here upon earth, but they are but earnests, like a bunch of grapes to refresh them in a wilderness; which, though it be sweeter than all that is in the world, yet it is but little to that Canaan where these grow in abundance: they have spiced draughts here, but then the mountain of spices, Psal. 16. ult. fullness of joy is in thy presence.
Reas. 2. From the different degrees of their fruition: They have something now to live upon by Faith, there is something of heaven that doth come down into the souls of Believers here upon earth, but they are but earnests, like a bunch of grapes to refresh them in a wilderness; which, though it be sweeter than all that is in the world, yet it is but little to that Canaan where these grow in abundance: they have spiced draughts here, but then the mountain of spices, Psal. 16. ult. fulness of joy is in thy presence.
Reas. 3. From the mixture and allays of their joys here, which shall not be in another world. The joys of Believers are here sometimes interrupted, a cloud intercepts the Sun, a curtain is drawn before their window, they are in the dark and see no light: Though Faith be never lost, yet sense is many times taken away; they have broken bones to pain them: Yea, all along the presence of sin, that captivating power of the body of death, put them into mourning; their clearest sunshine is attended with showers, so that their present joys cannot be full: but there no cloud doth arise, that upper world enjoys a perpetual serenity; There is no sin to molest them, no frown of a father to deject them, ⟨p. 353⟩nothing to cut off their full and endless communion with Jesus Christ the fountain of life and glory.
Reas. 3. From the mixture and allays of their joyes here, which shall not be in another world. The joyes of Believers are here sometimes interrupted, a cloud intercepts the Sun, a curtain is drawn before their window, they are in the dark and see no light: Though Faith be never lost, yet sense is many times taken away; they have broken bones to pain them: Yea, all along the presence of sin, that captivating power of the body of death, put them into mourning; their clearest sunshine is attended with showers, so that their present joyes cannot be full: but there no cloud doth arise, that upper world enjoyes a perpetual serenity; There is no sin to molest them, no frown of a father to deject them, ⟨p. 353⟩nothing to cut off their full and endless communion with Jesus Christ the fountain of life and glory.
USE, 1. This may help to strengthen and augment a Believers present joy: There is a vast difference between a mere penny, and an earnest penny: Though we see but a little light just at day breaking, yet this is the comfort of it, that it is an harbinger to, and witness of the Suns rising shortly; so, though they be but weak and faint beams of comfort that are glimmering upon our hearts, yet this is our happiness that they dart in to tell us that we shall ere long be put into possession of all that felicity which Christ hath bought and paid for.
USE, 1. This may help to strengthen and augment a Believers present joy: There is a vast difference between a meer penny, and an earnest penny: Though we see but a little light just at day breaking, yet this is the comfort of it, that it is an harbinger to, and witness of the Suns rising shortly; so, though they be but weak and faint beams of comfort that are glimmering upon our hearts, yet this is our happiness that they dart in to tell us that we shall ere long be put into possession of all that felicity which Christ hath bought and paid for.
USE, 2. Let this also serve to sweeten to our thoughts, the apprehension of our change: If a drop doth so refresh thy soul, as to fetch it again to life, when just dying, think how blessed then are they who dwell by the fountain, and drink their fill of it every day? Ah what will it be to be in his arms everlastingly? Didst thou hear his voice in an Ordinance, it was so full of charms, that thy ravished soul could hardly keep in from quitting its mortal tabernacle? What will it then be to feel his everlasting embraces? How welcome should this make the messenger of Death; yea, how pleasantly may it make thee to meditate upon ⟨p. 354⟩and put into thee a desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ which is best of all.
USE, 2. Let this also serve to sweeten to our thoughts, the apprehension of our change: If a drop doth so refresh thy soul, as to fetch it again to life, when just dying, think how blessed then are they who dwel by the fountain, and drink their fill of it every day? Ah what will it be to be in his armes everlastingly? Didst thou hear his voice in an Ordinance, it was so full of charms, that thy ravished soul could hardly keep in from quitting its mortal tabernacle? What will it then be to feel his everlasting embraces? How welcome should this make the messenger of Death; yea, how pleasantly may it make thee to meditate upon ⟨p. 354⟩and put into thee a desire to be dissolved, and to be with Christ which is best of all.
Vers. 25. Now his elder Son was in the field, and as he came out and drew nigh unto the house, he heard music and dancing. Vers. 26. And he called one of the servants, and asked him what these things meant. Vers. 27. And he said unto him, thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted Calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. Vers. 28. And he was angry.—
Vers. 25. Now his elder Son was in the field, and as he came out and drew nigh unto the house, he heard musick and dancing. Vers. 26. And he called one of the servants, and asked him what these things meant. Vers. 27. And he said unto him, thy brother is come, and thy father hath killed the fatted Calf, because he hath received him safe and sound. Vers. 28. And he was angry.—
The third part of the Parable hath been spoken to, and therein I have have given an account of the main matter intended in the this discourse; viz. To make ⟨p. 355⟩discovery of the wretchedness and unworthiness of a sinner, the riches of the grace of God in his Conversion, the nature also and quality of converting grace. I shall very briefly pass over this fourth and last part; in which we have described the carriage of the elder son; by whom, we observed in the beginning, our Saviour aims at the scribes and Pharisees, whose murmuring at his familiarizing of himself with Publicans and sinners, gave occasion to this and the foregoing Parable: He is called the Elder, because these men looked upon themselves as the proper heirs and inheritors of the Promises; took themselves to be the only men of merit, and thought that all favour shown to Publicans was misapplied.
THe third part of the Parable hath been spoken to, and therein I have have given an account of the main matter intended in the this discourse; viz. To make ⟨p. 355⟩discovery of the wretchedness and unworthiness of a sinner, the riches of the grace of God in his Conversion, the nature also and quality of converting grace. I shall very briefly pass over this fourth and last part; in which we have described the carriage of the elder son; by whom, we observed in the beginning, our Saviour aims at the scribes and Pharisees, whose murmuring at his familiarizing of himself with Publicans and sinners, gave occasion to this and the foregoing Parable: He is called the Elder, because these men looked upon themselves as the proper heirs and inheriters of the Promises; took themselves to be the only men of merit, and thought that all favour shewn to Publicans was misapplyed.
In this part of the Parable there are two parts. 1. The offence which this son took at his father's carriage to his younger brother, vers. 25. to 31. 2. The Father's vindicating the righteousness and equity of the carriage, vers, 31, 32.
1. In the offence we may observe, 1. The ground of it, viz. The information given him of his brothers entertainment, partly by his ears, confused, vers. 25. and partly by information upon enquiry, vers. 26, 27. further illustrated by the place where he was, when all this was done, vers. 25. 2. The offence it self described, 1. Positively, vers. ⟨p. 356⟩28. 2. In its aggravations, vers. 28, 29, 30. where he justifieth himself against his father's entreaties, condemns his brother, and accuseth his father of ingratitude, if not injustice. I shall give you some brief hints from these several passages.
1. In the offense we may observe, 1. The ground of it, viz. The information given him of his brothers entertainment, partly by his ears, confused, vers. 25. and partly by information upon enquiry, vers. 26, 27. further illustrated by the place where he was, when all this was done, vers. 25. 2. The offence it self described, 1. Positively, vers. ⟨p. 356⟩28. 2. In its aggravations, vers. 28, 29, 30. where he justifieth himself against his father's entreaties, condemns his brother, and accuseth his father of ingratitude, if not injustice. I shall give you some brief hints from these several passages.
